[Onthebarricades] CHILE: Anti-neoliberal protests mark coup anniversary, APEC summit

[Andy]

Chilean protests make clear: one can't have democracy without a bit of 
anarchy.  The "democrats" are in denial about this and as a result end up in 
fact in continuity with the generals, under whose rule they would still be 
living without protesters and stone throwers.

http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-08/2007-08-30-voa60.cfm?CFID=161253628&CFTOKEN=15318355

At Least 740 Arrested in Chile Protest Violence
By VOA News
30 August 2007

Chilean officials say at least 740 people have been arrested after clashing 
with police during mass protests in Santiago over the government's social 
and economic policies.
Authorities say demonstrators hurled objects at police and hid behind 
barricades Wednesday as officers used tear gas and water cannon to disperse 
the crowds. Some shops were looted as the violence erupted in the capital.
Dozens of people were injured, including a ruling coalition senator, 
Alejandro Navarro, who was seen bleeding from the head after he was clubbed 
by an officer.
Labor unions organized the protests, saying workers should get a larger 
portion of profits from Chilean industry. Chile is the world's biggest 
copper producer and has benefited from high prices for the metal in recent 
years.
President Michelle Bachelet has pledged to take advantage of the country's 
revenues from copper exports to improve education and conditions for the 
poor. Chile has one of Latin America's most prosperous economies.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

http://www.workers.org/2007/world/chile-0913/

Workers take to the streets in Chile
By Jaimeson Champion
Published Sep 9, 2007 9:49 PM
On Aug. 29, hundreds of thousands of workers took to the streets of 
Santiago, Chile, to protest neoliberal economic policies and demand wage 
equality, better pensions, and greater access to healthcare and education.
The demonstrations were billed as a "National Day of Action," and were 
initiated by the largest federation of trade unions in Chile, known as 
United Workers Central. Simultaneous demonstrations in other cities and 
towns across the country were also attended by hundreds of thousands of 
union members and their supporters, and included union organizing activities 
in addition to street protests.
Central among the issues raised by the workers at the demonstrations was the 
issue of wage inequality. In many Chilean industries it is not uncommon for 
a supervisor to earn more than 200 times the wage of the average worker. In 
the mining industries, particularly copper, profits have soared by double 
digit percentages over the last decade yet wages for most workers have 
remained stagnant. Demonstrators condemned the practice of subcontracting in 
the mining industries, which is essentially a way for the capitalists to 
avoid providing workers with health insurance and other benefits.
The demonstrations also denounced the neoliberal economic policies that the 
imperialist powers have attempted to force on the countries of Latin America 
for decades. These policies include greater privatization in key industries, 
the opening up of markets to the imperialist powers, and strict limits on 
spending for social programs. In many instances, the U.S. has made emergency 
aid and loan packages conditional on Latin American countries implementing 
these policies.
Demonstrators asserted that these neoliberal policies have helped to enrich 
foreign corporations and the Chilean oligarchy at the expense of Chilean 
workers. They demanded that the government focus on the needs of Chilean 
workers instead of the predatory desires of the imperialist corporations.
The huge demonstrations in Chile are yet another indication of the growing 
resistance to neoliberalism that is surging across Latin America. Workers 
across Latin America are bringing to the forefront the fact that 
neoliberalism and free market economic policies have brought misery and 
suffering upon the masses while fattening the pockets of the imperialist 
corporations. An increasing number of governments in Latin America are 
shunning these policies. Governments in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador are 
in open revolt against neoliberalism and imperialism.
The demonstrators in the capital city of Santiago endured the violent 
tactics of the infamous Chilean riot police. The police lived up to their 
reputation for brutality by launching volleys of tear gas and firing water 
cannons into the crowds of demonstrators. More than 200 demonstrators in 
Santiago were injured. The police unwarrantedly arrested more than 700 
demonstrators.
Despite the unprovoked violence and arrests perpetrated by the police, the 
countrywide demonstrations were heralded by many labor leaders as a huge 
success and an indication of the growing movement for fundamental economic, 
social, and political change that is sweeping across Chile.
The demonstrations come on the heels of huge student protests last year, 
where students occupied and took control of 13 schools in Santiago, and a 
series of strikes initiated by subcontracted mine workers that have shown 
the ability to effectively cripple production in the mines.
The increasingly militant stances taken by the unions and students are 
indications that the endless promises of reform offered up by Chilean 
politicians over the past few years have worn thin. Chilean workers and 
students are taking to the streets in growing numbers to demand fundamental 
change, not token reform.

