DIRTY WAR IN CHILE

2/17/2010

Ending the Dirty War

The failure of the FMLN The “hearts and minds” strategy

The decline of U.S. support End of the Cold War 16 Nov 1989 Jesuit killings

The 1991 Peace Agreement Reconciliation, Amnesty, Reintegration 1992 the peace agreement takes effect, UN

verifies weapons decommissioning 1993 Peace and Reconciliation

Commission 1994 Presidential elections

Ending the Dirty War

The Civil War lasted for 12 years: 1980-1992 Roughly 70,000 people died

State-related forces were responsible for 80% of all deaths

four-fifths or more of these deaths were peasants and workers

1979 population 4.5 million 500,000 – 750,000 people fled the country 500,000 – 1,000,000 IDPs

10% reduction in per capita economic production

El Salvador Today

Social Indicators Median age: 22 years Education: average of 5.5 years of schooling Religion: 55% Catholic

Underemployment: 40-50% Homicide rate: 55.3 per 100,000

Higher than during the war Gangs

Eighteenth Street Mara Salvatrucha

Before the War

Salvador Allende Elected: 1970 Socialist leader of the

Popular Unity coalition Social unrest

March, 1973 Parliamentary Elections The Popular Unity gained seats

11 September, 1973 Military Coup

"One improbable fact must be grasped about South America at the time of our story: radical social revolution was a real possibility for millions of people, coloring everyday life with hope or dread depending upon the circumstances and political views of each individual.” –Dinges, 2004

Dirty War in Chile: Statistical Picture

1,300 detention centers 6 concentration camps 29,000 people tortured 2,279 political killings

Another 1,598 killings under unclear circumstances

National Trauma 200,000 situations of

extreme trauma

Dirty War in Chile

Ideology Anti-Communism Traditional Christian ValuesPlayers Pinochet National Intelligence Directorate (DINA)

Gen. Manuel Contreras Sepulveda Col. Pedro Espinoza

Strategies Suspension of politics as normal Shock and Awe Detention Torture Executions

Dirty War in Chile

Operation Condor Organized in response to the formation of the

JCR Operational Structures

Intelligence sharing network Communications Networking and trust Stationing personnel

Cross-Border Activities tracking, surveillance, kidnappings, rendition, torture,

interrogation, and assassination of opponents. Opponents were not only leftist militants, but also

opposition political and social figures.Participants: Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay,

Uruguay, Brazil

Dirty War in Chile

Exploiting the Crisis: the role of the US and neolibearlism Milton Freedman and The Chicago BoysPinochet’s Market Reforms Removal of trade barriers Return to export-led growth Privatization, including social security Creation of an independent Central Bank Wage reductionsEconomic growth was accompanied by growing

inequality1972: 5% of population receives 25% of national income1975: 5% of population receives 50% of national income

Ending the War

Negotiated Transition 1980: a new Constitution is written and put

in place by Pinochet in a shift towards managed democracy

1988: Plebiscite refuses to allow Pinochet to run for another term as President

1989: Pinochet’s man is defeated in the Presidential election; Patricio Aylwin, a centrist Christian Democrat, is elected.

1990: Aylwin establishes the National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation

1991: Pinochet stages military maneuvers

Ending the War: the price of impunityBenefits End of violence Democratic transitionCosts the continuation or reactivation of repressive

networks and institutions the distortion of political culture the destruction of social capital the ultimate delegitimation of the democratic

institutions that reconciliation is designed to stabilize

Chile Today

1998: Pinochet resigns as Commander in Chief; becomes Senator for life.

1998: Pinochet is arrested in London 2000: Pinochet is released by the UK

government 2000: criminal proceedings begin in Chile 10 Dec. 2006: Pinochet dies 2006: Michelle Bachelet elected President 2010: President-elect Sebastian Piñera Today

3,000 remain disappeared The military has been reduced to 40,000 and is all

volunteer

Questions

Why do states engage in “Dirty War”? Which Dirty War do you feel had more

profound impact Political Social Economic

What role does the global political context play?

Policy Papers

Issue: The state faces a rise in leftist political opposition seeking the violent overthrow of the state.

Alternatives: to engage in dirty war or not. MUST be written to decision-makers within

the state.