translated from Spanish: Ground Zero neighbors to the IACHR rapporteur

On 26 January, the organized Rosal territorial organization, made up of 62 neighbours and their families, presented to the rapporteur of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Joel Hernández, on the violations of HRDs that took place in the framework of the so-called zero zone of Plaza Italia and its surrounding sectors, since the social outburst of 18 October.
In addition to providing relevant information on the “serious and systematic violations of human rights suffered by our territory, and other surroundings, its inhabitants, neighbors, workers, visitors and animals for more than 100 days in the hands of agents of the State of Chile”, the organization requested the rapporteur Hernandez “a thorough investigation” on these facts as well as “generating protection and protection against the State and Government of Chile”.
The statement states that “as neighbours we have witnessed eyewitnesses and direct victims of serious and repeated human rights affectation, both in our legitimate exercise of the right to assembly and demonstration in public places and without prior authorization, in our neighborhood daily life and own neighborhood activities and as victims of systematic and indiscriminate repression of the whole territory with tear gas, metal balines, pepper gas, cart throws water with elements harmful to health, blockade of streets, beatings of neighbors, degrading and vexatious degrading and vexatious treatment and degrading treatment, action of civilians in coordination with the police force for the intimidation, repression and/or detention of neighbors, surveillance with drones and helicopters at low altitude”.
In the presentation, they stated that “these repressive acts do not maintain any proportionality or graduality with the manifestations and in many cases beyond collateral damage, are directly exercised on the defenceless population, in a kind of punishment to the territory, including health posts, their volunteers and people who come to seek care. The most comprehensive our territory is used as a collection center and cellar of the repressive arsenal, at Calle Victoria Subercaseaux No. 143”
The neighborhood organization explained to the rapporteur of the IACHR that “this reality we suffer daily, the so-called forces of order are the forces of attack on the neighbors, of active arbitrariness, are of the cuping and hijacking of streets, squares and corners, to surround us and intimidate us. Our neighbors have recorded in their memory and personal history this terrible reality, which we assumed was eradicated from Chile. Also several of our neighbors have written, recorded, filmed and photographed this attack by the Government of Chile on citizens fighting and claiming their most elementary rights”
Along with the testimonies and information, evidence was given of the “arsenal of repression that vecin@s of our organization have collected, adding to date about 25 kilos, and which are indemented evidence of the systemicity of the serious human rights violations mentioned above”.

Original source in Spanish