[SANITIZED]SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO THE US STAND ON HUMAN RIGHTS 13-19 MAY 1977 - 1977/05/13

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06627943
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: May 13, 1977

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO THE US STAND ON HUMAN RIGHTS
(13-19 May 1977)
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This compilation is prepared weekly by the Office of Regional
and Political Analysis. Inquiries about this issue ma71
directed to the Africa Division
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LATIN AMERICA
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--Reports of gross violations of human rights in Chile, which had
nearly ceased this year. are once again On the rice
the Pinochet government is re-
verting to the kind of practices that has relegated it to pariah
status internationally. Available evidence suggests that Presi-
dent Pinochet's secret police organization is behind a recent
rash of illegal detentions, incidences of torture, and unaccount-
able "disappearances." Most of the targets appear to be socialists,
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but somecommunists and Christian Democrats are also victims.
This backsliding comes at a particularly bad time for Chile,
since a number of Western European governments were beginning
to take note of human rights improvements and to lessen their
criticism of the regime.
--The Chilean government announced last Tuesday that it was pre-
pared to accept a proposal by the Denmark-based Sakharov Com-
mittee to free 13 prisoners in exchange for an equal number
held by the USSR. The committee has appealed to Chilean Com-
munist Party chief Luis Corvalan for help in facilitating
Soviet cooperation, but he is not expected to have much influ-
ence in concluding a new arrangement. Corvalan, who was re-
leased last December in return for Soviet dissident Bukovsky,
was not pleased with the Soviet deal in. which he had no say
and was evidently unhappy about giving up his martyrdom to
live in Mbscow.
--President Balaguer of the Dominican Republic is taking steps
to open a dialogue with opposition political
a peaceful presidential election in 1978. /
leaders to ensure
Balaguer is deeply impressed with the human rights stand of
the Carter administration and is concerned about possible vio-
lence or military intervention if a volatile political situation
develops. Balaguer hopes that he can gain full backing for his
candidacy if he promises to make this his last telm and amends
the constitution to prohibit re-election in the future.
--A Permanent Human Rights Assembly has been organized in Bolivia
under the sponsorhis o several major church groups. The new
organization has ties to the important Latin American
Episcopal Conference (CELAN) and other international and religious
groups promoting the advancement of human rights.
--The Argentine Catholic Church has issued its first formal criti-
cism over the frequent disappearance and kidnappings of citizens,
the lack of due process, and the use of torture on prisoners.
It warned against the excesses of the antisubversion campaign
and said that government repression would only drive people into
the arms of the Marxists. President Videla adopted a moderate
tone in responding to the church's statement and noted that the
government shared the concern of the church over "a very sad
reality." Videla was careful to point out that the church's
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stand did not constitute a confrontation with the state. The
Argentine Catholic hierarchy may be responding to the Vatican's
increased emphasis on taking a stronger position in defense
of human rights and on adopting a more critical position toward
governments that violate them.
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