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HuckleB Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-25-04 02:00 PM
Original message
Argentine Ceremonies Cast Light on 'Dirty War'

Argentine Ceremonies Cast Light on 'Dirty War'


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-argen25mar25,1,4713177.story?coll=la-headlines-world

"Four angry generals, five miffed governors and a pair of missing oil paintings were not enough to prevent President Nestor Kirchner from commemorating the dead of Argentina's "dirty war" with two powerfully symbolic acts Wednesday that hit hard at the legacy of the country's former military dictators.

Kirchner dedicated the Museum of Memory at the Navy Mechanics School, former site of a concentration camp where thousands of prisoners were tortured and murdered from 1976 to 1983 under military rule.   
   
"I come to ask for forgiveness on behalf of the state for the shame of having remained silent about these atrocities during 20 years of democracy," Kirchner said at a rally outside the school. "And to those who committed these macabre and sinister acts, now we can call you what you are by name: You are assassins who have been repudiated by the people."
...

"Never again can we allow constitutional order to be subverted in Argentina," Kirchner said at a separate ceremony at the college. "It is the people of Argentina, with their vote, who will define the destiny of Argentina."


___________________________________________________________

Related articles...

Dirty War generals' portraits removed -- Argentine leader angers officers, honors victims, apologizes for his own silence
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/03/25/MNGIV5QTOO1.DTL&type=printable

Former Argentinian death camp to become museum
http://www.guardian.co.uk/argentina/story/0,11439,1177123,00.html

Kirchner seeks to heal wounds inflicted by junta
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1079419876370

Argentine Dirty War museum hailed
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3566301.stm

Generals object to torture museum
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3568795.stm

Argentina's 'dirty war' files released
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2206534.stm

Analysis: New era for Argentine justice?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2126532.stm
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Commie Pinko Dirtbag Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-25-04 02:34 PM
Response to Original message
1. If you have a strong stomach
Google for "night of the pencils". You have been warned.
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SpiralHawk Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-25-04 03:04 PM
Response to Original message
2. A great speech. A show of honor
Edited on Thu Mar-25-04 03:06 PM by SpiralHawk
Memo to the G.O.P. -- please copy:

It is alright to tell the truth. It even says so in the Bible.

Telling the truth results in honest ground, and something new and fertile can be planted in such ground.

Good luck Argentinian brothers and sisters...
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Judi Lynn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-25-04 03:33 PM
Response to Original message
3. Thanks so much to HuckleB for these links.
We have been absolutely denied information on what was going on in South American during the times these things were going on. A total news blackout. Who the #### KNEW?????

Blessings on Argentina's decent President Nestor Kirchner. I hope the right-wing in his country will stay the hell back and let him get some important healing of the country's massive wounds accomplished. They HAD their chance, by god, and look what they did!

Thanks, also to JCCyC for alerting us newcomers to Argentinian history about the "Night of the Pencils." Looking for a source in google took me to this excellent site which contains testimony from people who were involved. Thanks so much for this chance to find out what happened:

http://www.nuncamas.org/english/library/nevagain/nevagain_223.htm
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HuckleB Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Mar-25-04 04:44 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. Anytime.
Yesterday was a great day for Argentina.

Thanks for great link regarding the Night of the Pencils...

Salud!
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HuckleB Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-26-04 09:27 AM
Response to Original message
5. One kick for Argentina.
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tlcandie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-26-04 09:54 AM
Response to Original message
6. Doctrine Behind the Repression....
Edited on Fri Mar-26-04 10:09 AM by tlcandie
Lots of US intervention here...Linked from the nucas link provided above:

http://www.nuncamas.org/english/library/nevagain/nevagain_281.htm

I see a lot of what has/is happening here within this document... far RW Christian morality and the military being beyond reproach.

EDIT: Clarity. I did not say that this WAS us, but it certainly seems that we are ripe for the picking from reading this information.

May ALL South Americans find peace and prosperity by their own choice w/o being manipulated by governments and politics.

EDIT #2: Taken from the Conclusion of this same document:

<snip>
We can state categorically - contrary to what the executors of this sinister plan maintain - that they did not pursue only the members of political organizations who carried out acts of terrorism. Among the victims are thousands who never had any links with such activity but were nevertheless subjected to horrific torture because they opposed the military dictatorship, took part in union or student activities, were well-known intellectuals who questioned state terrorism, or simply because they were relatives, friends, or names included in the address book of someone considered subversive.
<snip>


EDIT: #3 Taken from the Prologue of this same document:

<snip>
During the 1970s, Argentina was torn by terror from both the extreme right and the far left. This phenomenon was not unique to our country. Italy, for example, has suffered for many years from the heartless attacks of Fascist groups, the Red Brigades, and other similar organizations. Never at any time, however, did that country abandon the principles of law in its fight against these terrorists, and it managed to resolve the problem through the normal courts of law, guaranteeing the accused all their rights of a fair hearing. When Aldo Moro was kidnapped, a member of the security forces suggested to General Della Chiesa that a suspect who apparently knew a lot be tortured. The general replied with the memorable words: ’Italy can survive the loss of Aldo Moro. It would not survive the introduction of torture.’

The same cannot be said of our country. The armed forces responded to the terrorists’ crimes with a terrorism far worse than the one they were combating, and after 24 March 1976 they could count on the power and impunity of an absolute state, which they misused to abduct, torture and kill thousands of human beings.
<snip>


It seems that the introduction of torture is where the balance went off course and the country spiraled into this nightmare. I find it interesting that the US is doing the same, albeit in reportedly indiscrete locations, which supposedly makes it legally and morally a non-issue.

I remember at the beginning threads on the introduction of torture and countries were discussing about it being introduced as an 'acceptable' means of interrogation when all this Afghan/Iraq mess started.

EDIT: #4 This is indeed sobering and the US really needs to wake up NOW, before there is no going back!
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