HUMAN RIGHTS REVIEW: THE FIRST SIX

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Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP88G01117R001104730002-3
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
C
Document Page Count: 
7
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
February 24, 2011
Sequence Number: 
2
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
July 26, 1986
Content Type: 
CABLE
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PDF icon CIA-RDP88G01117R001104730002-3.pdf424.34 KB
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 CONFIDENTIAL FRP: ,2, ,4, r r r8 86 1636437 SCO PAGE 001 TOR: 260026Z JUL 86 NC 1636437 SANTIA 04882 ?w?wwwwww?www?w?wwwwww?w??w??wwww?w~wwwwwwwwwwwwww?wwwr.rwwwww~*wwwww???w?ww~ ww? 00 RUEA1It ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZM UTS8542 00 RUEHC DE RUEHSG 44882/O1 2060000 ZNY CCCCC ZZH 0 252354Z JUL 86 FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO TO SECSTATE OASHDC IMMEDIATE 7150 8T C 0 N F I D E N T I A L SANTIAGO 04882 E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PHUM,PREL.,KPRP,CI SUBJ: HUMAN RIGHTS REVIEi: THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1986 1. ENTIRE TEXT CONFIDENTIAL w 2. THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN CHILE DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 1986 OAS VERY MIXED. FOLLOWING A BRIEF RESPITE DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR, AS BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE OPPOSITION TOOK THEIR SUMMER BREAKS, THE P OLATIONS WHICH 6 MONTHS OF 1985 WAS REAMED. NT E SECON12-j.UAR R OF 1986 SHOWED INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF DETENTIONS, S 0 ORTURE OR MISTREATM , A NUMBER OF OTHER VIOLATIONS OF 9ASIC CIVIC RIGHTS, ACCORDING -To--p ROVI .AL. FIGURES AVAILABLE FROM THE VICARIATE OF SOLIDARITY, THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 3x300 PEOPLE DETAINED BY SECURITY FORCES FOR PARTICIPATING IN POLITICALLY MOTIVATED DEMONSTRATIONS DURING THE FIRST 6 MONTHS, 4ITH APPROXIMATELY 2,700 OF THESE CONFIDENTIAL Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 CONFIDENTIAL STATE 86 1636437 SCO PAGE 002 NC 1636437 TOR: 260026Z JUL 86 SANTIA 04882 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww?wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwlww?wwwwwwwwwwwwww.rwwwwwwwwwww OCCURRING IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF THE YEAR. BY COMPARISON DURING THE LAST SIX MONTHS OF 1985, THE BEST PERIOD OF COMPARISON SINCE THE STATE OF SIEGE WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE FIRST HALF OF 1985, A TOTAL OF 3,920 WERE DETAINED FOR SIMILAR REASONS. 3. CHARGES OF TORTURE CONTINUE TO BE MADE BEFORE THE COURTS, WITH AT LEAST 14 SUCH CASES BEING REPORTED AS OF THE END OF MAY IN SANTIAGO ALONE, OTHER CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY, BUT FIRM EVIDENCE ON THESE CASES HAS NOT AS YET BEEN RECEIVED BY THE VICARIATE OF SOLIDARITY, IN ADDITION,;ALJEAST_22 PEOP1 1AVE BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE DIED AS THE RESUTpF VIO N _ASS_Q. A-TAD WITH POI.ITICA JNTi?ST. THIS INCLUDES THE B PEOPLE JK DFTM-UURTN'G---T-RE JULY 2-3 GENERAL STRIKE, AS WELL AS THE MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY FORCES MHO HAVE BEEN ASSASSINATED DURING THE FIRST 6 MONTHS. C 0 N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 05 SANTIAGO 04882 E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PHUM,PREL',KPRP,CI SUBJ: HUMAN RIGHTS REVIEW: THE FIRST SIX 4....DNE_OF THE MORE