Sharing Truth- National Research Centre Forum "Documenting and Memorializing Human Rights Abuses in Latin America" Maria Luisa Sepulveda, Executive Director Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos, Chile

1. Truth, Justice, Reparation and
Memory Process in Chile

2. The Chilean Case
• The Human Rights violations took place during the 17 years of dictatorship
1973-1990
• A month after the beginning of the dictatorship, the 1st organization in
defense of Human Rights is created, some others will follow.
• Victims are organized, often under the umbrella of Human Rights
Organizations.
• Human Rights are the meeting point for opponents to the dictatorship and
of the alternative political project.
• As time goes by and democracy consolidates, the weight of the Human
Rights violations issue and the role of their Organizations is reduced.

3. The Process of Truth
• Since 1990, through various legal and administrative procedures, a series of
reparation measures were implemented. Material, symbolic, preventive
measures, as well as, the creation of Institutions to promote respect for Human
Rights.
• The National Commission for Truth and Reconciliation, and its follower The
National Corporation of Reparation and Reconciliation composed of people
representing different views. Both scored 3.195 cases of Missing
Detainees, Political Executed and Political Violence victims.
• The Commission on Political Prisoners and Torture individualized 28.459
victims, who suffered imprisonment and torture during 1973 - 1990.
• Dialogue Table in order to obtain, from the Armed Forces and the Police,
information leading to the whereabouts of the disappeared prisoners.
• Now a days there is a new period of the Commission of Truth and Political
Imprisonment.

4. The Process of Justice in
Democracy
• Government program of legal assistance for missing detainees
cases, remain active up to today. In the last years is extended to Political
Executed victims.
• With few exception, impunity continues until 2000. Up to today, 1978
amnesty law is valid.
• Since 2000, the Courts move forward in investigations about missing
detainees. Detention of Pinochet in London and the appointment of
judges with exclusive dedication to this matter, as a result of the Dialogue
Table. Year 2010, State officials tried and convicted: 292 for 1.130 victims.
Low sentences according to victims expectations.
• On torture reports, with some exceptions, there is no justice.

5. The Search of the Final Fate of the
Missing Detainees
• From 1990 to 2006, over 200 remains of victims were found;
identification with lack of technical resources.
• In 2006, identification errors are confirmed.
• With the participation of victims and victims families, the installation of
an International Standard Identification System begins. Forensic
Scientific support, expert panels, hiring of technicians and International
Genetic Laboratories.
• Progress in misidentifications and pending identifications. The condition
of the remains makes the process difficult, few identifications, high costs
and longer time than planned.

6. CALAMA. Atacama Desert Operation TV Removal

7. INDIVIDUAL REPARATION
Missing Detainees and Political Executions
• Reparation Act in 1992, having some extensions in 2004. The content and
form was agreed with the AFDD Group (Association of Missing Detainees
Families), who did not accept a compensatory amount for fear of
impunity. A monthly paid annuity Reparation Pension, education for their
children, health. The Report, amongst other things, recommends of
dignifying gestures to the victims, such as memorials.
Political Prisoners and Torture Victims
• Reparation Act 2004, having extensions in 2009. Monthly paid annuity
Reparation Pension, education and health. The Report recommends to
strengthen the institutional dimension of Human
Rights, Institute, approval of agreements.
Other Reparations
Freedom for Political Prisoners in 1990,supporting the return of political
exiled people, pension benefits for political exonerated people.

8. Symbolic Reparation
• Building Memorials, in order to point out the tragedy places, and building
sites of mourning and remembrances of the victims. Currently there are
180 National Memorials.
• Protection and safeguarding of premises used for detention or
disappearance during the military dictatorship (1973-1990). There are 13
of these premises.

