IT IS not without irony that General Pinochet, the brutal dictator of Chile, died as the world commemorated International Human Rights Day (December 10).

As the world remembers and many strive to fight human right violations wherever they occur, Pinochet passed away before the victims of his torturing regime were able to find comfort in his prosecution for hundreds of thousands of crimes against humanity.

Members of Rossendale and Hyndburn Amnesty International Group are calling for the law in Chile that allows immunity for crimes committed before 1978 to be made null and void so that his fellow perpetrators can be brought to justice.

We will be asking our MPs to urge our Government to encourage their counterparts in Chile to act as soon as possible.

Sadly, millions of people face the same treatment that Pinochet handed out to his citizens.

Recently there was a day of protest at the treatment of mainly women in Dafur who face shocking sexual violence in the absence of a UN presence.

We could not turn a blind eye to what happened in Chile 30 years ago and we must not do so now in Dafur or wherever torture and disappearances happen.

If you would like more information about our group or Amnesty's work, please call 01706 214925.

If you think your voice is not going to be heard, please remember that the thousands of voices that joined together to put pressure on the Pakistan Government were heard and we have just seen Mirza Hussain, from Leeds, released from 18 years on death row after a seriously unfair trial.

KATE CONBOY-GREENWOOD, Chair Rossendale and Hyndburn AI Group, Blackburn Road, Haslingden.