DISTURBING FEATURES OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS ARENAHAS BEE' --TNT RETURN OF`_'T EU-SE- OF- MASSIVE SW-EEPS--OF POOR NEIGHBORHOODS By SECURITY FORCES. BEGIN N L RIL,, THE GOC HAS CONDk1CTED AT LEAST 12 SUCH SWEEPS AFFECTING 36 DIFFERENT NE ...,HODS. THE USUAL MANNER IS FOR THESE SWEEPS TO BEGIN IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WITH THE MILITARY SURROUNDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH TANKS, ARMOURED CARS, AND ARMED SOLDIERS DRESSED IN BATTLE GEAR AND WITH THEIR FACES COVERED WITH CAMOUFLAGE PAINT. ON OCCASIONS THE ELECTRICITY AND TELEPHONE SERVICE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS CUT OFF. DURING THESE SWEEPS ALL MALES BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 (SOMETIMES 14) AND 60 ARE TAKEN TO A NEARBY OPEN SPACE, OFTEN A FOOTBALL FIELD, WHERE THEY ARE DETAINED UNTIL THEIR IDENTITIES HAVE BEEN CHECKED, CONFIDENTIAL Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 86 1636437 SCD PAGE 003 NC 1636437 TOR: 260026Z JUL 86 SANTIA 04882 AND THEY ARE CLEARED OF ANY PENDING CHARGES BY THE POLICE OR OTHER SECURITY FORCES.- THESE 12 SWEEPS_____ RESULTED IN SOME 129,000 PEOPLE BEING TEMPORARILY AFFECTED, EITHER BY BEING 3UESTIONED ABOUT THEIR IDENTIFY OR BY HAVING THEIR HOUSES SEARCHED. WHILE REPORTS VARY, MANY OF THOSE AFFECTED HAVE CHARGED THAT THE MANNER IN WHICH THE SWEEPS ARE CARRIED OUT HAVE BEEN DEHUMANIZING AND HARSH. ACCORDING TO FIGURES GATHERED BY HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, OF THE 129,000 AFFECTED, 22,393 MERE DETAINED FOR QUESTIONING, 1,733 WERE HELD FOR FURTHER QUESTIONING, AN.O__e NER-E_U Y ARRESTED FOR VARI- ARGES. (THE VICARIATE OF SOLIDARITY, HOWEVER, PUTS THE NUMBER OF ARRESTED AT 7. WE HAVE NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THEIR FIGURE ON THIS DIFFERS FROM THAT OF THE CHILEAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION.) w 5. _THE GOC JUSTIFIES THESE S f~P~_AS.__~lECE9SAR-X.--TO SEARCH FOR TR QRI$I.~__AhD--T4EIR ARCS CAC*ES- WHICH ARE GENERALLY JIDDEN N H :OUTS IRI _.-_OFTHE CITY. :HPFE BEEN PRESS REPORTS OF SEVERAL.. SUCk!_ ARMS CACHES BEING DISCOVERED DURING THE_SE__31E.EPS. THE GOC ALSO NOTES THAT THE SWEEPS ARE CARRIED OUT IN A MANNER WHICH REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF BOTHER TO THE INNOCENT. IT ALSO CLAIMS THAT MANY OF THE SWEEPS ARE THE RESULT OF PLEAS BY NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS CALLING FOR STRONG GOC ACTION TO STAMP OUT DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. _MUMA-N-_.- RIGHTS GROUPS CHARGE THAT THE SNEERS _AREDISCRIMINATORYr lx~7'F T:TREY ___ _ - OUR.-.AR AS OF THE CITY. THEY FURTHER CHARGE THAT THE SECURITY FORCES_US U NECC33Ai~Y=VIQJJN.C .IN _DETAINING THE MALES IN--fiREA, AN_0 IN .5EARCH.I&t& THE HOMES. OFTEN--TRES-E-F CES' ARE CHARGED WITH STEALING THE FE - OSSESSTIIN3 -UV'1ED__8Y_THESE POOR PEOPLE, A CRA GE WHICH THE GDVERNMENT STRONGLY -DENIES AS C 0 N F I D E ti T I A L SECTION 03 OF 05 SANTIAGO 04882 E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PHUM,PREL,KPRP,CI Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 CONFIDENTIAL w?w~www~w~~ww~wwwwwwwww~wwwwwwwirwwwwww?