We leave you with these two videos made in the framework of solidarity towards the victims of the earthquake that struck our country. And with a text written by a team from the Chilean Observatory of Educational Policy (OPECH) for the processing of media coverage of the tragic catastrophe, entitled
collapse That common sense and rebuild communities:
Reflections from the earthquake and tsunami in Chile
By Daniel Brzovic, Rodrigo Cornejo, Juan Gonzalez, Rodrigo Sanchez, Mario Sobarzo (1).
1. What is the public structure to address disaster in Chile?
The political elite of our country has been concerned with telling us a thousand times that "the institutions work, but no one tells the quality or competence of those institutions. Undoubtedly, the recent earthquake that shook the country highlighted the fact that in Chile there are no public agencies are able or prepare timely responses to disasters or to respond effectively after they occur as just witnessed.
On February 27 at 03:34 hrs. an earthquake of 8.8 degree measured in the Richter scale, in the central south. At the same time triggers a series of mistakes, inefficiency, careless and irresponsible of the bodies showed that the political class of our country is still a cat wanting to be jaguar . Only six minutes later he knew the epicenter (about 90 miles northwest of the city of Concepción, ie in the Pacific Ocean), but the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Navy of Chile (SHOA), an organization that had by instruments how to assess whether or not a tsunami, not only did not work, but also did not notice or followed the existing protocol (2). The other state agency, called ONEMI, the Office (3) National Emergency at any time the agency said there was no tsunami. Today, for the voices of survivors, we know that at 3:52 the first wave occurs, a total of three. The latest wave occurs at 6:32 pm. About an hour later the undersecretary of the Interior ruled out the possibility of tsunami. This despite the Tsunami Warning Center Pacific (PTWC) in the U.S., in Hawaii, at 3:46 am and contacted the SHOA telling: "... An earthquake of this size has the power to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicenter. The authority should take appropriate action in response to that possibility. " However, the sailor on duty did not speak English. Two minutes later a scientist from the PTWC, Dr. Victor Sardiña, he said in English to SHOA to give information to warn the rest of the countries of the Pacific. An hour later the same SHOA scientist warns that "Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated" and gave warning to the South Pacific. In Chile, only two days after Defense Minister acknowledged that there had been a tidal wave on our shores. Who is responsible not only politically for this "error" horror ", but legally (4)?
So far, so we suggest the Chilean institutions (SHOA and ONEMI) is that it was impossible to communicate between them. As always, has tried to say that the mobile, fixed and Internet provision (ie, communications networking technology), private character as a whole, were among the best in the world. And did not work (5). Put it this way: it may sound ideological neoliberal the biggest state in the world dared to build this response for a disaster Chilean scientists at the University of Chile had already announced in 2008 . (6)
The negative shameful to take responsibility for technical and political contrasts with the image of a development takes off Chile and recently joined the OECD.
2. The offensive of profit and speculation
Compared to the pathetic response of the state apparatus and poor articulation of social networks has been impressive the ability of big business to recover their losses and more than articulate a new framework for extract more profit from this painful catastrophe . The media, of which this area of \u200b\u200bChile is the owner or financier, have played a key role in this regard.
The business of supermarkets and food shortages
the day of the tragedy became clear the state's failure to build a network of collection and distribution of food, medicine, clothing and other basic need. These are owned by the big supermarket chains, pharmacies and retail. Although the cold chain had broken, which began to break down many foods, none of the big supermarket chains Cencosud (Jumbo - Santa Isabel) Wal-Mart (Leader), South Supermercados Unimarc and activated mechanism sharing some food. Neither the state could, or wanted to expropriate goods to meet the urgent needs of victims. Far from that, the massive food distribution was recently announced for Monday (three days after the earthquake) after a previous day's meeting between the government and the chief executives of the four chains: Horst Paulmann (Cencosud), Enrique Ostalé (Wal-Mart), Pablo Vega (Unimarc) and Gonzalo Dulanto (Supermercados del Sur). Days later the press published the approximate figure paid by the government in the first purchase a los supermercados de las regiones VII y VIII: 10 millones de dólares (7). La misma prensa cita a uno de estos altos ejecutivos que reconoce que “en un fin de semana de alta demanda, los supermercados de todo Chile logran vender casi 40 millones dólares” (8) . Negocio redondo. ¿Por qué no se recurrió a la vasta red nacional de feriantes, productores agrícolas y centros de distribución de alimentos para comprar canastas a precios radicalmente más baratos, como lo sabe todo Chile, y así evitarse los precios inflados que justifican la plusvalía del empresariado?
