To day I have found renewed determination although it could have developed into a more negative condition of being. I awoke just after five am and decided that I need a few moments in bed after going to the toilet. It was six twenty when I awoke again but wasting not time I got myself up and to Marriot Leisure by quarter to seven. The pool was empty and may have been for fifteen to twenty minutes beforehand but I managed to complete 39 lengths before I was joined by another member. I completed 52 when two other female members arrived, so left to dry and read the Telegraph before a quick visit to Morrison’ s for two pints of milk, a double box of tissues, an a pack of four wash towels, a total expenditure of £4.25. I am nearly up-to-date in food and kitchen supplies with multiple choices for meals every day although I noted that tinned beg has started to get low once more in this never ending cycle. The theory behind keep everything up-to-date is that should I become temporarily incapacitated and unable to leave my home I will be able to survive as long as I can back and forth to kitchen, freezer and fridge.
Outside it was pouring rain from start to finish and the collapsible umbrella is showing wear and indeed some tear.
It will be considered that I wasted the rest of the morning playing games of level three chess against the computer. I have won 1108 games at this level with 43 drawn games and 26 defeats, the latter an excusable number. I have mot applied myself with sufficient alert attention to complete a run 101 winning games to move onto level 4 with the previous highest run 76, but today I felt in the mood and so far have notched up 80 with the determination to complete the 101 before bedtime as well as this piece of writing about the rescue fo the 33 miners in Chile. I reached 96 games won and then crashed. I will move onto level four and then return at a later stage to complete level three.
As I do not accept the concept of divine intervention I am reluctance to use the term, miraculous for the survival of the 33 miners buried underground. But the survival of all the men after 69 to 70 days, having had no contact with anyone for 17 days after the only exit became blocked does merit the description of wondrous, WoW and miraculous, as was the collective fortitude of the families who camped above the desolate mine in the desert to learn the fate of their love ones.
For an amazing period of twenty four hours half the world became glued to the TV as the men were rescue one at a time, and we learnt a lttile about their lives and that of their families. I will buy the book and see the motion picture as well as try and learn what happens to them individually and collectively. For as with those who fight a war, overcome the death of partner or divorce, the loss of a child in an accident or ill health, the impact is not only devastating at the time but prolonged with consequences which can last a lifetime.
It was fitting that this point was made in a film which I saw during the day, but which I did not note the title or the actors, It is a film I have seen before. A woman is happily married to a Member of Parliament who at the out break of World War Two leaves his idyllic village countryside home where he has the position of squire with a small estate and servants to serve his country as an officer in the army. When he is reported killed in action his wife cannot cope and insists on keeping everything of his as it was, unable to sleep she spends hours talking to his memory until, nanny and friends of her husband decide that she should take over his Parliamentary seat. Opposed to the idea at first she agrees after meeting constituents who need help and once she adjusts to the new life still at a time when most men considered that the place of a woman was home making, and certainly not in helping to run the country, she finds that she has an aptitude and becomes highly regarded within the political party. Then the husband returns unaware that he has been declared dead and that his wife has established a new life for herself. He wants everything to go back to the way it was and it is only when he realises he is at risk of losing everything that he starts to adjust to the new situation and make compromises. The film also dealt with those who had relationships with others, particularly USA personnel based in the UK at a time when no one knew if they would survive their next mission or aerial bombardment, and invasion and defeat which had also looked to be a possibility. This will be the same issue for the miners who will have bonded in adversity, facing the prospect of death from starvation and then rescue with half the world watching their emergence from the depths. For a short while like the returning hero they will feted, asked to appear on TV, offered presents, holidays, visits to football matches. There will be legal proceedings which will result in further publicity and then they will become like everyone else again. Will their marriages survive? Will family members become jealous if the fame and any rewards are not shared?
