Weekly Review
TooStfCTet
CHILE: WIDENING CRACK IN THE JUNTA
The frKlion between President Pinochet and air force commanderey junta member, hat become public In an exclusive interview published in the newspaper El Mer-euria last week. Leigh said the government's economic policies arereater adverse effect on the poor than had been expected. He also acknowledged that unemployment is higher than had been estimated. The criticism is mild, but it reflects both dissatisfaction with the way the Pinochet government is handling theand Leigh's irritation that junta members hke himsell are not being consulted on most important policy decisions by Pinochet and his coterie.
A recent example was Pinochet's unusual gesture of meetingroup ofabor leadersengthy private session to hear their grievances. Leigh has general oversightin the labor sector, but on this occasion he was evidentlyclear move by Pinochet to extend the presidential presence to this area also.
Leigh's candid views will do tittle torelations between the two men.economic relief for the poor would ease Leigh's concern and giveense of making his weight felt. Scaling down Internal securitymove which the government says it intends to make known shortly-would improve Chile's poor international reputation.
Readjustments of this nature would have little real effect on the unity of the junta,Pinochet's problems will continue, and may even increase, as long as he arrogates to himself powers that the othor members,Leigh, believe should be shared by all (our. Pinochet can ill alford open discontent in the junta: military unity is extremely important to the survival of the government.
may De
tanning to relax some of the curbs It hason civil liberties. The President is said to have approved in principle measures such asrisoners arrested under the state of siege, eliminating the curfew, and restoring the right of ultimate judicial appeal to the Supreme Court. This week, however, the regime took steps to tighten its internal security law by imposing stiffer prison sontencesewly defined series of offenses. These crimes range from inciting members of the armed forces to disobey government orders to "sending abroad false information aimed at disturbing consti-tutionalince the military seized powereveral thousand Chileans have been jailedess stringent version of this law.
Meanwhile, the government, concerned about being suspended from the UN. is trying to head off the anti-Chilean move that seems to be gathering momentum among Genera' Assembly members. For instance. Chile's UN delegation has been authorized to inform Secretary General Waldhcim about plans to restore civil liberties even before the details are made public. Chile plans to rebuff the expected campaign bya counter of tensive against its communist detractors.
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heim to visit Chile to observe at first hand the human rights situation; it is unlikely, however, thatisit could be arranged before the
UN convenes.
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Original document.
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