Chile Follow-Up: Death of a Child

                           CHILD CONCERN
                        Case CHL 191198.1 CC
                    Follow-up Case CHL 191198 CC

The International Secretariat of OMCT has just been informed of the 
death of the girl Paula Lagos in Chile.

Brief reminder of the situation:

Various Chilean organisations, including the Comite de Defensa de los 
Derechos del Pueblo (CODEPU), member of the OMCT network, had 
expressed their deep concern over the shooting of  a young girl in the 
village of Santa Teresa, in Chile.

According to information received, on 24 October 1998, the girl Paula 
Lagos, 16 years old, was at a public square with two friends. Following a 
demonstration against  Augusto Pinochet, organised by a group of 
youngsters, members of the "Carabineros" ( Chilean Police) began an 
operation to search for the participants. According to the information, 
during the operation the policemen shot at the inhabitants of the village, 
and gravely injured the minor while she was talking with her friends.

Paula Lagos' legs were paralysed  and she was on a  ventilator. Her 
condition was extremely tenuous.

New Information :

The International Secretariat of OMCT has just been informed by 
CODEPU that on 13 January 1999, Paula Lagos died as a result of the 
injuries inflicted upon her by the Chilean Police.

Action requested:

Please write to Chilean authorities urging them to:

i.	carry out a full and impartial investigation into the events, in order to 
identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil 
and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;

providereparations and compensation to the minor's family ;

iii.	in general, guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms in 
accordance with international law and international human rights 
standards.

Addresses:

Presidente de la Republica, Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, Palacio de la 
Moneda Santiago, Chile, Fax: +562 694 5080, Telegrams: Sr. Presidente, 
Santiago, Chile
Ministro del Interior, Sr. Raul Troncoso, Ministerio del Interior, Palacio 
de la Moneda, Santiago, Chile, Fax: +562 696 8740 - 699 2165
Ministra de la Justicia, Sra. Maria Soledad Alvear, Ministerio de Justicia 
Morand, 107, Santiago, Chile, Fax: +562 695 4558
Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Sr. Jose Miguel Inzulza, Ministerio de 
Relaciones Exteriores, Catedral 1158, Piso 3, Santiago,Chile Fax: +562 696 
8796 - 672 6274

Geneva, January 15 1999

The Human Rights Action Network, a part of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.