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This is to you Michelle Bachelet and to the great people of Chile |
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Posted 3/11/2010 at 12:06 PM by Pantea B |
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CLICK FOR MICHELLE BACHELET BIO
Today marks the end of President Michelle Bachelet's term in Chile. I want to dedicate my social justice blog of the day to her and the people of Chile. As Chile has been shaken by many earthquakes the past weeks, the latest today during the inauguration ceremony of the new president, I want to take the time to thank Michelle Bachelet and other Chilean leaders who have served as an inspiration to me in my life and the work I do.
Human rights and social justice are not the easiest when it comes to professions but once I realized how the lack of both contributed to the pain and suffering I saw around me and experienced in my personal life, I felt no choice but to tackle them both as the profession I choose in life.
Growing up in a war, family separation, an unjust regime, an immigration, loss of a parent and so much more kept bringing me back to the root causes of injustice in our world.
In some ways, I feel that Chile has suffered similar events as Iran. We both had democratically elected officials Dr. Mosaddegh and Salvador Allende who were both disposed of by a carefully planned CIA coup. Our countries subsequently suffered years of dictatorship and bloodshed under the US backed administrations of Augusto Pinochet and Iran's late Shah.
The only difference being that Chile, thank goodness has arrived in a much better place within the past decade and is now healing as a nation with a very bloody and painful past. Iran on the other hand is still struggling to catch it's breath from all the killing, suffering, and torture.
For me one of the greatest moments of social justice in the 21 century was the conviction of Augusto Pinochet by Judge Guzman. Through this case I learned of this amazing person who later was revealed to the world in the movie "The Judge and The General" as Judge Juan Guzman. The man who finally brought Chile as close as it could get to the justice it deserved.
Judge Guzman personally accompanied experts who uncovered mass graves, discovered remains on the bottom of the sea, and finally gave the families of the disappeared the closure they needed for many years by providing public audience sessions for family members to officially document the injustices they experienced. Although nothing could be done to bring back their loved one, at least acknowledging the events on paper finally gave the victims and their families the dignity they deserved.
Iran too has it's own mass graves. Khavaran is one of the largest, where religious minorities and political prisoners of mass executions were buried through the 80's and 90's. The Iranian government announced plans to asphalt the entire area and build a park on top of the mass graves. This caused great criticism from our Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi and Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri. Because we remain hopeful that one day like Chile, a body of experts will uncover our mass graves to bring the closure and justice their family members and the people of Iran deserve.
So, to Chile, Mihcelle Bachelet, and Judge Guzman, I thank you for your story of hope and look forward to the day my country starts its healing like yours.
I have posted great interviews of Michelle Bachelet and Judge Guzman in our gallery. Please visit them.
Viva Chile!
This is a photo of Judge Guzman when he announced his decision to charge Augusto Pinochet with Crimes Against Humanity.CLICK FOR JUDGE GUZMAN BIO |
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