Brazil panel sworn in to probe dictatorship abuses

[ocpagu]

An emotional President Dilma Rousseff, a former leftist guerrilla jailed and tortured during Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship, on Wednesday swore in a seven-member Truth Commission tasked with probing human rights abuses from that period.

"Brazil deserves the truth, the new generations deserve the truth and above all, those who lost friends and relatives and who continue to suffer as if they were dying again each day deserve the truth," she said, choking back tears as she mentioned names of relatives of the victims.

Also attending the solemn ceremony at the presidential palace were all of Rousseff's living predecessors: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010); Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1995-2002); Fernando Collor de Mello (1990-92); and Jose Sarney (1985-90), who also is the current Senate speaker.

Over the next two years, the truth panel will probe politically-motivated abductions, rights abuses and murders perpetrated from 1946 to 1988, a time span exceeding the dictatorship.

But a 1979 amnesty law for those who carried out the dictatorship-era crimes was upheld by the Brazilian Supreme Court in 2010 and remains in effect.

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http://news.yahoo.com/brazil-panel-probe-military-dictatorships-abuses-201425662.html;_ylt=A2KJ3CYbp7RPpiAA0FXQtDMD

[ocpagu]

1. Dilma's speech

#!

[Judi Lynn]

2. It's time the country moves forward and shakes off the remnants of the right-wing hell from the past

Not a minute longer should be allowed protecting the people who brought this monstrous suffering down upon their fellow citizens.

Time to open the windows, clean out the dark secrets, and dedicate the country to a future without monsters like some of the ones left protected under amnesty, which needs to be rescinded.

We are so familiar, by now, with the habit of the fascists creating laws, on their way out, which protect them for the entire future from being held accountable for their sins against the citizens of their countries. Time Brazil gets to join the others who have already thrown off the chains binding them to silence concerning their own history, and protecting the criminals against humanity who preyed upon them.