MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
UN report signals of human rights violations in Chile during October protests
The Chilean government is back under the spotlight, like it was during the Pinochet regime, for alleged violations of human rights during social unrest and protests over metro fare hikes which erupted in October. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesAnd what did these little trendy “do-gooders” have to say about those who threw firebombs in the faces of young female Chilean Policegirls - and thus scarred and mutilated their faces for ever?
Dec 15th, 2019 - 03:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0Or those who trashed and robbed innocent shops and stores?
or those armed thugs who scared innocent tourists from Norway the other week and stole all their luggage at gun point and thus ruined their holidays with clothes and valuables all stolen?
Oh - and those who trashed and burnt down the only hospital in one small town- and ransacked a Church? Some peaceloving Catholics!
There is only one way of dealing with an attempt of mob rule.
Of course the social inequality in Chile needs to change- but it will take some time- do it by a revolution and you loose it all, as all are reduced then in time down to the same bottom level.
Islander1
Dec 15th, 2019 - 08:52 am - Link - Report abuse 0Just in case you don't know: states are held to higher standards than individuals -- especially when it comes to the use of violent means.
That is why these “little trendy 'do-gooders,' as you call them, are calling out the Chilean state for its use of taxpayer-funded security forces to clamp down on widespread demonstrations.
”Of course the social inequality in Chile needs to change.“ Why, your extreme sensitivity impresses me! Oh, but there is a qualifier: ”it will take some time.”
Say then, Islander: how many more deaths, how many more raped women, how many more eyes need to be lost before your magnanimously allowed changes finally happen?
Some changes have already happened, no? Increased minimum wage, guaranteed pensions, freezes on utility costs. And Chile is getting a new constitution, albeit after an unnecessary delay. Sounds like police reform should be the next thing on the agenda.
Dec 15th, 2019 - 06:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0But looting shops, smashing churches and vandalising metro stations only hurts the community. And it's an invitation to the state to use violence in return, not that they seem to be making much of a distinction in Chile. So why are they doing it?
Despite the outrageous mendacious tales being widely publicized, the police and armed forces showed remarkable restraint during one of the most violent mass uprisings since the 1970's. ...As a social experiment, perhaps someone should experiment with throwing Molotov cocktails at their own civilized police and report the reaction...
Dec 16th, 2019 - 02:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0DT
Dec 16th, 2019 - 04:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0FYI. When riots happen, it's messy, not directed by anyone in particular, and anyone can take part on it. Some will want protests to be peaceful, others will want it to be violent, and still others will just take advantage to loot for their own profit and destroying just for the sake of it. At times, the police will send their own agent provocateurs amid non violent demonstrators, throw rocks or else just to justify the ensuing repression.
Governments react pretty much in the same way to popular upraising: they send “security” forces to tear gas or smash the head of the miscreants, which some times quells the fire and others increase the riots.
In Chile, the police has been particularly vicious, in spite of Chicureo's audacious endorsement -- below a story about a UN report on human rights violations.
Perhaps for Chicureo 26 suspicious deaths, 113 cases of torture and 24 cases of sexual violence show the police and army forces' “remarkable restraint.”
It is true that, for a Pinochet apologist, the threshold must be situated quite high.
Chicureo
Dec 16th, 2019 - 10:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0“As a social experiment, perhaps someone should experiment with throwing Molotov cocktails at their own civilized police and report the reaction...”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rashan-charles-protest-latest-fireworks-riot-metropolitan-police-dalston-hackney-chase-fire-a7866066.html
Reaction was riot police with shields and batons, horses and dog units. Not civilised, but no deaths, no one blinded by rubber bullets. One of my friends recently qualified as a firearms officer, shall I ask him what the guidelines for firing baton rounds are? (On Saturday he was on duty at the Christmas market and his girlfriend went to get a photo with him in all his gear. Several passersby saw this and asked to take their own pictures with the armed policeman - he's a local celebrity, lol. ;) )
The Chilean police have had a much bigger and harder job recently, but you can't be happy with how they've dealt with the protesters. Imagine if that was your own kids or grandkids caught up in it someday.
