Dear friends of EPES,
In this special Update to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the military coup in Chile, we share with you stories from several staff members who have played leadership roles in EPES for the past four decades, and whose lives were changed dramatically by the coup.
Fifty years after Pinochet’s brutal coup, hundreds of people are still looking for their loved ones. Less than one third of the estimated 1,469 disappeared have been identified, and, while President Boric asserts that Chile has a moral duty to keep looking until all are accounted for, the task is monumental. More than 100 people were thrown into the sea from helicopters, making it extremely unlikely their bodies will ever be found. The search continues in the context of ever-more-brazen attempts by Pinochet apologists to justify the Junta’s human rights abuses, saying that “harsh measures” were necessary to save the country. “Harsh” is much too mild a term for kidnapping, torture, murder and forced disappearance.
Other factors that heighten tensions around the upcoming anniversary of the coup are the rejection in last September’s plebiscite of a progressive draft Constitution, ongoing repression of indigenous and environmental activists, and catastrophic flooding this month that has left more than 30,000 people homeless. Activities marking the anniversary began earlier this year and will crescendo as we approach September 11.
EPES and EPES-trained health promoters played important roles in the fight for a return to democracy during the dictatorship, and in demanding that the subsequent elected governments live up to their promises. In this Update, along with personal stories from EPES staff, we highlight some of the activities EPES has been organizing and participating in related to the 50th anniversary.
As always, we thank you for your continuing support. Without it, this important work would not be possible
In solidarity and peace,
Christina Mills MD FRCPC
President, Action for Health in the Americas
Action for Health in the Americas 