CHILE: THE CHILEAN GOVERNMENT'S RECENT MOVES TO AMELIORATE HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTIC

Created: 10/12/1977

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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I. CHZLE: HE CHILEAN GOVERNMENT'S RECENT MOVES TO MELIORATE HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES HAVE BECUN TOAJORIN RELATIONS KITH SOME OF ITS DOMESTIC CRITICS* PARTICULARLY THE CATHOLIC CHURCHA LESSER THE GOVERNMENT'S LONG-TERMAS THE PLAN FOR EVENTUAL RETURN TO DEMOCRATICSKEPTICISM BUT MANY CHILEANS CONCEDE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO HAVE ENDED THE WORST ASPECTS Of '

//THE CHURCH HASORE CONCILIATORY ATTITUDE AND IS STUDIOUSLYONFRONTATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT. THE WARMING TREND HAS BEEN MOST EVIDENT IN COMMENTS BY CARDINALIBERAL WHO HAS FREQUENTLY VOICED OPPOSITION TO THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICIES* THEN ASTUTE POLITICAL OBSERVER* IS URGING CHURCH LEADERS TO BE CAUTIOUS IN APPLYING PRESSURE ON THESINCE HE JUDGES THAT SUCH TACTICS WOULD NOW

//CARDINAL SILVA IS ADVOCATING THAT CHURCH VIEWS BE

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COMMUNICATED PRIVATELY TO PRESIDENT PINOCHET AND OTHER TOPHIS APPROACHETTER CHANCE

ERNMENT PRACTICES. THE ELECTION LAST MONTHONSERVATIVEA GOOD FRIEND OF PINOCHET'S. TO HEAD THE CHURCH'S PERMANENT )Je EPISCOPAL COMMITTEE REFLECTS THE

HE

NEWLY ELECTEDLEVER AND CAPABLE ADMINISTRATOR. MAY BE

ABLE TOOSITIVE INFLUENCE ON THE PRESIDENT- THE IMPROVED

RELATIONS BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE* HOWEVER* WILL NOT PREVENT

CHURCH LIBERALS FROM SPEAKING OUT BLUNTLY IF THEY CONCLUDE THAT THE

GOVERNMENT IS BACKSLIDING ON HUMAN

//ON THE LABORHREATENED SHOWDOWN BETWEEN

PINOCHETROUP OF DEMOCRATIC TRADE UNION LEADERS SEEMS TO

HAVE BEEN AVERTED WHEN THE PRESIDENTLEAST FOR THE

PLANS TOR THE GOVERNMENT TO OUST THEM FROM THEIR UNION

UNDER THE CURRENT POLITICAL MORATORIUM* UNION ELECTIONS

PROHIBITED AND THE GOVERNMENT CAN REMOVE AND REPLACE LABOR i !

.OFFICIALS AT I

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//THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTIPATHY FOR THE LABOR LEADERS INi MS PROM ITS CONVICTION THAT THEY ARE BEING USED BY THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND ARE ENGAGING IN POLITICAL ACTIVITY TO EMBARRASS THE GOVERNMENT. WHILE THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE CASE* MISGIVINGS ABOUT THE POLITICAL MOTIVES OP THE GROUP'SMAY CAUSE SOME OP THE LABOR LEADERS TO REASSESS THEIR ROLE.' ONSENSUS MAY BE DEVELOPING AMONG THEM TO AVOID PROVOCATIONS THAT COULD PUREOPARDIZE THEIR

//THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK ASKANCE AT PREE LABOR ACTIVITY. BUT THE CURRENT TRUCE AT LEASTORE TOLERANT POLICY. BOTH SIDES. IN PACT, SEEM DISF )SED TO AVOID XTREMES AND TOODUS

: KE THE CHURCH. LABOR HAY PERCEIVE THAT IT HASGAINNDING AN ADVERSARY RELATIONSHIP AND SWITCHING TOPORMS OP PROTEST. INIMUM. BOTH GROUPS APPARENTLYTHAT CHANGED CONDITIONS IN CHILE COULD PROVIDEMATEGRADUAL I

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Original document.

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