There have been just a handful of occasions when I felt the urge, need to remain attentive for days on end before the television since the emergence fo 24/7 news broadcasting. The first instance was the death of Diana, former Princess of Wales, and one time wife of the next King of England, although there is a question whether the title will pass onto his eldest son. That was the longest single session which lasted several days and where I have a dozen taped recordings, as well as press cuttings and Internet pages. I am yet to relive that experience when it is translated into the art installation project. I visited London and paid my respects at Harrods and the laying in State, but watched the funeral on TV. I followed the subsequent enquiries and have written about the Inquest.
The Falklands War and the two Iraq Wars and that In Afghanistan and Central Europe were also followed closely. I was visiting relatives on 9/11 and have written a little of that experience, but again will relive with the videos, the press cutting and the internet material and similarly the London bombings where the Inquest is being held at the present time. The other event was the Asian Tsunami. All the events were of great human tragedy and suffering which affected people beyond the period when the TV led the public obsession. I spent less time viewing the impact of Katrina on the City of New Orleans, a place I have longed to visit because of my love of Traditional Jazz.
Because of my own experiences I have taken an interest in a few Inquiries where the papers and some sessions have been available to view on line and it is noteworthy that none of these events were occasions for celebration although the survival and the bravery of human beings was often a major feature. This is not so for political events, UK General Elections and the Presidential in the United Sates where the outcome has been excellent from my viewpoint in more than one instance.
I begin with my knowledge of Chile, or more accurately my lack of knowledge. I did believe that there was a relative who went to Chile because life became too difficult in Spain but living relatives have no knowledge of this. I did learn something when General Pinochet came to power and later when it was event that the United States government had been complicit in the overthrow of the socialist leaning democratic government as well as the General subsequent reign of terror. I also knew the country was along strip of land covering different terrains from the tropics to the Antarctic.
I therefore turned to Wikipedia Chile which reveals that it has a Pacific coastline of 4000 miles plus a claim of 1.25 square kilometres of Antarctica and also possesses Easter Island. “ Its climate varies ranging from the world’s desert-the Atacama- in the north, through a Mediterranean climate in the centre, to a rainy temperate climate in the south, The northern desert contain great mineral wealth, principally . The relatively small central area dominates in terms of population and agricultural resources, and is the cultural and political centre from with Chile expanded in the 19 century, when it incorporated its northern and southern regions. Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands and features a string of volcanoes and lakes, The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords, inlets, canals, twisting peninsulas and islands.
The population is estimated to have become 17 million with a statistical average annual income of $10000 although this will reflect considerable extremes. The government claims to have reduced those living below European standard poverty measures from 45% in 1987 to under 14% in 2006 but this is contested and the figures is said to be more like 27 to 29% which does reflect a fall. Unemployed which has been as high as 10% is said to have fallen to under 7% 2007. Chile’s economy has been based on mining and selling copper to the USA with a recorded of high of over 33 billion dollars (2006 and to having a trade surplus with the US in excess of $20million. Exports to Asia were £27.8 billion and Europe $22.2 Chile has become the eight largest producer of wine and the fifth largest exporter.
The population continues to grow with different estimates of the balance between those of European, predominantly Spanish origin and those who are the consequences of relationships between Europeans and White Americans with indigenous people. The last census suggested that only 3% about 100000 individuals are natural descendents of indigenous people. The Spanish influence results in 70% of the population being active Catholics with around 15% non Catholic Christian religions. Because the population remains concentrated in the centre the Chilean Spanish which developed and remained the major language with limited dialect variation. The about a third of the total population live in Santiago with Greater Valparaiso and Greater Conception having over 800,000 and 650000 respectively. Of the 12 Provincial capital cities, 4 have populations in the 200000 and 5 between 15300 and 19100.
