Chilean Activists Discuss Collective Trauma From Pinochet Regime
Chilean activists convened to discuss the trauma from Pinochet’s regime at the Elliott School. They emphasized the necessity of remembering victims and confronting historical injustices. Personal experiences highlighted the personal and societal impacts of the regime’s violence, and the ongoing efforts to uncover the truth of the past were stressed, underscoring the importance of collective memory to prevent future atrocities.
Chilean human rights activists and former student protesters convened at the Elliott School of International Affairs to deliberate on the enduring trauma inflicted by Augusto Pinochet’s regime. The discussion featured prominent activists, including Veronica De Negri and Marco Echeverría, who underscored the necessity of remembering the victims and addressing the traumatic legacy endured by Chilean society.
Pinochet’s regime began on September 11, 1973, with the overthrow of President Salvador Allende, sparking 17 years of authoritarian rule supported by covert United States interventions. The regime was marked by widespread human rights abuses, including torture, kidnapping, and murder, all of which left profound scars on the national psyche.
Veronica De Negri asserted, “What I can tell you is this thing happened. Not as an accident, these things happen by political decision, be very clear about that, always have the government involved.” Furthermore, Rosela Millones highlighted the persistent ramifications of this violent history in contemporary Chilean society, noting the plight of thousands of individuals who remain unaccounted for due to a collective reluctance to confront the past.
In 1989, a vote led to Pinochet’s departure, with a democratic government assuming control in 1990. Millones mentioned that recent initiatives aim to locate over 1,000 individuals still missing, emphasizing the ongoing pain stemming from unresolved historical injustices contextualized by the 50th anniversary of the coup in 2023.
Reflecting on personal loss, De Negri recounted the tragic fate of her son, Rodrigo, who was murdered during an anti-Pinochet demonstration in 1986. She lamented the societal tendency to forget or deny the regime’s violence, reinforcing the necessity to honor the memory of victims and acknowledge the truth of their experiences.
Echeverría reflected on his own experiences as a young activist, revealing that post-Pinochet governance often sidestepped confronting the atrocities of the past. He articulated a vision for public memorials as vital to fostering collective memory and ensuring similar events do not recur: “With the new wave of democracy in Chile, there was a big effort to not remember, to keep moving forward, to not dwell on the past.”
The activists unanimously advocated for the preservation of collective memory, highlighting the moral obligation to remember and learn from the past. De Negri poignantly warned, “Memory is something that we cannot forget because we have a responsibility in this world. And one of the responsibilities… is never forget.”
The dialogue led by Chilean activists on the enduring impact of Pinochet’s regime emphasizes the importance of remembering historical injustices to prevent their recurrence. Personal testimonies reveal a collective trauma that continues to affect Chilean society. The recent initiative to find missing individuals underscores the effort to confront the painful legacy. Ultimately, the commitment to collective memory is viewed as essential for healing and fostering a more conscious society.
Original Source: gwhatchet.com
