Complaint alleging violations of indigenous peoples rights. Precautionary measures to prevent irreversible damages. Friendly settlement agreement. Acknowledgement of compensation for damages. State commitment to adopt general measures to strengthen indigenous rights.
In October 2005, the applicants requested the IACHR to urge the Government of Chile to fully comply with all items in the friendly settlement and to submit a report on its fulfillment of the obligations adopted before the IACHR.
This case shows the key importance of having access to an international protection mechanism when national authorities fully ignore fundamental rights of vulnerable sectors such as indigenous peoples. Ultimately, the case also illustrates the history of a group of indigenous families who fought to defend their rights and obtained compensation for the damages and injustice they had suffered.
Petitioners: Mercedes Julia Huenteao Beroiza, Rosario Huenteao Beroiza, Nicolaza Quintremán Calpán, Berta Quintremán Calpán and Aurelia Marihuan Mora, represented by Centro por el Derecho Internacional Ambiental (CIEL) (http://www.ciel.org).