The country now appears to have a stable democratic government and President. It was in 1970 that Senator Salvador Allende, a physician and member of the Socialist Party of Chile took political control with a coalition and in a vote in the Chilean congress Allende was elected head of state by 153 votes 35, the most emphatic of endorsements anywhere. In order to cope with the economic depression and gulf between the minority wealthy and the majority in poverty the new President nationalised much of the banking and financial sector together with copper, nitrate, coal, iron and steel. He froze prices, agreed wage increases and tax reforms setting up public private works projects to create employment.
The popularity of these measures within Parliament and the people was such that Richard Nixon the US President authorised the destablization of the regime through secret black operations. The political and economic measure created massive inflation with prolonged and simultaneous strikes and with the help of the USA (unofficially) and the Supreme court, a right wing military coup seized power. An estimated 2000 people were murdered and over 25000 tortured including 88 children under the age of 12. The regime survived 8 years but then the President was deposed by the electorate and after a period of transition the modern democratic state was developed with a mixed economy.
In January 2010 Sebastian Pinera born1.12 1949, an exceptionally wealthy businessman who had become a senator won the second round in the Presidential Election. The family background is Spanish Basque and Asturian with his father an ambassador to Belgium and the United Nations for Chile. He was academically gifted graduating in 1971, completing studies at Harvard unbecoming a Professor of Economics and then of business studies. He has made his money from creating a credit card economy, from TV and investment in airlines. He is a part owner of a major football club. His business affairs has not been without controversy, investigation and even arrest and fining for financial irregularities.
Shortly before his election as President Chile suffered one of its greater earthquakes followed by a Tsunami immediately the country was struck by a major earthquake which devastated several coastal towns. The death toll has been put at between 500 and 700, with half a million properties damaged. The country was without electricity for a period ad there was chaos and some disorder. The President came to power promising to achieve a national rebuilding and recovery. This is the context in which the potential mining disaster of Coliapo occurred on August 5th.
There are some 884 mineral mines in the desert region of Atacama with only three reported government safety Inspectors. It was widely reported at the time that the main mines owned by major corporations are well run and having good safety record, adopting the standard good practice of always having two entrances/exists to all underground workings. However there are a lot of smaller concerns, often well exploited with poor to inadequate safety records but which continue to attract miners because they offer exceptionally better wages.
The Coliapo mine had a record with a history of fines for dangerous working conditions with several workers being killed and the firm closing down in 2007 after being successfully sued following the death of one worker. The mine owners reported that the shift of 33 men, all Chilean except one from Bolivia were either killed or trapped underground following the collapse of the only way in and out of the working area. Some miners close to the entrance had escaped.
It is known that the trapped miners had attempted to escape through a ventilation shaft but the required ladders were missing and these became unsafe as a means of escape following further rock movements.
It is known that the shift foreman/leader, appreciating the gravity of their position decided to organise his colleagues for a long term survival underground, controlling the limited food and water, so that each man was only issued with a meagre rations, but the effort was made to keep fit and to keep up morale. It is reported that the men have agreed not to disclose what happened during the 17 days before contact was made with them.
As stated the first attempts of rescue, undertaken directly by the Minster for Labour and Social Welfare with officials of the Mining Service failed when they found the ventilation shafts blocked. The President was attending the inauguration of his Columbian counterpart and facing the same kind of media criticism that had accompanied the previous President and government in relation to the Earthquake and Tsunami. Pinera immediately returned and took personal control, visiting the site on several occasions to see what was happening and to meet the families who commenced to camp out in the area.
Several boreholes shafts were made each of under six inches and on August 19th one reached the area which was most thought to be where the miners would be present if they and survive, but without contacting anyone. The miners had heard the drills at work and prepared notes saying they were all alive. On August 22nd they were able to attach a note to one of the drills and this note has now become world famous with copies presented world Leaders, including the British Prime Minister subsequently.
“Destiamos bien en ei refugio loss 33“.
We are well in the shelter, the 33 of us.
That they survived is one fo the remarkable stories in the history of mining. About three years ago I did a study fo coaling mining the Northumbria noting that before the Nationalization of the mines in 1948 there had been a history of fatal accidents with about a third involving children and young men, and some women and girls. Death from accidents became almost unknown in the Northern coalfields after the state became responsible for safety.
