Argentina 'dirty war' suspect Omar Graffigna goes on trial aged 90

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Argentina 'dirty war' suspect Omar Graffigna goes on trial aged 90

Former head of Argentina’s air force and two ex-subordinates charged over disappearance of activist couple during 1976-1983 dictatorship

Associated Press in Buenos Aires
Wednesday 4 May 2016 21.14 EDT

The former head of Argentina’s air force and two ex-subordinates are on trial for alleged abduction and disappearance of activists during the Latin American nation’s 1976-1983 dictatorship.

Omar Graffigna, 90, is accused of abducting activist couple Patricia Roisinblit and Jose Manuel Perez Rojo in 1978.

Roisinblit was eight months pregnant when she, Perez Rojo, and a 15-month-old daughter were taken to a clandestine detention centre. What happened to the couple is unknown.

Guillermo Perez Roisinblit, the son Roisinblit gave birth to during detention, is a plaintiff in the trial that began this week. He was adopted by another family.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/05/argentina-dirty-war-suspect-omar-graffigna-goes-on-trial-aged-90

[forest444]

1. And Graffigna was one of most "moderate" figures in the dictatorship.

You can imagine how bad hard-liners like Admiral Emilo Massera, and Generals Albano Harguindeguy, Santiago Riveros, and Guillermo Suárez Mason were.

Btw: Thank you, Judi, for covering the Labor Day protests against Macri - an ideological heir of the above dictatorship, as you know. It's worth noting that during the Dirty War in the late '70s, around 40% of the victims were labor union members (the largest single group).

Having them finally reunite to confront his attacks on living standards is potentially a real game changer, since Argentina is Latin America's most unionized country. We'll see.

Here's footage from the event along Columbus Avenue, south of downtown Buenos Aires (an avenue I hope they can rename at some future date):

[Judi Lynn]

2. Hard to imagine how vicious the others were! Of course, maybe not so hard for the 30,000 dead ones.

It's still boggle the mind that the ones they murdered so enthusiastically were from their own country, with nothing but politics to separate them, and morals.

The fascists can live without them.

Thanks for this video! Extraordinary gathering, wasn't it? The people are committed, they know what fascist governments can and will do, so it certainly takes far more courage to speak out against killers, doesn't it?

I have to mention Buenos Aires is a beautiful city. I can see why you enjoy visiting there. Gorgeous.

"Columbus" is a little stupid in the days when so many people know something about him, isn't it? Yikes.