What 9-11 means? It's a matter of perspective

This year marks the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center twin towers and Pentagon. In the aftermath of that attack, several narratives emerged. There was of course the official narrative favored by our corporate and governing elites: one that emphasized nationalism and militarism, along with Manichean "clash of civilizations" imagery. Such imagery has been brought to the fore this year with the right-wing freak out occurring over a proposed Islamic cultural center that is to be constructed near the site of the WTC towers. Another narrative held that the proverbial chickens had come home to roost: that the attacks were blowback for decades of oppression and exploitation at the hands of the US corporate and political establishment. This second narrative was perhaps expressed most infamously by Ward Churchill, but can be found in the writings and speeches of others of varying levels of prominence. Still others view this day as a stark reminder of the destructive power of religious and political fanaticism - a point well worth bearing in mind. Finally, for the more conspiracy-minded, there was the "false flag" narrative that likened the attacks to the Reichstag Fire that cemented Hitler's hold on power in early 1930s Germany.

What we shouldn't lose sight of is that in all the memorials this year is that what 9-11 means or "should mean" has a great deal of variability among individuals across the globe. There is no doubt in my mind that terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center twin towers and the Pentagon were a terrible tragedy that would be exploited by our own ruling elites in the US. However, let's not forget that September 11 marks the anniversary for numerous other events: some tragic, some inspirational.

1. Let's remember that 37 years ago, the democratically elected government of Chile and its President Allende were overthrown in a US-backed coup that resulted in Allende's death. Countless thousands of people were executed or "disappeared" during Pinochet's reign of terror that subsequently followed this tragic day in history. Let's remember the victims of the coup and its aftermath.

2. Forty-one years ago today, in 1959, the US Congress authorized food stamps for Americans living in poverty. For those congressional leaders who voted to aid those in need, let's remember them.

3. On this day in 1851, in Christiana, Pennsylvania there was a stand-off between several ex-slave families (led by William Parker) and a posse of several armed white men led by a slave owner (Edward Gorsuch). By the time the stand-off ended, Parker and the remaining ex-slaves prevailed, and Gorsuch paid for his attempt to re-enslave these families with his life. That day was a stark reminder of the struggle that lay ahead for those endeavoring to break the bonds of slavery in the U.S. Let's remember Parker and those brave families who were willing to stand up for their human rights and dignity by any means necessary. The same day that was rife with tragedy at the beginning of our current century marked the sesquicentennial of what was truly a day of triumph for Parker and his crew.

4. On this day in 1945 retiring Secretary of War Henry Stimson sent a letter to then-President Harry Truman urging that the Truman administration follow a cooperative path with the USSR as the Soviet government worked to develop nuclear energy and weapons capability. Said Stimson:

“I believe that the change in attitude toward the individual in Russia will come slowly and gradually and I am satisfied that we should not delay our approach to Russia in the matter of the atomic bomb until that process has been completed.... Furthermore, I believe that this long process of change in Russia is more likely to be expedited by the closer relationship in the matter of the atomic bomb which I suggest and the trust and confidence that I believe would be inspired by the method of approach which I have outlined.”

Stimson reasoned the Russians would at once pursue obtaining such a bomb for themselves. It was not a secret, as Americans were for years led to believe, but an industrial technology being explored before the War, and which the Soviets would obtain in, say, four to twenty, years.

In a reference to the US "having this weapon rather ostentatiously on our hip," Stimson noted, "their suspicions and their distrust of our purposes and motives will increase. It will inspire them to greater efforts in an all out effort to solve the problem."

"The chief lesson I have learned in a long life is that the only way you can make a man trustworthy is to trust him; and the surest way to make him untrustworthy is to distrust him and show your distrust."

Tragically, his advice was ignored by the Truman administration, and what followed was a protracted "Cold War" that served only to inflate our elites' Military-Industrial Complex and sense of paranoia at the expense of much more humanitarian endeavors. Let's remember Stimson's words, as our current White House (p)resident threatens to pursue a belligerent reaction to Iran's efforts to become a nuclear power in its own right.

