La ESMA is a naval academy. From 1976-1983, it was used as a clandestine detainment/torture/extermination center by the military regime. Many of the guards were naval officers, but some were young people: students of the naval academy, between 16-24 years old. 5,000 of the 30,000 desaparecidos (disappeared people) who were kidnapped by the government passed through la ESMA. The building is in the center of the city, and prisoners were brought there at all hours of the day. Some of the prisoners were part of a guerrilla resistance, some were intellectuals, and some were brought there only because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time (for example, out with a friend who the government wanted to detain). There was no logic to the terms of the detainment: some people were there for a few days, and others for months or years. All were tortured, some did slave labor, and most were killed. The regime's famous torture method was to tranquilize victims and throw them from a helicopter into the river while they were still alive. Years later, the bones of the desaparecidos started washing ashore. Only 4 of the 5,000 who were detained there escaped from la ESMA.
I went on a tour (with the other American students in my program) of the Casino de Oficiales (the building where the naval officials lived), where most of the torture took place. The basement and attic were both prison and torture centers, and pregnant women were kept separate so that their children could be appropriated to military officials and their friends. About 15,000 children were appropriated by the people who had tortured and killed their parents. Thanks to some very courageous and hard-working mothers (of the desaparecidos), some have been identified. The mothers want to start a blood bank in Argentina in order to discover more.
In order to protect themselves, the officials modified the building many times in an attempt to discredit witnesses' testimonies. They moved staircases, shifted rooms, added new facades, removed an elevator... Although it did become clear that la ESMA was indeed a torture center, the military convinced President Menem, the first non-military president after that period, to pardon almost all of the criminals involved. There has been a lot of justice done since, but the whereabouts of many of the desaparecidos and some of the criminals are still unknown.
It was terrible to learn that all those people were dehumanized and killed. It still affects Argentine families so much. The two biggest lessons I took away were that the culprit was dehumanization. Anything is justifiable when you're not dealing with people, but destestable, guilty, nameless objects. It's so important to appreciate people as people no matter what other categories, political or otherwise, they belong to. Even violent guerrilla warriors (which few of the detained people actually were), are humans.
The second big lesson I learned were the sorts of people detained. The tour guide quoted someone (I can't remember who!) as saying that the people considered criminals are: "First the subversive; then the collaborators; then the sympathizers; next the indecisive; and finally, the timid." I love that quote, because it shows that when one person or group is dehumanized, no one else is safe. It's so important, for that reason, to fight against every injustice.
On a much lighter note, I also went to a free tango class with some friends tonight! There was live music and really good (basic!) instruction. I danced with an Argentinian guy who asked me. He asked me if I was Brazilian. When I told him that I'm from Chicago, he asked if it was gothic, like Batman's Gotham City, lol. I told him that there are lots of glass skyscrapers there, and he said, "Oh..." I knew just as little about Buenos Aires before I got here! lol.
After tangoing, I went to some bookstores and found two amazing books for 8 pesos (about 25 cents)! Tomorrow I'm going to go with another friend to some weekend book fairs. =)
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