[NYTr] Why was there a 9/11 in Chile? Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2007 05:44:12 -0500 (CDT) Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit sent by The Freedom Archives - Sep 11, 2007 Why Was There a 9/11 in Chile? by Daniel del Solar A walk in downtown Santiago on this sunny day a bit past 4 in the afternoon near ChileB4s White House, El Palacio de la Moneda, show few signs of the spirited protests by socialists, communists, and the poor who have been left out of ChileB4s dream of economic development. While President Michelle Bachelet was in Australia attending yet another summit, the Vice President who was left in charge prohibited marchers in defense of Human Rights from marching past the door where Salvador Allende frequently entered the historic government house. It was from this door that his lifeless body was removed by members of the Chilean military who had carried out a coup that had deposed a democratically elected Allende Government. Supporters of Allende, torture survivors who lived through 18 years of a military regime that sacraficed national sovereignty and income in the name of "economic development" attempted to march by that door, but where forced by hundreds of baton weilding police to take a different route to the tomb of President Allende and of Ambassador Orlando Letelier who are buried in the Cementerio General. The police also counted on large Mercedes Benz trucks outfitted to spray noxious liquids which have such strong streams that the crowds are often thrown off balance and are caused to fall. Similar vehicles drive into demonstrators spewing tear gas and pepper spray which is so strong that it brought tears to my eyes four hour after having been sprayed into protestors. As the so-called "socialist" government of Bachellet has continued to provide an open season for international raw materials hunters, very little of the economic benefits of globalization have come to the lowest income groups. The economic miracle of globalization, initiated after the coup in 1973, has led to Chile selling off 75% of its copper resources, entire glaciers in the south, and the poisoning of ChileB4s largest river, the Bio Bio, located 300 miles to the south of Santiago. A paper plant at the ocean outlet of the river has led to the destruction of local fisheries to the extent that local people in Concepcion, where the Bio Bio meets the Pacific, largely do not eat fish any longer. Local fishery stocks the length of Chile are currently largely destroyed, and traditional small scale fishers no longer can make a living. Recent conversations with the Government have led to promises of help. The fishers and their families have been forced to create community kitchens in order to feed children and families. This year, as distinct from other years, there has been a concerted move away from any celebrations regarding the Allende Government. This means that only the values remain, and a very vague history about the time when idealism was backed by actions. AllendeB4s government began in 1970 by promising milk to all of the children, recognizing that social inequality begins even immediately after birth. A 15-year-old Mapuche girl told me that her school taught her nothing about recent history nor anything about Salvador Allende. The moral struggle to control history is in full flower, and the good times promised by the upcoming national holidays -- the 18th is the formal "July 4th equivalent" here in Chile -- and this year the celebration lasts from this coming Saturday the 15th through the 19th. Television news programs have focused on the great times to be had in chileB4s distinct regions. The press today barely made mention of what this date has meant to Chile as the media is anxious to forget what has been an unpleasant twenty years of military dictatorship, and its consequences. The major left- oriented newspaper, La Tercera, said that the national holidays would likely be cloudy and that Britney Spears likely performed under the influence of drugs in her most recent MTV appearance. The more conservative La Segunda presented the only major headline in the press today with the words: "Homages to Allende, Offerings, emotions, a internal fights," referring to rude words and actions between the socialists and the communists. The same front page gave the news that Bachelet, standing with one of AllendeB4s daughters and a grandaughter, spoke of the need for a Chile that was more just and fair, and more democratic. The Weekly "el Siglo" had a special promotion on the front page saying: Honor to the fallen, march this Sunday starting at the Plaza Los Heroes at ten AM. The right-wing LA NACION headlined "an alliance that has shattered, showing a piece of broken glass between the images of the socialist and communist leaders in the governing coalition, with the subhead "They came together to help the workers, but they ended up fighting amongst themselves. The-dog eat-dog love, the history of lies, backstabbing, and paternalism amongst the workers. This same newspaper shows of a picture of Michael TownleyB4s son, a progressive geologist. Townley was a double agent with the CIA and DINA, the militaryB4s secret police that assassinated Ambassador Orlando Letelier in Washington DC in 1976. The assassination of an Ambassor in Washington, DC, had never before occured in the history of the United States, and it was planned and carried out by Michael Townley at the direction of the senior George Bush, then director of the CIA. N, ClarinB4s weekly cultural magazine rand a picture of a greenpeace demonstration showing the sign, "No pulp-mill Pollution" and the subheadline, "A Protest without camaras does not exist." Speaking with book dealers half a block away from the Moneda, they said that this yearB4s protests were significantly less disruptive and destructive. That the youth still were in the lead in the violent protests. And finally, that the government was "the same joke, but with a different comedian." This is bad news for the poor and working class in Chile on this occasion, 34 years after the Chilean military headed by Augusto Pinochet, killed democracy and established a murderous 18-year regime that has led Chile to near ruin of several of its vital resources. That the death of significant fisheries, handing over of other vital portions of ChileB4s natural resources at bargain-basement prices, means that the poor can expect to wait for a long time for justice to arrive to their particular neighborhoods throughout Chile. I am Daniel del Solar in Santiago, Chile, on September 11th, 2007 [Daniel del Solar can be reached by e-mail at solarmedia@hotmail.com or cellphone at 510 290 3022] =========================== Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 863-9977 http://www.Freedomarchives.org -------------- next part -------------- -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ News mailing list News@freedomarchives.org http://freedomarchives.org/mailman/listinfo/news_freedomarchives.org * ================================================================= .NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems . 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