Chile: the other September 11

by Claudia Raddatz*

September 11 not only marks the date of the bombing of the World Trade 
Centre in New York, it also marks the day on which the democratically 
elected President of Chile, Salvador Allende was murdered by the fascists 
who, in a military coup, took over Chile in 1973.

It marks an important chapter in the personal stories of many Chileans and 
an important chapter in the struggle for the advancement of human rights. 
Thirty years have gone by since the dreadful Tuesday morning when the 
beloved President Salvador Allende was killed during the coup d'itat 
orchestrated by the CIA and the most undemocratic forces in Chile. Ever 
since, our people have lived in a vortex of terror, injustice, humiliation 
and abuse.

In these 30 years, all rights won by the enormous efforts and tremendous 
loss of the lives of workers, peasants and Chile's indigenous people have 
been obliterated. The country had been set back by 500 years when the law 
of the bully was brought to Chile for the first time by the Spanish 
conquerors. The history of Chile is one of horror and war. Salvador 
Allende's government was an exception in this dreadful history.

He was a man who loved his people and was determined to make a fair 
distribution of the country's resources and wealth through the democratic 
mechanisms at his disposal.

On Tuesday morning September 11, 1973, Salvador Allende was offered safety 
for himself and his family if he resigned as the President of the country. 
He declined because he was the elected President of his people and only the 
people had the right to ask him to leave. He paid with his life — the 
price of being an honest man and a man of honour.

He knew he would not be able to live with his conscience if he capitulated 
like a coward leaving his people behind at the mercy of the murderous 
regime that took control of the country after his death. This is why today, 
Salvador Allende shines like a star in the sky of human rights and human 
dignity.

There are many extraordinarily committed people in Chile who in spite of 
all the many dangers, worked during the period of the dictatorship of 
Pinochet. They are still struggling to bring justice to Chile. It is not 
revenge that they seek but justice. As a 16 year-old-girl said in South 
Africa after the fall of apartheid: I am prepared to forgive, but I need to 
know whom I am forgiving and what I am forgiving.

We cannot just forget, we would like to forgive, but forgiving can only 
happen if justice is made and the people who have committed crimes pay for 
their actions. One can be given the order to kill; it doesn't mean one has 
to obey. One can be given the order to torture; it doesn't mean one has to 
obey. One can be given the order to rape; it doesn't mean one has to obey. 
We are born with the capacity to know right from wrong; this is the simple 
truth of being human.

* * *

* Claudia Raddatz is a member of the Pablo Neruda Cultural Committee 
(Adelaide)