Chilean Government accused of repression and violence against Humanists in Chile

To the Embassy of Chile
To the media
To the European Union


We have just received word of disturbing news, corroborated by various sources, about the brutal repression of a peaceful demonstration organised by the CENTRAL UNITARIA DE TRABAJADORES in Santiago, Chile in which workers, students, politicians, of course from the left, including Senators and Deputies of the Concertación, Christian Democrats, Socialists and radicals all took part and were beaten, assaulted and injured just like in the worst times of the Pinochet dictatorship.

Among the fallen and assaulted was the spokesperson for Humanism in Latin America and the Juntos Podemos candidate for the Presidency in the last election, our friend Tomás Hirsch, together with various other humanists and members of other currents and parties.  We know that instead of having their demands listened to attentively some were injured and physically wounded through violent repression that was unleashed without respect for the fundamental rights that every citizen has.

In front of these events, the European Region of the Humanist International denounces the violent acts and brutal repression on the part of the Chilean government and the police force, during the peaceful and nonviolent demonstration of yesterday, 29th August 2007 against the anti-people policy of the Chilean Government.

This is not an isolated incident, promoted by an isolated group of policemen, but rather the application of physical violence, economic violence and political repression to quieten the voice of those who, in defence of the people’s living conditions, try to oppose the steps of particular interests of the multinationals.

We express our total solidarity with Tomás Hirsch and with all the demonstrators in Chile and with their demands.

We call on the Chilean Government to apologise to the demonstrators and the International Community for the acts of violence that not only affect those persecuted but also offend human dignity and freedom of expression across the world.

We are sending this message to all the Chilean Embassies and the media in European countries.

Milan, 30 august 2007

Giorgio Schultze

Spokesperson for the European Humanist Forum
President of the European Region of the Humanist International