MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile declares national day for the disappeared

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet this week established August 30 as the National Day for the Disappeared.

The event was marked by an emotional ceremony in the Montt-Varas Room at Chile's La Moneda Presidential Palace, and was attended by Interior Minister Belisario Velasco and families of numerous people who "disappeared" under the Pinochet dictatorship.

Bachelet's speech was full of symbolism. "It was exactly here, at La Moneda, that the first disappearances occurred on September 11, 1973," she said.

"In creating this day, we pay homage to all the Chileans who were victims of this terrible crime, and whose names will forever be written in our collective conscious as a country," she continued. "Starting today, the country will remember and pay tribute to the sacrifices that were made for this country every August 30."

Bachelet said the disappearances must be remembered, even though some prefer to forget they even occurred. "Remembering the shame and the horror is good for our nation. We should not run from the horrible acts that form a part of our history; we can learn from what happened."

Bachelet said that the disappearances were not used just to cover up murder, but to "perpetuate the pain of the families by not letting them have closure."

"As long as open cases remain, we will never quit looking. Our hearts move us to continue searching. As long as there is injustice, we will fight for justice. As long as there is oppression, we will fight for liberty, and as long as there is silence, we will fight for the truth."

Bachelet's general secretary, Paulina Veloso, was brought to tears during the speech, because her first husband, Alexei Jaccard, was detained in Buenos Aires in 1977 and never returned.

Lorena Pizarro, the president of the Families of the Detained organization, welcomed the national day of remembrance, and said it was an important step in preventing future generations from committing the same crimes.

Socialist Party leader Camilo Escalona heralded the creation of the day and said, "The day brings light to darkness. It fosters justice and responsibility."

Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón, who is visiting Chile after playing a key role in bringing General Pinochet to justice, commemorated the day by visiting Chile's National Memorial for the Disappeared at Patio 29 in Santiago's General Cemetery. He was unable to hold back tears and said, "On this trip I have had to have a lot of strength not to cry, at least in public. When I start crying, I usually can't stop."

Amnesty International's Chilean branch (AI-Chile) congratulated Chile's government on the creation of the national day, which coincides with the International Day of the Disappeared, and pointed out that disappearances are still occurring.

"Forced disappearances are still common in various parts of the world," said AI-Chile in a press release. "In spite of international pressure, the Guantánamo Bay centre remains open and the U.S. has refused to admit the existence of its other secret facilities where ?phantom prisoners' have been arbitrarily detained, tortured, and disappeared.

Following the example of the United States, countries including Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and India have disappeared people accused of terrorism, as well as simple political opponents."

Over 3,000 people were murdered by the Pinochet regime during its 17-year dictatorship. Of that number, 1,000 were officially listed as "disappearances".

By Nathan Crooks (editor@santiagotimes.cl)