Telegram from G.L. Malik, Indian Ambassador to Chile

SECRET and Immediate

DATE: November 23, 1973

FROM: Embassy in Santiago

TO: MEA

Tel: 59

As I have mentioned in my letter SANT/101/3/73 of 16^th November to Foreign Secretary and telegram 38 of 24^th September I have so far been able to avoid giving asylum in any of the Embassy premises. Situation is however deteriorating, persecution is getting worse and increasing numbers of Chileans are becoming desperate.

In view of this European governments have allowed their Embassies to depart from normal instructions and accept asylees; Chilean Govt. has also accepted this situation and is giving safe-conducts to non-Latin American embassies. Embassies of France, Italy (which has not yet recognized the junta) Holland, West Germany, Belgium, Finland, Norway and Denmark are full to capacity with hundreds of persons sleeping in residences and/or Chanceries.

This situation is known to persons in danger and they are now seeking entry to any Embassy which appears to have space in spite of Chilean armed guards railings walls etc. Some Ambassadors like Canada, Austria, and Norway have forcibly ejected such refugees thus receiving adverse publicity resulting in recall of Norwegian and Austrian Ambassadors.

Some persons have climbed walls of my residence and sought refuge. At an earlier stage I was able to get them into other friend Embassies (or UN camps in case of foreigners). Now however friendly Embassies are full. I therefore request authority to grant asylum and request safe-conduts from Chilean govt. I shall use this as little as possible and strive to my best ability that asylees do not become burden on Indian taxpayer. Alternative of ejection may however result in execution of persons concerned.

Fact that Chilean Junta is behaving with total disregard for human rights should not stand in way of our recognizing them. If necessary we can express our disapproval at time of recognition by saying publicly that recognition does not imply any kind of moral judgment much less approbation – this has been done by Canadian Govt. Alternatively as suggested in my telegram 56 of 8^th November we can take opportunity to expel Chilean officers of UNMOGIP.

In fact recognition may enable us to help some of victims of Junta.