Secret documents reveal to exclude homosexuals from Chilean military services
The Ministry of Defense and
Chilean Armed Forces found themselves knee-deep in scandal Friday after
a previously unseen document which recommends the exclusion of
homosexuals and other groups of people was released by Canal 13 the day
before.
The document, signed in February of 2012 by commander-in-chief of the army’s first division, Gen. Cristián Chateau, indirectly suggests the exclusion of homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, drug addicts, people with mental, physical and socioeconomic problems, conscientious objectors and others during the selection process. The instruction text asks for the more “morally and intellectually capable” to receive special attention when recruiting.
“Today we are calling on the defense minister to remove Gen. Chateau from his post,” Rolando Jiménez, president of the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation (Movilh) said before the Ministry of Defense on Friday. “It cannot be possible for someone with such level of classism and homophobia to be in charge of a military unit as important as the army’s first division.”
Outside the ministry, Jiménez presented proposals to establish a “culture of non discrimination in the armed forces.”
Chateau told La Nación that the document was “already abolished” and “currently not valid anymore due to the recently imposed anti-discrimination law.”
“The meaning of the document was to exclude the obligation of having to join the military service if homosexuals and other mentioned groups did not wish to,” he said.
The Ministry of Defense has since publicly apologized for the controversy, as Gen. Juan Miguel Fuente-Alba spoke at Friday’s flag raising ceremony at Palace La Moneda.
“It must be guaranteed that there is no discrimination,” Fuente-Alba told the press. “And I have set the deadline of 10 a.m. Monday for all documents and similar forms to be revised. It must be clear that the Army belongs to all Chileans.”
News Source: Santiagotimes.cl
The document, signed in February of 2012 by commander-in-chief of the army’s first division, Gen. Cristián Chateau, indirectly suggests the exclusion of homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, drug addicts, people with mental, physical and socioeconomic problems, conscientious objectors and others during the selection process. The instruction text asks for the more “morally and intellectually capable” to receive special attention when recruiting.
“Today we are calling on the defense minister to remove Gen. Chateau from his post,” Rolando Jiménez, president of the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation (Movilh) said before the Ministry of Defense on Friday. “It cannot be possible for someone with such level of classism and homophobia to be in charge of a military unit as important as the army’s first division.”
Outside the ministry, Jiménez presented proposals to establish a “culture of non discrimination in the armed forces.”
Chateau told La Nación that the document was “already abolished” and “currently not valid anymore due to the recently imposed anti-discrimination law.”
“The meaning of the document was to exclude the obligation of having to join the military service if homosexuals and other mentioned groups did not wish to,” he said.
The Ministry of Defense has since publicly apologized for the controversy, as Gen. Juan Miguel Fuente-Alba spoke at Friday’s flag raising ceremony at Palace La Moneda.
“It must be guaranteed that there is no discrimination,” Fuente-Alba told the press. “And I have set the deadline of 10 a.m. Monday for all documents and similar forms to be revised. It must be clear that the Army belongs to all Chileans.”
News Source: Santiagotimes.cl
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