MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

La Plata recalls 46th Anniversary of “The Night of the Pencils”

“Today more than 5 million teenagers use the student ticket” many were tortured or killed for, survivor Pablo Díaz recalled

Groups of survivors, students, and other human rights organizations Friday commemorated the 46th anniversary of the massacre known as “The Night of the Pencils” (La Noche de Los Lápices) in the Argentine city of La Plata where the atrocities committed by the military dictatorship were perpetrated.

“At 46 years, being in La Plata, where the walls speak to me and the streets bring me the absences, but being surrounded by so many young people and flags is restorative, it is a good tribute and a good opportunity to talk about the past in our present,” survivor Emilce Moler told Hoy.

She also pointed out that the issue has been discussed with the younger generations “so that it never happens again, so that political differences are never again settled through weapons.”

Starting Sept. 16 and over the next few days, state terror groups kidnapped students who had been demanding a special bus fare for students to the Arana clandestine detention centers where they were tortured for weeks.

“The student movement of the province of Buenos Aires goes out to march because we do not want terrifying events like those that happened to our comrades of the Night of the Pencils to happen again. We want a free country, with economic independence and political sovereignty,” said Candela Coletti, according to Hoy.

The La Plata outlet also quoted Nadya Loscoco as saying that “it is fundamental because of the symbolic dimension, a few days ago they wanted to shoot Cristina Kirchner in the face, the historical bond is stronger.”

“It is a massive call because dreams are not outlawed. The city of La Plata was the epicenter and while we discuss democracy, empowering the call was part of the definitions of the student movement,” she added.

Survivor Pablo Díaz proudly recalled that today millions of students use the bus ticket for which they fought: “Today more than 5 million teenagers use the student ticket, it was the achievement of a union, a social and economic right.”

“We have to keep on building on Never Again because some people are proposing violence and hatred; teenagers have to bring out the social sensitivity and love that he/she has by himself/herself,” he added.

(Source: Hoy)