Terror tactics return in Argentina
Uki Goñi in Buenos Aires, The Guardian
A wave of threats against court officials and the disappearance of a key witness in a human rights trial have led to fears among some Argentinians that the terror tactics of the military dictatorship of the 1970s may have returned.
Memories of the abuses have resurfaced as former officers of the dictatorship are brought before the courts following the repeal of the special amnesty laws that protected them from prosecution.
Jorge Julio López, 77, a torture victim, disappeared 17 days ago after giving testimony that resulted in a life sentence for his torturer, former police commissioner Miguel Etchecolatz, who ran clandestine detention centres during the dictatorship.
"This is the work of rightwing fascists in conjunction with members of the security forces sympathetic to their cause," said Adriana Calvo, a survivor of the death camps of the dictatorship and a witness in the Etchecolatz case.
Mr López's case is a reminder of the "disappearance" of thousands of victims during Argentina's last military dictatorship. "There has never been such a wave of threats before," said Tati Almeida, whose son "disappeared" after being abducted by military forces 30 years ago.
Mr López was reported missing on September 18, the last day of the trial, after his son failed to find him at his home.
The conviction came after a long delay in action against the former officers responsible for crimes against humanity during the dictatorship.
A wave of threats against court officials and the disappearance of a key witness in a human rights trial have led to fears among some Argentinians that the terror tactics of the military dictatorship of the 1970s may have returned.
Memories of the abuses have resurfaced as former officers of the dictatorship are brought before the courts following the repeal of the special amnesty laws that protected them from prosecution.
Jorge Julio López, 77, a torture victim, disappeared 17 days ago after giving testimony that resulted in a life sentence for his torturer, former police commissioner Miguel Etchecolatz, who ran clandestine detention centres during the dictatorship.
"This is the work of rightwing fascists in conjunction with members of the security forces sympathetic to their cause," said Adriana Calvo, a survivor of the death camps of the dictatorship and a witness in the Etchecolatz case.
Mr López's case is a reminder of the "disappearance" of thousands of victims during Argentina's last military dictatorship. "There has never been such a wave of threats before," said Tati Almeida, whose son "disappeared" after being abducted by military forces 30 years ago.
Mr López was reported missing on September 18, the last day of the trial, after his son failed to find him at his home.
The conviction came after a long delay in action against the former officers responsible for crimes against humanity during the dictatorship.
posted by Alice at
Thursday, October 05, 2006
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