The Human Rights Actions Network - Derechos Human Rights
http://www.derechos.org/human-rights/actions/

As reported last week, the Argentine Navy Ship "Libertad" is visiting San
Francisco. On Tuesday, the 11th, they will hold a reception on board the
ship to which San Francisco Authorities and other local luminaries are
invited. We will be protesting this event, and if you live in the Bay Area,
we urge you to get in touch with us and join us.

If you don't, we ask you to please write to San Francisco Mayor Willy
Brown, at DaMayor@ci.sf.ca.us and ask him to not attend the event, and
further, to denounce the Argentine Navy for all the crimes they have
committed, and they continue to commit.

Between 1975 and 1983, the Argentine Navy was responsible for the
"disappearance", torture and ultimate death of over ten thousand men, women
and children. The fate of most of the disappeared is still unknown, and by
refusing to come clean with their crimes, list their victims and confess
what was done to them, the Navy continues the psychological torture of
their families. Everyone has the right to bury their dead, to know what
happened to their children.  Furthermore, Navy doctors were responsible
for stealing hundreds of children for their disappeared mothers, and giving
them to families related to the military establishment to raise as their
own. Most of these children do not know who they are, and have
grandmothers, sisters and brothers searching for them. The Navy has
continuously refused to state where these children are.

According to declarations by Captains Pernias and Scilingo, everyone who
was in the Argentine Navy during the Dirty War was, in one way or another,
involved in the repression, torture and death of these people.  Far from
being dismissed and tried for their crimes, most Navy criminals continue to
serve and be promoted. Many of the top officers at the frigate Libertad are
likely to have been involved in the repression. The cadets, too young to
have done anything during the Dirty War, have been trained in the image,
and with the sense of bloody "honor" of these men.

It is disgraceful, that a city such as San Francisco, that has been at the
forefront of the human rights movement, will play host to these men, and
that the Mayor, representing the city, will be sharing their table.

We thank you profusely for your help and support on this matter.


Human Rights in Argentina
http://www.derechos.org/human-rights/argentina.html