Swedish Ambassador Criticizes Repression by Chilean Junta

The Swedish ambassador to Chile, expelled three months ago by the Chilean junta, denounced yesterday what he called ongoing political repression and brutalization of the Chilean people by its military government.

The ambassador, Harald Edelstam, said in a press conference at the Boston State House, that the junta showed "absolutely no justice" by holding political prisoners without charges, and by executing and arresting people daily.

Nationwide Effort

The Chilean military dictatorship told Edelstam to leave Chile for "exceeding his diplomatic duties and interfering in Chile's internal affairs." Edelstam spoke in Boston as part of a nationwide effort to revive interest in Chile and to stir up opposition to the continuing military dictatorship there.

Edelstam said he believed that the coup, which toppled the democratically elected Marxist government of Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens, originally had popular support. But, he added, "its popularity has vanished with its atrocities."

Edelstam said that because the U.S. government had objected to his speaking tour of this country, the Swedish government had asked that he speak as a private citizen only, avoiding any discussion of American policy.

No Comment

Because of this request from the Swedish government, Edelstam declined to comment on the alleged involvement of the U.S. government either in the coup which brought the junta to power, or in the present situation of Chilean government.

Though Edelstam made no comment on U.S. policy, Rep. Michael J. Harrington (D-Mass.), a co-speaker at the press conference, called the coup a "tragedy that we [the U.S. government] have contributed toward."

Harrington criticized U.S. foreign policy for "not accepting in our own hemisphere a government elected by a process we chose."

Edelstam said that U.S. citizens, and students in particular, should create interest in Chile and the lack of human rights there.