~w~wwwwwwwswwww~w~rww~ww~ruww~ww~ws~r~ .ww 86 1b36437 SCO PAGE 004 NC 1636437 TOR: 2600262 JUL 86 SANTIA 04882 SUBJ: HUMAN RIGHTS REVIEW: THE FIRST SIX COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA. FINALLY, THE HUMAN RIG-HIS GBQUPS CHARGE THAT THE :INTENT OF THE SWEEPS THE GO ND I FEw. ARREM_-To -a-UP .ORT.._.IIS CLAIM THAT THE SWEEPS ARE AIMED AT TERRORISTS. ANOTHER NOTABLE FEATURE OF L0-*WA4*4- -RIGHTS ARENA SINCE MARCH HAS BEEN THEAPPEARA 4,Lr -OF ARMY PERSONNEL IN BATTLEGEAR AND PAINTE-D-FACES T. PAR TIONS. THE EPITOMY OF THIS WAS THE DEMONSTRATION CARRIED OUT BY THE ARMY ON MAY 20, WHEN THEY CUT OFF ALL ACCESS INTO AND OUT OF THE CENTRAL PART OF SANTIAGO AS PART OF AN EFFORT TO CONTROL THE POSSIBILITY OF VIOLENT INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF PARLIAMENTARIANS. ----- PERSONNEL, WHO ARE REPORTEDLY UNTRAINED IN_ HANDLING M CIVILIANSr_HAS__~ -3- __ W EAp CRITICISM OF THE MILITARY. .AxD_._.HA3__LED TO THE CHARGE THAT THE ARMY APPEARS TO_-8_E AT WAR T11 TRUR~BT-0T-THE-_~NATI0V. A NU48ER OF DEATHS - - c.--p .GENT SY-$1-ANDERS, HAVE BEEN BLAMED.--.O L_THES_E-_I-R0OPS.. w 7. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, THE GOVERNMENT DID ANNOUNCE EARLIER IN THE YEAR THAT IT WAS ALLOWING THE OPPOSITION TO BEGIN PRINTING ITS OWN DAILY NEWSPAPER ON MARCH 11, 1987, THE GOVERNMENT ALSO RELAXED THE BAN ON THE REPORTING OF NEWS CONCERNING THE ACTIVITIES OF POLITICAL PARTIES, WHICH WAS A RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT THE MEDIA HAD BEEN REPORTING THESE EVENTS ANYWAY. THE GOVERNMENT ALSO ESTABLISHED A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION TO ADVISE THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR AND TO INVESTIGATE INCIDENTS INVOLVING TORTURE, ILLEGAL ARRESTS AND TERRORIST ACTIONS. AE VIEW THIS A _ POSITIVE STEP IN RECOGNIZING THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS AREA, BUT WILL RESERVE CONFIDENTIAL 0, FEAR IN THE IN THESE POOR AREAS, NOTING THAT Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 CONFIDENTIAL ?w?w?~r-w???w--w??w.~w-wr~r-?-wsw?.~~w?w~w~?or~w~wi~?~w~?w~~~?~v?~?~r???~~~r????w?? ~~r? 86 1636437 SCO PAGE 005 NC 1636437 TOR: 2600262 JUL 86 SANTIA 04882 ANY FINAL JUDGEMENT ON __THE EFFICACY JF THIS C I A L SECTION 04 OF 05 SANTIAGO 04882 E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PHUM,PREL,KPRP,CI SUBJ: HUMAN RIGHTS REVIEW: THE FIRST SIX COMMISSION UNTIL IT HAS HAD TIME TO FUNCTION, FINALLY, CHILE HAS BEEN VERY OPEN TO VISITS BY A WIDE VARIETY OF HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, 4HO HAVE ALL HAD READY ACCESS TO THE PRISONS, TO LOCAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, AND TO ALL OF THOSE 4HO MAY HAVE COMPLAINTS IN THIS AREA. THE IMPRESSION GIVEN IS THAT CHILE IS NOT A CLOSED SOCIETY TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING, BUT IS RELATIVELY OPEN IN ALLONING OUTSIDERS TO PROBE BENEATH THE SURFACE TO ESTABLISH EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE COUNTRY. 8, -WHILE THIS REVIEW WAS TO HAVE CflYE. LD- OAtLY THE FIRJT SIX MONTHS OF 1986, THE __.VIT JULY HAVE IN MANY WAYS OVERSHADO EO___T tL E_VENT.S Off' THESE SIX _THE GENERAL STRIKE OF JULY 2 AND 3, AND THE RESULANT DEATHS OF 8 PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE THE HUMAN RIGHTS SCENE, THE SCRIMMAGES WHICH TOOK (#) BEEN LOST IN THE EMOTIONAL UPROAR CREATED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE GENERAL STRIKE. THE DETENTION OF THE 16 LEADERS OF THE NATIONAL CIVIC ASSEMBLY ON CHARGES THAT THEY MAY HAVE VIOLATED THE STATE SECURITY LAW, AND THE REFUSAL OF THE COURTS TO RELEASE THEM ON BAILi THE DETENTION OF THREE DOCTORS AND A VICARIATE OF SOLIDARITY LAWYER FOR HAVING AIDED A WOUNDED MAN WHO WAS REPORTEDLY INVOLVED IN A TERRORIST ACTION WHICH KILLED A CARABINERO; HAS BEEN CONTRASTED NEGATIVELY WITH THE LENI- ENT TREATMENT OF THE MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO