Mothers on the march

Press, 24 September 1983, Page 10

Mothers on the march

NZPA-Reuter Buenos Aires

Human rights demonstrators chanting insults against Argentina’s military Government, yesterday ended a 24-hour vigil outside the Presidential Palace with a march through central Buenos Aires.

About 10,000 chanting demonstrators marched peacefully to the congress building where they held a short rally. They were led by the Mothers of the Plaza de

Mayo, an organisation grouping relatives of people who disappeared during the Armed Forces’ “dirty war” against Leftist guerrillas in the late 19705.

The 24-hour vigil outside the Plaza de Mayo Presidential Palace was called to support demands that up to 30,000 people who disappeared during the “dirty war” be produced alive. The demonstrators also demanded the release of

Argentina’s remaining 385 political prisoners and protested against the Government’s plan to pardon human rights offenders in the security forces before elections on October 30, to restore democracy.

The police watched the demonstrations, but did not intervene.

Earlier, Saul Übaldini, one of Argentina’s top trade union leaders, visited tbe demonstrators outside tbe Presidential Palace and era-

braced Hebe Bonafini, president of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. Mr Übaldini is secretarygeneral of the hardline “Brasil” wing of Argentina’s General Confederation of Labour, which unexpectedly gave open support to the demonstration.

A delegation of the Mothers organisation was beaten up in the street last week by unidentified thugs shortly after a tense meeting with confederation leaders.