translated from Spanish: German MPs announced support fund for victims of Colonia Dignidad

a group of parliamentarians from Germany’s visit to Chile today announced that a support fund will be established for the victims of Colonia Dignidad, an enclave to the Eman where there were abuses, torture and disappearances during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.” We want to establish a Fund for those affected. Then settlers who are in part with nothing, without any economic means, after having accomplished virtually works of slaves for years without receiving salary one”, said the Deputy of the party green Renate Kunast.Kunast, along with Michael Brand, of the party Democrat Christian, and Matthias Bartke, of the social democratic party, offered today a press conference since Wednesday to meet in the city of Talca with victims of the Colonia Dignidad and survivors of the dictatorship civic military who were tortured in that enclave. The aim of the visit was to gather information for joint action between the Government of Chile, Germany and finally take care of the past of the former colony following. “In this context, the German MEP said that they also wished to create a memorial,” a place where you can think or reflect on this story, terrible facts committed by exnazi Paul Schäfer, who directed this place “.” Also to think and remember the Chilean victims of torture and murders that took place in Colonia Dignidad, and, in addition, to create a documentation centre in these areas”, said Kunast.Para these effects, the German Parliament said they met with Ministers This Government, with many members “and above all also with victims, associations of victims and researchers and academics”. Between 1961 and 2005, Colonia Dignidad was the center of operations of a sect led by Schäfer submitted about 300 people with forced labor, punishment and mental manipulation, in addition to committing rape and sexual abuse to children. After the military coup that overthrew Salvador Allende in 1973, Schäfer offered facilities to the secret police of the regime of Augusto Pinochet and Colonia Dignidad eventually became a key piece of the repressive apparatus of the dictatorship. Although there are not exact figures, it is estimated that half of the 350 opponents of the dictatorship were taken to that place never came out alive. Today, hundreds of settlers still living in Villa Baviera. The villagers have restructured a building in restaurant and hotel and perform German folk festivals they attend tourists. Meanwhile, the Deputy of the party Democrat Michael Brand said that to carry out all these initiatives required of a wide discussion with different organizations of victims of Germany and Chile also including experts.” I personally think that in central places in which there were abuses, washing of brains, torture, murders, those places, from my point of view, in the future should be reserved to activities of memory and find”, he said. Both parliamentarians pointed out that the encounter with the victims served to inform their psychological, financial and social situation of persons still living within the colony and others who no longer live there. At the end of June from 2017, the Bundestag approved the creation of a support fund for victims of Colonia Dignidad and recognized, moreover, the responsibility of the German State on the failure to the protection of the human rights of hundreds of Chilean and German victims during the decades of the 60, 70 and 80.Con that resolution, 600 parliamentarians recognized the opportunity “the responsibility of the German State with Colonia Dignidad and demanded the Government to implement a series of measures in matters of truth, justice and memory”.

Original source in Spanish