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
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