5. On this day 104 years ago Mohandas Gandhi began his famous Satyagraha in opposition to British imperial rule. Although requiring decades, Gandhi's efforts at nonviolent resistance begun on 9-11-1906 would prove successful. Let's remember Gandhi and those he's inspired to follow a different, nonviolent path in the struggle for freedom and dignity.

6. On this day seven years ago, the world lost one of the truly great slapstick comedians, John Ritter, who died of a heart attack. Ritter is likely best known for his role as Jack Tripper in the late 1970s and early 1980s sitcom Three's Company (based on the British sitcom Man About the House). Let's remember Ritter and others like him who've shared the gift of humor in these troubled times.

7. Two years ago on this day, indigenous campesinos were massacred by right-wing forces in what turned out to be a failed attempt to overthrow Bolivia's democratically elected President, Evo Morales. As several people observed as the events unfolded, the coup attempt was eerily reminiscent of the one in Chile that led to the installation of Pinochet. Let's remember those in Bolivia who died that day, and those whose hard work prevented the coup from succeeding.

Clearly, This day marks the anniversary of numerous events - some tragic, some uplifting. But bear in mind that ultimately today is merely another day on the calendar. We need not be straight-jacketed by the events of the past, nor need we forget them. There are many lessons to be learned from the events mentioned above with regards to human freedom and dignity. Let's spend some time today pondering those lessons.

Let's end by going back to September 11, 2001 for a moment. For me, it will be remembered as a day when we saw the schizophrenic character of American society in sharp relief. The acts of courage and helpfulness by countless individuals, and their willingness to reach out to others was truly inspiring. On the other hand, the American tendency to engage in belligerent jingoism and to immediately blame and attack people, nations, and cultures for the bombings reared its ugly head that day and in the aftermath, which to me was truly sickening. Sadly, the latter won out in the aftermath leading to an America that has since been on the warpath, with little regard for the consequences - either at home or abroad. Although our hope of the tide turning may be faint, that hope is the one candle we do possess in these dark times. To take a line from the late Bob Marley: "light up the darkness."

Peace

Something to make wingnuts' heads explode

There was a mosque on the 17th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Contrary to the Aryan mythology propounded by our nation's right-wing extremists (i.e., the victims of the WTC bombings were white Christians), the make-up of those who worked in the WTC was quite diverse and included a substantial number of Muslims of numerous races and ethnicities. To give you an idea about the article:

Given the vitriolic opposition now to the proposal to build a Muslim community center two blocks from ground zero, one might say something else has been destroyed: the realization that Muslim people and the Muslim religion were part of the life of the World Trade Center.

Opponents of the Park51 project say the presence of a Muslim center dishonors the victims of the Islamic extremists who flew two jets into the towers. Yet not only were Muslims peacefully worshiping in the twin towers long before the attacks, but even after the 1993 bombing of one tower by a Muslim radical, Ramzi Yousef, their religious observance generated no opposition.

On September 11, 2001 as I watched the coverage of the unfolding disaster as I prepared to go to work, I had a sinking feeling that ultimately it provide cover for those spoiling for a Holy War. It didn't take long before our former President would start using terms like "evil-doers" and "axis of evil" and speaking of "the war on terra" in a manner that felt akin to a religious crusade, draconian laws such as the Patriot Act were foisted upon us, and in some circles hate speech, physical assaults, and property destruction of those deemed "unacceptable" became more commonplace (and increasingly part of our mainstream discourse).

 Not only did those who died that day not deserve what happened to them, but they do not deserve to be dishonored by hatemongers who try to justify their actions on their behalf.

Anniversary

Monday marked the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Couldn't let this week pass without making note of this important law. Over the last two decades I've witnessed the progress that has been made for persons with disabilities thanks to this law - there is still, of course, a long way to go.

Some positive news from Argentina

Argentina is now the first Latin American nation to approve same-sex marriage. Nice to see Pres. Kirchner call the Vatican out on its bullshit.

Happy Juneteenth!

