I am still asking myself why am I here before you today ....And that question has brought me to reflect on the last thirty years of my family life, overshadowed during the Argentine Military Dictatorship with the abduction and enforced disappearance of my daughter, Maria Marta, together with her husband Cesar, an event which took place on that evil night of May 14th 1976. They were taken away from us and never again could we know of them as with many other thousands of victims. They were entered into a tunnel of darkness out of which they could never return.
That is why we are here once again, Mr. President, requesting you and the distinguished delegates of the Human Rights Council to finally approve the Convention. We have travelled a long road with both achievements and disillusionments but today we turn to all of you in order that in our world there be no more victims of the crime against humanity of Forced Disappearances.
The families of the “desaparecidos” never have accepted vengance nor violence but always peace, truth and justice. If we defend the historical memory of our peoples it is because events of such collective import have happened that we should always hold them present as they mould our national identity.
I want to be very clear when I say that in order to prevent inhuman and immoral violations to civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights we must say a clear NO to impunity.
I also want to make clear that I support the work that remains pending from the Commission on Human Rights, such as the Declaration on indigenous peoples, our Convention ad any other situation that will contribute to “Peace, Truth and Justice”.
The families of the desaparecidos have never accepted vengance nor violence but have always propiciated peace, truth and justice. In your hands lies the responsability that finally we may be able to say that there will be no more victims of enforced disappearances in the world.
All I can say to you now is that I will always continue my work in the defence of Human Rights and against all violations. I will continue to uphold the ideals and principles which the thirty thousand “Desaparecidos” in Argentina adhered to in order to achieve dignity and general welfare for all people. I hope to always continue in the struggle for Memory, Truth and Justice.