In Chile, more than four years have passed since the social crisis which broke out in October 2019 and where the population demanded better living conditions. Large demonstrations lasted for several weeks throughout the country, and excesses gave rise to violent clashes with the police. Thirty-four people died and according to the National Institute of Human Rights more than 3,500 civilians were injured, a figure that is actually higher. And among the victims, hundreds of people suffered eye trauma caused mainly by flashball shots. These blind people, a symbol of the sometimes extreme violence of the carabinieri, today feel very alone, completely abandoned by the Chilean state.
5 mins
from our correspondent in Santiago,
In Chile, more than 450 people partially or completely lost their sight in the space of a few weeks during these protests.
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An unprecedented figure, as explained by Patricio Bustamante, professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Chile. “ There have been some comparisons with the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians but there are no other cases in the scientific literature with so many victims of eye trauma and in such a short period of time. »
His colleague Joaquin Varas, assistant professor at the same university, adds that 80% of the victims studied as part of their investigation, present total blindness in their affected eye. “ This means going from 3D vision to 2D, as if we were looking at a drawing. There are people who, faced with this difficulty, have had problems continuing their studies or continuing their work. Some had to change profession. »
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Change profession, life
This is the case of Natalia Aravena, 29 years old. The young woman was in a demonstration when she received a tear gas bomb in the face. She lost her right eye and since then everything has changed for this nurse. “ I took care of psychiatric patients. And then, I lost confidence in myself because in psychiatry there is always the risk that a patient in crisis will attack you, and with only one eye I felt that that could put me in danger. So I stopped and today I place orders for medical supplies, it’s an office job. »
But it is also in the simple little things of daily life that everything has changed.
“ Filling a glass of water has become complicated, continues Natalia. I had to relearn how to move in space because I bumped into everything. Moving in the street too because I felt in danger, I thought I was going to get punched in the eye, every loud noise made me jump…”
She also went through very difficult times. “ I had post-traumatic stress; Not long ago I had depression, I had anxiety attacks… And then my face changed too. My image changed, I had to get used to my prosthesis. »
Not enough state support or reparation
In addition, Natalia today feels abandoned by the State, because even if there have been programs to help victims, they are insufficient: not enough staff, turnover of doctors, lack of follow-up and psychological and social support.
So, like many, the young woman decided to fend for herself but with serious financial consequences. “ The surgery, the ophthalmological consultations, the psychiatrist, these were additional expenses, as were the medications. This was not taken into account in the program and therefore for many it resulted in significant economic losses. »
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And after four years of investigation, Natalia has not obtained compensation from the courts either, the investigation is progressing very slowly.
“ The institutions are putting obstacles in our way, especially the police,” explains Alejandra Arriaza, lawyer and human rights defender who represents several victims of eye trauma. “ The Carabinieri did not transmit the images from their on-board cameras. Videos have been doctored. Evidence was also destroyed. They did everything to hinder the investigation. And for its part, the public prosecutor did not give the required importance to all these cases either. »
According to the lawyer, only 5% of victims were able to obtain some semblance of reparation. Distress and abandonment so strong for some that it has become unbearable: in four years, four victims of eye trauma have taken their own lives.