Read more about it here. A couple years ago, my friend over at ¡Para Justicia y Libertad! had a very good post on Juneteenth. Still worth a read. Juneteenth is a reminder of many things, including how slowly news used to travel.

Now, here's a few events that caught my attention courtesy of Wikipedia:

• 1269 - King Louis IX of France orders all Jews found in public without an identifying yellow badge to be fined ten livres of silver.
• 1846 - First baseball game under recognizable modern rules in Hoboken, New Jersey.
• 1912 - establishment of the 8-hour work day in the United States.
• 1954 - The last regular-service streetcar operated by Twin City Rapid Transit runs in Minneapolis
• 1954 - The animated Bugs Bunny short Devil May Hare debuts in theaters, introducing The Tasmanian Devil.
• 1978 - first appearance of the comic strip Garfield.

As the above list shows, certainly the Nazis did not invent the perverted concept of forcing individuals who were considered "undersirables" to wear badges to identify themselves. This sorry practice goes back many centuries at least, and sadly continues to be advocated by right-wing hate groups in the US. Being a long-time baseball fan, I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the first game played under relatively modern rules. The 8-hour work day was a welcome development, and one that should be viewed as vulnerable - increasingly so as organized labor continues its decline. The Tasmanian Devil is arguably my favorite Loony Tunes character - I honestly did not know until a few years ago that this was the anniversary of his debut. And I used to love the Garfield comic strip when I was much younger. I wouldn't first see it until it was picked up by my local paper around 1981.

Iceland has now legalized same-sex marriage

The vote wasn't even close: it was in fact unanimous. Now if only we could get the US to join with an increasingly large share of the civilized world.

So much for the official version:

The "official" version (as told by our oh-so-"beLIEvable" US border patrol) of the recent border shooting that left a 14 year old boy dead appears to be bollocks.



Video via naked capitalism's Yves Smith who says:

This video from a Mexican news broadcast (hat tip reader Gonzalo Lira) is nominally off topic for this blog, but I thought I’d include it precisely because it illustrates one of the mechanisms of propaganda: how the non or under reporting of key facts is used to manage popular perceptions. This video appears getting play only on CNN and some local newstations in the US (and I see the YouTube has only a bit over 1000 viewings thus far).

The newswoman says the teenagers were throwing rocks, but as you can see from the video, unless they were using slingshots (and there is no evidence of that) they were so far away as to pose no threat to the border cop.

Gonzalo reports: “It’s getting a lot of play not only in Mexico, but in the rest of Latin America. The emerging consensus in Latin America is, the US is a country of trigger-happy crazy-people.”

As sad as this case is, in the overall scheme of things this is a minor incident, but it serves to illustrate how news reporting is tailored to fit conventional (and authority-flattering) narratives.

Update: A Google search does show The Daily News with a writeup of the video. It also points out the body of the slain Mexican teenager was found on Mexican soil. Since he appears to have fallen in place, this raises further problems for the “official” version of the story.

Israel would have you turn a blind eye

Image from Naomi Klein's site. Emily Henochowicz lost her eye after being hit in the face by a canister of teargas fired by Israeli occupational forces on the West Bank (h/t A Tiny Revolution). Her "crime"? Being part of a protest against Israel's recent flotilla raid. Yes, if the Israeli military is anywhere nearby, remember that if you refuse to turn a blind eye to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israeli forces will be more than happy to impose blindness upon you.

Strange bedfellows

Politics has its share. It's great when individuals transcend their tribal identities long enough to fight for human rights - in this case uniting to overturn Prop. (H)8.

NOM conceding federal prop (h)8 trial?

Sure appears that way. Keep in mind though that the case will be winding its way up the appeals process for a while, and the final outcome is not at all certain.

Another small step toward progress

Portugal's parliament votes to approve same-sex marriages.

Silence is not golden

Killing Activists in Honduras:

“As a revolutionary I will be today, tomorrow and forever on the front lines of my people, all the while knowing that I may lose my life.” - Walter Trochez, 25, murdered in Tegucigalpa on 12/13/09

The bodies of slain activists are piling up in Honduras. While it’s being kept quiet in most Honduran and international media, the rage is building among a dedicated network of friends spreading the word quickly with the tragic announcement of each compañero/a.

