Chile view
§i: What semblance of objectivity do You expect from a correspondent who is hell-bent on whitewashing the reality of a brutal dictatorship? I am of course referring to Lucia Santa Cruz's feat of intellectual dishonesty (January 26). She puts the cost of the Allende government at 100 lives in three years. Against this we learn of "the armed forces, which have kept their discipline and integrity" and will "back the Majority of defenceless civilians." Really? I take it that Senator Edward kennedy could not be dismissed as another Marxist even on Miss Santa Cruz's confused premises. Yet the Tirnes (February 4) reports Senator Kennedy confirming that thousands of People have been killed in Chile since the admirable men of the armed forces began to back the majority etc. And not only this, but Senator Kennedy adds: "More than four months after the Violent overthrow of the Allende government, the junta apparently continues its gross violations of human rights.
. "Reports in many quarters — Including our own government as well as the most respected international hltrnanitarian organisations — suggests continued repression, the denial °C safe conduct passes to many polittisical refugees, new waves of arrests, "te torture of prisoners, and executi°11s at an alarming rate." When shall we hear about these Peings-on from Miss Santa Cruz? . rhaps she thinks that the new government' can be both democratic and violate at will the civil and incblievidual rights. After all, they should backing the majority.
Risto Pitktinen
54 Relsize Road, London NW6
Previous page
