AJLPP-USA Statement on the Death of Chile's Dictator Augusto Pinochet

The Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace (AJLPP)-USA greets the death of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, whose brutal 17 year rule became a symbol of Latin American military repression with anger and regret.

As if a symbol of poetic justice, he died while we commemorate the International Human Rights Week in the United States with mass actions and events to stuggle for freedom, justice and to uphold human rights like of the currently detained ANAKPAWIS (Toiling MAsses) party list Representaice Crispin Beltran in the Philippines.

We feel anger because like Ferdinand Marcos who plunged the Philippines into 14 years od darkness during martial law, the former strongman, like Marcos had long evaded efforts to bring him to justice for the torture and deaths of thousands during his 1973-1990 rule.
AJLPP-USA deeply regrets that Pinochet like Marcos never faced trial for abuses committed under his military regime, including charges laid two weeks ago against him in connection with two disappearances in 1973.His death ended years of efforts to bring him to justice for the killings of dissidents during his military regime. He avoided prosecution, though, with his lawyers like Marcos arguing to the Supreme Court that dementia hindered his ability to defend himself.

Marcos avoided justice by going to exile in Hawaii under the care of his imperialist masters and personal friend Ronald Reagan and died in the United States in 1989. He caused the death of more than 150,000 people during his 14 years of martial law the most human rights committed against the Bangsa Moro people of whom more than 50,000 died during the Mindanao war from 1972-77.

Marcos plundered the nation. Leaving huge unpaid $ 35 billion debts and loans from imperialist countries that until now the Filipinos have to suffer paying such debts. But until now Imelda Marcos still struts like an old peacock and the rest of the family still has political power and being coddled by the corrupt and fascist Arroyo-regime.

The latest arrest warrant against Pincohet was issued about the disappearance of two security guards of Socialist president Salvador Allende, who committed suicide during the September 1973 military coup. The guards disappeared during the notorious "Caravan of Death," an operation by pro-Pinochet soldiers to purge opponents shortly after the coup, killing 75 people.Some 3,000 people, by official count, were killed or tortured under Pinochet's regime.

Those tortured at the notorious Villa Grimaldi during his rule included Michelle Bachelet, now president of Chile, along with her mother, for a month in 1975. Bachelet's father, an Allende loyalist, was also tortured, and eventually died in jail. Pinochet was also charged in connection with Operation Colombo, which spirited the bodies of 119 murdered regime opponents to other South American countries ruled by military regimes in 1975.

Pinochet lost a 1988 referendum on his continued rule and handed over power in 1990 to a transitional government. Marcos was overthrown by a peoplle's cum coup uprising in 1986. They both will always be cursed, never be forgotten and deserves eternal condemnation by the people denied justice.

The AJLPP-USA believes that only thorugh genuine systemic change effected by the people can dictator can be truly punished and justice can be attained. As long as US Imperialists codd;e fascist puppets and protect them like the Marcos, Shah of Iraq, Anastacio Somoza, Van Theiu, Suharto and a hosts of other dictatorst that US supported all over the world.

No Justice, No Peace!

AJLPP Political Secretariat

Mario Santos

Contact Person

December 10,2006