Urgent Action Message Communist Party of Chile Offices Ransacked by Police; Gladys Marin and other Party Leaders Beaten, Arrested Dear Comrades, We have just received disturbing news of a brutal, planned attack on the Central Committee offices of the Communist Party of Chile by over 300 members of the Carabineros, the Chilean National Police. According to preliminary reports, the attack took place at the head offices of the CP of Chile in Santiago on November 27. General Secretary Gladys Marin, Luis Barria (Head of the International Department), and the leader of the JJCC (communist youth league) were among the 50 or so party members who were beaten and then detained by the police. Some comrades had to be taken to hospital for injuries. The offices were then trashed, telephone lines cut, and computers and other electronic equipment smashed and thrown out onto the street. Most of the comrades, including cde. Marin, have since been released from custody, but a few are reportedly still under detention. Chilean President Largos, and the newly appointed head of the National Police, Arturo Cienfiegos, have subsequently claimed total ignorance of the reasons for the police action, and have promised a full investigation. Many doubt their professed ignorance however, because it is extremely unlikely that rogue element within the police would complete such an atrocity without approval from the highest levels of the state This attack comes only three weeks before nationwide elections are scheduled to take place, elections in which the vote for the Communists is expected to rise. The destruction of the party national headquarters will severely impact on the election campaign, a result which without doubt was intended. The Communist Party of Canada sharply denounces this vicious repression against Chilean Communists and demands swift action to bring those responsible to account. We urge all democratically-minded Canadians to speak out against this outrage, and to send faxes, e-mails, etc. to the Chilean government and justice system to condemn this attack on democracy in Chile and to demand justice. Further information will be forthcoming as soon as it becomes available. Comradely yours, Miguel Figueroa, Central Executive Committee Communist Party of Canada _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