Now that the world heard from mainstream news outlets such as the New York Times of a “clean and fair” election on Nov. 29 (orchestrated by the US-supported junta currently in power), the violence has increased even faster than feared.

The specific targets of these killings have been those perceived as the biggest threats to the coup establishment. The bravest, and thus the most vulnerable: Members of the Popular Resistance against the coup. Their friends and family. People who provide the Resistance with food and shelter. Teachers, students, and ordinary citizens who simply recognize the fallacy of an un-elected regime taking over their country. All associated with the Resistance have faced constant and growing repercussions for their courage in protesting the coup. With the international community given the green light by the US that democratic order has returned via elections, it’s open season for violent forces in Honduras working to tear apart the political unity of the Resistance Front against the coup.

The killings are happening almost faster than they can be recorded.

On Sunday, Dec. 7, a group of six people were gunned down while walking down the street in the Villanueva neighborhood of Tegucigalpa. According to sources, a white van with no license plates stopped in front of the group. Four masked men jumped out of the van and forced the group to get on the ground, where they were shot. The five victims who were killed were:

· Marcos Vinicio Matute Acosta, 39
· Kennet Josué Ramírez Rosa, 23
· Gabriel Antonio Parrales Zelaya, 34
· Roger Andrés Reyes Aguilar, 22
· Isaac Enrique Soto Coello, 24

One woman, Wendy Molina, 32, was shot several times and played dead when one of the assassins pulled her hair, checking to see if anyone in the group was still alive. She was taken to the hospital and survived.

The Honduran independent newspaper El Libertador reports that the group members were all organizers against the coup. According to a resident in the area, “The boys had organized committees so that the neighbors could get involved in the Resistance Front.”

This massacre was part of a string of Resistance-related murders during the past few weeks alone. On December 3, Walter Trochez, 25 a well-known activist in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community was snatched off the street and thrown into a van, again by four masked men, in downtown Tegucigalpa. In the report that he later filed to local and national authorities, Walter said he was interrogated for hours for information on Resistance members and activities, and was beaten in the face with a pistol for refusing to speak. He was told that he would be killed regardless, and he eventually escaped by throwing open the van door, falling into the street, and running away.

Make sure to read the rest. Of course a right-wing government installed under very shady circumstances suits the US government just fine - it's what our elites refer to as "democracy." The casualties, however, of this form of "democracy" demand justice. Their voices deserve to be heard.

The coup in Honduras is over?

According to one article I just ran into, that would appear to be the case. Zelaya should (hopefully) shortly be back in office, over three months after he was ousted by right-wing thugs. That said, let us not forget the martyrs in the struggle.

Bubbling beneath the surface

Bubbling beneath the surface of the "tea parties" and right-wing publications is the fantasy of a military coup in the US, much like the one that occurred in Honduras earlier this year. And yes, the oligarchs who took over in Honduras are expecting to get away with it, even if there is strong public support in the country for restoring Zelaya as President.

9-11 Means Different Things to Different People

This year marks the eighth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center twin towers and Pentagon. In the aftermath of that attack, several narratives emerged. There was of course the official narrative favored by our corporate and governing elites: one that emphasized nationalism and militarism, along with Manichean "clash of civilizations" imagery. Another narrative held that the proverbial chickens had come home to roost: that the attacks were blowback for decades of oppression and exploitation at the hands of the US corporate and political establishment. This second narrative was perhaps expressed most infamously by Ward Churchill, but can be found in the writings and speeches of others of varying levels of prominence. Finally, for the more conspiracy-minded, there was the "false flag" narrative that likened the attacks to the Reichstag Fire that cemented Hitler's hold on power in early 1930s Germany.

What we shouldn't lose sight of is that in all the memorials this year is that what 9-11 means or "should mean" has a great deal of variability among individuals across the globe. There is no doubt in my mind that terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center twin towers and the Pentagon were a terrible tragedy that would be exploited by our own ruling elites in the US. However, let's not forget that September 11 marks the anniversary for numerous other events: some tragic, some inspirational.

