Tuesday, November 28, 2006

The Good Die Young

Was just perusing The Age online and came across this story: Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet was placed under house arrest today in connection with the kidnap of two of his political opponents in 1974, a judicial source said. Pinochet, who ruled Chile with absolute power from 1973 to 1990, is accused of dozens of human rights violations but has never been brought to trial in connection with any of them. He has been arrested several times, most famously during 16 months in London between 1998 and 2000. He was also placed under house arrest in October, accused of torture, murder and kidnapping, but was freed on bail early this month. Pinochet, now in frail health, celebrated his 91st birthday on Saturday at his house in the Chilean capital Santiago. He marked the occasion by issuing a statement in which he accepted "political responsibility" for acts committed under his rule.
If he has accepted 'political responsibility',surely this should be deemed a guilty verdict and he should get more than house arrest. I don't care if he is 91 and of frail health. If Saddam is going hang for crimes against humanity, then why is Pinochet any different. I don't support the death penalty, but I think justice should be done for the Chilean people who still have scars from living under the horror of the dictatorship and for the dead, who do not rest. I'm not saying torture him, but he needs to be made accountable and I don't think dying of old age would be justice enough for the people of Chile. God knows that the US government who installed him there (and assassinated Allende in the process) will never be made accountable.
Liberty and justice.... for none.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The concept of justice does my head in. It doesn't exist. It's why God was invented.

I agree though. He should be held accountable. The message should be sent out that crimes against humanity will not be tolerated.

Lola Lopez said...

It also does my head in. But I do what I can, where and whenever possible.