CODEPU is a civil society organization that collaborates with the National Institute of Human Rights.
Following the intense days of social mobilization that began on October 18, we mobilized a team of volunteers, made up of lawyers, doctors, nurses and psychologists to police stations, health care centers and to various areas so that we could provide legal and health services to the victims of human rights violations.
In the course of these difficult days, we promptly set up the minimum conditions necessary in our offices so that our health professionals could provide first aid to the injured and wounded. In the meantime, our lawyers received legal claims, listened to stories and gave guidance on legal actions to victims of police brutality. At the same time, a team of psychologists provided support to the victims and their families.
With everybody’s help, we made an effort to buy medical supplies, antibiotics, a stretcher and other items that were necessary to provide assistance. There have been an enormous number of people wounded by bullets, teargas bombs and even people burned by the liquids used in the water cannons used by the riot police. Because of this we decided to contract the services of the University of Chile’s Science Faculty labs to inform ourselves of the components used in the water cannons. The results of these tests are being used to support ongoing legal actions as these support the seriousness of our complaints.
The solidarity and everyone’s efforts, contribute to the strength and continuity of our actions over time. They make us all participants in a historic time in Chile, even more so at a time when the people and different social sectors prepare themselves to restart new days of mobilization in the months ahead.