From Santiago, Chile, Fr Daniel Harding writes about the civil unrest there, what prompted it and the horrendous outcomes of the many weeks of violence and destruction.
Photo: Fr Dan Harding SSC
Why the unrest!
Currently pensioners receive a pittance and health care and education are money-making-businesses which suit the rich only. People die on the long waiting lists for operations. Banks charge huge interest. Wages are low. Costs of living high and Metro fares have doubled. God help you if you get behind on the freeway electronic TAG as the interest is astronomical.
The people are very angry at years of abuse and injustice by the system. However, how justice can come about by destroying the economy and the infrastructure of the country, I am not sure. The anarchist logic is you must destroy everything so the Government and the system will change. It is the poor who suffer the most, of course.
Day 1
The military are battling with protesters in the city centre. It is a very good cause taken over by well prepared, hooded anarchist groups who try to do as much damage as possible. I am very saddened by the destruction of a beautiful city and a good public transport system, after years of hard work. So far, I am personally safe.
Day 2
Lots of gun shots nearby and tear gas. Helicopters flying overhead all day, sometimes firing tear gas which is burning my eyes right now as I sit at home. All the supermarkets are looted and over 150 police injured and hospitalised, some very seriously. Several people killed, including three women burnt to death in a supermarket they were looting when others set it alight. Over 100 Metro stations are damaged and at least 15 destroyed. All our local shops are closed for fear of looting.
Day 3
I felt sick celebrating Mass this morning (Sunday), while our local supermarket half a block away was being looted and set on fire by a violent mob. This is where our local ATM machine was, now looted and gone. The police arrived and fired tear gas which reached us. Yesterday I had to drive along a main road with burning tyres on it and hundreds of mobs shouting.
Day 4
Mobs are looting anything they can get their hands on, local shops, chemists, caryards, bakeries, etc. People including us three priests have started hoarding food because we don't know how long this will go on for. We have also stored water which in many parts of the city is already cut off. Electricity could be cut soon. Almost 3,000,000 people use the Metro every day to go to work. Now many stations have been destroyed.
The police and military cannot control every single corner store but are doing their best.
Breaking News: Five workers burnt to death in a warehouse set alight by a mob.
Day 5
The situation in Chile, right across the country continues to seriously deteriorate. More and more lawlessness. The police cannot control the situation.
This ongoing destruction casts a dark shadow over a very good just cause.
In our poor neighbourhoods much of the looting is organised by local criminals such as drug traffickers. They are having a wonderful time, freely looting everything in sight. In the large city protests, it is the anarchists, fighting the police and doing all the destruction and the police fighting back violently, often with peaceful protesters suffering the consequences. Over 100,000 jobs lost so far.
Every day small family businesses are looted and destroyed, sometimes burnt. Over 2000 police injured, some seriously, 140 police stations attacked, historic Catholic Churches looted and burnt down. Hotels, Government buildings looted, destroyed and burnt.
One gets used to driving through major traffic intersections with no traffic lights, with cars, taxis and buses coming at you from all sides. Some homeless people are directing the traffic for tips. As of last week, 140 sets of traffic lights were destroyed in Santiago.
It is an incredible feeling being in situations of total lawlessness where anyone who cares to, can break, burn, destroy, hit, punch, loot and damage with total impunity, knowing the police are unable to do anything. There is talk of a referendum in April about a new Constitution, which is good news. Yet the conflict continues.
God help Chile. Where is it heading?
Columban Fr Daniel Harding is the parish priest of San Columbano parish, Santiago, Chile.
Listen to "God help Chile"
Related links
- Read more from The Far East, January/February 2020
