02/09/2009 | Offnews.

info Edward Kennedy and Human Rights in Latin America: Un solo corazon By Martin Edwin Andersen I had the privilege of covering Senator Kennedy's trip to Argentina and Chile in 1986 for Newsweek It was one of the !ost !e!ora"le e#periences in si# years of reporting fro! the region In $%enos Aires& the govern!ent of 'resident (a%l ( Alfonsin had )%st s%ccessf%lly prosec%ted in civilian co%rt the !ilitary architects of the Argentine *dirty war&* and Kennedy's co!ing to Argentina in the after!ath of that sing%lar and !o!ento%s event was in itself an i!portant sy!"ol of international s%pport The contrast between what the United States sometimes nfort nate!y has meant in the re"ion# and what it co !d mean# co !dn$t ha%e been "reater d rin" the Ar"entine !e" of &ennedy$s %isit. Twenty'three years !ater memories remain bri"ht of how the Senator "a%e a mo%in"# e!o( ent e%enin" address downtown to h man ri"hts acti%ists and s r%i%ors''many of whom he )new *ersona!!y from the worst days of re*ression. Meanwhi!e# down a few b!oc)s a!on" +a!!e +orrientes# demonstrators *rotestin" the sim !taneo s a**earance by ,a%id -oc)efe!!er torched cars# batt!ed we!!'armed *o!ice# and bro)e store windows. -oc)efe!!er# !i)e his !ate brother .e!son# had been an irritatin" and se!f' interested a*o!o"ist for the mi!itary / nta. 0-oc)efe!!er retainer 1enry &issin"er had act a!!y "i%en the "enera!s a 2"reen !i"ht2 for their i!!e"a! and most!y c!andestine ram*a"e at the be"innin"# in 3945.6 7oin" bac) to the hote! that ni"ht the motorcade carryin" Senator$s *arty and the *ress had to mo%e "in"er!y in a dri88!in" rain aro nd the dist rbances# which "a%e the e%enin" a *artic !ar!y sad cast. 9o!!owin" a %isit with A!fonsin# Senator &ennedy tra%e!ed to the Ar"entina *ro%ince of :a -io/a 0which he re*eated!y ca!!ed 2:a -oi/a#2 to the en/oyment of his hosts6 to "i%e homa"e to Mons. Enri( e An"e!e!!i# the *ro"ressi%e +atho!ic bisho* )i!!ed in 3945 by the mi!itary in a sta"ed car accident. An"e!e!!i was himse!f a *rofi!e in co ra"e# stayin" in the *ro%ince as death s( ads m rdered his *riests and then came for him# whi!e the +h rch hierarchy in B enos Aires iss ed m te *rotests. Then'7o%. +ar!os S. Menem# at the time a 2reformist2 ;eronist and !ater a s ccessf ! candidate for *resident# tried to dominate the &ennedy stay in :a
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-io/a# sta"in" a bi" *arade com*!ete with brass band as the senator arri%ed in the ca*ita!. That ni"ht Menem hosted the senator and his sisters <ean and ;at in a ra co s *ri%ate *arty. The scene was * re +ellini a la ga%cho. After se%era! drin)s# Menem=a short man with !on" hair and sideb rn=hoisted an ornate sword# wa%in" it nsteadi!y abo t his head# a!!e"in" how if it were * to him he$d tra%e! with &ennedy the ne>t day to Santia"o to fi"ht +a*tain 7enera! ;inochet. The *atent bathos had the &ennedy sisters ro!!in" their eyes# whi!e the senator somewhat ncomfortab!y eyed the "estic !atin" Menem and his "!eamin" wea*on. 0:ater# as *resident# Menem *ardoned the Ar"entine "enera!s im*risoned nder A!fonsin# a"ainst &ennedy$s ad%ice and stron"# if *ri%ate# *!eadin"s.6 After dinner that ni"ht &ennedy aide 7re" +rai" wor)ed !on"# tense ho rs ne"otiatin" with Menem# the A!fonsin "o%ernment 0the rea! !oca! h man ri"hts cham*ions6# and +hi!ean a thorities how the Senator# his *arty and the media were "oin" to "et to Santia"o. The ne>t mornin" we !oaded into two sma!! *!anes and too) the harrowin" tri* o%er the Andes. U*on arri%a!# the pinochetists were we!!'armed with e""s and ins !ts whi!e the *o!ice !oo)ed on *assi%e!y. 09ormer 9orei"n Minister and &ennedy friend 7abrie! ?a!de8# his c!othes s*!attered with e""s# "reeted the senator at the air*ort# as a *ro'"o%ernment mob how!ed o tside.6 :ater# &ennedy "ot the !ast word# when he re*eated on se%era! occasions# 2@ am not an enemy of the +hi!ean *eo*!e b t @ am an enemy of tort re# )idna**in"s# )i!!in"s and arbitrary arrests.2 Se%era! years after &ennedy$s tri*# when @ wor)ed with the .ationa! ,emocratic @nstit te headed by Aa!ter Monda!e# we fo nd that the senator$s staff tried to accommodate e%ery worthy dissident and h man ri"hts cham*ion from the re"ion in meetin"s with him. Many of the *hotos most treas red bac) home were ta)en with Senator &ennedy in his office. 07o to ;ara" ay e%en today# to the office of then'cr sadin" anti'Stroessner news*a*er * b!isher A!do B cco!i!!o# and yo wi!! see a cherished 20'year' o!d *hoto of him and &ennedy.6 :ater @ /oined the staff of Senate Ma/ority Ahi* A!an +ranston 0the *erson who had the ori"ina! idea of mandatin" an ann a! State ,e*artment h man ri"hts re*ort before <immy +arter became *resident6 as his senior defense and forei"n *o!icy aide. On +a*ito! 1i!! there was no "reater friend of :atin American democracy and its sti!! ha nted and too'often h nted democrats than Edward M. &ennedy.
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Ahen Senator +ranston s*onsored a +a*ito! 1i!! staff ca c s on indi"eno s *eo*!es# it was s a!!y attended by somebody from his officeC !awyer 7are Smith of Senator &ennedy$s# and &aty Moran# re*resentin" @!!inois -e* b!ican -e*resentati%e <ohn ;orter. Senator +ranston$s !ast !e"is!ati%e act="ettin" the *art of the 2+ranston Amendment2 mandatin" that the ann a! h man ri"hts re*ort inc! de a section on indi"eno s *eo*!es=was si"ned into !aw by ;resident 7eor"e 1.A. B sh# after Senator &ennedy hearti!y endorsed it. There ha%e been many acco!ades heard abo t the Massach setts senior senator in the *ast wee)# b t none can s r*ass a mere reco ntin" of democrat Ted &ennedy$s wor)s in the re"ion# and the h "e %oid that is !eft now that he is "one.
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