Massive inequality causing Chile chaos says Irish missionary

Violence and looting in Chile is underlined by massive inequality in society, according to an Irish priest, who says it was like “a bomb exploded” this month.

Hailing from Kilkenny Fr John Greene, who is on loan to the Columbans from the Archdiocese of Dublin, told The Irish Catholic all the supermarkets in his area have been “ransacked”.

“In our area we’ve been left with no supermarkets, four of the supermarkets that were near us are all gone, they were destroyed. It’s not just ransacking, there’s also violence,” said Fr Greene, who has spent 14 years in the country and currently serves in a parish in Puente Alto.

He described passing one of the largest supermarkets and seeing dozens of cars outside and people “carting stuff out, it’s incredible”.

“We’d have a street market twice a week in our area, close to our main church. Last Sunday, a week ago, they came in – fired a few shots – and raided it. Now there’s a great fear, people are afraid to leave their houses. They’re up late at night minding their houses,” he said.

Vandalised

Major civil disobedience began this month when the government raised the price of public transport. Starting on October 19, after the government closed several metro lines the day before, 41 metro stations were severely vandalised and 20 were burnt.

The same day the Chilean president declared a state of emergency and the army took responsibility for the security of the city.

Fr Michael Hoban, the regional director of the Columbans in Chile, said there are multiple causes for the surge in violence, but the fare hike was the “spark that set off the fire”.

“Among the poor, the working class and much of the middle class there is a deep sense of being abused by the system,” he added.

Representatives of the Association for Inter-religious Dialogue in Chile released a statement which says: “As men and women of faith who believe in God and in His mercy, at this sad hour for Chile, we make a fervent call for justice and peace.  We mourn the dead and the wounded that these dark days of our history have left us. It pains us that the poor are the most affected.

Shame

“The violence which has occurred is unacceptable and should shame us as a country. We cannot obscure the fact that there are also people of peace who have manifested and called attention to the injustices which clamour for a solution and a new way for Chile.”

Despite President Sebastien Pinera replacing his cabinet ministers on Monday, there was further protests and violent clashes with security forces this week in Chile’s capital.