Congress Votes to Keep Files on Argentine War Secret

[Judi Lynn]

Congress Votes to Keep Files on Argentine War Secret
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: May 13, 2011

An effort to declassify American intelligence files on Argentina’s dictatorship failed in Congress on Friday in Washington, disappointing rights activists in Argentina who believe the secret documents could help them identify young people stolen as babies by the military junta. The amendment by Representative Maurice D. Hinchey, Democrat of New York, left, was rejected by a vote of 214 to 194. It would have compelled American intelligence agencies to declassify their files on the 1976-1983 dictatorship, which was closely monitored by United States intelligence agencies. A similar amendment in 1999 resulted in the Chile declassification project under President Bill Clinton, which led to the publication of more than 24,000 documents that helped prosecute crimes against humanity committed during the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. Most of the files on Argentina remain secret.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/14/world/americas/14briefs-Argentina.html

Editorials and other articles:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x602664

[Judi Lynn]

1. Earlier article: Kissinger approved Argentinian 'dirty war'

Kissinger approved Argentinian 'dirty war'
Declassified US files expose 1970s backing for junta
Duncan Campbell in Los Angeles The Guardian,
Saturday 6 December 2003 02.20 GMT

Henry Kissinger gave his approval to the "dirty war" in Argentina in the 1970s in which up to 30,000 people were killed, according to newly declassified US state department documents.
Mr Kissinger, who was America's secretary of state, is shown to have urged the Argentinian military regime to act before the US Congress resumed session, and told it that Washington would not cause it "unnecessary difficulties".

The revelations are likely to further damage Mr Kissinger's reputation. He has already been implicated in war crimes committed during his term in office, notably in connection with the 1973 Chilean coup.

The material, obtained by the Washington-based National Security Archive under the Freedom of Information Act, consists of two memorandums of conversations that took place in October 1976 with the visiting Argentinian foreign minister, Admiral César Augusto Guzzetti. At the time the US Congress, concerned about allegations of widespread human rights abuses, was poised to approve sanctions against the military regime.

According to a verbatim transcript of a meeting on October 7 1976, Mr Kissinger reassured the foreign minister that he had US backing in whatever he did.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/dec/06/argentina.usa

[Judi Lynn]

2. More information: Argentina: US shows hypocrisy on human rights

May 13, 5:29 PM EDT
Argentina: US shows hypocrisy on human rights
By MICHAEL WARREN
Associated Press

~snip~
Most of the U.S. files on Argentina still remain secret, and some of those voting against the measure said it's best they stay that way. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican from Alabama, said declassifying them would distract U.S. spies from the fight against al-Qaida.

But Alan Iud, an attorney representing the rights group known as Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, said, "I can't understand how a country can proclaim itself a defender of human rights while its congress puts obstacles in the way of a grandmother reuniting with her grandchild."

The rights group has helped 104 people, now adults between 30-35 years old, recover their identities after being stolen at birth from detainees who were later killed. They're still searching for 400 others who may have been born in clandestine torture centers and adopted illegally. Two former dictators are on trial in the baby thefts. All together, as many as 30,000 people were killed or disappeared, activists say.

~snip~
"The United States can play a vital role in lifting the veil of secrecy that has shrouded the terrible human rights abuses of the despotic military regime that ruled Argentina," he said in a statement. "Our intelligence community may hold the key to helping unlock some of the mysteries behind the identities of hundreds of Argentine citizens who were separated from their biological families as a result of the atrocities."

More:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_ARGENTINA_SECRET_US_FILES?SECTION=HOME&SITE=AP&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT