0
i'.
Lalttit TrrrerlM ActMtj ContlntMS
m itm llboflsbi me set around Sintiajoin two apparently coordinated bombing; atiacki oaar aaday. bitting ibe US Consulate and two Mormon cbapca. amcnt etherielgnhe attaclu caused only minar diiasie. The two lets of bombingswellheay usauiraiKnetired Oribiacroof feiunan rig-hitt height lo hive been carried out by irumtxn of tbi dissident fiction of tbe Manuel Rodriiuei Patriotic Fronteaponitb.lity bu aot been claimedomb that tiltedCbfieaa explosive*une, or for iht bombing* of Kvtrsl Mmtjoti churches throughout Chile Hardline Chilian itrrorat (roups have continued to eieeutc ksw-lerel terroritt activities in recent maathi dcipiiei' Party of Chile (PCCh) effecu to curb terrorist opersiicna. For mora on tb* nibtcct, seemiiitt appearing In Ibis isaue eatitlcd 'Chile: Proipceti for Terrorism."
Cbik: Prospects for Terrorism I
Recent shifts in International and domestic politics are frusiratini Chilean far-left terrorist iroupi,increased violence over the neat year likely. The groups will probably be unable to sustain terrorist campaigns over Ihe longer term, however, because of their continued disunity and declining political and financial support!
Swimming Agalaal lb* Moderate Tide During tbe cwti decade, terra rat groups ofstripes have advocated noknee to unseal dictator Au-iv.no Pinochet aad avenge human righu abwsct by sua raglTM. These ofisaitauofts linnehad *rll-orgaaiied assault* on public cAcials and government facilities, employingnd rocketAlthough (bey targeted US intcrcits lei* often, tbty became very active in mountingfollowing the US Intervention in Panama. |
The lerroriiu still cling to their itrategy of armed struggla despite ihe new political cllmaia reiulllng from the end ofyear Pinochet dictatorship and from reformist trend* in tbe Common ui movementAa lha organited left, particularly tha Commaant Partyaa tried to slake oat poluical space in newly dezoccratk Chile, it ha* *hown increasing reluctance to sanction violence and ha* attempted to rein in terrorist groups.H
HThe Communist* tuceeedfd in cuit>-Tng^peTaiiimiTy the Manuel Rodriguei Patriotic3 with PCChthe8 pleblKttc and the election last December. They reportedly have only basiled udsuaaca with Ibe other hardlinenotably tha Manwrl Rcdngoea Patriotici-dcat*adical splinter group formedad th* Laataro Youth orgaaieaiion. Theas been responsible for rnj terrorisi violincc over the put year
Tbt Human Right* Issue
Cbilcao Presidentautious approach inha man rights abuses of the Pinochet regime may abo foment greater lerroriti actrvitj over the ihort term. The President ha* been careful to avoid awith tbe military and with Pinochet in hi* current eapacily as Army Commander, ilrawlng the need tored res* for the victim* rather than revenge. Accordingly.ha* ptaecd Uriel limits oa his newly created commisnoa to investigate human right* violations of the Pinochet era and has said publicly be will consider pardons once thetil.l
We believe terrorists may play on the heightened public attentionuman rights, using violence to vent (heir frustration with Aylwin'* caution and to press him toardline approach.
n March, thettempted lo kill or met junta member retired Air Force Gen Gustavo Leigh, accbted of ordering widespread human right*he week* following1 coup against then Preiideni Salvador Alkndc.onth, former i" '- 'c. Lullin the deaths of three Communistkilled; iherime sufpcci.
low-lcvcl csnucu, their efforts io unify over ihc year* have failed. Popular rejection of eairemism.by Ibe election of Aylwin'* cenlriit coaliiion. has inieniified efTont by icmxist organization] to naify. accordini to an untested source, but each has iuview of tbe strategy an alliance ihould employ.
take In Use lucctas of democratic government. Inclusion of the left in the political precesa and even moderate allention to its agenda of socioeconomic reform would help isolate terrorist groups and under-cui their appeal to prospective recruits. Moreover, ir the government succeeds in strengthening iuapparatus and improving Chile's human rights record, ihe terrorists would have reasoneconsider the efficacy of armed struggle!
Original document.
Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: