Monday, September 11, 2023 |
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| Dear John,
September 11 is a day for reflection and has a different meaning for many people around the globe. But for us at WOLA, it is also a time to reflect on the military coup in Chile against democratically elected leader, Salvador Allende. The date is especially important this year as Chile commemorates 50 years since the tragic events of 1973, that led to the torture, execution and forced disappearance of over 40,000 people. And the exile of many more.
At the same time, the date is particularly significant for us as it opened the doors to the founding of WOLA. Joe Eldridge was living in a working class neighborhood of Santiago de Chile on the day the Moneda Palace was struck by bombs. The terrible events of that day would galvanize the human rights movement that we know today. It was Joe’s outrage, and the indignation of others, especially in the faith community, that led to the founding of WOLA, the organization that ultimately helped convince Congress to end U.S military aid to the Pinochet government and other human rights abusers.
History is never linear. Today, as authoritarianism, backed by social media and disinformation, continues to rear its ugly head in many countries across Latin America, President Boric of Chile recently announced a plan to search for over one thousand people forcibly disappeared under the Pinochet dictatorship. And as WOLA continues to evolve and adapt to the challenges of the 21st century, over the next year, the organization will be hosting several events throughout the region to celebrate our 50th Anniversary. We very much hope that you will be able to join us to honor the courageous resistance and solidarity of the human rights movement in the Americas.
In the meantime, for those of you in Washington D.C, the Embassy of Chile and the Institute for Policy Studies will be hosting a special ceremony to commemorate the events of 1973 at 11 am on September 23 at Sheridan Circle. WOLA is co-sponsoring this event alongside a number of other organizations.
We hope you enjoy this Special Edition of the WOLA Weekly, including an opinion piece in The Hill penned by Joe Eldridge, as well as interviews with Joe published by NPR and EFE, an opinion piece by Chilean Ambassador, His Excellency Juan Gabriel Valdés in El País, a clip of an intimate conversation between both of them and Senator Tom Harkin held at WOLA’s office last week, as well as an article in The Guardian about the anniversary of the coup quoting journalist and WOLA Board Member, John Dinges, who was in Santiago on September 11, 1973.
It is in this spirit that I would like to thank you for supporting WOLA for half a century and hopefully many more years to come. With gratitude, |
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Carolina Jiménez Sandoval WOLA President |
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CHILEAN COUP 🇨🇱 |
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📰 WOLA Founder, Joe Eldridge, pens a very personal opinion piece in The Hill, about his experience living in Santiago at the time of the coup and witnessing how his neighbors were forcibly disappeared.
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📰 In this in-depth NPR feature, Joe Eldridge remembers the personal impact the coup had on him, as well as how it galvanized public opinion.
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📰 Joe Eldridge, speaks in Spanish to newswire EFE about his direct experience of the coup and WOLA's early days.
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🎙️ WOLA Founder, Joe Eldridge, recalls the violent end to Chilean democracy in this WOLA podcast recorded ten years ago, which is still relevant today.
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📰 WOLA Board Member and journalist, John Dinges, speaks about the lasting impact that the Chilean coup had on Latin America in an interview with The Guardian.
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📰 In a recent op-ed in El País, his excellency, Ambassador Juan Gabriel Valdés, reflects on the impact that the international community had on Chile. This article is in Spanish.
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Read about WOLA's history in a short book by WOLA Senior-Fellow, Coletta A. Youngers, written to celebrate WOLA's 30th anniversary. Download it here.
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(Milli Legrain/WOLA) 📸 Senator Tom Harkin, WOLA President, Carolina Jiménez, WOLA Founder, Joe Eldridge, and his excellency, Ambassador Juan Gabriel Valdés, shortly after a private event in Washington. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS REFLECTING ON 50 YEARS SINCE THE COUP IN CHILE 🇨🇱 |
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🇨🇱 Last week WOLA hosted a private event for members of the
Partners' Council with Senator Tom Harkin, WOLA President, Carolina Jiménez, WOLA Founder, Joe Eldridge, and his excellency, Ambassador Juan Gabriel Valdés, as they discussed the personal impact the coup had on their lives as well as their outlook on the region for the future.
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🇨🇱 On March 16, 2023, Carolina Jiménez, WOLA President, and his excellency, Ambassador Juan Gabriel Valdés, met to discuss upcoming efforts to commemorate the 50 years of the Chilean coup. |
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- 🎬 The Battle of Chile (Parts 1, 2 & 3) by Patricio Guzmán (1975)
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🎥 Missing by Costa-Gavras (1982)
- 🎬 No by Pablo Larraín (2012)
- 🎥 1976 by Manuela Martelli (2022)
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🎬 The Eternal Memory by Maite Alberdi (2023)
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In May 2024, WOLA will celebrate it's 50 year anniversary and reflect back on the impact that the Chilean coup had on our work. We invite you to join us in celebrating our 50 years! |
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"As my friend John Passacantando said: 'Anger without love is not activism. It is someone who needs to see a therapist.' And that is so true. Indignation is important. But if that is why you are engaged in activism you will burn out. Love will sustain you."
WORDS BY JOE ELDRIDGE |
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