9. Memorials

10. Calama Memorial

11. Nattino, Parada, Guerrero Memorial

12. Paine Memorial

13. Memory and Human Rights Museum
• Its conceptual basis are the Reports of the Truth Commissions
• It is a Presidential decision
• Demands from organizations of victims of gestures of memories,
detention places and others, and from Human Rights Organizations for the
safeguarding and preservation of archives.
• A governmental commission is created to elaborate the project
• It is inaugurated in 2010, but the project starts in 2007
• The building has more than 5.000 m2 and a Memory Square of 8.000 m2.
• Permanent exhibition about Human Right violations in dictatorships.
• Exhibition rooms, educational, auditorium, Center of documentation and
archive.

14. The Infrastructure
• Transfer of State-owned land in Cultural hub of Capital Center (2007)
• National and International Public Tender for the Design of the Museum
(May 2007)
• 56 projects – Brazilian project wins (Sept 2007)
• 1 year for the building process
• Public Tender for building (Sept 2008)
• Beginning of the construction (Dec 2008 for 12 months)
• Building cost about 20 million USD

15. Institutional Framework for the
Process of Implementation
• A Foundation is created, with State and H.H.R.R
Organizations participating:
- Building Patrimony gathering Collections
- Elaborating the museum exhibition script
- Public perception studies and interviews with
actors (H.H.R.R., history, museology) 2007
- Defining and installing museology: Permanent
Exhibition; advisory committee, specialized external
company 2008-2009

16. Archive Collection and Documentation Center
Collections
• It is the Museum Patrimony
• Expressing the dignity of the victims, as well as, the defense and denouncing.
• Association with Human Rights Organizations
• Collection of Objects and Documental Files. Written testimonies from the time, legal,
photographical, audiovisual, radio, reports
• Donors: 419 privates and 128 institutional
• Collections: 1.173 objects and 94.946 documental files
• Awareness and Education strategies
• Recorded and kept by International regulations.
Archive and Documentation Center
• Aims to be the Referential Center of H.H.R.R. and to contribute to awareness and studies.
• Investigation and divulgation of H.H.R.R.
• Digital Library 17.528 visits
• Specialized Library 1.485 visits

17. Education
• Strengthen the Museum as an education resource addressed
to its distinctive audiences, with special emphasis on young
and children.
• Promote and foster reflection on Human Rights and their
importance for democratic peaceful coexistence.
• To trigger reflection, discussion, values strengthening as well
as criteria building on Human Rights.

18. Museum Mission
• The Museum Mission is to show the
systematic H.H.R.R. violations made by the
Chilean Government between 1973 and
1990, so that, through the ethical reflection of
Memory, the solidarity and importance of
these rights, the national will can be stregthen
to Never Again repeat events that affect the
dignity of the human being.

19. Front Entrance of the Museum

20. Interior of the Museum

21. Audiences
• Open on the 11th January 2010, closing from the
28th of February to the 15th of August due to the
Earthquake.
• Visits on 2010: 103.524
• Guided Visits: 450 for 13.937 visitors, 9.441 of them
being school children.
• Documentation Center: 1.485 presential
• Digital Library: 17.528
• Other activities:
• Temporary Exhibitions, cinema cycles, theatre,
forums, conferences and other cultural activities.

22. Conclusions
• Repairing painful wounds from the past, is not easy. Those who suffered
imprisonment, torture, detention and disappearances or the execution of their
loved ones, can hardly be compensated. Their pain must be acknowledge, and
doing so means taking charge of their legitimate aspirations of truth, justice
and reparation.
• This implies that the crimes committed are not hidden, that the society that
once denied them, can now recognize them. That the people responsible for
the violations take charge of what they did, and that society, as a whole, makes
a commitment to respect Human Rights.
• A very important part of the Repairing Process, is to learn from these events
and draw conclusions that go beyond of what happened, beyond us and they
will be useful for generations to come to build a more just and fraternal society.
Thus, these Human Right policies look to the future without ignoring the past
and taking charge of it.
• We want to take charge of our past and move forward with truth, justice and repair.
Taking charge of the past will strengthen democracy.