Otra gran fuente de ganancias fue el cobro de seguros por las pérdidas generadas en los difundidos “saqueos”. The fact that the mass media encouraged the looting was explicitly recognized by Paulmann. The discreet businessman called a "wedge" a TV channel to read as follows: "when talking about a lot of looting, people are going to make looting that realize that are possible, it is dangerous to talk a lot of looting" .
no wonder why the call to "order" and the output of the armed forces to the street. The lesson of the earthquake can not, we can not allow "that focuses on the need for" order "as a priority. The priority was and remains the vital needs of the people: food, water, shelter, health. The order, in contrast, was a vulgar synonym for the security of private property. This response to the looting of their property-by on the lives of people, is the naked expression of the extreme need for control that administrators have the power and owner-operators in the country. Any other scenario of chaos, is a spontaneous exodus as now, tomorrow is a demonstration of free sovereign people, will have exactly the same result.
Real estate and financial system
Chileans have a rage with the real estate, taking huge profits, are collapsing and leaving entire neighborhoods urbanistically people who buy their apartments in absolute helplessness. COPEVA happened to the houses, which are full rained a few years ago (and which were owned by the brother of the last interior minister of the government of Bachelet, Edmundo Pérez), occurs with the auction sale of the families who can not continue paying dividends loan sharks and is now happening with collapsed buildings or structural damage. The Chilean Chamber of Construction (the union of entrepreneurs in the item) is not yet over the land of buildings damaged, although the press talks about 50 buildings, most recently presented (9). Parallel ago called for calm, as that made by President of the Chamber of Construction Lorenzo Constans, who said about the buildings leaning in different cities in Chile that "there are buildings that are inclined, the most obvious example is the Pisa Tower, which has remained centuries up and, therefore, I think it is appropriate to discuss it with an appropriate professional. " No comments. In the same statement Constans, solidarity with the owner of the property Huerquén River, the president of the Chamber of Construction, Bío-Bío, Juan Ignacio Ortúzar, who resigned after being told that this real estate and Socoval (also of property) built and sold the building Conception High River collapsed completely, causing injuries, deaths and major impact on the public about the serious flaws in its construction. Constans also congratulated the newly appointed mayor of Santiago by Sebastian Piñera (10), Fernando Echeverría, Echeverria construction partner and Left, which has two new buildings to collapse in Concepción and Santiago, as he himself admitted. Fernando Echeverria is the same that a few years ago, when ran for president of the Confederation of Production and Trade CPC (multi guild of Chilean business leaders) said "It is important to make a great national compact pro use permitting for example, limit wage increases, or reduce payments of social laws, etc" (11). Is becoming clear to Piñera referred to "a new way of governing." Moreover
families affected major cities are beginning to complain that they are close to major construction and real estate offering to buy their land at prices that do not exceed 25% of its original value, in order to "provide money immediately to re-emerge. " is speculation about the floors and the lives of people in the housing market.
not to leave of wondering, the major insurance agencies and the president of the association of banks Hernan Somerville, announced that the dividends of all housing mortgages are going up in price after the earthquake, it will be compulsory credits include a policy against earthquakes. Again we learn that in this country do not need laws or legislative debates to increase profit. Large employers have it clear. They believe that what you pay for insurance on mortgage loans should rise about 30%. In addition, Antonio Latorre, general manager Creditaria insurance agency, told El Mercurio that "the insurance charge will be housing segments face of lesser value, because they have more risk. " A implicit recognition that the buildings in poor neighborhoods are less quality than the neighborhoods of the elite? A slip of involuntary?