Articles copyright 1995-2007 Workers World. Verbatim copying and 
distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without 
royalty provided this notice is preserved.

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5g37s-LgxpQwLYDBciYFe8rRX2Oqw

Violence erupts as Chileans march to remember victims of Pinochet rule
Sep 9, 2007
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) - Rock-throwing protesters clashed with police backed 
by water cannons and tear gas Sunday during a march paying tribute to 
victims of the dictatorship of the late general, Augusto Pinochet.
The government said 147 people were detained and a police officer was 
injured, in the annual march marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 1973, 
putsch that brought Pinochet to power. Smaller and less violent than in 
previous years, it was the first coup-anniversary protest since the former 
strongman died in December at age 91.
Police blocked marchers - estimated at 5,000 by police and local media - 
from passing by the presidential palace, where freely elected Marxist 
president Salvador Allende committed suicide during the coup rather than 
surrender to the military.
At least 3,197 dissidents were killed or disappeared during the 1973-90 
dictatorship, according to an official report. More than 1,000 of them 
remain unaccounted for.
Among those detained Sunday was Mireya Garcia, a member of an organization 
of relatives of the disappeared. She called the police action to keep 
protesters from the palace "a provocation against people who helped restore 
democracy."
The government said it was trying to prevent a repeat of last year, when 
masked demonstrators attacked the building with a fire bomb that started a 
small blaze.
Pinochet died under indictment on human rights charges and facing scores of 
lawsuits, but many in this South American country are bitter that he never 
was sentenced to prison time - unlike many of his subordinates, whom he 
blamed for abuses.
More than 500 former officers and security agents have been tried and many 
jailed, including 50 generals, and scores of trials are still pending.
The Pinochet family plans a private ceremony Tuesday at the former 
dictator's country home to inaugurate a crypt that will contain his ashes.

http://english.pravda.ru/world/americas/14-09-2007/97137-alarm_chile-0

Alarm in Chile after deadly riots
Front page / World / Americas
14.09.2007Source:

A policeman was killed in clashes through the night on the anniversary of a 
1973 military coup. Authorities fear of gang bandits linked to drug 
trafficking.

Chilean authrotities expressed their concern on the bloody clashes that left 
one policeman killed and tens of injured through the night on the 
anniversary of the 1973 military coup that toppled the constitutional 
government of Socialist president Salvador Allende.
As night fell Tuesday in Santiago and demonstrations to commemorate the 
victims of Gen. Augusto Pinochet's victims peacefully dissolved, masked 
youths erected flaming barricades on the streets of the city slums. 
Thousands of rampaging youths turned the surrounding areas of the Capital 
into chaos killing a policeman and seriously wounding 41 others.
According to the preliminary investigation ordered by the Interior Ministry, 
the policeman was shot in his head by an automatic gun. The police squad was 
spotted by crossed fire coming from three directions. Authorities believe 
that the murder was planned and could be connected with bandits linked to 
drug trafficking.
The government reported that 304 arrests as looters badly damaged several 
shops, seven schools and a gas station. Rioters threw chains on power lines, 
knocking out electricity to more than 140,000 homes. On Thursday, 
electricity was gradually restored to the affected areas.
Riots took authorities by surprise. President Michelle Bachelet ordered the 
Interior Ministry to file criminal charges against those responsible and 
said the violence was an affront to those honoring the victims of the 
1973-1990 dictatorship. She visited wounded policemen at a hospital and said 
the government would "take all possible measures" to prevent a repeat of 
such violence.
According to observers, incidents took place in the slums where survive as 
much of the 13.7% of people living under the poverty line. These slums were 
created under Pinochet dictatorship as the military government decided to 
move out all poor families from central Santiago.
Poverty and lack of essential services turned these areas into a source of 
opposition to Pinochet. But their situation was not eased by the democratic 
administrations that rule the country since 1990.
While violent protests have accompanied the coup anniversary for years, 
officials appeared taken aback this year by the rioting and the 
participation of many youths aged 16 or younger. "We were surprised by the 
amount of firearms used," Santiago regional Gov. Adriana Delpiano said.
Deputy Interior Minister Felipe Harboe said the protests should not be 
considered political in nature, and Defense Minister Jose Goni said 
criminals and vandals _ not demonstrators _ were behind the unrest.
Tuesday riots come as Michelle Bachelet's presidency is being harashly 
challenged by different sectors. Students led violent protests last year to 
improve public education. Earlier this year bus drivers led massive 
demonstrations to protest reforms introduced in public transportation. A few 
days ago, the government faced tough protests led by trade unions.


