Peruvian immigrants in hospital after being set on fire by Chile fishermen

Peruvian immigrants in hospital after being set on fire by Chile fishermen
Mob attacked Juan Jiménez Ninaja and José Díaz Ninaja, who had collected seaweed in region for years, amid debate over surge in migration

Piotr Kozak in Santiago
Tuesday 18 July 2017 07.00 EDT


Two Peruvian brothers are recovering in hospital in the Chilean city of Antofagasta after being doused with petrol and set alight by a mob of Chilean fishermen in the port city of Tocopilla.

Juan Jiménez Ninaja and José Díaz Ninaja were left with second- and third-degree burns to over half their bodies after the attack. The two brothers had collected seaweed in the region for five years, helping to supply a multimillion-dollar aquaculture export industry. Mainly shipped to Japan, China and France, the plants are used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals as well as being eaten.

The incident took place amid an increasingly heated debate over the recent surge in migration to Chile, mainly from other Latin American and Caribbean countries, and growing racial tensions in the Antofagasta region.

According to Elizabeth Andrade, a Peruvian social worker and one of the leaders of a migrant squatter camp in the city of Antofagasta, the attack was triggered by competition between seaweed collectors.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/18/chile-peru-immigrants-burned-fishermen

LBN:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10141823857