Boost for Argentine torture victims

[struggle4progress]

By Adam Thomson
Published: June 20 2005 20:02 | Last updated: June 20 2005 20:02

Every week for more than two decades a group of women with white scarves tied tight around their heads has met in the main square in Buenos Aires to protest over the forced disappearance of their children and the atrocities committed during Argentina's bloody military dictatorship.

This week the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, as the group is called, have had something to celebrate: the country's Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional two laws that for years have protected the military from prosecution for human rights abuses.

The decision removes the last obstacle to bringing to trial and punishing hundreds thousands, according to some estimates of members of the armed forces who carried out systematic kidnappings, torture and murder during the 1976-1983 military regime.

Amid tears and laughter, Nora Cortiñas, the group's president, said: “After 20 years of struggle, of course we are happy.” At last, those responsible for the disappearance of up to 30,000 Argentines would have to “sit before a judge and say what happened”. <snip>

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/aa148cd8-e1ba-11d9-9460-00000e2511c8.html