On Sunday we went to ESMA with Alexandra.

On Friday, december 11th the ESMA megacausa (large scale trial) started against 19 marine officers who murdered and tortured over 2000 people in the biggest torture center of the dictatorship: the Escuela Superior de Mecánica de la Armada. The cases of 84 victimes will be treated in this trial: among them the killings of Azucena Villaflor (founding member of the madres), the investigative journalist Rodolfo Walsh and the two Frensh nuns Alice Domon and Lénie Duquet.

The most famous is the the „angel of death“ Alfredo Astiz. Alfredo Astiz is particularily know for infiltrating the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo by pretenting to be the brother of a kidnapped man. He took part in the meetings of the madres and collected information about their actions. With this information the task force of the military could later overwhelm the madres during their meeting in a church. At this meeting 10 of the madres and two French nuns were kidnapped. None of the women ever reappeared.

The organisation of the H.I.J.O.S. and the madres held a demonstration in front of the court.

The H.I.J.O.S. is an organisation that consists mainly of the children of the desaparecidos and people who sympathize with them. On Thursday, december 10th, they organised a demonstration on Plaza de Mayo.

On Thursday, 10th of December, the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo held an ethical trial against José Alfredo Martinez de Hoz on the Plaza de Mayo.

Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo are the mothers of the disappeared people. Since 1977 they have been meeting every thursday on the Plaza the Mayo, which is the square right in front of the Casa Rosada – the seat of the President. So since ’77 they meet and march in front of the presidents house. In the beginning they demonstrated against the kidnappings and claimed the return of their children. When time passed and the hope diminished to ever see their beloved alive the aim of the marches changed – then they were asking information about the fate of their children. Later, after the end of the dictatorship they kept demonstrating – for information and for justice. They have been marching for 32 years now, and  it’s thanks to them that the fate of the desaparecidos became know beyond the frontiers of Argentina.

These mothers’ actions prove of an incomparable courage, strenght and belief. Even though most of them have never got their children back – they have never stopped fighting for those who had still hope. And even when the military declared all missing people to be dead – they did not stop their struggle. 26 years after the end of the regime you still see them every thursday on Plaza de Mayo and on every single demonstration related to the trials. You can see really old, white haired women – wearing white scarfs on their head. These white scarfs have become the symbol of their fight. Women who still carry photos of their beloved around their necks – still hoping to learn about their fate, and the place where their bodies were burried.

And these really old women – when you hear them speak, their voices give you the creeps. Their are everywhere, they keep on fighting for justice. And when you listen to them you can still feel their pain and their dispair. But at the same time you are impressed by the strength of their voices, their extremely present aura and their still remaining readiness to combat. These women have been fighting their whole life for their children. Now they don’t have much time left – what they want to see is the punishment of the murders, of the torturers. And you can be sure, they will be fighting for that till their very last day.

So this last thursday they held this trial against Martinez de Hoz – minister of economy during the dictatorship. He is accused of murdering unnumerous people with his radical economic policy. He introduced neoliberal principles into Argentinian economy. Thus, the implementation of this policy destroyed almost completely the national industry and let to the impoverishment of thousands. Equally, it caused the organised divestiture of social economic institutions, the prosecution and killings of trade workers and the cruel fight against the working class in general. There are many who claim, that most of the economic problems Argentina is still suffering from today can be traced back to Hoz’ policy. In particular the bad organisation of the working class and the social inequalities.

You should listen to the final speech of the trial, held by one of the madres. Seriously, even if you don’t speak Spanish, you should hear the voice of this woman who has been fighting for 32 years now.

Audio version – Written version

At the moment I am spending a lot of time with reading and working on Argentinas recent history. Between 1976 and 1983, during the last military dictatorship 30.000 people were kidnapped and murdered by the military. Alleged enemies of the state, members of leftist guerrilla groups, leftist activists, trade union members, social workers, students….anybody was considered as enemy who slightly sympathised with with social ideas. Countless innocent people were kidnapped, tortured, killed. Their bodies were hastily buried or thrown in the sea during the infamous „death flights“.

