The BBC has a short video about efforts to find the bodies of Mexico's 'dirty war' victims:
Mexicans dig for 'disappeared' (BBC)
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Monday, 14 July 2008
Argentina: Convictions for Masacre de Fatima
Two Argentine former police officers have received life sentences for their part in the so-called Masacre de Fatima in 1976, in which 30 people were murdered.
News reports are contradictory here: Reuters states that of the three defendants, Carlos Gallone and Juan Carlos Lapuyole were convicted, and Pagina/12 concurs, noting that the third, Miguel Trimarchi, was acquitted. However The Buenos Aires Herald has this the other way around; Lapuyole was freed and Trimarchi found guilty.
It is clear that Gallone was convicted, and I've had an interest in him since I first saw this image several years ago:
In this image Gallone is embracing a member of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo during a protest in 1982. It's a very strange, arresting image; you just don't see members of the security forces embracing human rights activists, and in the early 1980s, before the end of the dictatorship, you definitely didn't. Also, look at the horrified faces of the two women in the background.
It's not clear exactly what led to this emotional encounter; the Madres themselves reported that the women was not hugging Gallone, but attempting to beat his chest with frustation and despair. Much to the anger of the Madres, however, Gallone later tried to claim that this photograph proved his 'good relationship' with the human rights movement - hence, he must be a nice guy, hence, he couldn't be a murderer.
Fortunately, this isn't much hard evidence for a court, and it seems that Gallone's past has finally come back to him.
On the conviction:
Argentine police get life term in 'dirty war' case (Reuters)
Life Sentence for Fatima Massacre (Buenos Aires Herald)
Dos ex policias condenados a prision perpetua (Pagina/12)
Ex-Argentine cops convicted for "Dirty War" massacre (The Latin Americanist)
On the background of the image:
Fotos con historia (Memoria Abierta)
Trucho como un abrazo de represor ('Yo tengo buena relacion con los organismos de derechos humanos. Soy el que aparece en la foto con una madre de Plaza de Mayo', Pagina/12)
News reports are contradictory here: Reuters states that of the three defendants, Carlos Gallone and Juan Carlos Lapuyole were convicted, and Pagina/12 concurs, noting that the third, Miguel Trimarchi, was acquitted. However The Buenos Aires Herald has this the other way around; Lapuyole was freed and Trimarchi found guilty.
It is clear that Gallone was convicted, and I've had an interest in him since I first saw this image several years ago:
In this image Gallone is embracing a member of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo during a protest in 1982. It's a very strange, arresting image; you just don't see members of the security forces embracing human rights activists, and in the early 1980s, before the end of the dictatorship, you definitely didn't. Also, look at the horrified faces of the two women in the background.It's not clear exactly what led to this emotional encounter; the Madres themselves reported that the women was not hugging Gallone, but attempting to beat his chest with frustation and despair. Much to the anger of the Madres, however, Gallone later tried to claim that this photograph proved his 'good relationship' with the human rights movement - hence, he must be a nice guy, hence, he couldn't be a murderer.
Fortunately, this isn't much hard evidence for a court, and it seems that Gallone's past has finally come back to him.
On the conviction:
Argentine police get life term in 'dirty war' case (Reuters)
Life Sentence for Fatima Massacre (Buenos Aires Herald)
Dos ex policias condenados a prision perpetua (Pagina/12)
Ex-Argentine cops convicted for "Dirty War" massacre (The Latin Americanist)
On the background of the image:
Fotos con historia (Memoria Abierta)
Trucho como un abrazo de represor ('Yo tengo buena relacion con los organismos de derechos humanos. Soy el que aparece en la foto con una madre de Plaza de Mayo', Pagina/12)
Sunday, 13 July 2008
Peru: La Cantuta
16 years after the massacre of La Cantuta, the remains of the victims are to be returned to their families.
In 1992, 9 students and a professor of the university of Enrique Guzman y Valle, better known as Cantuta, were disappeared by members of the Colina Group who suspected them of involvement in 'subversive' activity. Their bodies were discovered the following year, after an investigation by the magazine Si, in Cieneguilla, an area just outside Lima which is popular with picknickers at weekends.
The Cantuta case is one of the ones for which Fujimori is currently standing trial (see background here).
La Republica is reporting today that it was only possible to identify definitively 5 of the victims. In fact, the bodies have been returned to the families before, in 1994, at which time, according to the relatives, they were handed cardboard boxes by the police which contained rubbish from the shallow grave mixed with the bones of their loved ones. The remains were then exhumed once 2002 for further investigations. Let's hope that this time, they really can rest in peace.
Solo se pudo identificar por descarte cientifico a cinco victimas de La Cantuta (La Republica)
Tras 16 años devolveran cuerpos de victimas de masacre en La Cantuta (El Comercio)
In 1992, 9 students and a professor of the university of Enrique Guzman y Valle, better known as Cantuta, were disappeared by members of the Colina Group who suspected them of involvement in 'subversive' activity. Their bodies were discovered the following year, after an investigation by the magazine Si, in Cieneguilla, an area just outside Lima which is popular with picknickers at weekends.
