Argentine torturers lose immunity

international | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday August 13, 2003 18:27 by Joe Take

The Amnesty issued in 1983 to protect the perpetrators of the dirty war of 1976-83 opens up the prospect of hundreds of torturers and murders finally facing charges.

The Argentine Congress has scrapped the controversial amnesty laws passed in 1983 to protect the State torturers and murderers of the Argentine Military Junta’s dirty war. The amnesty was a running sore in Argentine Society, poisoning national politics, as veteran torturers bragged about their careers in the fight against communism. Argentina did experience a limited campaign of Communist insurgency, which was used by the Junta to attack progressive elements of Argentine society. 20-30,000 men, women and children were abducted, tortured and or murdered as “leftists” often singled out where their work (doctors, priests, “intellectuals”) made them suspect .

It should beggar belief that the scum of Argentina have been untouchable for 20 years, but having enjoyed US approval during the period 1976-83, it is not difficult to guess why it was so hard to finally put an end to the obscenity. It well known that many veterans of the dirty war found refuge in the land of the free. Many are doubtless making travel arrangements as we speak.