DATE=12/2/97

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-223557

TITLE=CHILE CORPSES  (L ONLY)

BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK

DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:



INTRO:   A CHILEAN CONGRESSMAN HAS FILED MURDER CHARGES AGAINST

WHOEVER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF 58 BODIES THAT WERE

DISCOVERED LAST WEEK IN A SECRET CEMETERY IN THE NORTHERN CITY OF

ANTOFAGASTA. THE BODIES MAY BE VICTIMS OF REPRESSION BY THE

MILITARYGOVERNMENT THAT RULED CHILE FROM 1973 TO 1990. WE HAVE

DETAILS FROM V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT GEORGE MEEK IN OUR SOUTH

AMERICA BUREAU.



TEXT:   CONGRESSMAN FELIPE VALENZUELA, OF THE CENTER-LEFT PARTY

FOR DEMOCRACY, SAYS HE HAS FILED MURDER CHARGES BECAUSE A

NEWSPAPER DATED 1973 WAS FOUND IN ONE OF THE SHALLOW GRAVES, AND

BECAUSE THEY WERE NEAR THE CHACABUCO ARMY BASE USED AS A

DETENTION CENTER BY THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN THAT YEAR.



WHEN THE SECRET CEMETERY WAS DISCOVERED LAST WEEK, INTERIOR

MINISTERCARLOS FIGUEROA SAID THE BODIES WERE PROBABLY THOSE OF

NITRATE MINERS WHO DIED ABOUT 100 YEARS AGO, BUT CONGRESSMAN

VALENZUELA IS NOT BUYING THIS EXPLANATION.



MEANWHILE, A RETIRED CHILEAN ARMY GENERAL WHO COMMANDED THE

ANTOFAGASTA DISTRICT, JOAQUIN LAGOS, HAS DENIED A REPORT BY THE

MADRID NEWSPAPER EL PAIS, WHICH SAYS HE GAVE A DEPOSITION TO A

COURT IN SPAIN THAT 53 DETAINEES WERE KILLED IN 1973 ON DIRECT

ORDERS OF GENERAL AUGUSTO PINOCHET.



GENERAL LAGOS SAYS THE REPORT IN EL PAIS IS TOTALLY FALSE AND

LIBELOUS. HE SAYS HE DID NOT SEND TESTIMONY TO THE SPANISH COURT,

AND ANYONE WHO DID SO IN HIS NAME WAS AN IMPOSTOR.



A SPANISH COURT IS CONSIDERING CHARGES OF GENOCIDE AND TERRORISM

AGAINST CHILE'S FORMER MILITARY GOVERNMENT (WHICH WAS ALLEDGELY

RESPOSNSIBLE FOR THE DISAPPEARANCE OF  SOME SPANISH CITIZENS  AT

THE TIME). CHILE DOES  NOT RECOGNIZE SPAIN'S JURISDICTION IN THE

CASE.



GENERAL PINOCHET WAS DECORATED TODAY (TUESDAY) IN ECUADOR BY THE

MINISTRY OF DEFENSE, AFTER BEING HONORED MONDAY BY ECUADOR'S

NATIONAL WAR COLLEGE. HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS ARE PROTESTING HIS

VISIT TO QUITO.



WHEN THE 82-YEAR-OLD GENERAL STEPS DOWN IN MARCH AS CHILE'S ARMY

COMMANDER, HE WILL BECOME A SENATOR-FOR-LIFE. (SIGNED)







NEB/GM/PT



02-Dec-97 5:11 PM EST (2211 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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