EM
Just seems like these violent protests are bound to have bad results. I don't think there is 'only one way' of dealing with them, but I do agree you can't change everything at once. Few revolutions have ended up with a real improvement.
One last note. Most of the sexual assault accusations have been exposed as false by an independent Chilean organization. Those persons that unfortunately experienced rubberbullet wounds were not innocent bystanders. Anyway, our President has made incredible concessions far beyond what would be considered pragmatic. ¡Viva Chile!
Dec 16th, 2019 - 11:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0From Emol.com...
Dec 17th, 2019 - 12:20 am - Link - Report abuse 0https://www.emol.com/noticias/Nacional/2019/12/16/970590/Espinosa-confirma-identificacion-metro.html
It has also been noted that many of the posts on social media and the like have been written in spanish that is not Chilean spanish.... Nicaraguan spanish has been mentioned...
Frank
Dec 17th, 2019 - 04:36 am - Link - Report abuse 0Give me a break. This practice of mentioning “foreigners” is almost as old as the Latin American struggle for real independence and social justice.
Funny your use of the passive to avoid anyone taking responsibility for this incredible statement: “It has also been noted...posts on social media have been written in Spanish that is not Chilean Spanish...Nicaraguan...”
Here in Argentina, attempts to make the death of former prosecutor Alberto Nisman an “assassination” included a “denunciation” that the job had been undertaken by “Iranian agents and Venezuelan sicarios trained in Cuba.”
Of course. It's not that Chileans are discontent. It's all the work of foreign agents.
Try something else, Frank.
Chicureo
Dec 17th, 2019 - 07:42 am - Link - Report abuse 0“Those persons that unfortunately experienced rubberbullet wounds were not innocent bystanders.”
A peaceful demonstration can quickly turn violent and it's easy to get caught in the middle. You don't have to have been throwing rocks yourself to get teargassed or shot by the police.
DemonTree
Dec 17th, 2019 - 01:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Respectfully, I disagree as we had the national television constantly on and watched the violence unfold. The crowds that were fired upon with rubber bullets in all cases were defying orders to disperse. If you look upon all the news reports, those hit were in clear violation of law.
Saying that, teargas and water cannon usage did get out of hand and several innocent people were unfortunately injured.
There are several police, firefighters and soldiers that are still hospitalized due to serious burn injuries. So far, all the sexual assault accusations have been either debunked or still unproven.
Do you think it is a proportionate response to fire on people with 'less lethal weapons' merely for failing to disperse? I asked my policeman friend and he said they are trained to aim at the belt buckle, and only below the rib cage. Wonder what the Chilean police were told to do by their superiors?
Dec 17th, 2019 - 02:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I hope the injured people recover, but I doubt sexual assault allegations against the police will be at all easy to prove.
DemonTree
Dec 17th, 2019 - 03:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You and I would probably completely agree on what properly trained police and soldiers should use as constitutes an appropriate measured response against threatening violence.
It was a long unanticipated uprising with several violent anarchist elements that wore down a beleaguered and frustrated overwhelmed enforcement system that reached a breaking point.
I believe in in the right of peaceful protesting and civil rights must be respected. What happened here in Chile was indescribable and everyone is saddened. The people that have far suffered the most has been the underprivileged.
By the way, Massot is an arse.
“You and I would probably completely agree on what properly trained police and soldiers should use as constitutes an appropriate measured response against threatening violence.”
Dec 17th, 2019 - 09:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Er, assuming that doesn't mean arresting everyone and executing them in a football stadium.... then maybe? No reason you'd want police who are poorly trained or abuse their position.
The protests in Chile have indeed gone on a long time and involved a fair amount of violence, but I can't forget that the government responded harshly right from the start.
Have you ever been to a demonstration? I've been on marches and even JB went to a protest against Dilma. It would be pretty hard to get away if things turned violent.
“...arresting everyone and executing them in a football stadium...”
Dec 18th, 2019 - 07:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I will just assume you had a lapse of deranged ignorance making that statement...
With kind regards for the season...
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