http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20070913103750869

 Welcome to Infoshop News
 Sunday, October 07 2007 @ 11:58 PM PDT

Police Officer Dies in Overnight Violence on Chile Coup Anniversary
Thursday, September 13 2007 @ 10:37 AM PDT
Contributed by: Anonymous
Views: 346
Battles between police and gun-wielding attackers erupted in several 
Santiago neighborhoods late Tuesday evening, with some assailants reportedly 
using automatic weapons and sophisticated laser-sighting mechanisms against 
police. During one of these conflicts in the Pudahuel area, Officer Cristian 
Vera received a bullet wound to the head. He was rushed to a nearby 
hospital, where he was pronounced dead Wednesday morning.

POLICE OFFICER DIES IN OVERNIGHT VIOLENCE ON CHILE COUP ANNIVERSARY

Santiago Times

(Sept. 13, 2007) Battles between police and gun-wielding attackers erupted 
in several Santiago neighborhoods late Tuesday evening, with some assailants 
reportedly using automatic weapons and sophisticated laser-sighting 
mechanisms against police. During one of these conflicts in the Pudahuel 
area, Officer Cristian Vera received a bullet wound to the head. He was 
rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead Wednesday morning.

Another 42 officers were wounded that evening and thousands of dollars worth 
of property destroyed. The violence came after a day of relatively tranquil 
protest and commemoration of the anniversary of Chile's 1973 military coup.

After Vera's death was announced, President Michelle Bachelet expressed her 
condolences to the victim's family and declared that the violent result was 
not in keeping with the spirit of the day.

"It seems unacceptable to me that, on a date when Chileans are supposed to 
recognize that we are able to live in a democracy and work towards creating 
a more just country, violence and looting like this occur," said Bachelet.

Tuesday marked the thirty-fourth anniversary of the September 11, 1973 coup, 
when President Salvador Allende was removed from power by military forces 
led by Gen. Augusto Pinochet. Following Chile's return to democracy in the 
1990's, the day has been marked by demonstrations and violent upheaval by 
both coup supporters and leftist activists. In the early 1990's, protesters 
were sometimes killed, but the intensity of the anniversary has calmed in 
recent years.

Vera's death represents the first police fatality on a coup anniversary 
since 1987. Police director Jose Alexander Bernales said he thought the 
violent attacks on police officers were a dramatic commentary on current 
affairs in Chile. "To kill a police officer in this country it is to kill 
justice; it is to kill the country," said Bernales. "And that is what they 
did last night."

Elsewhere throughout the city, a number of businesses were ransacked by 
looters, resulting in significant property damages. In the Florida and La 
Pintana neighborhoods of Santiago, schools were looted and set ablaze.

The violence comes amidst renewed criticism of Chile's courts and their 
allegedly lax attitude when dealing with delinquents. On Wednesday 
afternoon, officials in Santiago said they would pursue those responsible 
for Tuesday evening's violence to the fullest extent of the law, potentially 
even holding parents responsible for the actions of juvenile offenders.

"We want to apply the maximum rigor of the law in these cases, and if there 
are people responsible who are repeat criminals, they will certainly be 
strictly prosecuted," said Metropolitan Region Intendente (governor) Adriana 
Delpiano.

Still, Officer Vera's family is not convinced the justice system will 
function as it should.

"We really don't expect much from legal authorities," said Alejandro Vera, 
the officer's brother. "Here in Chile, the police arrest people and then 
they are free to leave the next day."

SOURCE: LA TERCERA, EL MERCURIO, LA NACION
By: Trey Pollard (editor at santiagotimes.cl)