Human Rights Movements in Latin America

1. Human Rights Movements in Latin America Prof. Angelina Godoy LSJ/SIS 322 Fall 2009

2. Voy a hablarles compañeros de las mujeres del Cuá que bajaron de los cerros por orden del general De la Maria Venancia y de la Amanda Aguilar, dos hijas de la montaña que no quisieron hablar “Ay, ay, a nadie vimos pasar.” La noche negra se traga aquel llanto torrencial Ay, ay, la patria llorando está, parecen gritos de parto los que se oyen por allá. Comrades, I’m going to tell you about the women of Cuá who came down the hills by order of the General About María Venancia and Amanda Aguilar, two daughters of the mountain who didn’t want to talk. “Ay, ay, we didn’t see anyone pass by,” the black night swallows that torrential sorrow Ay, ay, the nation is crying, they seem like shrieks of labor pain, those cries you hear over there. Carlos Mejía Godoy, Las Campesinas del Cuá

3. Dicen que al Chico Gonzalez no lo volvieron a ver; de noche se lo llevaron para nunca más volver. A Esteban y a Juan Hernández los subieron al avión y al aterrizar más tarde ya nadie más los miró “Ay, ay a nadie vimos pasar.” La noche negra se traga aquel llanto torrencial Ay, ay, la patria llorando está, parecen gritos de parto los que se oyen por allá. They say that they didn’t see Chico Gonzalez ever again; they took him away one night, never to return again. They forced Esteban and Juan Hernandez to board a plane, but when it landed later, they were never seen again. “Ay, ay, we didn’t see anyone pass by.” The black night swallows that torrential sorrow …Ay, ay, the nation is crying, they seem like shrieks of labor pain, those cries you over there.

4. A la Candida Martínez un guardia la conmino “Vení chavala.” le dijo. “Laváme este pantalón.” La cipota campesina fue mancillada ahí no más, y Tacho desde una fiche reía en el taquesal “Ay, ay a nadie vimos pasar.” La noche negra se traga aquel llanto torrencial Ay, ay, la patria llorando está, parecen gritos de parto los que se oyen por allá. And about Candida Martínez, a National Guardsman called to her, “Come here girl,” he said, “Wash these pants for me.” The peasant girl was raped right there while Tacho laughed from a picture on the shelf. “Ay, ay, we didn’t see anyone pass by.” The black night swallows that torrential sorrow …Ay, ay, the nation is crying, they seem like the shrieks of labor pain, those cries you hear over there.

5. Retonaban los quiquiques, estaban la milpa en flor, cuando a la pobre Martínez la patrulla la agarró. La indita abortó sentada con tanta interrogación; me lo contó la quebrada que baja del Septentrión. “Ay, ay a nadie vimos pasar.” La noche negra se traga aquel llanto torrencial Ay, ay, la patria llorando está, parecen gritos de parto los que se oyen por allá. The yucca plants sprouted, the cornfields were all in bloom, when the patrol grabbed poor Mrs. Martínez. She miscarried right there, sitting down, under interrogation. The stream that flows from Septentrion told me her story. “Ay, ay, we didn’t see anyone pass by.” The black night swallows these torrential sorrows …Ay, ay, the nation is crying, they seem like shrieks of labor pain, those cries you hear over there.

6. Voy a hablarles compañeros de las mujeres del Cuá que bajaron de los cerros por orden del general …de la Maria Venancia y de la Amanda Aguilar dos hijas de la montaña (2x) que no quisieron hablar (2x) Comrades, I’m going to tell you about the women of Cuá who came down the hills by order of the General …About María Venancia and Amanda Aguilar, two daughters of the mountain (2x) who didn’t want to talk (2x).

7. Legacies of widespread human rights abuse • Privatization of social life • Reluctance to speak about abuses • Reluctance to get politically involved • And yet, some came forward to form human rights groups • Many movements led bywomen • In part, women able to take advantage of role as mothers, wives to challenge state without appearing overtly “political”

8. Human rights boomerang Civil society Governments Transnational HR org ABUSE Local HR org Victims

9. When does the boomerang work well? • State violator • Acts of physical violence • “Innocent” or appealing victims • Direct responsibility When does it not work well? • Violating state is a rogue state, or a very powerful state • HR violations not the result of discrete acts by easily-identifiable culprits; may appear “natural” • Culprits more powerful than states

10. Limitations of the boomerang model • Works best against discrete violations of civil and political rights in relatively weak countries • Today, there are fewer cases of this sort in Latin America • Most human rights cases in the region today deal with social, economic, and cultural rights (think of struggles in context of globalization) • In part, this is a reflection of the gains of democracy (widespread c/p rights violations no longer happening) • But also a reflection of democracy’s limitations

11. Transitions to Democracy Forces contributing to democratization: • Economic downturn • States could no longer contain domestic unrest, needed to make concessions to opposition • States needed foreign investment to bolster ailing economies, and this depends on good international PR • Geopolitical changes • End of Cold War-> US less willing to tolerate authoritarianism • Rise of HR movement put pressure on US for endorsing state terror • Political change within countries • As armed struggle waned, most reformers willing to accept limited reforms (c/p rights) rather than far reaching social transformations • In some countries, political leaders granted amnesties as an incentive for authoritarians to leave power

12. The democratic “gamble” • To end conflicts, reformers in many countries settled for limited c/p rights gains (formal democracy), without widespread social reforms • Many recognized that granting c/p rights alone would not address long-term causes of conflict, but banked on “democratic gamble” • For the most part, this didn’t work • Why not? • Today, in many countries people question the value of formal democracy without wider social reforms -> questioning of so-called “Washington Consensus”

13. “Problemmatizing” democracy • Democratic gamble: notion that rights expand in concentric circles; generations of rights C/P Rights SEC Rights

14. The traditional HR paradigm and its limitations • Savages-victims-saviors (Makau Mutua) : certain assumptions underlie way boomerang works

15. Truth commissions • Common component of “transitional justice” is truth-telling • Assumption that remembering past prevents its repeat • How do truth commissions operate; whose truth do they tell?

16. Greg Grandin • 20th century LatAm: rewriting of understanding of what democracy was about • From state as arbiter of social justice to state as guarantor of individual rights • truth commissions explain history in ways that may be limiting • Define HR violations as disconnected from long-term political struggles, periods of violence as irrational, bounded • David Kennedy (2004): HR divides world into realms of reason and chaos • “Truth commissions, by presenting an interpretation of history as a parable rather than as politics, largely denied the conditions that brought them into being.” (2005:5)

17. Kimberly Theidon • How do we define what/who needs to be included? • “Victim centered” approaches • Efforts to be “gender sensitive” complex • Just inviting women to participate is not enough; they don’t talk about sexual violence • Creating women-only spaces is not enough; this obscures other divisions • Why do we want them to talk? • Assumptions about therapeutic value of remembering • Assumptions about courageousness of speaking out • What acts are heroic? Women’s narratives describe heroism in relation to other family, community members; do we hear this as heroism or victimization?

18. Kimberly Theidon • Is expecting intimate narratives ethical? Might it be more heroic -- or healthy -- for survivors to insist their stories are private? • Should silence be respected? • When survivors talk, what is the obligation of the listener?