Santiago: Chile officially recognised 9,800 more victims of its dictatorship, increasing the total number of people killed, tortured or imprisoned for political reasons to 40,018.
A similar effort in 2004 determined that 27,153 survivors
deserve monthly compensation from the government for human
rights violations they suffered.
Together with the 3,065 people who were killed by Chile`s
military or were simply made to disappear and are presumed
dead, the official victim list accepted yesterday by President
Sebastian Pinera totals 40,018.
Survivors of rights violations will get lifetime
pensions of about USD 260 a month. Relatives of those killed
receive more than three times that amount. In all, the
government will need to increase its compensation to about USD
123 million a year. Victims also are entitled to health,
education and housing benefits.
The National Commission on Political Imprisonment and
Torture was created by Pinera`s predecessor, Michelle
Bachelet, in February 2010 as one of her last acts in office.
It reviewed information submitted by thousands of people
in an effort similar to the one led by the late bishop Sergio
Valech, which came up with the previous total of survivors in
2004.
PTI
