MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Easter Islanders want to limit resident population

The monumental statues, symbol of the Chilean Polynesian island

The airport of Easter Island was again occupied by protesting locals forcing to cancel flights and causing considerable delay in the rest of the traffic. This is not the first time locals take over the Mataveri terminal in Rapa Nui and for the same reason: to protest the growing number of people who are arriving to become permanent residents.

Locals feel that the increase in population be it Chilean nationals or foreigners will have a negative impact in the island’s environment and heritage.

Easter Island is widely famous for its monumental stone statues, called moai, created by the Rapanui people. It is a world heritage site with much of the island protected within the Rapa Nui National Park.

Apparently this time residents moved in and parked cars in the main airstrip closing down all air traffic.

Talks are going on with the governor and one of the proposals is to implement a controversial system that would ban people with criminal records from the island.

However Islanders insist on a visa system that ensures visitors return to mainland Chile. But according to Chilean authorities this is an “illegal” initiative for Chilean citizens since the island in the southeastern Pacific, at the southern most point of the Polynesian triangle, is Chilean territory.

Easter Island as a special territory was officially incorporated to Chile in 1888.