Today is Día de la Memoria, which marks the anniversary of the coup d'état in 1976 that started the dictatorial rule of the Proceso . This seems like such a long time ago, but yes it still is strongly in the memories of the people here, and often crops up in the most unlikely places.
This weekend for example, I was walking with the children to their grandmothers house, when I came across the most beautiful garden. Quite English in design actually, lush and verdant. With loads of flowering trees. The house is on the corner, it is neither large nor small, but humble and proud, but it was the backyard that was impressive, as it was the length of half the block. What was even more unusual was the fact there are no bars on the window, to keep the burglars out. Nor was there razor wire on the low fence. "How optimistic of them." I thought. When the Pelado joined us later, I had been so entranced, I told him of my new favourite house in Villa Urquiza.
"Oh, that is house of the colonel under house arrest for the military crimes, did you not notice the guard box out front." he said. "What kind of punishment is that?" I replied, "Living in a house with that beautiful garden?"
So yes, this past shame still lingers in day to day life, in the most tragic and often beautiful ways.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Día de la Memoria
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6 cabeceos:
It´s a true shame.
Thanks for posting this.
Love
The cruel dictatorships never last long and those that did are never forgiven or forgotten.
I do however believe that even living in The Garden of Eden if it is forced with restrictions and is without freedom is in itself just a True Prison for those who live their lives inside it.
What may seem to be very comfortable and cosy from the outside has to be a living hell for the man inside if he is not free to leave it. Maybe the punishment is soft in your view, and I am not judging it to be otherwise as far as its superficial harshness seems, but it is still a prison with a guard at its door.
A prison is not measured by how low its walls are, many who have lived in dictatorships know this to the core of their bones.
MilongaCat.
The only cat who loves you back!
I don´t necessarily believe that you loose your freedom, being confined to a large and lovely home, not being able to leave it. I would be happy to stay home for ever with its comforts...especially if there were to be such a lovely garden to walk and relax in. Did I mention the pool?
Anyways, aside from the man being under house arrest, I have no other information to draw upon. Just that I really don´t think this is fair justice.
The irony of the Universe is always surprising.
Quite the gilded cage the colonel lives in. i remember showing Robert this beautiful building in Recoleta and him telling me that that's where the disappeared was held and interrogated. Maybe that's where the colonel should have been placed in house arrest - where he would spend eternity staring at the disappeared's final desperate words etched into the concrete walls with their fingernails before their bodies got dumped into the ocean.
well put. I don't think it's fair justice either.
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