Trade ban on Chile

Press, 15 July 1980, Page 16

Trade ban on Chile

Sir, — Recent news about Chile has been very interesting. (1). “Chile is not yet ready for democracy,” says Pinochet (“The Press,” July 7). So when will it be? At least he admits that there is no democracy in our country.

(2) The new Chilean Ambassador quotes the Chilean waterside union which, he claims, wants the trade boycott on Chile lifted, but when the unions tried to celebrate International Workers’ Day, this same Government which, the Ambassador represents, persecuted, tortured and banished them into internal exile. (3) Mr Templeton also attacked the trade ban on Chile. I can only answer him by quoting from a letter from the mother of one of the disappeared prisoners. ‘Tn the name of my children. I ask you to denounce the junta in order to put an end to our > terrible situation, for the sake of my children and the future of all Chileans.” — Yours, etc..

CRISTINA QUINONEZ.

July 13, 1980. Sir. — The call of the new Chilean Ambassador (“The Press,” July 12), to lift the trade ban against Chile is predictable, but adding that he is supported by union leaders is laughable. The only officially recognised unions in Chile are so tightly regulated through “Plan Laboral” of 1979 to make them ineffective and their leaders unrepresentative. The true leadership of Chile’s unions' is today found in the “illegal” opposition unions that have given their support to the ban. It is to be hoped that Mr Fuenzalida will make more effort than his predecessors did to explain the disappearance of 2500 political prisoners in Chile and the continuation of torture and political detentions in his country. — Yours, etc •T. A. JACKSON. July 12, 1980.