Chile: Exhumations

Chile's collective memory is currently focused on a couple of emblematic cases. After decades of general agreement that Salvador Allende had committed suicide during the military coup, this appears to have been thrown into doubt during the latest exhumation of his remains.

Exhumation of President Allende of Chile aims to settle mystery (NY Times)
President Allende’s death “may not have been a suicide” suggests forensic expert (Mercopress)
Chile military file suggest Allende may not have killed himself (NY Times)

Meanwhile, the death of poet Pablo Neruda is next in line for reinvestigation:

Pablo Neruda's death is next to be investigated as Chile exhumes its past (LA Times)
Chile murder probe into death of author Pablo Neruda (AFP)
Inquiry ordered in poet's death (NY Times)

Colombia: Victims' Law

Colombia has enacted a law which will grant reparations to victims of its long-running civil conflict.

“Our country is not condemned to 100 years of solitude,” said president Juan Manuel Santos.
Colombia signs landmark "Victims Law" to redress victims of internal conflict (Mercopress)

The law has received widespread praise, including from UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, who, however, points out that, "The proper and timely implementation of this law will determine whether expectations raised are met."
UN's Ban Ki-moon commends Victims' Law (Colombia Reports)

The BBC points out that implementing the law will be a huge challenge in a country with over three million internally displaced people, and where violence continues.
Law for victims passed by Senate (BBC)

Colombian Liberal Party lawmaker Guillermo Rivera says "this is only the beginning and there is still much to be done."
Land and Victims Law Crucial for Millions of Displaced Farmers in Colombia (IPS)

Human rights activist Marco Romero discusses some of the shortcomings and challenges of the law:
"Full Reparations Must Be Guaranteed" for Displaced Victims in Colombia (IPS)

Everybody is right not to get carried away; Colombia is still a country beset with problems. But this is a positive step.

Peru: Election round-up

I'm not going to deal with the coverage and commentary of the Peruvian presidential election, which has been widely discussed elsewhere, but a few articles related the subject of this blog did catch my eye:

No easy choice for women in presidential runoff (IPS)

Shadow of disgraced president looms in Peru race (Living in Peru)

Humala pledges justice for sterilisation victims (IPS)

Peruvian journalism and politics after the election of Ollanta Humala as president (Journalism in the Americas)

Peruvian-Japanese wrestle with Fujimori legacy (AFP)

For what it's worth, I will say that I can't say what kind of president Humala will turn out to be, but I am relieved that there isn't another Fujimori leading Peru.

Peru: Un dia en la memoria

I'm always retweeting the images of Un dia en la memoria and now, thanks to Roberto Bustamente of blog El morsa, we can see a discussion of the project from its creator, Mauricio Delgado (in Spanish):

Book Review: Red April by Santiago Roncagliolo

Santiago Roncagliolo's Red April (orig: Abril rojo, translated by Edith Grossman) has been out for a while now, and it's been on my reading list for some time as well. I finally got around to ordering it and then devoured it in three days, putting aside my other reading to do so - which is pretty much a recommendation in itself.

The book is both a whodunit and an investigation into the darkest side of Peru's recent history, caught between the violence of the Shining Path and the violence of those sent to fight them. The descriptions of Ayacucho are recognisable to anyone who has been there, even those who have only visited briefly, as I did. It's set in the period leading up to Easter in 2000, when the terrorists have supposedly been defeated and tourists need to be encouraged to return, but it soon becomes very clear that the "peace" masks continuing atrocities and deep trauma.

Assistant District Prosecutor Félix Chacaltana is happiest behind his desk, writing well-punctuated reports which nobody reads, but he becomes drawn into tracking down a serial killer and also turns out to have a dark side of his own. Chacaltana is sensitively drawn and provides both comic relief and some of the book's most challenging moments.

This book keeps the pages turning and the reader guessing until the very end. Highly recommended.

See also:
'Red April' wins the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize (Independent)
Red April by Santiago Roncagliolo (Guardian)

Peru: RIP Carlos Ivan Degregori

I'm saddened to hear of the death of Carlos Ivan Degregori, one of the most important writers on the Peruvian conflict and one of the members of the Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. This is a great loss to Peruvian academia and human rights - as well, of course, to his family and friends. I had the honour of meeting him at a conference in Newcastle several years ago and was impressed both by his presentation and his friendly manner.

Leading anthropologist Carlos Ivan Degregori dies after long illness (Peruvian Times)
Falleció Carlos Iván Degregori, uno de los artífices del informe de la CVR (El Comercio)
Falleció Carlos Iván Degregori (La Republica)

Argentina: Pacto de Silencio

A short film on illegal adoption from Argentina (Spanish only):