In 1985 the heads of the military junta were sentenced for these crimes. By strong pressure, through several uprisings, the military then forced the government in power to pass imunity and amnesty laws – why all the convicted persons regained their freedom.

Thanks to the extensive work of Argentinian and European human rights organisations trials were held in Europe in the ’90. So the military junta was at least condemned for the murdering of European citizens. Obviously, these sentences were passed in absentia.

Nonetheless, the political pressure from the European governments that followed the trials helped to influence the Argentinian politics. Nestor Kirchner put the laws in question on his agenda and in 2003 the Argentinian Constitutional Court finally annulled them. Eversince trials have been held against the murderers.

Yesterday, a large-scale trial started against those who tortured and killed several thousand in the most important torture center: the ESMA: Escuela Superior de Mecánica de la Armada. It’s the second league of the former military in power who is in the dock.

I have the chance to accompany in the next two weeks the German lawyer Wolfgang Kaleck and the Journalist Alexandra Weltz who came to Argentina to observerve the trial and produce a videoblog about it. Wolfgang Kaleck was the one who defended the cases of German victims before German courts. As several of his cases were successful, the German government applied in 2004 for the extradition of  Jorge Rafael Videla – former head of the military.

For more information check the webpage of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.

I would like to share her story with you. Thank you Cécile.

“ Lorsqu’elle se prépare pour une milonga, Waleria passe toujours de longues minutes devant son armoire pour choisir les chaussures qu’elle portera. Vêtue d’une robe souvent bleue, cheveux noirs sur peau blanche, pieds nus, elle hypnotise la rangée de chaussures de tango.

Depuis qu’elle est venue à Buenos Aires pour perfectionner son tango, la chaleur martyrise ses pieds et les longues heures passées sur la piste les achèvent. Finalement, elle saisit une paire, referme les deux battants de bois peint et s’assoit sur le vieux fauteuil rouge qui semble hanter la chambre de cette maison jadis majestueuse et maintenant décrépite.

Waleria glisse ses pieds couverts d’ampoules dans les souliers en se répétant que la douleur n’est qu’une information qu’il suffit d’ignorer. Elle aime la sensation du plancher sous ses pied nus puis sous la semelle de cuir, comme un avant-goût des sensations qu’elle va ressentir dans quelques minutes. Les orteils qui malgré la chaussure peuvent, à force de pratique, sentir le sol, les lames du parquet, sa douceur, son élasticité, tout cela frôle déjà l’érotisme.

On ne peut pas la blâmer, ce n’est pas de sa faute si elle danse tant, elle est simplement passionnée.
Dès qu’elle ferme les yeux, elle voit deux paires de jambes qui dansent le tango. Elle les voit aussi dans la rue, dans les cours, dans les milongas.
Elle est un de ces paires de jambe.

Ce soir, elle prend un des innombrables taxis qui descendent l’avenue Corrientes pour se rendre à la Confiteria Ideal, une milonga mythique bien qu’un peu trop touristique pour les fanatiques. C’est pour danser qu’elle a fait 12 000 km mais elle reste un peu touriste.

De nombreux cabesitos plus tard, certains ignorés, d’autres acceptés d’un simple regard, plusieurs heures à danser sur la piste, quelques pauses pour boire du Fernet avec des amis arrivés un peu plus tard, Waleria prend un autre taxi.

Elle descend la vitre, l’air lui semble plus frais sur sa peau moite et sa nuque trempée. Elle se sent un peu sonnée d’avoir tant dansé, tant ressenti, les frissons de la danse s’estompent peu à peu, il lui reste le sourire paisible de ceux qui ont trouvé leur place et elle retourne lentement à la réalité.Elle regarde les kioscos défiler, les gens dans les autres taxis, ceux qui font partent faire la fête ou s’attardent encore aux terrasses. Elle s’adresse au chauffeur „Se puede fumar por favor?“, le chauffeur allume lui aussi une cigarette. Une fois arrivée au coin de Guarda vieja et Bulnes, il attend qu’elle ait bien refermé sa porte d’entrée avant de s’en aller.

