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Brussels, October 21 (ICFTU OnLigne): "The crimes against humanity for which General Pinochet is responsible were committed in many cases against Chilean trade unionists" recalled the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICFTU) today, stating that it was "following developments very closely, in collaboration with our affiliated trade unions in all the countries concerned" following the arrest in London of Augusto Pinochet and that it "may bring a civil action against the former dictator".

In a statement published yesterday, October 19, in Santiago, the strong terms of which contrasted sharply with the mixed statements from Chile’s political class, the United Workers’ Centre of Chile (CUT) declared that it could see "no reason to question or oppose the legal proceedings" against Pinochet, whom it accuses of being "responsible for utterly merciless State terrorism".

In its statement published today in Brussels, the ICFTU welcomes the decision of the British authorities to arrest General Pinochet with a view to his possible extradition to Spain. "The ICFTU will do everything in its power to ensure that justice takes its course and that General Pinochet is made to answer for his crimes before the courts" said Bill Jordan, General Secretary of the ICFTU. He also warned ICFTU affiliates of what he considered "the thinly disguised threat that commercial interests and so-called reasons of State taking precedence over international law and public morality".

The ICFTU has decided to "support unreservedly, by every political and legal means possible" a joint initiative by its two Spanish affiliates, the UGT and the CCOO aimed at "bringing maximum pressure to bear" on the Madrid government to "convey to London, as quickly as possible, any extradition order that may be submitted by the Spanish courts". In statements published yesterday, October 19, in Madrid, the General Workers’ Union (UGT) "supported unreservedly the arrest of General Pinochet" and expressed its confidence that "the rule of law will restore the justice denied to so many innocent victims" while the "Workers’ Commissions" (CCOO) trade union confederation felt that "the obvious discomfort with which the Prime Minister (José Maria Aznar) received the news could have no impact on the autonomy of the courts" .

When contacted by the ICFTU, the British Trades Union Congress (TUC) confirmed that it "fully supported all efforts to ensure that justice be done in this matter".

Recalling that Chilean trade unionists were primary targets for repression during the ‘70s and ‘80s in Chile, the ICFTU stated that it is prepared to support "with precise and irrefutable information" the charges of State terrorism and crimes against humanity brought by the Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzón. Hundreds of democratic trade unionists were arrested during the military junta’s dictatorship, and scores of others were tortured, killed or "disappeared" following their capture by the former Chilean political police, the DINA.

At the time, recalls the Confederation, trade unions from many countries joined the "Committee for the Defence of Human and Trade Union Rights in Chile", set up by the ICFTU just after the coup d’état in September 1973. The Committee’s repeated interventions led to the release of dozens of trade unionists from the "Chile" stadium and other Chilean detention centres, and helped secure safe conduct for many trade unionists who had taken refuge in the foreign embassies in Santiago. The ICFTU thereby succeeded in getting Chilean trade unionists to safety in many countries, notably in Europe, "which explains the legitimate interest of many European trade unions in the arrest of General Pinochet" said Bill Jordan.

Finally, in light of the "very serious physical, moral and financial" damage suffered by the Chilean and international trade union movement during the dictatorship, the ICFTU indicated that it "was carefully examining all possibilities of legal action" including the possibility of "suing for civil injury" if need be. According to the ICFTU, "such action could be brought in Spain, the United Kingdom, or even Belgium" where it is based.

The Brussels-based ICFTU represents 125 million trade union members organised in 206 national trade union centres from 141 countries.

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