Chileans remember Pinochet-era missing

Wednesday marks the anniversary of the coup that brought Augusto Pinochet to power in Chile, with thousands turning out to remember those still missing.

People hold photographs of missing people of the Pinochet dictatorship

Chileans have turned out to remember those still missing from the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. (AAP)

A thousand people have laid on the ground in Chile's capital in memory of those still missing from the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.

Wednesday is the anniversary of the coup that brought Pinochet to power, on September 11, 1973. Nearly 1200 remain missing from his war on anything that smacked of leftist dissent against his US-backed military government.

The demonstrators lay on the ground face-up for 11 minutes on Tuesday, starting near the presidential palace in a line stretching for several blocks.

On the day of the coup, the palace was bombed by planes taking part in the putsch that ousted president Salvador Allende, who committed suicide rather than be captured.

The demonstrators convened on Tuesday via social media.

Rights groups say the Pinochet dictatorship claimed more than 3200 victims including the missing.

The 40th anniversary of the coup has brought with it the release of a flood of plays, movies, books and photo exhibits that seek to illustrate the repression and censorship-induced cultural black hole that Chileans endured during the 17-year Pinochet regime.

Pinochet surrendered power to an elected government in 1990 and died in 2006.

On Monday the rightist government and leftist opposition held separate ceremonies to remember the coup - evidence of how the Pinochet years continue to divide Chilean society.


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Source: AAP

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