Chilean Protests and Human Rights Abuses
- williamdare2
- Apr 3, 2020
- 2 min read
After receiving footage from a friend of mine who had been Chile during the protests I decided this was an issue I wanted to draw attention to, as it was largely unknown about in the West in the last few months, especially with the current pandemic dominating headlines.
The protests began around a hike on the price of public transportation and grew to encompass the general problems of inequality, cost of living and privatisation. The protests have gone on for months now, flaring up again in late January. The country has seen riots and destruction, as well as a brutal response by the police, army and carabineros. It has been described by Bloomberg as “the worst civil unrest since the end of the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship in 1990, with more than 150 people detained…for many Chileans, it will bring bad memories to see soldiers on the street again". This article is of course out of date now, with many more having been detained.
It is the government’s response I want to draw attention to. The response has drawn criticisms of human rights abuses from groups such as Amnesty and the UN. They have used tear gas and rubber bullets indiscriminately, causing thousands of injuries.
Not only this but Pinera’s regime has been accused of the torture of those arrested, including the use of sexual assault. The brutal methods are an attempt to deter further protests and resistance. More than 30 people have died according to an Al Jazeera article from the 16th March, 4000 have been injured with over 445 people suffering eye injuries, leading to eyes and eye coverings becoming a symbol for the protests. We can add on to this reports from the public prosecutors office of more than 1100 reports of torture and degrading treatment and 70 crimes of a sexual nature, although this numbers are likely out of date by this point.
Amnesty International are quoted saying ““The security forces under the command of President Sebastián Piñera – mainly the army and Carabineros (the national police) – are carrying out widespread attacks using unnecessary and excessive force with the intention of injuring and punishing protesters.”
Human rights abuses are all our concerns, and the people of Chile deserve to be seen and recognised in their struggle. The protest are slowing down as the Covid-19 pandemic spreads. Many are resorting to banging pots and pans as a means to keep the protest alive whilst social distancing. The government has also cracked down, with the state of catastrophe putting the military in charge of public order, although at least 2/3rds of Chileans do not deem the governments response as adequate.
Time will tell what happens to the protests, especially with the outbreak making mass gatherings difficult and ill advised. I would recommend Al Jazeera as a great way to stay informed on this topic, their reports will be much more in depth and regular than I can be. Amnesty is also tracking what is going; I will leave links below to both sites. I just hoped to raise awareness of what is going on across the Atlantic, so that those who would enact cruelty and human rights violations might someday be held accountable.
Sources
https://www.elmostrador.cl/dia/2019/10/19/bloomberg-santiago-despierta-en-la-devastacion/
https://chiletoday.cl/site/destruction-in-the-violeta-parra-museum-there-is-nothing-left-to-burn/?fbclid=IwAR1Zl61QfoT0gjZbfBGtOTcY7eQ6zCqoZl5yO0o5c62GLA55SQrjfkgTt5o
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