human rights, carabineros, claudio crespo, sebastian zamora, lawyers, human rights

human rights, carabineros, claudio crespo, sebastian zamora, lawyers, human rights

Posted on September 6, 2024

human rights, carabineros, claudio crespo, sebastian zamora, lawyers, human rights

human rights, carabineros, claudio crespo, sebastian zamora, lawyers, human rights

From August 30 to September 30, Santiago is the stage for the seventh edition of the “Campaign against racism from 30 to 30”, an annual initiative that seeks to raise awareness, make visible and promote collective reflection on xenophobia and discrimination towards racialized people in the country.

With the intention of declaring September 30 as the “Popular Day of Struggle against Racism in Chile”, on Thursday, August 29, at Londres 38, a space of memories, the cycle of activities began with a discussion that took place under the motto: “Let’s not ignore it any longer, forced disappearance was yesterday and today.” This event included the participation of several organizations, including the Migrant Action Movement, represented by Eduardo Cardoza; the Coordinator for Palestine in Chile, with the intervention of Claudia Yarur; and Macarena Silva from Londres 38, a space of memories.

The meeting was notable for being a space for reflection and in-depth dialogue on the various forms of violence and repression that have historically affected different contexts. During the day, Cardoza began the dialogue, addressing the persistence of forced disappearance as a form of systematic control and repression, which not only impacts the direct victims, but also causes pain and a breakdown in their families and in society. In addition, she stressed that forced disappearance is carried out with the aim of silencing and punishing people who fight and resist. This method perpetuates a system of impunity that is embedded in Chile and other countries, and which is also evident in the situation against the Mapuche people and migrant communities.

During the course of the discussion, a parallel was drawn between the situation in Palestine and the struggles against racism in Chile. The discussion focused on colonial violence, which manifests itself in ethnic cleansing and the ongoing genocide that not only affects a certain group of people but also seeks to erase the identity and culture of entire communities. In this sense, the reality of Palestine shares similarities with the repression and violence that indigenous peoples and migrants have faced in Chile.

Another central theme of the discussion was the impunity that persists in the country’s history and that surrounds cases of forced disappearances and repression. The speakers stressed that impunity continues to prevail, because it is not only a failure of the judicial system, but also a way of implementing control tactics especially towards vulnerable sectors of society, thereby criminalizing individuals living in poverty.

At the end of the meeting, the importance of raising awareness and showing solidarity with those struggles both in Chile and in other parts of the world was highlighted. The “Campaign against racism from 30 to 30” will continue throughout the month of September with a series of cultural activities. The culmination of the campaign will be the emblematic pilgrimage on September 30 in memory of Joanne Florvil, who died in Chile due to racism.

For more details, here is the calendar of activities.

human rights, carabineros, claudio crespo, sebastian zamora, lawyers, human rights

human rights, carabineros, claudio crespo, sebastian zamora, lawyers, human rights

human rights, carabineros, claudio crespo, sebastian zamora, lawyers, human rights