On March 24th, Argentina conmemorates the Dia Nacional de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia, paying tribute to the victims of State terrorism, exercised by the last military dictatorship from 1976 to 1982. People remember all people executed and disappeared and celebrate the overcoming of democracy.
However, the dictatorship did not disappeare. In fact, it is now present in an single story about the total amount of disappeared people: “the 30,000 disappeared”. Since the beggining of the dictatorship until the recent days, this number grew within society claiming for justice. Then in 1983, the “30,000 disappeared people” has gained weight in popular opinion, slowly making people to repeat it without any question. However, there are multiple factors to doubt the truth of thi story and ensure its dictatorial rule.
“The 30.000 dissapeared’s dictatorship”
Firstly, there are no official records that indicate that the amount of missing persons is 30,000. On the contrary, studies by the National Commission on Missing Persons, have only registered number of 8,000 disappearances.
Secondly, we can highlight the words of former members of organizations such as Montoneros, who admits the falseness of the numbers. This is the example of Luis Labraña, a former montonero who claimed to be the inventor.
And thirdly, we have the political imposition of the numbers. From criminalization of those who do not agree with censorship to opposed groups and individuals. For example, the “Nunca Mas” Law prohibiting to deny the official narrative
“Summary”
Although the last Argentine dictatorship was terrible, we must not forget the other part of the story. Montoneros and other organizations also massacred innocent people in a democracy. However, there is truth in all of this issue as there were still real innocents (not terrorists nor military) who fairly claimed their Human Rights.
Real mothers who claimed for their children to be seen again. Real students who fought for their rights and got killed and real leaders who fought for democracy.
Because of it, we need to revise the story we are telling in order to respect the truth and pay respect to the real victims. For all of those who fought for Justice and Memory against military and terrorists. And if we want to make sure that happens, we need to stop giving too much importance to aisled numbers of victims. Instead, we should refer to the victims as just “disappeared”.
By doing so, we can ensure we take every testimony and every word seriously. We can ensure we respect every mother looking for her son and every fight for institutional justice equally.
Photo credit: IADB.
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