UMET Tribute to Estela Carlotto, Tati Almeida and Buscarita Roa | Received Honorary Doctorate in Human Rights

Tati Almeida He hit the road in 1975 in search of his son, Alejandro. Carloto’s StellaIn 1977 their daughter Laura – who was pregnant – was abducted. baskarita roa He began his search in 1978, when his son, his daughter-in-law, and his young granddaughter were taken. During these four decades, the three women knocked on all doors and together with their comrades in struggle made Argentina a symbol of memory, truth and justice in the world. For teaching in the fight for human rights, Tati, Estella and Buscarita received honorary doctorates In Metropolitan University for Education and Work (UMET)who celebrated first ten years of existence,

In 2000, the piano of the theater on Sarmiento Street was playing “Alice in the Country”, a song by Charlie Garcia, when the room began to fill. The ceremony began shortly after the three honorees settled on stage to celebrate ten years of UMET, a university that is home to 2,000 boys and girls — its rector, Gimena Vitali, pointed out — representing 84 percent of the cases. are the first generation of their families to attend higher education.

“I want to thank the grandmothers, the mothers and all the organizations because they are all part of the values ​​of this university,” he began. Victor Santa Maria, Secretary General of Suterh and President of the October Foundation. There were difficult years, he said in the context of the Macrista government, but he also talked about the context in which UMET was created – when Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was averaging her second presidential term – and times of hope. “Let’s hope he comes back”got excited. “That fellow can once again be a candidate and president.”

To Nicolas Trotta -who a few days ago shared with the CFK the inauguration of the Néstor Kirchner Justicialista School in La Plata- had to make an introduction before each honorary doctorate was conferred. “He is not only a beacon in our country. They are examples in the world. What we Argentines have done thanks to these women should fill us with pride”, he said.

Tati was the first to stand, who went up to the seat of knowledge. “Yes, I will speak while standing,” she said, tying the handkerchief tightly. “Inspite of sticks and wheelchairs, crazy women are standing”He said and got the first ovation. There was another when she remembered that she was also a retired teacher. “If I am the mother of the Plaza de Mayo, it is because they took away the most precious thing in a woman,” she became emotional when Trotta read one of the poems written by Alejandro.

Tati’s speech was a challenge to the present, which is not only indebted to those who have been demanding truth and justice for more than 45 years. “It cannot happen in a democracy that we have political prisoners like Milagro Sala. It cannot be that we have a judicial mafia. There has been no investigation into the people who wanted to kill our dear Christina Kirchner.”he demanded and applause was heard.

Buscarita Roa was awarded her honor by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, daniel films, “What we have done, we have done with the love that a mother or grandmother has,” he said and apologized as he did not like to speak in public but remarked that he was grateful with all his heart. He dedicated his PhD to all the grandchildren he found and those he still needs to find.

Photos of 132 grandsons and granddaughters were presented on stage, who had their identities restored thanks to the Grandmother’s search. Baskarita’s granddaughter Claudia Victoria PobleteShe was sitting in one of the front rows listening to her grandmother who had found her 23 years earlier.

Estella de Carloto leaned on a cane to get closer to the microphone. He said that in October he will be 93 years old and he has been looking for it for 45 years. “There is no mother who does not look for her son every day, he has not returned. And we were looking for the son’s son “Remembered the President of Abuelas who, in 2014, managed to find his grandson, the son of his daughter Laura Carlotto,

In 1977, they took their daughter and in 1978 they returned a charred body. “I promised him in his grave that he would not for one day stop searching for his son or seeking justice for his 30,000 comrades. And that’s what I continue to do,” he insisted. Wet eyes met shaking palms across the room.

“Today, our board of directors – continued Estella – is made up of grandchildren. Grandchildren are now taking the place of grandparents, We are too few to have grandchildren so that they may be on the lookout for the day that we are no longer here. They were heard from the stage, along with others by the teacher leader roberto baradelldeputy hugo yasky and Human Rights Secretary, Horacio Pietragalla Corti – One of the grandchildren found by Abuelas.

– But I, as I was a director, raise my finger and I tell them: as long as there are grandmothers, grandmothers rule – Estella believed and a laugh was heard.

The president of the Abuelas asked, “Let’s get together.” In front of an auditorium in which government officials, representatives, union leaders and leaders of human rights organizations met. “This country is wonderful,” he said three months after Argentines voted to vote in primaries, and thanked life.

Standing up, Tati closed the ceremony like any celebration of memory worth its salt: 30,000 detained—missing, present!