From: hrcoord@igc.apc.org (Human Rights Coordinator)
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Subject: CHILE: TRIBUTES TO ALLENDE AND PINO
Date: 13 Sep 92 17:19:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476700460:000:3145
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Sep 13 10:19:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: CHILE: TRIBUTES TO ALLENDE AND PINO

/* Written 12:14 am  Sep 13, 1992 by newsdesk in
cdp:ips.englibrary */ Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all
rights reserved.  Permission to re- print within 7 days of
original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: CHILE: TRIBUTES TO ALLENDE AND PINOCHET ON COUP
ANNIVERSARY

santiago, sep 10 (ips) -- human rights organisations in chile have
called on citizens to participate in ''marches for justice'' on
friday to mark the 19th aniversary of the military coup that
ousted president salvador allende, while supporters of general
augusto pinochet will pay tribute to the former military
dictator.

the human rights activities, which will include an ecumenical
service and a pilgrimage to allende's tomb, were convened by
relatives of ''the victims of repression'', left-wing political
parties and trade union and student organisations.

the calls to join ''marches for justice'' contrasted sharply with
declarations by the opposition right wing national renewal party
(rn) and the independent democratic union (udi), who said they
would ''enthusiastically celebrate'' the coup anniversary.

the rn, chile's main opposition party, says the military coup of
september 11 1973, which led to nearly 17 years of military
dictatorship by general pinochet, constituted a ''reaffirmation of
our sovereignty and our independence.''

according to the rn, after the 1973 coup, ''we began to recover
the values of liberty and solidarity'' with the establishment of
''democratic co-existence that was respectful, just and
progressive.''

rn and udi councillors elected in recent municipal elections,
announced a tribute in honour of pinochet and said they would
escort the general from his home to the military academy where a
mass will be celebrated.

the coordinator of chile's human rights groups criticised the
right wing actions saying ''nobody can celebrate the destruction
of democracy and the deaths of thousands of victims, as a result
of the rperession imposed by the dictatorship in our country.''

on friday, hundreds of protestors will begin marching to the
capital from the cities of arica and punta arenas, in the extreme
north and south of chile. the marchers are expected to arrive in
santiago on october 4.

the marches are part of a national campaign to demand the
annulment of the amnesty law decreed by general pinochet in 1978,
which prevents those involved in human rights violations from
being prosecuted.

meanwhile, the chilean students' federation has protested at the
detention of 19 students arrested by police on wednesday,
following protests at the metropolitan university in santiago.

student leader arturo barrios said several students were injured
when police ''violated the university's autonomy'' to break up the
demonstration. the student protests were organised to demand
pinochet's resignation from his post as army chief.

under chilean law, general pinochet, who was appointed army chief
by allende only days before the coup, is entitled to remain in his
post until 1998. (ends/ips/trd/sp or en/em/cs/cg/92)
----
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human