Democracy call by Chile bishops

by Peter Stanford IN RESPONSE to the sudden arrest, brief detention and release of leading opposition politicians in Chile earlier this month, the Permanent Council of the Bishops' Conference has once again issued a plea for the drawing up of a strict timetable for a return to democracy in the country.
Commenting after the release of the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance, Gabriele Valdes, the Chilean bishops called on the Government of General Pinochet to attack the real problems of the country.
"In the short term, we have to deal with the hunger caused by displacement and violence" they said, and appealed for a state of emergency to deal with victims of Chile's "impoverished and indebted" economy. Chile has the highest per capita foreign debt in the world.
With regard to the recent "days of protest" which have been granted church support, the bishops urged demonstrators "to abstain from all forms of violence in their demonstration". Equally the security forces should not employ "methods of war" against civilians. The bishops spoke briefly of Fr Andre Jarlan, a French priest murdered during recent disturbances in Santiago. "Fr Jarlan, killed whilst praying silently in his home, cries from heaven for the blood of his brothers, killed by their brothers". They also condemned the bombing of a church in the southern city of Puenta Arenas last week.
In the medium and long term, Chileans must achieve "a real concensus with all those involved" for a return to democracy, and must aim at the "reconstruction" of their country on the principles of "justice, brotherhood and peace", the bishops said.
Since overthrowing the democratically-elected Government of Salvador Allende in 1975, the military regime of General Augusto Pinochet has been subject to a number of attacks by the Catholic Church for its humah rights violations and its refusal to draw up a schedule for the promised return to democracy.
In the face of the world recession, the Chilean economy, which had been managed on monetarist principles has collapsed bringing high inflation and unemployment (currently running at 24 per cent).