Day of Infamy

In the early morning hours of September 11th an unimaginable tragedy occurred. Confused and distressed citizens listened painstakingly to radio and news reports for the facts on what had transpired. Despite his entourage of political aids and security advisers, the president himself remained uninformed. The world seemed to pause for the next few days, speculating on what was to come. Many people recall exactly where they were and what they were doing on that fateful September morning. In the end approximately three thousand innocent people had lost their lives.

This Friday marks the thirty-sixth anniversary of the dreadful event. What a minute? Don't you mean the eighth commemoration Nathan? Regardless of what may have crossed your Americentric mind, I have been referring to the Chilean coup d'etat of September 11th, 1973 and not the 9/11 attacks on the USA. For on that infamous day, the democratically elected presidency of Salvador Allende was overthrown by military personnel led by the general of the Chilean army, Augusto Pinochet. Seventeen years full of disappearances, torture, persecution, imprisonment, murder, and forced exiles followed. According to the Valech Commission three thousand people were executed, thirty thousand jailed and tortured, and several thousand were forced to leave the country.

President Salvador Allende Gossens

The two events share more than a common date. In 1970, President Richard Nixon authorized the CIA to oust Mr. Allende from office. For you see President Allende was a socialist and immediately viewed as a threat to America and American business in Chile. However, this is a discussion for another time.

My motive is simply to create awareness of the eclipsed Chilean coup d'etat. I ask that as you pause to remember the 3,000 innocent American lives lost eight years, please honour the thousands of lives affected by the events thirty-six years ago in Chile.

Workers of my country, I have faith in Chile and its destiny. Other
men will overcome this dark and bitter moment when treason seeks
to prevail. Go forward knowing that, sooner rather than later, the
great avenues will open again and free men will walk through them
to construct a better society.

Long live Chile! Long live the people! Long live the workers!

-Salvador Allende 11 September 1973

Click here for Chilean news on their commemoration.

Click here for American news on their remembrance services.