Aware of the difficult situation they spend hundreds of thousands of families, the five major banks in the country are launching a consumer credit OFERTON to face the catastrophe. The general manager of Banco Santander, the English Emilio Botin (ironic name) to visit Chile said his bank will have a fund of 3200 million dollars to make "solidarity loans." Donation bank to the media of the earthquake telethon reached 500 thousand dollars.
aid campaigns as revenue generation
Many Chileans did not understand why the collection and relief efforts supported by television could not begin to arrive in Chile before the television presenter Mario Kreutzberger "Don Francisco ". Then we learned from the press that the design of the "telethon the earthquake" was made at a meeting of the multi union of big business at the headquarters of the Confederation of Production and Trade Day Thursday, March 4 (12). The very large capital owners who have been named in this article had an unprecedented role in this media telethon. Some of their representatives permanently occupied two of the twelve positions of the receiving telephone calls from television. Unprecedented in the history of the "Chilean telethons" (13). "We are impressed with the 60 million dollars to be able to raise (30 thousand million pesos)" Salmon said Cesar Barros Chile. What is not Mr. Barros said, Somerville, Paulmann, Constans, etc., Is that for many Chileans was shocking the new fiscal year profit with the misfortune of the people, expressed in so-called "buy a blanket in our store and we get one free" or "giving a shot or paracetamol if you buy a certain brand" in this or that pharmacy. Nor said the tax rebate for donations reaches un17%, and recently announced president-elect Piñera this percentage expected to increase through a new law on donations. Nor said the magnitude of the earthquake and tsunami damage was estimated at between 20 000 and 30 billion dollars. Exorbitant figure, which is very far from the donations they made in the telethon, but the figures are about corporate profits . The investment company Luksic told "The Mercury in January that it had $ 500 million to invest outside of Chile. The sale of the shares of the LAN Chile airline belonging to the president-elect Piñera is a special case. On February 25 the stock sold for 6.4% of the shares of LAN at more than $ 375 million, the Monday following the earthquake Piñera decided to defer the sale of other shares in their possession because they were down in the bag (14) . On March 9 sells 8.5% stake in LAN in the sum of 514 million dollars. There are still held by Piñera 11% of the shares of LAN, so it is estimated that by selling the whole package stock will receive more than U.S. $ 1200 million, representing less than 50% of its current assets recognized. All these figures are ridiculously low U.S. $ 60 million coupled "media" on Telethon (15) and become even more significant for our country, the noble gesture of the president and vice-president Bolivian who donated half his salary to Chile. What meaning can this have for the Chilean businessmen rich, starting with our president Sebastián Piñera?
The belief that the formulas of profit and the financial year are the best tactics for effective aid is coupled to the image installed that institutions linked to the hierarchy of the Church as "A Roof for Chile" and "Hogar de Cristo" (both Jesuits) are the only arms of solidarity that the country, obscuring local communities, which despite all the dislocation and lack of recognition, made the difference between life and death, hunger and solidarity, fear and support during and after the earthquake (16). The communities are reorganized incessantly, especially where "capital" rules unchecked, is the only way to survive (17). The "help" articulated by big business in alliance with the State, does not support the construction of public and social networks. Explicitly this great government support mechanism known social organizations in the territories and insists on delivering individual baskets for each family, making it much slower processes of aid delivery and promote individualism. Tens of thousands of young men launched several campaigns to support collaboration, it is expected that a significant percentage of them, recognize, and foster reconstruction learn from social organizations, collective projects and public ways. Chile There are now two reconstruction projects radically different, one that expects to rely on the organization and popular participation, another who hopes to perpetuate the individualism and the separation step and further enhance the incredible profits of the Chilean bourgeoisie both predatory and destructive of the social fabric of the environment, and quality of life (18) . Is the Chilean bourgeoisie and the oligarchy, the most dangerous faction lumpenaje?
3 .- The lumpen, looting and the "crisis" of social structure
A 24-hour earthquake happened on the show was changed for television. The impact of the 2 nd largest earthquake occurred in Chile went on to denounce the looting had followed. The communicative emphasis going to be defined by power groups. The first speaker was the mayor of the city of Concepción, representing the more conservative right (militant UDI, Opus Dei supernumerary), who urged the government to declare a state of siege in your city (19).
