HROS in Southern Cone.doc

Human Rights Organizations under military dictatorships in Chile, Uruguay and ArgentinaThe tables below are cited as “Available from author upon request” in: Loveman, Mara. “High Risk Collective Action: Defending Human Rights in Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina” American Journal of Sociology 104[2] (1998): 477-525.Please cite this article if you use these tables in your research. Thanks!Chilean Human Rights Organizations 1973-1978*Organization Date of Origin Principal participants Objectives/ActivitiesNational Committee for Aid to Refugees (CONAR)September, 1973Ecumenical leaders, representatives of United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), representative of World Council of Churches, volunteers.A temporary organization created to facilitate safe exit of political refugees residing in Chile.Comité de Cooperación para la Paz en Chile (COPACHI)October, 1973 Formed by representatives of Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, Orthodox, and Jewish faiths. Volunteer lawyers, social workers, psychologists, doctors, clerical assistants.Provide material, legal, medical and spiritual assistance to victims of persecution and their families.Fundación de Ayuda Social de las Iglesias Cristianas (FASIC)1 April, 1975 Religious coalition: Catholic, Lutheran Evangelist, Methodist, Pentecostal. Membership of about 50. including doctors, psychologists, lawyers.Assistance for political prisoners and their families; later expanded with a program of medical-psychiatric assistance for torture victims, ex-politics prisoners and their families; helped reunite refugees with families; support social research.Vicaría de la Solidaridad Arzobispado de SantiagoJanuary, 1976 Organism of the Catholic Church; the continuation of the Comité de Cooperación para la Paz en Chile.To assist victims of human rights abuse, their families, and exiles through legal and humanitarian aid. Medical and psychological assistance for victims of repression; Documentation of human rights violations; Programs for children, technical assistance for cooperatives, education of community leaders in human rights issues; publications. Servicio Paz y Justicia (SERPAJ)November, 1977Chilean branch of Latin American Christian-Humanist organization.Various education programs aimed at promoting peace and democracy; solidarity work, humanitarian aid to victims of repression; Assistance to popular organizations and cooperatives; participation in denunciation campaignsComisión Nacional Pro Derechos Juveniles (CODEJU)1978 Youth leaders of various political, ideological and religious positions.To denounce violations of children’s rights; To assist organization of community youth groups.Comisión Chilena de 10 December, Lawyers, academics, artists, Denounce human rights violations; Legal Derechos Humanos (CCHDH)1978 political activists; Estimated membership of 3500. assistance; Popular education; Maintain connections with international human rights organizations.*Sources: Frühling et al. 1989. Organizaciones de Derechos Humanos de America Del Sur. Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos; Orellana, Patricio and Elizabeth Hutchison, 1991. El Movimiento de Derechos Humanos en Chile 1973-1990. Centro de Estudios Políticos Latinoamericanos Simón Bolivar (CEPLA). Santiago. Lowden, Patricia, 1996. Moral Opposition to Authoritarian Rule in Chile, 1973-90. St. Antony’s College.Human Rights Organizations in Uruguay Prior to Democratic Transition*Organization Date of Origin Principal participants Objectives/activitiesServicio Paz y Justicia (SERPAJ)1981 (declared illegal in 1983 and activities continued under name of Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos)Christian-humanists, ecumenical leaders; chapter of SERPAJ Latin AmericaOnly human rights organization operating as such under dictatorship. Raise consciousness about human rights abuses (grass-roots education programs); documentation of human rights abuses committed by military govt.; economic assistance for medical treatment for victims; assistance for returned exiles; denunciation of abuses; support of groups of relatives of detained-disappeared in Argentina, imprisoned, and exiled. Movimiento de Madres y Familiares de Procesados por la Justicia Militar1982 Family members of political prisoners; organized under SERPAJDenounce inhumane prison conditions and unjust prison sentencesMadres y Familiares de Desaparecidos en Uruguay1983 Family members of disappeared; created under auspices of SERPAJDenounce disappearances and demand return of desaparecidos “con vida” (alive).Servicio Ecumenico de Reintegración (SER)July, 1984 Members of various Christian churches including: Methodist-Evangelical; Evangelical; the Archbishopry of Montevideo; Servicio Paz y Justicia, Association of Christian youth.Assist ex-political prisoners and returned exiles (food, shelter, health); support creation of work opportunities to help process of “reintegration.” Instituto de Estudios Legales y Sociales del Uruguay (IELSUR)August 。