Santiago Maldonado was last seen when security forces evicted Mapuche Indians from land owned by clothing companyArgentina’s government has offered a reward for information about the whereabouts of a missing activist who was last seen when security forces evicted a group of Mapuche Indians from lands in Patagonia owned by the Italian clothing company Benetton. The $27,000 reward offered on Tuesday comes a day after a United Nations committee said the disappearance of Santiago Maldonado required urgent action by the administration of Argentina’s president, Mauricio Macri. The Mapuches claim part of the Benetton-owned land as ancestral territory and the conflict has often erupted into violent protest. pic.twitter.com/pon2fdox1tMaldonado had reportedly travelled last week to support the Mapuche Pu Lof community, who have been occupying part of the disputed land since 2015. The demonstrators were demanding the release of the imprisoned Mapuche leader Jones Huala, whose extradition on charges of terrorism has been requested by neighbouring Chile, where the Mapuche community is also involved in land disputes.

Source: The Guardian August 08, 2017 20:48 UTC