1. We shall remember that 36 years ago, the democratically elected government of Chile and its President Allende were overthrown in a US-backed coup that resulted in Allende's death. Countless thousands of people were executed or "disappeared" during Pinochet's reign of terror that subsequently followed this tragic day in history. Let's remember the victims of the coup and its aftermath.

2. Forty years ago today, in 1959, the US Congress authorized food stamps for Americans living in poverty. For those congressional leaders who voted to aid those in need, let's remember them.

3. On this day in 1851, in Christiana, Pennsylvania there was a stand-off between several ex-slave families (led by William Parker) and a posse of several armed white men led by a slave owner (Edward Gorsuch). By the time the stand-off ended, Parker and the remaining ex-slaves prevailed, and Gorsuch paid for his attempt to re-enslave these families with his life. That day was a stark reminder of the struggle that lay ahead for those endeavoring to break the bonds of slavery in the U.S. Let's remember Parker and those brave families who were willing to stand up for their human rights and dignity by any means necessary. The same day that was rife with tragedy at the beginning of our current century marked the sesquicentennial of what was truly a day of triumph for Parker and his crew.

4. On this day in 1945 retiring Secretary of War Henry Stimson sent a letter to then-President Harry Truman urging that the Truman administration follow a cooperative path with the USSR as the Soviet government worked to develop nuclear energy and weapons capability. Said Stimson:

“I believe that the change in attitude toward the individual in Russia will come slowly and gradually and I am satisfied that we should not delay our approach to Russia in the matter of the atomic bomb until that process has been completed.... Furthermore, I believe that this long process of change in Russia is more likely to be expedited by the closer relationship in the matter of the atomic bomb which I suggest and the trust and confidence that I believe would be inspired by the method of approach which I have outlined.”

Stimson reasoned the Russians would at once pursue obtaining such a bomb for themselves. It was not a secret, as Americans were for years led to believe, but an industrial technology being explored before the War, and which the Soviets would obtain in, say, four to twenty, years.

In a reference to the US "having this weapon rather ostentatiously on our hip," Stimson noted, "their suspicions and their distrust of our purposes and motives will increase. It will inspire them to greater efforts in an all out effort to solve the problem."

"The chief lesson I have learned in a long life is that the only way you can make a man trustworthy is to trust him; and the surest way to make him untrustworthy is to distrust him and show your distrust."

Tragically, his advice was ignored by the Truman administration, and what followed was a protracted "Cold War" that served only to inflate our elites' Military-Industrial Complex and sense of paranoia at the expense of much more humanitarian endeavors. Let's remember Stimson's words, as our current White House (p)resident threatens to pursue a belligerent reaction to Iran's efforts to become a nuclear power in its own right.

5. On this day 103 years ago Mohandas Gandhi began his famous Satyagraha in opposition to British imperial rule. Although requiring decades, Gandhi's efforts at nonviolent resistance begun on 9-11-1906 would prove successful. Let's remember Gandhi and those he's inspired to follow a different, nonviolent path in the struggle for freedom and dignity.

6. On this day six years ago, the world lost one of the truly great slapstick comedians, John Ritter, who died of a heart attack. Ritter is likely best known for his role as Jack Tripper in the late 1970s & early 1980s sitcom Three's Company (based on the British sitcom Man About the House). Let's remember Ritter and others like him who've shared the gift of humor in these troubled times.

7. Last year on this day, indigenous campesinos were massacred by right-wing forces in what turned out to be a failed attempt to overthrow Bolivia's democratically elected President, Evo Morales. As several people observed as the events unfolded, the coup attempt was eerily reminiscent of the one in Chile that led to the installation of Pinochet. Let's remember those in Bolivia who died that day, and those whose hard work prevented the coup from succeeding.

Clearly, This day marks the anniversary of numerous events - some tragic, some uplifting. But bear in mind that ultimately today is merely another day on the calendar. We need not be straight-jacketed by the events of the past, nor need we forget them. There are many lessons to be learned from the events mentioned above with regards to human freedom and dignity. Let's spend some time today pondering those lessons.