Once located the President and Mining Minister ensured that the advice of experts was obtained on the best approach and acquiring the best available technology. The first estimates was that the process would take several months but this was reduced. It is not clear at what point the new President arrange to make a trip to Europe to meet the Prime Ministers and heads of State in England France and Germany but it is suggested that every effort was made to begin and complete the rescue before the planned departure.
What also impressed is that during the continued imprisonment every effort was made to keep the men healthy in mind and body, keeping contact with their families. monitoring their health and diet, attending to psychological needs, and feeding the assembling TV and reporting services from throughout the world. A mini makeshift town was created in which the families and news agencies became bonded as much as the miners underground who it was reported would undertake a single legal action and would share the proceeds from the exploitation of their story.
It was then reported that the actual removal of the men would take two days. This was because it would be necessary to test the device a bullet shaped container 21 inches wide which could just take a man in terms of height and width, sending down a team of rescuers including paramedics. The capsule was designed by NASA and constructed by the Chilean Navy, included Oxygen masks, heart monitors, and video cameras. It spun slowly rising at a rate of one metre a second, 2.2 MPH and the journey took from 12 to 18 minutes with first lowering and raisings taking an hour overall and at a rate of five in two hours towards the end.
The plan which was followed almost in every instance was for the man’s condition to be checked immediately on arrival to the surface before being greeted by one or two members of his family and then the Presidential Party before being placed on a trolley for immediate medical assistance and assessment. They were then ferried by helicopter to the nearest hospital in a town in which the majority of the men lived for up to two days. In between there was opportunity to have a private meeting with their immediate family who would also be able to visit during the hospital stay. Attention was given to their psychological as well as physical condition and they would received official monitoring help for an initial period of six months. There were two notable exceptions to the process. The second individual was so excited that he embraced many of the rescue team as well as the Presidential party and then took the opportunity of making a statement to media with his family present. The foreman, equated by the President as the ship’s captain, was the last to leave and walked into the medical centre instead of using the trolley. The second man up brought up some mineral rocks from the mine which he had to the President and which were then given in presentation boxes to heads of state visited. It was evident that the rescue was orchestrated to the smallest detail in which the men voluntarily agreed to play their part. This was as it should have been because they are destined to become international symbols of Chilean rebirth on the World’s stage as well of the place of South America. The men all wore dark glasses to enable the to adjust to day light once more. All but one fo the men appeared to be in good health. One had developed pneumonia.
There was great festivities in Chile which also seemed to awaken a great sense of national pride which the President was able to fully exploit. Although clearly the President and his advisers exploited the media opportunity for himself and his country, it was evident to those of us who witnessed the event throughout the 24 hours that the President was excited and relieved that everyone survived. There was nothing formal about his embraces although the words he used appeared to have been rethought An aspect which all the British and USA news media reported is the openness of the authorities to the media interest and in particular the approach of the Mining Minister Laurence Goldborne, an engineer and entrepreneur. His honesty, frankness and willingness to report the position as it was at all times through the media to his countrymen resulted in his becoming the most popular politician in his county.
He and the President have promised a new deal for all workers, not just miners, although given the information available on the present situation this is going to prove a difficult task, and having set the gold standard in terms of saving life in this instance, they are likely to find sustaining their own position by making improvements which stand the test of time a challenge which either establish them as long term heroes along with the miners, or become symbols of promising what is beyond the ability of anyone, including dictators, to achieve which will last indefinitely,
My personal experience as is the experience of history is that even when you have the momentum with you, achieved by popular and mass will and it has to be recognised that both Communism in Russia and Fascism, in Germany, Italy and Spain had widespread enthusiastic support, as have the major religions of Christian Muslim and Jew, living the ideal indefinitely has proved impossible, because there are always those with different ideologies, just as fanatical in opposition as in favour and all ideals become corrupted by individual human frailty. There is the inevitable development of imposing the system on everyone, of eliminating the opposition and continuing to present the situation as you would like it to be than it is. No one has yet devised the way of life which contains its renewal, address the nature fo humanity, and its evolution in general and within each lifetime, in which every individual understands and accepts their role, regards their position as fair and remains happy, content an satisfied.