The Cantuta case is one of the ones for which Fujimori is currently standing trial (see background here).
La Republica is reporting today that it was only possible to identify definitively 5 of the victims. In fact, the bodies have been returned to the families before, in 1994, at which time, according to the relatives, they were handed cardboard boxes by the police which contained rubbish from the shallow grave mixed with the bones of their loved ones. The remains were then exhumed once 2002 for further investigations. Let's hope that this time, they really can rest in peace.
Solo se pudo identificar por descarte cientifico a cinco victimas de La Cantuta (La Republica)
Tras 16 años devolveran cuerpos de victimas de masacre en La Cantuta (El Comercio)
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Chile: The Hunt for Heim
Efraim Zuroff, of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre in Israel, has arrived in Chile on his continued search for Aribert Heim, the most-wanted Nazi thought to be still at large. The Israelis believe Heim, now 94, is still alive, likely to be living near his daughter in Chile, and they want to make one last attempt to bring him to justice before it's too late.
Most-wanted Nazi sought in Chile (BBC)
Most-wanted Nazi sought in Chile (BBC)
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Peru: Fujimori Trial
In his much-anticipated testimony, Vladimiro Montesinos stated that crimes - such as illegal phone-tapping - can be committed for matters of state.
Vladimiro Montesinos says crimes can be committed for matters of state (Fujimori on Trial)
Nevertheless, his testimony has now been declared invalid by the court, after he first agreed to testify and then later abruptly invoked his right to silence.
Former Army Commander General admits there were disappearances (Fujimori on Trial)
Vladimiro Montesinos says crimes can be committed for matters of state (Fujimori on Trial)
Nevertheless, his testimony has now been declared invalid by the court, after he first agreed to testify and then later abruptly invoked his right to silence.
it's true that there were disappearances but there were also a lot of heroes in our army...Meanwhile, former Army Commander General, Pedro Villanueva Valdivia, has admitted that forced disappearances did take place during the conflict with Sendero Luminoso.
Former Army Commander General admits there were disappearances (Fujimori on Trial)
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
News Headlines
The Argentine Supreme Court has rejected an attempt by Germany to extradite former junta leaders Videla and Massera in connection with the death of a German citizen, Elizabeth Kaesemann, during the dictatorship.
La Corte rechazo un pedido de Alemania para extraditar a Videla y Massera (Clarin)
IPS reflects on Montesino's testimonies:
Montesinos Defends Fujimori, Then Clams Up
Finally, NACLA has an article on Obama and his attitude to the School of the Americas.
La Corte rechazo un pedido de Alemania para extraditar a Videla y Massera (Clarin)
IPS reflects on Montesino's testimonies:
Montesinos Defends Fujimori, Then Clams Up
Finally, NACLA has an article on Obama and his attitude to the School of the Americas.
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Peru: Montesinos Testifies
After a few weeks of part-time hearings while Fujimori convalesced from an operation on his tongue, the trial has picked up again with eagerly-anticipated testimony from the ex-'spy chief' Vladimiro Montesinos.
The Peruvian press is united in focusing on the story and on Montesino's defence of his former boss. La Republica, with its typical large image on the front page, goes for side-by-side portraits of the two and the headline "They're still accomplices".
El Comercio also keeps its customary style of numerous stories on the front page but its images, while small, are similar to that of La Republica:
Peru 21 has been playing around a little and gone for an even more obvious representation of the pair's close relationship:
The headline here is a saying which could be translated in a variety of ways - 'like two peas in a pod', or 'hand in glove' perhaps... but maybe 'thick as thieves' is the most appropriate rendering.
In the English language press, you can read the BBC's report on the proceedings:
Spy chief defends Peru's Fujimori (BBC)
The Peruvian Times notes that:
Fujimori's former spy chief testifies he is innocent of sanctioning death squad (Peruvian Times)
Finally, don't forget the excellent bilingual blog, Fujimori on Trial.
The Peruvian press is united in focusing on the story and on Montesino's defence of his former boss. La Republica, with its typical large image on the front page, goes for side-by-side portraits of the two and the headline "They're still accomplices".
El Comercio also keeps its customary style of numerous stories on the front page but its images, while small, are similar to that of La Republica:
Peru 21 has been playing around a little and gone for an even more obvious representation of the pair's close relationship:
The headline here is a saying which could be translated in a variety of ways - 'like two peas in a pod', or 'hand in glove' perhaps... but maybe 'thick as thieves' is the most appropriate rendering.
In the English language press, you can read the BBC's report on the proceedings:
Spy chief defends Peru's Fujimori (BBC)
The Peruvian Times notes that:
Fujimori, 69, could hardly contain a grin as his former spy chief described him as a "courageous" hero who defeated a bloody leftist insurgency and lifted Peru from its knees.He then argued with the prosecutor and refused to answer questions.
Fujimori's former spy chief testifies he is innocent of sanctioning death squad (Peruvian Times)
Finally, don't forget the excellent bilingual blog, Fujimori on Trial.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
