Transition from dictatorship to democracy : the Chilean example

Résumé du document

On the 10th of December 1948, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was adopted in the frame of the United Nations Organization. This declaration is based on values such as democracy, freedom, equality. On the basis of this declaration, the 20th century was marked by the disappearance of many dictatorships, by the support of the International Community. But what happens when a dictatorship ends? How to deal with crimes committed during it? How to reach a democratic transition? To demonstrate the process of democratic transition ending the existence of these authoritarian powers, we will take Chile as an example. On 11th September 1973, the Chilean presidency was overthrown by the military. President Allende was killed during the seizure of power of the army. General Augusto Pinochet Ugarte became the head of the military junta and declared it on July 1974, as the 'Supreme Head of the Nation.' Immediately, he suspended the constitution, dissolved the Parliament, imposed strict censorship and banned all political parties . He also threw the country into a campaign of terror against the Left.

Extraits

[...] This declaration is based on value as democracy, freedom, equality. On the basis of this declaration, the 20th century was marked by the disappearance of many dictatorships, via the support of the International Community. But what happen when a dictatorship ends? How to deal with crimes committed during it? How to reach a democratic transition? First of all let's define two main concepts. A dictatorship is an arbitrary and coercive political system in which all powers are concentrated in the hands of one man, the dictator, or a group of men (e.g., military junta). [...]

[...] The Commission published anyway a very detailed report on the basis of its mandate. The commission's final report documented 3,428 cases of disappearance, killing, torture and kidnapping, including short accounts of nearly all victims whose stories it heard. This report was then used by the National Corporation for Reparation and Reconciliation, created in January 1992 to help to forward recommendations for two years. The problem was that at the beginning, reforms have been hampered by the institutions loyal to former President Pinochet, in particular the military, the legislature and the judiciary. [...]

[...] 35-42 Joaquin Villalobos, Critique internationale Volume Number pp. 139-153 European Parliament, Note on Relationship between Chile and the European Union January 2005 "Truth Commission" chilienne: une lecture critique sous deux prospectives”, Paolo Galloni, published by University Bologna Press United States Institute of Peace, http://www.beyondintractability.org/case_studies/Chilean_Truth_Commission. [...]

[...] II Pinochet's trial : the responsibility of Past Acts After the 1990's Presidential elections, a coalition of political parties was formed. It permitted to design objectively perpetrators of human rights violations. In 1996, proceedings started against Pinochet in Spain on the basis of international law violation. Chilean government was against it as Pinochet should be judged in Chile. However, it was impossible at this moment to trial Pinochet in Chile as he was still benefiting from an amnesty law and because of his statute of life member of Senate. Pinochet was arrested on the 16th October 1998 in London. [...]

[...] Among the reforms implemented: reducing the presidential term from six to four years; the President is empowered to make retirement the commanders of the armed forces; the elimination of senators appointed for life (who were not elected), which results in a reduction in the Senate of thirty-eight members since March 2006. So the democratic transition was a very long process, but it is finally lasting. Sources Alfred Riquelme Segovia ,Matériaux pour l'histoire de notre temps Volume 54, Number 54 pp. 22-25 Daniela Cuadros Garland,Politix Volume 16, Number 62, pp. 165-190 Guy Hermet , Javier Santiso, Critique internationale Volume Number pp. [...]