Outside it was pouring rain from start to finish and the collapsible umbrella is showing wear and indeed some tear.
It will be considered that I wasted the rest of the morning playing games of level three chess against the computer. I have won 1108 games at this level with 43 drawn games and 26 defeats, the latter an excusable number. I have mot applied myself with sufficient alert attention to complete a run 101 winning games to move onto level 4 with the previous highest run 76, but today I felt in the mood and so far have notched up 80 with the determination to complete the 101 before bedtime as well as this piece of writing about the rescue fo the 33 miners in Chile. I reached 96 games won and then crashed. I will move onto level four and then return at a later stage to complete level three.
As I do not accept the concept of divine intervention I am reluctance to use the term, miraculous for the survival of the 33 miners buried underground. But the survival of all the men after 69 to 70 days, having had no contact with anyone for 17 days after the only exit became blocked does merit the description of wondrous, WoW and miraculous, as was the collective fortitude of the families who camped above the desolate mine in the desert to learn the fate of their love ones.
For an amazing period of twenty four hours half the world became glued to the TV as the men were rescue one at a time, and we learnt a lttile about their lives and that of their families. I will buy the book and see the motion picture as well as try and learn what happens to them individually and collectively. For as with those who fight a war, overcome the death of partner or divorce, the loss of a child in an accident or ill health, the impact is not only devastating at the time but prolonged with consequences which can last a lifetime.
It was fitting that this point was made in a film which I saw during the day, but which I did not note the title or the actors, It is a film I have seen before. A woman is happily married to a Member of Parliament who at the out break of World War Two leaves his idyllic village countryside home where he has the position of squire with a small estate and servants to serve his country as an officer in the army. When he is reported killed in action his wife cannot cope and insists on keeping everything of his as it was, unable to sleep she spends hours talking to his memory until, nanny and friends of her husband decide that she should take over his Parliamentary seat. Opposed to the idea at first she agrees after meeting constituents who need help and once she adjusts to the new life still at a time when most men considered that the place of a woman was home making, and certainly not in helping to run the country, she finds that she has an aptitude and becomes highly regarded within the political party. Then the husband returns unaware that he has been declared dead and that his wife has established a new life for herself. He wants everything to go back to the way it was and it is only when he realises he is at risk of losing everything that he starts to adjust to the new situation and make compromises. The film also dealt with those who had relationships with others, particularly USA personnel based in the UK at a time when no one knew if they would survive their next mission or aerial bombardment, and invasion and defeat which had also looked to be a possibility. This will be the same issue for the miners who will have bonded in adversity, facing the prospect of death from starvation and then rescue with half the world watching their emergence from the depths. For a short while like the returning hero they will feted, asked to appear on TV, offered presents, holidays, visits to football matches. There will be legal proceedings which will result in further publicity and then they will become like everyone else again. Will their marriages survive? Will family members become jealous if the fame and any rewards are not shared?
There have been just a handful of occasions when I felt the urge, need to remain attentive for days on end before the television since the emergence fo 24/7 news broadcasting. The first instance was the death of Diana, former Princess of Wales, and one time wife of the next King of England, although there is a question whether the title will pass onto his eldest son. That was the longest single session which lasted several days and where I have a dozen taped recordings, as well as press cuttings and Internet pages. I am yet to relive that experience when it is translated into the art installation project. I visited London and paid my respects at Harrods and the laying in State, but watched the funeral on TV. I followed the subsequent enquiries and have written about the Inquest.