Waleria, dont la grace et la sensualité sont déjà au lit, clopine jusqu’au fauteuil rouge, s’y laisse tomber, enlève ses souliers, ouvre l’armoire, „Tiens, la peinture blanche s’écaille!“, y dépose ses chaussures de tango, et se jette sur son lit encore toute habillée.
Elle dort déjà“.

Cécile Rouanne.

The chocolate devil.

From the very first day in Buenos Aires I knew that it would be a very hard time to resist all it’s temptations. In the beginning I believed that the most difficult would be to keep my steadfastness passing by those countless kiosks in the city. Indeed it is still a constant challenge to my will. I mean everybody who knows me is aware of my really bad addiction to chocolate. So to understand my suffering just imagine a dry alcoholic who is confined in the stockroom of a very big a brewery. His struggle to resist the beer must feel similar to my stuggle to resist to all those colorful chocolate bars in the kiosks.

It’s hard to describe how many kiosks actually exist in this city. It’s mad. And they all look so fancy, offering thousand different little chocolate bars, bonbons and chewing gums. A picture consisting of million little details that all together create a fatal sugar bomb. A child’s paradise. These kiosks must inspire every filmmaker to turn a movie about the beauty of childhood. In particular those moments of happiness when your mum allows you to keep the change and you as a kid get all exited, run to the closest kiosk and then spend hours to chose some sweets. I love to see kids doing this here! And fortunately they have these perfect settings for their childhood-treat experiences.

The problem for me is that I feel exactly like those kids. Exited about all the different chocolate bars, unsettled by the huge offer. And which the worst in my situation: I have the pockets full of change! I could buy whole kiosks here! Each time I see a kiosk I can’t help thinking about how it would be so easy just to get out a bill of two pesos and give yourself a little chocolate treat. And then I say to myself that I am supposed to be an adult, to have a strong will – well at least strong enough no to collapse at the sight of each kiosk. I will be honest with you. It is not easy. It is a constant fight, a fight with the chocolate devil who lives in every single kiosk of Buenos Aires…

Dulce de leche.

Well, people who are from Buenos Aires or who have been here must have laughed at me while reading the frist part of this blog entry. They must have said to themselves that if I was already too weak to resist the kiosks I would never survive this city without actually dying from a sugar overdose or alternatively gaining 15 extra kilos. And they are right. They are totally right, since this city has so much more to offer than fancy little chocolate bars at every corner.

In fact, my first contact with a new local temptation happened by accident. I was in the supermarket and intended to buy cream. Instead, I bought Dulce the leche. What a fatal coincidence! When I opened the little tin I was surpised to find in it a caramel colored matter with a sweet smell and an even sweeter taste. I admit, I immediately fell for it. I know there are many people who don’t like that because supposably Dulce de leche is one of the sweetest things in the whole world. So you really must be into sugar to eat it pure. You wonder what it exactly is I am talking about? Fair enough, the local sweet speciality is cooked condensed milk. So actually it is not surprising that I like it, since cooked condensed milk is also a very Russian speciality. It has always been a part in my life, usually accompanying tea or coffee. Or instead of cream in a cake. Yummie.

Here in Buenos Aires, I have stopped buying it pure as (expectedly) I am unable to control myself when I have it in the fridge. My selfcontrol is eventually so weak, that I end up being sugar sick all the time.     (Wow, I am confessing quite a lot today..)

Alfajores.

