Remembering the Past in Chile
In the aftermath of the earthquake in Chile, the Chilean military is back on the streets for the first time since Pinochet’s military dictatorship in the 1970s and 80s. Chileans recognize that the soldiers are there to protect them, and “Chileans are welcoming the military’s role in earthquake relief efforts,” NPR writes. In contrast, many citizens were afraid of the military during “the Pinochet years, when soldiers were a constant presence and were responsible for widespread human rights abuses.” Despite their fear, Chileans used many different approaches to resist the dictatorship (1973-1990), Roberta Bacic writes in an article for Open Democracy. Bacic’s approach was greatly influenced by Gandhi’s belief in the power of nonviolence. “Non-violence,” Bacic explains, “refers to a philosophy and strategy of conflict resolution, a means of fighting injustice and—in a broader sense—a way of life, developed and employed by Gandhi and his followers all around the world.” By this definition, Bacic concludes, non-violence is an “action that does not commit or allow injustice.” Bacic and a group of others were determined to “tell the truth and act on it.” She became part of the anti-torture movement that helped pressure Pinochet to sign the international Convention Against Torture in 1984, “which in turn would lead to his detention in England in 1999 while awaiting the result of the request for his extradition to Spain.” Bacic is a Chilean researcher in human rights as well as a curator for exhibitions of Arpilleras—Latin American, three-dimensional textiles originating in Chile that depict how political violence impacted everyday life.
- What is the role of the military in a time of domestic crisis? How can it make a positive difference? When might that power be abused?
- What memories do Chileans have of the military? How might the military’s role in earthquake relief help heal some of the wounds of the past?
- Bacic writes that “non-violence refers to a philosophy and strategy of conflict resolution, a means of fighting injustice and—in a broader sense—a way of life, developed and employed by Gandhi and his followers all around the world. Non-violence, by this definition, is action that does not commit or allow injustice.” How might non-violence lead to social change? Can you think of a time or times in history when non-violence has led to social change?
- Bacic quotes Tony Kempster, a long-time activist in the peace movement, as saying that “ ‘the two oldest questions in politics—ones with which [Gandhi] must have wrestled often—are still relevant today: to whom do we owe obligations and with whom do we feel solidarity.’ ” Kempster’s questions reflect the concept of “universe of responsibility,” a phrase built on psychologist and scholar Helen Fein’s “universe of obligation.” The concept of “universe of responsibility” refers to “the individuals and groups we feel obligated to protect and support—the people about whom we care.” How does Bacic define her universe of responsibility when struggling to fight injustice in Chile under Pinochet? What factors influence your universe of responsibility? Under what circumstances might it change?
- Bacic writes that “the first requirement to fight injustice is to report it; otherwise we are accomplices.” She adds that during the dictatorship “we needed to break through our own sense of powerlessness, isolation, and fear.” Have you ever been in a situation where you witnessed an injustice? Did you report it? Why or why not?