The Falklands War and the two Iraq Wars and that In Afghanistan and Central Europe were also followed closely. I was visiting relatives on 9/11 and have written a little of that experience, but again will relive with the videos, the press cutting and the internet material and similarly the London bombings where the Inquest is being held at the present time. The other event was the Asian Tsunami. All the events were of great human tragedy and suffering which affected people beyond the period when the TV led the public obsession. I spent less time viewing the impact of Katrina on the City of New Orleans, a place I have longed to visit because of my love of Traditional Jazz.
Because of my own experiences I have taken an interest in a few Inquiries where the papers and some sessions have been available to view on line and it is noteworthy that none of these events were occasions for celebration although the survival and the bravery of human beings was often a major feature. This is not so for political events, UK General Elections and the Presidential in the United Sates where the outcome has been excellent from my viewpoint in more than one instance.
I begin with my knowledge of Chile, or more accurately my lack of knowledge. I did believe that there was a relative who went to Chile because life became too difficult in Spain but living relatives have no knowledge of this. I did learn something when General Pinochet came to power and later when it was event that the United States government had been complicit in the overthrow of the socialist leaning democratic government as well as the General subsequent reign of terror. I also knew the country was along strip of land covering different terrains from the tropics to the Antarctic.
I therefore turned to Wikipedia Chile which reveals that it has a Pacific coastline of 4000 miles plus a claim of 1.25 square kilometres of Antarctica and also possesses Easter Island. “ Its climate varies ranging from the world’s desert-the Atacama- in the north, through a Mediterranean climate in the centre, to a rainy temperate climate in the south, The northern desert contain great mineral wealth, principally . The relatively small central area dominates in terms of population and agricultural resources, and is the cultural and political centre from with Chile expanded in the 19 century, when it incorporated its northern and southern regions. Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands and features a string of volcanoes and lakes, The southern coast is a labyrinth of fjords, inlets, canals, twisting peninsulas and islands.
The population is estimated to have become 17 million with a statistical average annual income of $10000 although this will reflect considerable extremes. The government claims to have reduced those living below European standard poverty measures from 45% in 1987 to under 14% in 2006 but this is contested and the figures is said to be more like 27 to 29% which does reflect a fall. Unemployed which has been as high as 10% is said to have fallen to under 7% 2007. Chile’s economy has been based on mining and selling copper to the USA with a recorded of high of over 33 billion dollars (2006 and to having a trade surplus with the US in excess of $20million. Exports to Asia were £27.8 billion and Europe $22.2 Chile has become the eight largest producer of wine and the fifth largest exporter.
The population continues to grow with different estimates of the balance between those of European, predominantly Spanish origin and those who are the consequences of relationships between Europeans and White Americans with indigenous people. The last census suggested that only 3% about 100000 individuals are natural descendents of indigenous people. The Spanish influence results in 70% of the population being active Catholics with around 15% non Catholic Christian religions. Because the population remains concentrated in the centre the Chilean Spanish which developed and remained the major language with limited dialect variation. The about a third of the total population live in Santiago with Greater Valparaiso and Greater Conception having over 800,000 and 650000 respectively. Of the 12 Provincial capital cities, 4 have populations in the 200000 and 5 between 15300 and 19100.
The country now appears to have a stable democratic government and President. It was in 1970 that Senator Salvador Allende, a physician and member of the Socialist Party of Chile took political control with a coalition and in a vote in the Chilean congress Allende was elected head of state by 153 votes 35, the most emphatic of endorsements anywhere. In order to cope with the economic depression and gulf between the minority wealthy and the majority in poverty the new President nationalised much of the banking and financial sector together with copper, nitrate, coal, iron and steel. He froze prices, agreed wage increases and tax reforms setting up public private works projects to create employment.
