By Haley Costen
Staff Writer

Two members of the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo spoke of their 36-year-long fight to find children who had been abducted during the dictatorship that ruled Argentina between 1976 and 1983 in a lecture presented by the Honors and Modern Language departments last Friday.
A packed room of students and faculty listened to the stories of Estela Barnes de Carlotto, president and founding member of the Abuelas, and Buscarita Roa, the group’s assistant treasurer. Danisa Bonacic, asst. professor of Modern Languages and Literature translated for the women.
“It is very important to be in touch with students because they are the age of our children when they disappeared,” Bonacic translated for Barnes de Carlotto at the start of the presentation.
Carlotto explained that 30,000 were kidnapped by the military in Argentina—sometimes in broad daylight, adding that cities with universities were targeted especially.
Barnes de Carlotto’s daughter Laura, who was pregnant at the time, was one of the victims.
After Laura’s disappearance, Barnes de Carlotta said she quit her job as a middle school teacher and went out looking for her.
“No one was answering our questions and we were afraid,” Bonacic translated for Barnes de Carlotto, adding, “we were alone, but we found other women searching for their children.”
Thus began the formation of the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo, a group of women dedicated to finding their children and grandchildren who were kidnapped or born in captivity because of the dictatorship.
The crowd laughed as Carlotto explained their early ways of tracking children—simply going door to door and pretending to sell children’s books. However, in 1983 the news that paternity tests could be used to show the relation of grandchildren and grandparents changed everything. By 1984 the Abuelas formed a database in Argentina dedicated to proving relation through paternity tests.
Though Barnes de Carlotto said that her daughter was killed and her grandchild remains missing, she said that the group has found 109 grandchildren through their database and with the help of professionals dedicated to tracking down the children.
One of the grandchildren that was found is the granddaughter of Roa, who was taken as an infant along with Roa’s son and daughter-in-law, who were killed.
“It is very important to realize who your parents are, to be with your family,” Bonacic translated for Roa. “It is very important that [kidnappings] do not happen again.”
Roa said she and her granddaughter, Claudia, now 35 and a mother of two, have a beautiful relationship after being united 13 years ago. However, she spoke of the hardships the grandchildren also endure from the revelation.
Bonacic translated for Roa that Claudia had to endure two losses: that of her biological parents, and that of the kidnappers who raised her (and served jail sentences for their crimes).
Despite this, the other discovered grandchildren often visit the organization and “are happy to have so many grandmothers,” Bonacic translated for Roa. She also explained that although her own grandchild was found, some 400, now in their 30s, are still missing and believed to be across the globe. She added that there are offices in Europe dedicated to the Abuelas’ cause, and that the group is still fighting.
“We are united forever. No one can destroy this group,” Bonacic translated for Barnes de Carlotto.
“I thought it was interesting, and despite the sadness it was very inspiring,” sophomore Alex Vutech said of the talk.
Spanish major Sarah Colosimo said that the subject was interesting to her, adding, “I thought it would be sad, but I think they have a good outlook.”
For more information on the Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo visit: aubuelas.org.ar.