ARGENTINA: Argentines take to the street by the thousands to commemorate the thirty year anniversary of the country's last military coup

Record ID: 447856

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Argentines take to the street by the thousands to commemorate the thirty year anniversary of the country's last military coup
  • Date: 25th March 2006
  • Summary: (BN02) BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MARCH 24, 2006) (REUTERS) AUDIENCE APPLAUDING MOTHERS
  • Embargoed: 9th April 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA894CE0OGQGOSDXDOTDPOTEZU0
  • Story Text: Thousands took to the streets of Buenos Aires Friday (March 24) commemorating the thirty year anniversary of the military coup of the government of Isabel Peron, widow of Juan Peron.
    The marchers converged at the Plaza de Mayo, the city's main square, where they paid tribute to the thousands of political prisoners who lost their lives during the period known as the Dirty War.
    Officially, some 12,000 people were killed or disappeared at the hands of security forces during the Dirty War -- a systematic crackdown on leftists and dissidents by a military driven by Cold War politics. Human rights groups put the number at 30,000.
    Wearing their trademark white handkerchiefs, the "Mothers of Plaza de Mayo" entered the Plaza carrying a huge banner with photographs of their loved ones.
    During the commemorative ceremony the Mothers told the audience that they had not yet finished their task of finding everyone who had disappeared.
    "The Mothers are here with you, the people, and we will continue to be with you in this fight until we know what happened to each and every one of our children. What was their final destiny? Who gave the order? Who executed it? Because it's the least we could demand to know," said Marta Vazquez to the applause of the audience.
    Young people, many not yet born at the time of the coup, waved flags and banners.
    Since taking office in 2003, President Nestor Kirchner has shown a new political will to examine the dictatorship, during which he was held briefly by the military.
    In June, the Supreme Court repealed two amnesty laws shielding military officers from human rights prosecutions and cleared the way for hundreds to be tried for human rights crimes.
    The march's slogan was "Thirty years: memory, justice, truth", and was organised by 370 different social and political organisations.
    Kirchner urged Argentina's courts on Friday to overturn pardons granted to hundreds of military officers charged with torture and murder during the country's "Dirty War."
    The presidential pardons by former President Carlos Menem in the 1990s shield alleged abusers from prosecution and prison. They are considered the last remaining obstacle to bringing the military to justice for human rights abuses during one of Latin America's bloodiest dictatorships.
    Menem issued the pardons in an attempt at what he called national reconciliation. But Kirchner said the leniency had only increased frustration among victims' families.
    Officially, some 12,000 people were killed or disappeared under the 1976-1983 Dirty War -- a witch hunt of leftists by a military driven by Cold War politics. Human rights groups put the number at 30,000.
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