The popularity of these measures within Parliament and the people was such that Richard Nixon the US President authorised the destablization of the regime through secret black operations. The political and economic measure created massive inflation with prolonged and simultaneous strikes and with the help of the USA (unofficially) and the Supreme court, a right wing military coup seized power. An estimated 2000 people were murdered and over 25000 tortured including 88 children under the age of 12. The regime survived 8 years but then the President was deposed by the electorate and after a period of transition the modern democratic state was developed with a mixed economy.
In January 2010 Sebastian Pinera born1.12 1949, an exceptionally wealthy businessman who had become a senator won the second round in the Presidential Election. The family background is Spanish Basque and Asturian with his father an ambassador to Belgium and the United Nations for Chile. He was academically gifted graduating in 1971, completing studies at Harvard unbecoming a Professor of Economics and then of business studies. He has made his money from creating a credit card economy, from TV and investment in airlines. He is a part owner of a major football club. His business affairs has not been without controversy, investigation and even arrest and fining for financial irregularities.
Shortly before his election as President Chile suffered one of its greater earthquakes followed by a Tsunami immediately the country was struck by a major earthquake which devastated several coastal towns. The death toll has been put at between 500 and 700, with half a million properties damaged. The country was without electricity for a period ad there was chaos and some disorder. The President came to power promising to achieve a national rebuilding and recovery. This is the context in which the potential mining disaster of Coliapo occurred on August 5th.
There are some 884 mineral mines in the desert region of Atacama with only three reported government safety Inspectors. It was widely reported at the time that the main mines owned by major corporations are well run and having good safety record, adopting the standard good practice of always having two entrances/exists to all underground workings. However there are a lot of smaller concerns, often well exploited with poor to inadequate safety records but which continue to attract miners because they offer exceptionally better wages.
The Coliapo mine had a record with a history of fines for dangerous working conditions with several workers being killed and the firm closing down in 2007 after being successfully sued following the death of one worker. The mine owners reported that the shift of 33 men, all Chilean except one from Bolivia were either killed or trapped underground following the collapse of the only way in and out of the working area. Some miners close to the entrance had escaped.
It is known that the trapped miners had attempted to escape through a ventilation shaft but the required ladders were missing and these became unsafe as a means of escape following further rock movements.
It is known that the shift foreman/leader, appreciating the gravity of their position decided to organise his colleagues for a long term survival underground, controlling the limited food and water, so that each man was only issued with a meagre rations, but the effort was made to keep fit and to keep up morale. It is reported that the men have agreed not to disclose what happened during the 17 days before contact was made with them.
As stated the first attempts of rescue, undertaken directly by the Minster for Labour and Social Welfare with officials of the Mining Service failed when they found the ventilation shafts blocked. The President was attending the inauguration of his Columbian counterpart and facing the same kind of media criticism that had accompanied the previous President and government in relation to the Earthquake and Tsunami. Pinera immediately returned and took personal control, visiting the site on several occasions to see what was happening and to meet the families who commenced to camp out in the area.
Several boreholes shafts were made each of under six inches and on August 19th one reached the area which was most thought to be where the miners would be present if they and survive, but without contacting anyone. The miners had heard the drills at work and prepared notes saying they were all alive. On August 22nd they were able to attach a note to one of the drills and this note has now become world famous with copies presented world Leaders, including the British Prime Minister subsequently.
“Destiamos bien en ei refugio loss 33“.
We are well in the shelter, the 33 of us.
That they survived is one fo the remarkable stories in the history of mining. About three years ago I did a study fo coaling mining the Northumbria noting that before the Nationalization of the mines in 1948 there had been a history of fatal accidents with about a third involving children and young men, and some women and girls. Death from accidents became almost unknown in the Northern coalfields after the state became responsible for safety.
Once located the President and Mining Minister ensured that the advice of experts was obtained on the best approach and acquiring the best available technology. The first estimates was that the process would take several months but this was reduced. It is not clear at what point the new President arrange to make a trip to Europe to meet the Prime Ministers and heads of State in England France and Germany but it is suggested that every effort was made to begin and complete the rescue before the planned departure.
