Files relating to the work of the CSC and the Humberside branch of the CSC. Files includes material relating to AGMs, meetings, refugees, political prisoners and 'the disappeared', community projects, boycotts of Chilean goods in Britain, demonstrations, government policy, cultural events, fundraising, and trade unions. Files contain material such as minutes, circulars, correspondence, agenda, newsletters, flyers, posters, leaflets, etc.
Note that the CSC was formed in 1973 in response to a coup d'etat led by General Augusto Pinochet on 11 September 1973, which resulted in the deposing of Salvador Allende's Popular Unity coalition government. Allende had won the presidential election of 1970 and the government, under his leadership, was responsible for the introduction of radical reforms. Natural resources were taken back from US companies and were nationalised. A welfare state was established, and land reform was accelerated. Although popular with the people of Chile, and inspite of a growing share of the electoral vote, Allende's government was unpopular with the military junta. As a result of the coup, tens of thousands of people were tortured and killed. Many were imprisoned, and hundreds of thousands of people fled or were expelled. The junta imposed extreme economic policies to the detriment of the working class. Over 2500 Chilean exiles settled in Britain. The intention of the CSC was to influence British governmental policy towards the military junta in Chile, and they worked in conjunction with protest movements within Chile. CSC members campaigned for an end to the oppressive tactics used by the military junta. They also attempted to bring attention to the atrocities being committed by Pinochet against opponents of his regime. Democracy was eventually restored to Chile in 1990, and shortly afterwards the activities of the Chile Solidarity Campaign ceased activities.