The looting made large business conglomerates, local businesses and even some homes affected by the tragedy, was installed as the most significant event in the political analysis of the disaster, by the media and liberal politicians. The figure of looting and lumpen individualistic and "heartless" is confused in a simplistic association, which now affects problematically, in the social and political consequences that could have this event, described today's "moral outrage" and even "social upheaval" . This analysis has only one possible answer: security will control this monster that is latent in the population (20). The militarization of the area, increasing the penalties already a fact justified by the event, and the moral conviction of theft in all its manifestations is necessary, without further analysis of a phenomenon which, in this context, it has high complexity.
This "moral disaster" may be the basis of a problem Manuel Antonio said that as Garretón (National Award for Social Sciences) is the main political problem that can be learned from this disaster. The so-called crisis of social cohesion, collective, public consciousness is just a chronic lack of the benefits of living in community, which traditionally guaranteed by the State and now the market has perverted relentless pursuit of profit of a few . The absence of effective and efficient assistance, public solidarity, respect for citizens and a liberating education leave no choice but to the heterogeneous reaction of the mob incited by hunger everyday powerlessness against large media conglomerates and communication, stormed the city stores the first few days after the tragedy.
The stigmatization of fact did not take long, constituting the image "lumpenesca" associated with an extreme individualism that, as has been revealing, not for the most popular sectors, who have been screened without finding space the mass media (22).
Who is lumped into this disaster? The origin of this concept is in Karl Marx and its reflection in the book "18 Brumaire." At the time of Louis Bonaparte was be supported in a class that Marx's view, could be called the lumpen-proletariat. A diverse community of people (23) that, from the same Louis Bonaparte to the most unscrupulous offender, only had in common the desire to take advantage of political power for their benefit at the expense of others' work. This group was organized after Napoleon from different social classes and served as a leader who shared with them the desire parasitic and contempt for the Republic. Provoking
historical analogy. are not ragged or marginalized sectors of today who are forced to steal, what we call lumpen. To be precise, are holding an advantage and miserable attitude, based on opportunism and disregard for the community because "the need to benefit at the expense of the working nation" .
Can we speak of lumpen today? The heterogeneous mob stormed supermarkets for food and other items can not be called lumpen. Is it legitimate for the media, their "faces" that profit from advertising, lumpen call a worker who escaped with a TV? Calling "this is not an action for necessaries? (24) What is this mediocre analysis?
is a parasite opportunistic (lumpen) that face that profits from the generation of unnecessary requirements and washes his face to the companies, is lumpen our new president to speculate on the actions of their companies while holding be a public servant. In this category you fit all those who are profiting from the disaster and our state and community diminished strength to face it: business real estate, retail businessmen, unscrupulous traders, etc. The earthquake has exposed the ugliest face of a society left to the market.
4 .- Predation and individualism
The extreme individualism displayed by many citizens, exposes our "Bad Education", marked by competition, uncertainty and fear of others. brutal conditions that neoliberalism subjected to forms of life, become unbearable in psychic terms. On the one hand, the responsibility for the failures falls on the individual himself, prompted constant attention to long and intensive production processes and work, is the expropriation of any free time that could generate intellectual dissent, it stupefied by the Mass Media, it isolates and expropriation of social ties that could give psychological security, is fragment the areas of life (work-home-transport-friendly-family-children) operating with different logic and sometimes antagonistic (25).
chaplain Un Techo Para Chile, Felipe Berrios set the figure twice earthquake. For him, behind the physical earthquake fissures emerged in Chilean society in need of repair. Selfishness as social glue is very poor (26). Some explanations of looting have pointed out that the comparison between Haiti and the earthquake in Chile, shows a stateless society as ours exist in a state without society. What happened to that rich society that humanity was able to get involved with her problems? How did you become a made with a screen in between? How could they have been more critical media makers in the management of information in 1985, during the dictatorship, that 2010? The year 1960 in the largest earthquake that has lived Chile, with fewer resources, public enterprises could be mobilized to prevent the layer of mud and stones that had created a natural dam collapsed due to heavy rains affecting Valdivia, after Earthquake (27). It is not uncommon, at that time were a poor society, but dignified .