What also impressed is that during the continued imprisonment every effort was made to keep the men healthy in mind and body, keeping contact with their families. monitoring their health and diet, attending to psychological needs, and feeding the assembling TV and reporting services from throughout the world. A mini makeshift town was created in which the families and news agencies became bonded as much as the miners underground who it was reported would undertake a single legal action and would share the proceeds from the exploitation of their story.
It was then reported that the actual removal of the men would take two days. This was because it would be necessary to test the device a bullet shaped container 21 inches wide which could just take a man in terms of height and width, sending down a team of rescuers including paramedics. The capsule was designed by NASA and constructed by the Chilean Navy, included Oxygen masks, heart monitors, and video cameras. It spun slowly rising at a rate of one metre a second, 2.2 MPH and the journey took from 12 to 18 minutes with first lowering and raisings taking an hour overall and at a rate of five in two hours towards the end.
The plan which was followed almost in every instance was for the man’s condition to be checked immediately on arrival to the surface before being greeted by one or two members of his family and then the Presidential Party before being placed on a trolley for immediate medical assistance and assessment. They were then ferried by helicopter to the nearest hospital in a town in which the majority of the men lived for up to two days. In between there was opportunity to have a private meeting with their immediate family who would also be able to visit during the hospital stay. Attention was given to their psychological as well as physical condition and they would received official monitoring help for an initial period of six months. There were two notable exceptions to the process. The second individual was so excited that he embraced many of the rescue team as well as the Presidential party and then took the opportunity of making a statement to media with his family present. The foreman, equated by the President as the ship’s captain, was the last to leave and walked into the medical centre instead of using the trolley. The second man up brought up some mineral rocks from the mine which he had to the President and which were then given in presentation boxes to heads of state visited. It was evident that the rescue was orchestrated to the smallest detail in which the men voluntarily agreed to play their part. This was as it should have been because they are destined to become international symbols of Chilean rebirth on the World’s stage as well of the place of South America. The men all wore dark glasses to enable the to adjust to day light once more. All but one fo the men appeared to be in good health. One had developed pneumonia.
There was great festivities in Chile which also seemed to awaken a great sense of national pride which the President was able to fully exploit. Although clearly the President and his advisers exploited the media opportunity for himself and his country, it was evident to those of us who witnessed the event throughout the 24 hours that the President was excited and relieved that everyone survived. There was nothing formal about his embraces although the words he used appeared to have been rethought An aspect which all the British and USA news media reported is the openness of the authorities to the media interest and in particular the approach of the Mining Minister Laurence Goldborne, an engineer and entrepreneur. His honesty, frankness and willingness to report the position as it was at all times through the media to his countrymen resulted in his becoming the most popular politician in his county.
He and the President have promised a new deal for all workers, not just miners, although given the information available on the present situation this is going to prove a difficult task, and having set the gold standard in terms of saving life in this instance, they are likely to find sustaining their own position by making improvements which stand the test of time a challenge which either establish them as long term heroes along with the miners, or become symbols of promising what is beyond the ability of anyone, including dictators, to achieve which will last indefinitely,
My personal experience as is the experience of history is that even when you have the momentum with you, achieved by popular and mass will and it has to be recognised that both Communism in Russia and Fascism, in Germany, Italy and Spain had widespread enthusiastic support, as have the major religions of Christian Muslim and Jew, living the ideal indefinitely has proved impossible, because there are always those with different ideologies, just as fanatical in opposition as in favour and all ideals become corrupted by individual human frailty. There is the inevitable development of imposing the system on everyone, of eliminating the opposition and continuing to present the situation as you would like it to be than it is. No one has yet devised the way of life which contains its renewal, address the nature fo humanity, and its evolution in general and within each lifetime, in which every individual understands and accepts their role, regards their position as fair and remains happy, content an satisfied.
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