die firm owners refused to (used produce. Chile’s two largest cement plants slowed production after the election a the — entire nation’s construction industry; the Ford Motor Company: attempted to lay off 600 employees and close down its assembly line; Northern Indiana Brass Company’s Chilean subsidiary — the leading producer of brass valves and other fittings — cut production soon after the election. And the efforts at destabilization were not limited to economic actions. Immediately after the election, Santiago experienced several bombings and two attempts were made to assassinate President Allende. The uniformed and helmeted Patri y Libidad goosestepped in precision through city streets attacking government supporters with clubs. The propaganda attack by sections of the media was unceasing. Hl Mercurio, Chile’s largest daily newspaper with editions in major centres, supported the actions of the U.S. transnational corporations, the latis- fundistas and the stormtrooping Patri y. Libidad with screaming « ‘headlines after each attempt at subversion. ; During this period, “the “United States \ government cut off all financial aid to Chile’s ~ Allende government — but continued to - support the armed forces. Recent investigations by the U. S. Senate Intelligence Committee have revealed that “the CIA covertly channeled $11.5 million to. El Mercurio to ensure anti-Allende coverage ~~}. ’ _and to keep the paper solvent.” As well, it was determined that the trucking firms were bribed to take part in the destabilization attempts. There now remains no question that the U.S. government, U.S. corporations (such as I.T.& T.) and the CIA orchestrated this anti- Allende campaign. The Second Act The Coup June 29, 1973. The Chilean military stages an unsuccessful coup. Tanks circle the presidential palace with the expectation that thé destabilization preparation would spark a general uprising. This first saiitery attempt in 42 years to overthrow an elected Chilean government fizzles. Plowing. that failure, the armed forces begins a subtle campaign of terror. Under the guise of searching for weapons, the military raids political parties’ headquarters, fac- tories and ‘ute homes. As hoped, the reaction of Chileans is restrained. 11,1973. The sky falls on the See of Chile. Four U.S. trained military ars, led by Army General Augusto et, lead a violent overthrow of Chile’s be million’ | 2 OE 4 as “unreliable for employment”. government. The presidential palace and Nue =) avana are major pone for Air le. caup ree 30,000 hissags dead ey “100,000 are imprisoned without trial. One Chileans — a tenth of the country’s “population “sare forced to flee their homeland. One-fifth of the population is The Third Act ner nd "Government Mies terror anes <4 NE OF THE FIRST acts of the junta was-~o..close the-sChilean Congress..Five of Santiago’s eleven daily néwspapers were closed permaneritly, the rest are still cénsored. Trade~ unions have been’ banned. Strikes were declared illegal. And political opposition to the yee. is against the law. The DINA —Chile’s secret police —~ “was given the authority to carry out the junta’s purge of all opposition. - — = both within the country and outside: ~*” An arm of the DINA Fach to the nited States where political repercussions were ~ former — Chilean Ambassador to the U.S. (under Allende), was murdered in ‘Washington, D.C. - ignored and Orlando Letelier, On August 1, 1978, a Washington, grand jury indicted nine people for the murder including four members of the DINA. ve The Pinochet regime, continues to deny any violation of human rights despite continued charges by relatives that Chileans are still ‘disappearing’. — In early December, 1978, however, a gruesome discovery was made. A secret mass grave was unearthed near Santiago to reveal 25 bullet-riddled bodies estimated to have been buried two to four years earlier. A former DINA agent led Catholic bishops to the site which was covered by 12 feet of dirt and stone and sealed with concrete. This discovery presents the world with hard evidence of the junta’s execution proce- dures. The United Nations Human Rights Com- mission has been repeatedly refused entry to Chile in order to investigate charges of violent repression. In 1976, Chile’s junta ran into an economic snag which threatened the military regime’s future. A group of European bankers (called the Paris Club) refused to re-negotiate Chile’s debt because of the country’s economic and human rights situation. . Chilean workers hoped this would lead to the downfall of the junta — until the major banks of one country jumped in to back the junta. That country is Canada. Canadian capital has been flowing freely into Chile since the Europeans backed out — including a one million dollar loan by the Toronto-Dominion Bank directly to the secret police, DINA. And Noranda Mines Ltd. earned the editorial praise of El Mercurio for “showing confidence” in the junta when the Canadian mining company announced plans to invest heavily in Chile. None of this capital is, however, finding its way to the hungry Chilean population. Down the street from one elite shop — complete with imported scotch whisky — the supermarket which formerly provided workers with staple’ food’items has closed its doors because of poor business. Ber “The country’s inflation rate has sky- ‘} “rocketed. In 1974, inflation reached 375 per- cent — highest i in the world. But the junta.is showing signs of weakening. Air Force general Leigh has’ resigned from the junta in disgust after the Letelier murder and,‘Pinochet’s repeated rebuffs of the United’ Nations. ee took other military support with him..- £ For the first time since the ‘coup, the 1 Chilean people are beginning to think of alternatives to military rule. -Church- organizations, human rights groups, political parties, governments and trade unions around the world are at-” tempting to effectively boycott any overseas support for the junta, . The New Democratic Party has Voie in convention to condemn Canadian banks which support Chile’s repressive regime and has demanded that Canada use all available means to end the terror in Chile. The Canadian Labour Congress has also denounced the Pinochet regime along with Canadian corporations like Noranda which maintains it has no way of knowing “whether what is alleged to be happening in ‘Chile is accurate or exaggerated”. Pressure is being exerted on the Chilean junta from many sides, and the foodstuff -boycott is another aspect of the worldwide protest. The food arriving in Canada from Chile is not being exported because the country produces too much. You will find Chilean apples, grapes, nectarines, pears and other: fruit on your grocer’s shelf because the people whose labour produces the food are not paid enough to buy it for their own families. Ask your grocer where the fruits originate. If it’s Chile, don’t buy it. ’ The fruits of unfair labour don’t deserve your support. : . , a ence Chile is published by theDemocrat, \. publication of the New Democratic Party ue Seas %; Zeo> Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V5T1X4. Addi . &: cs formation on the Chilean situation today ieee Pecott may be obtained from ae B.C. NDP.