wfn.org | Chile Regressed in Area of Human Rights

[GEORGE_CONKLIN.parti@ecunet.org]

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Date: Fri, 19 Jan 96 1:00:13 EST

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     ALC Director                  Latin American and Caribbean 
   foshige@alc.org.pe                  Communication Agency Telephone
    (51-1) 2211488               Jose Maria Eguren 189
   Telefax 2212877                         Lima 18 Peru

022/16
SANTIAGO, Chile, Jan. 16 (ALC/Anibal Pastor). The legal team of the Social
Aid Foundation of Christian Churches (FASIC),  responsible for different
groups of relatives of the victims of human rights violations, stated that
Chile regressed in the human rights arena in 1995, despite the fact that
justice was reached in some cases.

According to the lawyers, conflicts in 1995 (Contreras case and the law
project in particular), "demonstrated that the government lacks a human
rights policy, that it is weak in the face of military power and
insensitive in this area." 

According to FASIC jurists, the right wing took the initiative in the
human rights arena.  This was serious because it "brought into question
whether the governing authority in Chile is civil or military."

FASIC indicated that the government should support judges in their desire
to do justice. As a result it is hoped that judges will finally be
convinced that to do justice does not imply putting democracy at risk. 

They called on parties that support the government to fulfill their
commitment to truth and justice and they called on the armed forces to
recognize their responsibility in human rights violations committed during
the military dictatorship. 

However, the most important issue for FASIC lawyers is the implementation
of international law in Chile to impede impunity. 

The FASIC legal team includes Veronica Reyna, Nelson 
Caucoto, Hector Salazar, Alberto Espinoza and  Sergio Concha. 

They are responsible for 142 legal cases involving human rights  which are
currently in the court system. The victims number 470. However, there
continue to be 1,193 detained-disappeared in the country (END). 

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