Let's end by going back to September 11, 2001 for a moment. For me, it will be remembered as a day when we saw the schizophrenic character of American society in sharp relief. The acts of courage and helpfulness by countless individuals, and their willingness to reach out to others was truly inspiring. On the other hand, the American tendency to engage in belligerent jingoism and to immediately blame and attack people, nations, and cultures for the bombings reared its ugly head that day and in the aftermath, which to me was truly sickening. Sadly, the latter won out in the aftermath leading to an America that has since been on the warpath, with little regard for the consequences - either at home or abroad. Although our hope of the tide turning may be faint, that hope is the one candle we do possess in these dark times. To take a line from the late Bob Marley: "light up the darkness."

Peace

Those Nazi doctor comparisons are compelling

Read for yourself:

"CIA doctors face human experimentation claims":

[Physicians for Human Rights] says health professionals participated at every stage in the development, implementation and legal justification of what it calls the CIA's secret "torture programme".

The American Medical Association, the largest body of physicians in the US, said it was in open dialogue with the Obama administration and other government agencies over the role of doctors. "The participation of physicians in torture and interrogation is a violation of core ethical values," it said.

The most incendiary accusation of PHR's latest report, Aiding Torture, is that doctors actively monitored the CIA's interrogation techniques with a view to determining their effectiveness, using detainees as human subjects without their consent. The report concludes that such data gathering was "a practice that approaches unlawful experimentation".

Human experimentation without consent has been prohibited in any setting since 1947, when the Nuremberg Code, which resulted from the prosecution of Nazi doctors, set down 10 sacrosanct principles. The code states that voluntary consent of subjects is essential and that all unnecessary physical and mental suffering should be avoided.

The Geneva conventions also ban medical experiments on prisoners and prisoners of war, which they describe as "grave breaches". Under CIA guidelines, doctors and psychologists were required to be present during the use of so-called enhanced interrogation techniques on detainees.

In April, a leaked report from the International Committee of the Red Cross found that medical staff employed by the CIA had been present during waterboarding, and had even used what appeared to be a pulse oxymeter, placed on the prisoner's finger to monitor his oxygen saturation during the procedure. The Red Cross condemned such activities as a "gross breach of medical ethics". PHR has based its accusation of possible experimentation on the 2004 report of the CIA's own inspector general into the agency's interrogation methods, which was finally published two weeks ago after pressure from the courts.

If the ICRC, AMA and PHR are all talking about gross violations of medical ethics, verging on contravening the Geneva Conventions and being actual war crimes, then that's serious, right?

But by the terms of Holder's remit to his special prosecutor, all these CIA-employed medical staff are off the hook. How does that work?

Simple: as long as the nation committing these acts is in charge of the investigations, it will do whatever is necessary to protect its leadership in particular from facing any possible repercussions, including letting medical personnel under CIA employ go unpunished. It would really take something dramatic like the US experiencing military defeat on the scale that Germany did in WWII before we actually see any serious investigations and prosecutions with regard to gross human rights abuses that violate international law. I just don't see that happening for the foreseeable future.

News With Nezua

Check it out. Hopefully this will be a regular feature.

There's something perverse

about the whole "debate" about what to do with the people imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay. The assumption made by both sides seems to amount to: "they are dangerous and must remain locked up." Hence the question ends up being one of where to lock 'em up and throw away the key. The position largely attributed to the movement conservatives is to keep 'em at Gitmo. The nominally "liberal" position amounts to putting them in Supermax prisons. I could almost imagine some similar "debate" in 1940s Germany about whether it would be better to gas their concentration camp prisoners in occupied Poland or more "humanely" closer to the Fatherland.

That aside, I can't help but notice what is ignored altogether: the vast majority of those imprisoned in Guantánamo Bay who had no business being sent there in the first place. I don't see anything particularly just or humane in sending a bunch of innocents to rot in some Supermax for the "crime" of simply being Central Asian and perhaps Muslim.

