Mothers of Love and Anger

Mothers of Plaza de Mayo; a story of dignity, revolution and peace

"Fight is not over", says Tati Almeyda. She is the mother of one of the 30.000 persons "disappeared" during the last military dictatorship of Argentina between 1976 and 1983. Tati, as well as hundreds of mothers, still claim for information about the fate of their children.

Even when the systematic kidnappings headed by the Armed Forces took place decades ago, the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo still refuse to consider their children dead. It is a political attitude as they say. "They are disappeared; it proves that these actions were part of a systematic operation of State Terrorism", adds Tati.

However, this worldwide famous Human Rights movement experiences a strong division since 1986. There are, in fact, two lines of "Madres" clearly separated by ideological positions. There is a hard line led by Hebe De Bonafini and a democratic one led by Nora Cortiсas.

Matilde Tornapolsky is member of the second group known as "Fundadoras" - founders in English - and was one of the firsts in separating. "We left the movement because we are against any kind of authoritarian attitudes and Hebe represents such authoritarianism."

Hebe De Bonaifni is hard woman. She heads the Association of Plaza de Mayo and rules a popular university in the center of Buenos Aires. She is very connected with left wing movements of Argentina and the rest of the world and does not doubt in saying that the group of Fundadoras "prostitute themselves by selling their children blood to the Government".

On her point of view there is no difference in demanding to a dictatorship or a democratic Government. Here she disagrees strongly with the other group of Mothers that opted to collaborate with the democratic governments to obtain better results on their seek for justice.

Hebe De Bonafini is like a legend of social movements. However, he gained the opposition of many people inside these groups when declared that she celebrated with champagne after the September Eleven attacks. "They do not accept me in World Social Forum in Porto Alegre because of the episode with George Soros."

During the 2002 Forum in the Southern Brazilian City, they organized a videoconference connecting Davos with Porto Alegre. In the Swiss ski resorts was the Hungarian - American tycoon. Hebe, among others was on the other side of the line. "He asked if we had something to tell him and I told him that he is a murder a criminal and that while he had tons of food million of children were dying because of his fortune. Then, he said that I was full of hate. So I answered: Yes. I hate you".

Hebe, has three disappeared sons. As she says, she went from the kitchen to the streets. He had never participated in politics before and is now one of the symbols of the fight for Human Rights. For his group, people disappeared were revolutionaries and its task is to follow their example and carry on the fight for freedom on the world.

This differs significantly from the point of vie of the other group. "The militaries said they were battling terrorist but they killed mainly innocent people without links to political activism", explains Tati Almeyda.

Even when both positions look irreconcilable, the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo are now a legend and an example for millions that fight for justice all over the world. They keep on walking in front of the Palace of Government in the most centric square of Buenos Aires saying every Thursday: "Not a single step back"

Hernan Etchaleco PRAVDA.Ru Argentina

Photo: one of the “Mothers” carrying on the picture of her disappeared daughter.