Fortunately, people have thought of addicts like me so many alternatives to the pure consumption of Dulce de leche have been invented. One of the most famous products made with Dulce de Leche are Alfajores. It’s a confection that usually consists of two or more layers of biscuit and one ore more layers of dulce de leche or jam in between. That is a speciality that is widely spread in the Spanish – speaking world. You can also find it in Spain and many countries of Latin America. Apparently its origin lies in the Middle East.

I swear Alfajores are incredibly tasty. Amazing!!! And the temptation of eating Alfajores every day is incredibly strong, since, as you can imagine, one can buy them at almost every kiosk in the city….

Café y medialunas.

So obviously, people from Buenos Aires have developed a certain sweets consumption culture. Usually, i will not see people eating their Alfajores in the streets. The perfect way to consume some treat is together with a nice coffee. I have mentioned earlier in another blog entry the beautiful procedure of serving coffee in this city. In fact, there is a whole coffee tradition in this city. There are so many coffee houses everywhere, and theit visit definitely belongs to an authentic Buenos Aires experience. You can see photos of a really beautiful and typical coffee house in an earlier blog entry. One more thing that is really remarkable in regard to the local coffee tradition is the fact, that coffee drinking times are very felxible. It is absolutely normal to find an crowded coffee house in the middle of the night. This is obviously related to the particular night life in this city. And again, I like that!

Another local tradition is strongly associated with coffee: Medialunas! Medialunas are little, tiny croissants you will usually eat in the morning. Plain or filled like a sandwich with cheese or ham. Or both. A very interesting mix of sweet and salty.

Helado.

Buenos Aires is a city of immigrants. The majority of the population has either Italian or Spanish ancestors. And happily they have brought many of their customs over here to South America. I am particularly grateful for the Italian contibution to the local culinary culture. Everybody knows that the best icecream in the world is supposed to be found in Rome. I would claim (and I know I’d find many advocates of this opinion) that the best ice cream is from Buenos Aires. They have just incredible ice cream. Every single ice cream I have had so far in this city was an intoxicating celebration. Incredible!

Here again, the best taste is obviously related to dulce de leche. Dulce de leche ice cream pure, dulche de leche granizado (with small chocolate pieces), super dulce de leche (dulce de leche ice cream with real dulce de leche), chocolate suizo (chocolate ice cream with real dulce de leche)…and so on. Amazing!

Pizzas.

And yes, the second hyper tasty Italian speciality Buenos Aires inherited is the pizza! Seriously, I may be tempted by many things. Nonetheless, before I came here I was definitely no big fan of pizza. But, holy shit, now I am. The pizzas you get here are definitely greasy calorie bombs, but this just does not matter.

Empanadas.

The Spanish obviously have left many traces round here. One that is culinarily important for me, are Empanadas: a stuffed pastry. A form of fast food that somehow appears in many different countries. It seems to be a very easy cookable product. So it’s just natural that they are to be found in so many places in the world. At the same time, as far as I am concerned I have never experienced such an extreme offer and presence of Empanadas like here. This is actually what you eat when you need a little snack. Eepanadas or medialunas. That’s the choise you have not only at every corner but actually every 5 meters. And I must admit, I like that!

Bets about my weight are totally accepted.

So now you hopefully have a good insight in an other very important aspect of life in Buenos Aires. Beyond asado. To be honest, this culinary culture they have here will be one of the things I will miss a lot when I go home. I mean, it’s not only that they have such a wide offer of tasty food. They actually have an eating culture that reflects the local way of life. They enjoy life and one important way to do so is by eating. Life seems to be a lot about indulgence and about socialising. You usually never see anyone eating in the street. If they eat, they sit down, they enjoy the procedure of being served and of eating itself. They spend time with friends. Food, drinks, cigarettes seem to be crucial parts of life. Vices just naturally belong to a good life and are celebrated. It so refreshing to absorb this atmosphere and to allow yourself to drift.

]]> http://aflyingfrog.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/a-city-of-temptations/feed/ 2 aflyingfrog Kiosk Dulce de leche Alfajores ALFAJORES cafe con leche Helado pizzas Empanadas