The advance of neoliberalism is brutal. Neoliberalism and suppresses anti-constructed social ties. In Chile, a society with great wealth, poorly distributed badly, there is a very efficient and effective state to help market mechanisms and safeguard the iron circle of dictatorial institutions, but has no recognition in the population. This, to a catastrophe makes the inoperative state institutions and military forces to suppress only. As a result, on the day of the departure of Michelle Bachelet to the presidency, a marine patrol is charged with the murder of a businessman beaten to the Region VIII, for full curfew (18).
social and community organizations are needed to face any emergency, to organize subsistence. That is something that our species learned at the time of the night lit only with brands, when nature was unknown and feared. The coalition generated in 20 years a radical apathy towards politics and all forms of state-run organization. Were emptied JJ.VV. communal, municipal governments became fiefs of welfarism and creating customers. Financial organizations are owners of a working time of over 3 times average salary for 8 hours that workers receive, making them true servants volunteers who are willing to do whatever is necessary to pay the plasmas that the system encourages them to consume, and these days some have been able to snatch these houses of "debt."
An epilogue to build
In Chile the remaining segregated public education is required to compete with systems that encourage competition as a foundation for success, regardless of the ethical responsibilities to others. The earthquake was, then, education for a life completely commodified. incessant construction needs superfluous basic ago today. Millions spent on advertising makes it hypocritical reaction of many of the faces of the TV and advertising industry who condemned the removal of appliances and the like, in the looting, but only hours earlier called borrow to consume. Chilean society is fractured by invisible lines that find their legitimacy in a social system in which education is to discriminate normal (select) to the poorest, but it's not that they express their disagreement on the street. Our ideals are held in patterns of exclusion and violence standard. Those who possess moral capital obviously do not understand the violence to which they subject the ragged, because "they do not use violence against the poor." So kindness is on their side. All
reconstruction process Shall focus on the reality that comes around to schools, community sites, when available, but will the fire, the committee, the court, the common pot, the corner is where all his weight reveals the importance of communities. The flood of (mis) information that we have crowded the media over recent days makes it difficult to build an even balance. Only the thousands of stories of citizens who have gestated in the communities and tell us what happened in that earthquake.
For now, many social organizations across our country have tremendous potential to display their solidarity (not as the charity televised back show, business and business facade.) Rebuilding communities in the course of the organization from the ground up as political, organized the distribution of food, decent housing, direct participation in the re-construction of their own lives. It will be the only way not to play this ersatz society. In it, public schools and colleges have a tremendous potential to demonstrate what their real reason to exist, so that the people to rise up dislocating common sense that nature is taking care to recreate .
Santiago, March 11
2010 (1) All members and researchers Warning Center-University of Chile OPECH
(2) In Chile there is a protocol called ACCEM, indicating that any seismic movement that is of degree greater than 7.5 degrees measured Richter scale, forced to evacuate coastal areas for fear of tsunami.
(3) The fact call it "Office" and shows the view we have of that body, a place for office workers.
(4) The national tax Sabastian Chahuán be prosecuted criminally warned that both the "looters" and the small traders have speculated well priced. In contrast, the same prosecutor publicly acknowledged it will not happen the same with those responsible for "the deaths of the catastrophe", including the collapse of buildings such as the lack of tsunami warning.
(5) We now know that even Carabineros de Chile communications tendered and acquired a privatized service of IP and technology stopped using HF (high frequency) that does not need electricity, so the day of the disaster also stopped working and they remained isolated.
(6) See article published in 2008 in a scientific journal: "Interseismic strain Accumulation Measured by GPS in the seismic gap Between Constitution and Concepción in Chile."
(7) One dollar equals today at 530 Chilean pesos.
(8) El Mercurio, Economy and Business section, Wednesday, March 3, 2010.
(9) See Ciper Chile, Center for Investigative Journalism.
(10) Sebastián Piñera a billionaire right recently elected President of Chile, took the March 11, 2010, in the election with more than abstaining from the presidential elections in the past 20 years, down from the 1st and 2nd round over 300 thousand voters. Elected only with 3 ½ million votes out of 12 million possible.
(11) Diario El Mercurio
11/26/2004 (12) The Mercury Sunday March 7, 2010. Section Economics and Business.
(13) The great Chilean business has shown strong over the last decades they have an efficient management of the concept of profit in the plane of the image and social prestige.
