“LUCIANO CARRASCO” HUNGER STRIKE

BECAUSE WE DON’T FORGET, FOR JUSTICE.
NO TO IMPUNITY.

The participants of the “Luciano Carrasco” Hunger Strike call on social and workers’ organizations to express their commitment with the struggle for justice by adhering to the following statement:

LETTER OF COMMITMENT WITH JUSTICE

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“LUCIANO CARRASCO” HUNGER STRIKE BECAUSE WE DON’T FORGET, FOR JUSTICE. NO TO IMPUNITY. The participants of the “Luciano Carrasco” Hunger Strike call on social and workers’ organizations to express their commitment with the struggle for justice by adhering to the following statement: LETTER OF COMMITMENT WITH JUSTICE The social organisations that have signed this letter declare, by doing so, our commitment with Justice and against Impunity. The governments of Patricio Aylwin, Eduardo Frei and Ricardo Lagos became accustomed to ignoring the deep yearnings for justice that our people held through years of struggle against the Dictatorship. Each time they’ve been called upon to decide and legislate, they have done so to the benefit of the interests of the powerful over the needs of thousands of Chileans who experience injustice on a daily basis. Human rights have not fared any differently, with justice for the crimes committed during the Dictatorship continuously denied. Worse still, they’ve attempted to limit these violations to the crimes and disappearances of people, as it the people had no also endured terror and the wrenching of all rights won, through changes to labour laws, the privatisation of health and education, etc. The Human Rights proposal put forward by the Government is nothing more than a new attempt to enshrine impunity in Chile. Supported by the Right and higher echelons of the army, this proposal contravenes principles in our country and in the world that state that crimes against humanity do not expire and can’t be amnestied. These principles are expressed in International Treaties signed and ratified by Chile and in our country’s current legislation. The implementation of this proposal, in Chile, would constitute an attack on our organisations and Chilean society as a whole and more serious still, a severe threat to personal security and national coexistence, for the measures included in the proposal put forward, in the ambit of the law: 1. PARDON The president will be able to pardon those carrying out sentences, who have served a certain, undetermined, amount of time, show remorse and have collaborated with the law (not included are cases subsequent to 1990, which is the situation of current political prisoners). 2. IMPUNITY To be automatically freed, and further enjoy anonymity, all those who have not been charged or prosecuted need only confess before the Courts crimes committed whether as author, accomplice or accessory. 3. REDUCTION OF SENTENCES The sentences of those who confess their crimes will be reduced by between one and three degrees. These measures, among many others, together with the lack of a clear statement regarding the Amnesty Law, only succeed in providing the privilege of total impunity to those who tortured, disappeared and murdered hundreds of compatriots, many of them members of our organisations, who gave their lives for a just society. Given the possible approval of this proposal, all Chileans will be forced to live side by side with criminals who will be able to, having faced neither legal nor social sanctions of any kind, commit once more the atrocities well known by all, threatening thus our personal security and that of our children and future generations. As social organisations, we do not agree with the granting of privileges and impunity to those responsible for the great sorrow endured by Chile, and even less that these individuals be able to live among us free of any sanction. The responsibility of living in a just country is one shared by all. For this reason we state our commitment with Justice and against Impunity: - Denouncing the political authorities who refuse to accept these crimes as crimes against humanity and which therefore do not expire and are can not be amnestied, contravening thus all International Treaties in place since the Second World War. - Mobilising in order to achieve Justice in Chile and not allow the impunity of the murderers. - Supporting the Hunger Strike being carried out by the sons and daughters of the executed and detained disappeared. BECAUSE WE DON’T FORGET, FOR JUSTICE. NO TO IMPUNITY. Organisations, trade unions, collectives, groups: Show your solidarity by signing the Letter of Commitment with Justice and forwarding it to: “Luciano Carrasco” Hunger Strike Postal address and Hunger Strike location: Compañía 2404, Santiago, Chile Phone: (56-2) 672 9897 E-mail: huelgalucianocarrasco@correo.nodo50.org In Australia please write to: chilenetwork@optusnet.com.au or redchilena at bogpond.com

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