Day of Remembrance for Truth & Justice in Buenos Aires
Saturday 24th March 2012 is the Day of Remembrance for Truth & Justice (Día de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia), one of the most important public holidays for Argentineans as the day commemorates the victims of the military dictatorship. Each year the Day of Remembrance for Truth & Justice is held on the 24th March to mark the anniversary of the coup d’état in 1976 that brought the military government into power and led to 7 years of cruel dictatorship in Argentina. This 7 year period has many names such as, ‘‘The Dirty War’’, ‘‘The Reign of Terror’’ and ‘‘’The Process’’ (El Proceso) however, its official name was the National Reorganization Process.
The Dirty War was marked by Argentineans living in constant fear of their lives, with an estimated 30,000 Argentineansdisappearing with no trace as they were actively against or, they were simply viewed as opposing the government. Many of the children who ‘disappeared’ during this dictatorship were then adopted into other families. Unlike today, in Argentina’sdemocratic society, all civil rights such as, freedom of expression, justice and voting were eliminated.
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| “Los desaparecidos“ |
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| Pepople supporting at Plaza de Mayo |
Two important groups at the centre of this Public Holiday are the Madres de Plaza de Mayo who march around the Piramide de Mayo in Plaza de Mayo every Thursday at either 3.30pm or 5.00pm demanding information on the whereabouts of their love one as well as a sort of symbolism that the events that took place during the Dirty War should never take place again. Las Madres march with white handkerchiefs on their heads with the names of their missing ones written on them. The second group is the well-known Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo who use DNA technology to find people who were taken as children or babies during the dictatorship and adopted into other families. The two groups have put pressure and are making progress with the current Argentine government to take steps to bring to justice those responsible of the atrocities.
It is said that on the 24thMarch the population has the power and the right to know. Therefore, it is not just the Abuelas and Madres of Plaza de Mayo who turn up in their thousands. All of the left wing political organizations of Argentina and the social organizations such as those from the indigenous towns also join the march in search of justice, truth and equality. Musical groups such as, candombe groups, turn up to the march to create an electric atmosphere to protests.
- On Thursday 22nd March 2012, the Madres de Plaza de Mayo will march as they have done for nearly 35 years at Plaza de Mayo at 3.30pm.
- On Saturday 24th March, the Day of Remembrance for Truth & Justice March begins at 1.00pm, with all the social organizations meeting at Congreso. At 3.00pm they will all leave Congreso and head for Plaza de Mayo. Click here to see the route of the March.
- There is no better time than to go on a political city tour of Buenos Aires in order to get an overall view and understanding ofArgentina’s political and social struggle from the last 50 years.
- Visit a bookstore such as, the beautiful El Ateneo Grand Splendid and look for a book called, “Nunca Más” (Never Again). Published in 1986, it provides accounts about the atrocities that went on during the dictatorship.
