Monday 4 August 2008

Argentina: Another Grandchild Found

Another disappeared child has been found in Argentina, to the joy of the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, and largely thanks to the efforts of his siblings. An interview with Emilio Goya, the brother of Jorge Guillermo Goya, appears in today's Pagina/12, and I'll translate some quotes from it here (I've been a little loose with some of the speech, but I hope that it captures what was said):
"I knew I would find him"

Emilio Goya is 33 and has two daughters and two siblings. One of them was disappeared for almost 30 years and recovered his identity last week. On Wednesday, the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo announced the discovered of Jorge Guillermo Goya, son of Lourdes Martinez Aranda and Francisco Goya, but Emilio, who had searched for him in Argentina, Mexico and Spain, preferred not to take part in the public announcement. He had just met him and preserving this relationship was - and is - his priority.
[...]
- How did you find out that you had located your brother?
- I found out on Monday. Perhaps a few hours before he did, from the court. I want to keep the details of the meeting to myself for a while. These aren't easy things to talk about. A lot of very emotional things are happening to me, but they definitely don't even compare to what he is going through. We talk a lot about respecting the other's privacy.
- What was the search like, all these years?
- Very difficult. Very hard.
[Emilio then discusses the story of his disappeared father at some length]
- Did you have doubts or were you sure that you would find your brother?
- I was convinced. When I was certain that he had been born and I started looking for him I knew I would find him. [...]
- And, if you can tell us, do you see yourself in parts of Jorge Guillermo?
- It was incredible. I recognised myself every second, in every anecdote, every look. We're definitely of the same bloodline. [...] We also look very alike and we could talk about things we have in common. We did some similar things in our childhoods. I feel as if I'm reflected [in him].
Full article in Spanish: "Sabia que lo iba a encontrar" (Pagina/12)

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