WERE APPARENTLY INVOLVED IN THE BURNING DEATH OF A LONG-TIME U,S. RESIDENT ON JULY 2. THE PRESENT MOOD IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY IS VERY DEPRESSED, WITH A GROWING FEEDING OF HOPELESSNESS DUE TO THE FAILURE (AS THEY SEE IT) OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 CONFIDENTIAL 86 1636437 SCO PAGE 006 NC 1636437 TOR: 260026Z JUL 86 SANTIA 04882 TO SHO" SOME DEGREE OF IMPARTIALITY IN ALL OF THESE CASES. THERE IS A GENERAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE VIEW THAT THE GAINS MADE IN LATE 1985 IN THE JUDICIAL AREA, SUCH AS THE INVESTIGATIONS BEING CARRIED OUT BY JUDGES CANOVAS AND CERDA, HAVE ALL BEEN DESTROYED BY MORE RECENT RULING OF THE SUPREME COURT AND BY JUDGE ECHAVARRIA'S DECISION ON THE BURN CASE, AS JESUIT PRIEST RENATD HEVIA HAS DESCRIBED IT, THERE IS INCREASING FRUSTRATION BEING VOICED BECAUSE THE OPPOSITION NOW FEELS THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF USING THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO HELP BRING ABOUT A PEACEFUL CHANGE IN THE GOVERNMENT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DASHED. 90 SHE GOC'S RESPONSE TO THE VO} RjPORT_.DOES LITTLE T AN POSSIBILITY _QE__C-p1AYGE__IN DE TOWARDS-HUM-AN RIGMTS,v._-__T_HE ,THE GOCIS RESPONSE BASICALLY A LENGTHY, TDOCUME.NTED 15EFENSE OF HE GOC'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD, ,eLFL_CN_-_- V LY FRO H SLAW TO SHOW THAT HUMAN RICH VIOLALS S ARF_ AQ ALLOw D_TO TAKE PLACE IN_ C^ 0 N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03~01~ _05 S~CN TACO 04982 E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PHUM,PREL,KPRP,CI SUBJ: HUMAN RIGHTS REVIEWS THE FIRST SIX CHILE- THE ENTIRE 4-8 -S-A-JD-4$-41- ERRONEOUS SINCE IT IS BEING-DIRECTED BY-I-RIERNATIONAL MMUN SM N AN EFFORT TO SLBVERT tHE_c4ILEAN GOVERNMENT. TFRRO~I$M.__.D C4 O- I*~fR' T`I~?NAL QOmMUNISM IS THE CAUSE _EOR ALL... QF'-_TH.E: HUMAN RIGHTS PROBLEMS IN CHILE, BUT THE IATERM&tLONAL COMMUNITY -~fTSCA~~V SHE C01MUN~SY;1-__T4 MAKE THE CiuI AT-THE VILLAIN, HEN IN FACT IT IS THE ttC1` 4 - THIS D!TATLED~ REITERATION OF THE GOC'S POSITION 0 AWKEAKS TO A .-THAT HARD LINERS WITHIN THE GOC CONTINUE TO BELIEVE fiH T --- ~~: ~-- IF FOREIGNERS MOULD CEASE SUPPORTING THIS COMMUNIST PLOT AGAINST CHILE, CONFIDENTIAL Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3 CONFIDENTIAL 86 1636437 SCO PAGE 007 NC 1636437 TOR: 2600262 JUL 86 SANTIA 04882 10..,AT THIS -P~LNI~_ .-L1KEL1_40 _HAT THE GOC WILL_CHAN IT APPEARS T OF A PLOT, AND THAT IT MUST STAND FIRM AGAINST -ftefi: THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE DEATH OF THE BURN VICTIM, AND THE FUNERAL, HAVE OBVIOUSLY HARDENED THE ATTITUDES OF THOSE WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT WHO ACCEPT THIS VIEW OF THE SITUATION, AND IT WILL BE INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME THIS PERCEPTION OF THE WORLD. THUS, WE ARE INCLINED SHAT HE REMAINDER O 1 HOW LIT-T.Lt_IMPROVEMENT N THE HUNAN RIGHTS ARENA. IF THE OPPOSITION FOLLOW 1H-E JAL PATTER11 OF THE PAST FEN YEARS, THERE WILL BE A SERIES _OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT R-RDNSTW TI_ON3 IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER. THTS--wTL-C-UNDOUBTEDLY__I,EAD TO FURTHER ATTEMPTS BY THE GOVERNMENT TO REPRESS THESE TYPES OF UNAUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES, -ANQ_.I~IERE--MILL -40ST L-IKELY BE MORE DEATHS AND_LNTJRIES._TO REPORT. BARNES END OF MESSAGE CONFIDENTIAL Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/24: CIA-RDP88GO1 1 17RO01 104730002-3