PLAN CONDOR - CHILE
National Commission on Political Imprisonment and Torture
Consciously or unconsciously, a conspiracy of silence on torture was slowly spreading across the country. Over the years many believed that although the abuse had been common on the prisoners of the military regime torture as such had not been so massive. However, those who had been tortured, most of the time, also in the memory kept silence, trademarks and consequences of "cruel, inhuman and degrading", according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which literally had life changed or maimed.
Others felt it was right and necessary to seek truth and justice in the cases of the disappeared and victims of political executions in summary trials and incomplete ... or so-called "representative cases" of human rights violations, but it was not possible to do justice for the victims of political imprisonment and torture. How could conclusively prove torture thirty years later? Or, What would be introduced into these issues when the last of these events seem so distant?
confess that some of these questions came up in the first session of the National Commission on Political Imprisonment and Torture, established by the President of the Republic, Mr. Ricardo Lagos Escobar, after significant proposal on Human Rights "No tomorrow without yesterday ", 12 August 2003. What sense does it make a report thirty years later?
Today, after months of listening to stories intimate whispered, reported pain and even tears, and seeing the physical marks and psychological injuries as well as family and social, some beyond repair that restores the lost-for both Chileans imprisoned and tortured, no doubt assist us that this part of the truth also was due to complete us, the best way possible, reparation and justice that the country owes to these people, to advance along the path is always difficult and necessary for reunion and reconciliation between
Chileans.
More than thirty thousand people have marched in front of us, we have seen and heard. More than thirty thousand people have dared to approach our offices or respond to our calls in the regions. And more than thirty thousand times we heard the wonder, fear, powerlessness that still generates the dignity violated by government agents who are expected, or should be expected, respect for people, protecting the weak and strict compliance law.
Thus we have found, personally, that the corruption of power is the worst of corruptions, it ends by undermining the foundations of the credibility essential that every citizen awaits the institutions of state.
But why the silence of the victims? It is understood that of the perpetrators, which in turn have been victims of their actions. But why the silence of the victims?
After much thought, we realize that silence is based not only on fear and how fear! There is also a basic aspect of dignity.
One thing is presented to the family after his arrest. It costs the allegation of innocence and to a certain pride at having suffered injustice and suffering for a cause that is considered noble. It is also human and not wanting to appear arrogant humbled. But lift the veil of torture, humiliation, rape physical and psychological, is very difficult to do. Even before their own spouses. And that same silence was understandable deepening suffering damage not shared, confidences drowned, of that we prefer to put on the shelf of nightmares and boot from the archives of history.
After much listening, still difficult to imagine: the shame of sexual assault, improper detachment of shame because of all integrity, repeated physical aggression to boot alleged confessions, the electric current, simultaneous blows to the ears known as "Phone", and the malicious wit humans possess when we ensañanos with a victim or just make a show of our power.
Well, not beyond our amazement of how many people tortured had at that time between 17 and 24 years of age, who literally had their lives cut short. How many families destroyed by their parents receive so changed, with the nerves and fears destroyed almost incomprehensible. And how many blighted lives, because after the imprisonment and torture did not find work or place in society, and for that reason alone, also failed to give their children the education, health and welfare to which they had aspiration and right.
But it is also true, we do all this thirty years later, the victims are not the same and look the other way they are and what could have been. Thirty years
then the institutions and people involved in some way in these events are not the same. Thirty years later we have a very different country, which forces us to acknowledge something he should be recognized as unacceptable. And, therefore, thirty years after they have undergone a process of facing a lot of pain, that justice has excelled in many cases and we look with new eyes the future, you can also expect a greater generosity to receive and integrate the best of our social life
those who have been victims of disqualification, injustice and silence.
We do not want to prolong this presentation. The pages of the report will fully aware of what we try to summarize. And on behalf of all members of this Committee, to all who have worked in this Committee, to all who have generously lent their assistance to accomplish this task-a-heart who want to appreciate this joint effort is a contribution more to the "never again" desired by all, and longed to shake hands with which Chile would like to settle outstanding debt in such a brotherhood among siblings from the same village.
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