MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean scars remain unhealed

Thirty years after the 1973 bloody military coup that enthroned dictator Augusto Pinochet, 87% of Chileans believe the country still has not achieved national reconciliation, according to a public opinion poll published last Sunday in Santiago's main daily El Mercurio.

The Fundación Futuro poll indicates that 42,8% of Chileans believe that to leave behind all the hatred of the past it's necessary to know the truth and for justice to play its role; 17,2% understand that the country should turn the page and look to the future.

For 70% of those interviewed September 11th, 1973 is a "sad" day, for 19% a "day of joy" while 11% are feel indifferent. However a great majority, 65% favour forgetting the date.

As to the events of most impact in the last forty years, 44% of those interviewed mentioned the military coup, followed by the arrest in London of General Augusto Pinochet, 35%, and for 17% the NO victory in the late eighties referendum when then dictator Pinochet pretended to reform the Constitution and continue in power.

As to citizens' responsibility in the events leading to the 1973 coup, 84% of those interviewed replied no.

If Chile repeated the events leading to the 1973 military coup (political instability and economic chaos), 73,5% definitively said they would not support such an action, although 52,4% admit that things would have worsened if the military intervention had not taken place. But 31,8% replied they believe Chile would be in a better situation (without the coup) and 15,8% that it would make no difference.

Regarding positive and negative aspects of the military government, 33% pointed out to economic development plus order and public security, while 62,5% mentioned human rights violations as the worst side of the dictatorship and 15,5%, the complete lack of freedom of expression and of association.

Looking back to the events leading to the military intervention 59% admitted that on September 10th 1973 they couldn't imagine what was to happen the following day, while 41% said they were expecting it. Among the 41%, 82% belong to the high income brackets of Chile.

A majority of middle class, 64%, and lower income groups, 62%, were unaware of the coup the following day, that is, September 11th 1973.

The Fundacion Futuro was a phone poll involving 400 plus 18 years people living in Santiago' metropolitan areas and in Chile's main cities, and done between June 30 and July 1st. Margin of error, plus/minus 4,9%.