Chile miners' rescue drama worth celebrating

As i see it
*MICHAEL DINGAKE | Monday November 1, 2010 00:00

The drama had its genesis on August 5, 2010, when a section of the ancient mine collapsed, confining miners to a communal cell without warders.  Modern mines have contingency exits, this one did not, a typical handmaiden of jungle capitalism.  For 17 days none knew the miners' condition; fear, anxiety, and grief gripped the miners' families, and ran like a coordinating current through the world community, thanks to modern communication technology.

If you thought the mine rescue was celebrated by Chileans everywhere, you would be wrong. One Stella de Gracia, owner of a Chilean restaurant in the South of London, ostensibly an unforgiving Pinochet victim was cool: 'What is there to celebrate?

The rescue is a PR stunt by a billionaire president.  We're pleased the miners have got out, but really they should not have been down... [the] mine in the first place.'  Respect de Gracia's distrust of the Pinochets of this world.  She is wrong to identify President Pinera, with the designers of the typical mine structures that collapse daily around the world to bury miners; he was not born when this one was opened; yes, the corrupt system is liable, not necessarily every cog of the system! Friederick Engels was different! Augustino Pinochet was a skunk. He killed socialist Allende who had experimented successfully to prove, in free and fair elections, socialists could win without resorting to violent revolution! I take issue with de Garcia.  Miners' rescue calls for celebration.

First, we must celebrate the engineering feat that made possible the drilling of passage through rock to reach the miners, the ingenuity that constructed the capsule to rescue miners from where they were destined to rot in unmarked mass grave after serving as dish for ubiquitous ants, prayers, international solidarity and concern about their safety are all worth celebrating!  Second, we must celebrate the unflagging bravery of the miners while entombed; they kept faith in miracles and/or government responsibility to leave no stone unturned to rescue them.

It reflected in all the 33, when the moment of rescue came, each was ready to defer to others; exemplary was the chief rescuer who was the first to go down and last to come up.

Third, the emotions of each are a cause for celebration.  Mario Sepulveda who reveled in his rescue, saying he prayed, sandwiched 'between God and the devil' and was happy God had won; the Bolivian, underground only five days before tragedy struck, vowing never again into the mine, deserves a toast, so  the miner prepared to stick to the job because it was just that, a job to be done; we ought to celebrate the wise opinion expressed that the mine (despite the bullish copper market) should be permanently closed unless modern safety measures  are devised.Fourth, it is right to celebrate the ostentatious presidential hugs of miners rescued, perhaps a stunt as cynical de Gracia suspects, but a stunt reflective of human touch which the majority humans believe in and we scorn at our peril.  (Beware the utter folly of pooh poohing Khama's handshakes and fireside chats with ghetto dwellers) Human touch is the stuff of intrinsic human solidarity and points to un-finished war against Cain-ism.  We ARE our brother's keeper; our brother makes us who we ARE.

Fifth, we MUST celebrate the advance in science and technology, the pulling together of the various strands of the engineering sub-branches: electrical, communication, aeronautical, mechanical and so forth to sophisticate human life, so that one day the lowliest of human species may celebrate the shared greatness of true humanity instead of sinking into divisive inhumanity.

Personally, I celebrated the stupendous rescue by reminiscing on my encounter with Chilean refugees who had fled Pinochet's regime.  I hope he resurrects on the last judgment day where I shall plead to be the chief prosecutor at his trial. Laissez faire capitalism is an inhuman economic system which produces extremes of poverty and riches. The engineers of the obnoxious system deserve their just deserts proportionate to their guilt.  The more brutish the heavier the penalty!

In 1988 I undertook a sentimental book publicity tour across Sweden.  I had the honour to pay homage to the late Olof Palme at the spot where he was assassinated.

He was my hero, for condemning US invasion of Vietnam when other so-called civilized countries were scared to oppose the invasion or were fully behind US cowboy-ism.  Palme's assassin was never apprehended. Suspicion is that his murder was orchestrated by the CIA or the South African Boss.  Hence my utter distaste of creepy-crawly rogue state outfits like DIS! Palme's death failed to deter the Swedes' solidarity with world underdogs.

 A Grand Finale, rapped up tour in Kiruna in the North, organised by friend and host Gunnar Rydstrom; beautiful poetry in my honour and in solidarity with former Robben Island  inmates was read.  Music from a number of refugee groups from many parts of the world was played.  The Chilean group out-numbering all the groups, played a beautiful piece, which prompted an eight-year old Chilean girl to take my hand to join her to dance her country's music.  I cannot help but continue to feel the sensation of her tender innocent little fingers. It created an unbreakable solidarity bond with Chileans and Chile.  The miners rescue revived my sentiments with the little girl: Was she now wife, sister, cousin or aunt of one of the miners?  Sentimentality induced by the dark days of Chile, when life was cheap!