Stay tuned for the next exercise in perversity: "would it be more humane to paint smiley faces on bombs that are dropped on Afghan villages?" Obamabots say "yes" - Limbots say "no" but urge dropping any and all ammo available in the name of the Fatherland (erm..."Homeland Security").

Fujimori's lesson

Peru's former dictator (technically "prime minister") Alberto Fujimori was recently found guilty of crimes against humanity, and sentenced to 25 years in prison. The lesson to be learned is fairly straightforward: preside over crimes against humanity, and you're not guaranteed to get away with it indefinitely - even in your own country. That's a lesson not only for the movers and shakers in the Bush II regime, but also for those who make up the current Obama regime to the extent that the latter appear bound and determined to continue along the path of the former.

Never Forget: "Absences"

The following pairs of photos come from Gustavo Germano's exhibit, "Absences." These images represent a simple but stark reminder of what it meant to live under the rule of a brutal dictatorship in Argentina (and by extension what it means to live under dictatorship more universally). Mad props to Ten Percent and Inca Cola News for posting these:













Here's the text of an interview with the Germano over at UNESCO's site:

Interview conducted by Lucia Iglesias and Casey Walther (UNESCO).


In your photo exhibition “Absences”, you have documented the repression that occurred in Argentina. Why is it important to document these violations of human rights, instead of allowing these painful memories to rest, as some have suggested?

Some of the gravest human rights offenses, in my opinion, are those committed by States—that is to say, when the State is the agent of terror and becomes an instrument of illegal repression by using methods so perverse as the forced disappearance of people. These sorts of actions have consequences for society: Initially, there is the fear and uncertainty. Then over time, there is the sense of not being able to mourn.

So what I am trying to convey in my work is that, more than just the forced disappearances of people that happened in Argentina, there is also the time that has passed. I want to reflect the double effect that time has had. On the one hand, there is the time that the survivors endured while living in the absence of their lost loved one. On the other hand, there is the time forfeited by the persons who disappeared and did not have a chance to live out their lives. When I was creating the concept of this show, I thought that it would be good to capture the aging of the survivors. And it is this very basic and human concept that the terrorism of the State destroyed.

How did your work develop with the relatives of those who disappeared?

In all cases there were moments where real connections were made and where they relived the moment in the original photo. It was truly a journey to the past and, at the same time, a look into the future. There were cases where some of the relatives had never since returned to the place in the original photo. I don’t know whether it was consciously or instinctively, but every one of the relatives gave me their complete trust to work with them. I think this is reflected in the photos. Personally, I am humbled to have been the vehicle through which these people were able to denounce these crimes, and to have created the moment that allowed this to be conveyed. I also believe that, even though my intention was not to do an autobiographical project, the fact that I myself experienced losing someone in my family to these same crimes has allowed a greater rapport with these people, because between us there is a shared brotherhood. And through this project, my own family has been able to grow.

What’s more, all the people that I photograph are from the Entre Rios Province in Argentina, where supposedly “nothing happened”. I come from that province, and I felt that it was important to document cases of disappearances that were not known and affected normal people from distant villages and to show that the tragedy affected this province as well.

What is the current situation in Argentina with respect to these crimes?

In Argentina, they have abolished the laws that, until recently, had hampered the prosecution of those responsible for these crimes. Little by little, these people are finally being brought to trial, although to defend themselves they’re evoking the time that has passed and arguing that prosecution should wait until their lives have ended since they are already very old. Nonetheless, a few have been convicted, which we of course applaud. This is why my work tries to raise public awareness of this issue.

In 1999, UNESCO awarded its Prize for Peace Education to the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, an association of mothers whose children disappeared in that period.

Beginning in the 1970s, Argentina was one of the nations that was used as a laboratory for economist Milton Friedman's economic theory, neoliberalism. One common element in practically any nation in which the theory has been applied is that as wealth is transferred from the poor and middle classes to the well-to-do, governments utilize brutal measures in order enforce understandably unpopular economic and political decisions, including torture, political imprisonment, and death squads (with of course mass disappearances).

V sez: "People should not be afraid of their government. The government should be afraid of the people."