Chile: 46 days of hunger strike.

Public statement by the Prisoners' Collective

After 46 days of hunger strike, the road to freedom is drawing to an end, but a further effort is still required. The prisoners announce their intention to continue their struggle with this, their 3rd Publis Statement

PUBLIC STATEMENT

On Wednesday 22nd June, in a new development regarding this action, the Senate's Human Rights Committee discussed our Bill regarding freedom. Present at that session were the Catholic Church, in the person of Monsignor Alfonso Baeza, and the Government, represented by Jorge Correa Sutil, together with lawyers connected to our fight and family members. The Bill was preliminarily approved, with the final vote of the Committee postponed until Tuesday 5th July, after some reports were requested in order to perfect the Bill.

Although this step is an advance towards our objective of immediate freedom, there are obstacles along the way that leave a certain amount of doubt as to future scenarios. In particular we refer to the attitude of the Right, translated into the insertion of a reservation about the constitutionality of the Bill, introduced into the discussions also within the Constitution, Legislation and Justice Committee, where the Right is in a majority.

The government has made a step forward in this process with its presence at the Human Rights Committee and, we hope, they will adopt a more active role. In particular, we ask the government to hold to its commitment to treat the matter with the greatest urgency before the Constitution, Legislation and Justice Committee and in the final discussions of the Bill, both to be carried out in the Senate. We ask the senators of the governing coalition to continue in their support of the Bill and to hold to their political commitment to bring to a close this chapter of imprisonment for political reasons in Chile. Furthermore, we hope that the senators of the Right who have indicated their intention to resolve the matter favorably will also meet their public commitment.

Considering what we have said above and in the knowledge that freedom is near, though not yet definitively won, we hereby announce our decision to continue with our hunger strike for freedom. We do this in order to seek an immediate resolution of our situation. We are aware of the risks that are implied in continuing the hunger strike, especially to our health, but we are certain that the moment is now and no other to put an end to the political imprisonment that we have endured for the last 13 years on average.

We call on all those who support our legitimate, dignified and beautiful struggle to continue to publicize the reasons for our freedom on the streets and on the walls. This final stage that we must go through in order to be victorious requires multiple expressions of solidarity. We trust that such solidarity will be expressed through propaganda, mobilizations and that it can break through the walls of media. We also recognize especially the support shown by exiles' groups, trade unions, political organizations and human rights organizations, beyond the seas, deserts and mountains. We know that this is where a great part of our strength lies, in the collectives and organizations who have taken to our cause as part of their fight for a better world.

We remain firm in our decision, our desires and our dreams.

FREEDOM FOR ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS!!

AN END TO THE ANTI-TERRORIST LAW!!

PABLO VARGAS - HARDY PEÑA - CLAUDIO MELGAREJO

Colectivo de Prisioneros Políticos "CONVERGENCIA POR LA LIBERTAD"

26th June 2005

Translation by FdCA-International Relations