Atilra’s homage to its members disappeared in times of dictatorship
A hurting history is not forgotten
A Memorial for Truth and for Life
Atilra’s homage to its members disappeared
in times of dictatorship
in times of dictatorship
Photo: Gerardo Iglesias
Prior to the start of the Conference, the workers’ unions’ representatives had the chance to participate in a guided tour through the facilities of the Technological Education Center (CET). At the beginning of the tour, Atilra’s General Secretary Héctor Ponce pointed out the «President Nestor Kirchner Walkway of Memory, Truth and Life», a memorial in honor of the disappeared during what is known as Argentina’s «dirty war» occurred in the 70s. The monument is located outside the Center, in front of the building’s main entrance.
In that instance, Ponce expressed that «Society cannot look ahead to the future when its past is not clear.
The civic-military dictatorship suffered by our country in the 70s decimated a whole generation by murdering and disappearing thirty thousand fellow citizens.
Most of them were leaders and activists from workers’ unions,” said Atilra’s General Secretary. “It was a decade of catastrophes where many of those who dreamt of a better country, more inclusive for all, were kidnapped, tortured, and thrown from airplanes into the River Plate. They stole hundreds of babies who are still in the process of being identified and found, when they are already adults.
In this case, no matter how painful history may be to us, we must never forget it,” added Ponce.
This memorial is dedicated to all the disappeared, and also to the six members of our Union who were murdered. It stands as homage to them and their families, to express that their deaths were not in vain.
Here we have included an image of the six missing workers and we have also planted six oak trees by the Memorial, representing their noble spirit.
This Educational Center we present today has been possible thanks to the generosity and wisdom of the six fellow workers whom we pay tribute to permanently.
They dreamt of a different Argentina, battling alongside their peers, and their shed blood has turned into an offering by Atilra, which is the basis for a new battle towards ensuring a real Never Again,» he concluded.