Chilean Gendarmerie creates commission to create trans protocol

(Santiago, August 20, 2019) .- The Council of the Civil Society of Gendarmerie of Chile (COSOC GENCHI) sent on July 31, a formal letter to the National Director, Christian Alveal, requesting that, through a resolution exempt, a work commission is created that develops a protocol of good treatment in relation to sexualities and gender. This was answered on August 8 by the head of the department of promotion and protection of Human Rights, Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Barahona Fuentes, noting that the commission was formed on July 15 and in the last session it was decided to incorporate organizations of society civil.

In its previous period COSOC GENCHI had already requested something similar, on November 6, 2018, a text proposal for an exempt resolution was sent to the Human Rights unit, whose team changed in March. However, there was no response to the request after the arrival of the new National Director, and this new COSOC has decided to insist that the work done should not be lost.

Proposal for guidelines and guidelines for care and treatment in relation to the diversity of sexualities and genders for officials of the Gendarmerie of Chile.
The letter also requested the incorporation of a COSOC representative in that commission, and was unanimously supported by all the organizations participating in the Council, in its second session of the 2019-2020 period, held on June 25, Among them is the NGO En Marcha, CorpArtes Foundation, LEASUR, Henry Dunant Foundation, Arturo Prat University, among others. The need for a trans protocol is born in the face of abuses reported by trans persons deprived of liberty, coming from the same gendarmes.

For his part, in the session last Tuesday 6, the head of the Gendarmería operational province, Colonel Eduardo Muñoz, said that the commission had already been formed, so there should be no inconvenience in obtaining a prompt response. For his part, Matías Valenzuela Cortez, alternate representative of OTD before the instance, insisted on the need for the commission to be formalized in an exempt resolution signed by the National Directorate “in order to establish a deadline and reaffirm the institutional commitment with the matter, which is maintained despite possible changes of authorities or teams. ”

In the response of Lieutenant Barahona, the request for the issuance of an exempt resolution is not answered but it is stated that the commission has already met on July 15, July 29 and August 12, and that it is integrated by the Department of Closed System, the Department of Protection of Human Rights, belonging to the Technical Sub-Directorate; by the Department of Penitentiary Control, the Procedures Unit and the Adolescent Criminal Responsibility Unit, under the Operational Sub-Directorate; by the Department of Health, of the Administrative Subdirectorate, and the Unit of Participation and Citizen Attention, with direct dependence of the National Director.

To access the letter sent on July 31, click here.

To access the August 8 response, click here.

To access the text proposal submitted on November 6, 2018, click here.