(14) The closing date Lan shares fell 300 pesos. Of 9,250 pesos to 8,950 pesos
(15) With the telethon is produced fascistizada morality of common sense realization authoritarian receives a painkiller that reassures all signs of misunderstanding and alienation that is subjected daily. What always ends in the fanfare of a pseudo-country reconciled around the egos of our media and business celebrities. Basically what good of the telethon show is that it allows identification of pairs: consumer voluntary employer-servant-master. What produces national telethon is a substitute for collective experience, staged in the media, which allows the inhabitants of these cities strange to him, sleep peacefully for days. Sobarzo Mario, The ineffable civic boundaries. Universidad Central, Chile 2008.
(16) The state knew about the earthquake that had been at least since 2009, but since he has no real social base, was forced to stand in the Catholic church to manage the aid that was sent to the affected area. This leaves referred to least one quite serious question. Who rebuilds the social base necessary to manage a crisis like this? Does the church? Why?
(17) "Despite the lack of respect for the mayor of Concepción and San Pedro de la Paz described as" looters "to the inhabitants and settlers of Boca South and the coastline of the commune, the answer is the organization , solidarity and unity among neighbors, who have organized themselves into neighborhood guards to defend the passages and streets, soup kitchens have been installed and information is centralized in a house of the population that shows the ability of the people we / as to guard against and respond to our demands. "Public statement Boca residents and settlers of South-Conception Indymedia Santiago. It is interesting to note that already exist, at least two social associations that provide legal support to families scammed by constrructoras and real estate: Estate Consumer Association and the group defend the city.
(18) Lavin, Leopoldo. business dilemma: Schumpeterian or lumpen bourgeoisie?
(19) The siege is a constitutional exception of a political nature, which restricts basic freedoms and is distinct from a state of emergency, in which the State is authorized to limit movement times and have all the forces and resources (s) area (s) affected (s), but kept the media, freedom of assembly, etc.. On 1 requires an agreement with Congress, the 2nd is declared by the executive.
(20) For further reflection on this topic see theoretical concept of monstrosity in Italian workers, such as Toni Negri (Empire) and Paolo Virno (Grammar of the crowd.)
(21) The renowned historian Eric Hobsbawm defines peat as "social vandolerismo urban equivalent. Large pre-industrial cities. His impulse is always against the rich. Without firm ideological or political affiliation ..
(22) "In regarding the "looters" clarify that is not the responsibility of the neighbors as this, the failure of the Government can not pay for the neediest, the despair at the uncertainty of what will happen and the lack of food forced many families enter the supermarket and get food for his family. " Public statement by residents and settlers of South Boca.
(23) "... degenerate and adventurous offshoots of the bourgeoisie, were vagabonds, discharged soldiers, discharged from prison, escaped galley, scammers, ... pimps, brothel keepers, porters, hacks ... in that all its members felt , Bonaparte as the need to profit at the expense of the nation's workers. " (Karl Marx 18 Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte cap.V)
(24) "But what is a necessary good? A journalist as sharp as Núñez (journalist employed in channel owned by the newly elected president) should know that this notion has been stretched like chewing gum for the past thirty years, today the bread is as necessary as a plasma or a bling-bling or a 4x4, because it sets the daily promises of a consumption-based welfare. In thirty years, day after day, settlement after settlement credit after credit bodies have passed Lacking little much: the hunger of the citizen to customer insatiability. The basis of this system is precisely the social disintegration, which requires individuals, and converted into buyers eager to scratch his own fleas as the other dogs to eat them "(Leonardo Sanhueza The Latest News 02 March) .
(25) Margaret Mead in Sex and Temperament describes the Mundugumor tribe of cannibals who had a morality based on admiration of the most ruthless, the most powerful. Our current system is held in this central feature of the prestige factor. A state absent, social policies, not our own development projects, which you get all these functions to private groups can only operate if it is consistent enough to express their usefulness in the service of this form of subjectivity.
(26) "The social earthquake looting and destruction was perhaps due to a part of society that imperceptibly has accumulated for years feel marginalized disappointment of development and has been slowly eroding its values \u200b\u200bby disappointment and bad values . So, without justification, has released all the pent-up frustration in behavior explicable only on those who have nothing to lose. "Berrios, E. Double earthquake.
(27) Ramos Muñoz, Victor. In The Citizen .
(28) In The Counter .
(28) In The Counter .
