The disappeared students: Francisco López Muntaner (16), María Claudia Falcone (16), Daniel A. Racero (18), María Clara Ciocchini (18), Claudio de Acha (17), Horacio Ungaro (17), Pablo Diaz (18) – Pablo is the only survivor shown here
38 years ago today on September 16, 1976 in La Plata, Argentina, 10 high school students ages 16 – 18 were kidnapped by the military junta. Four of them survived and lived to testify regarding the kidnappings and subsequent rape and torture that followed their forced disappearances. 6 of the young students are still among the missing. The night became known as La Noche de los Lapices or The Night of the Pencils.
“They tortured us with profound sadism. I remember being naked. I was just a fragile small girl of about 1.5 m and weighed about 47 kg, and I was beaten senseless by what I judged was a huge man” and “after about a week at our first detention center, we were all taken to another place in a truck. At some point we stopped and some of my friends were taken out. Those are the ones that disappeared.” – torture survivor Emilce Moler
The students were activists who had been campaigning for the boleto estudiantil (student ticket). Students involved in this movement fought for bus passes that would provide free transportation to and from school instead of students having to pay for public transportation. The Boleto Educativo Gratuito (free educational pass) was implemented in recent years in Cordoba and similar programs are in place around the country now that provide either free or discounted bus fare for students and teachers.
In 1976, activists campaigning for these programs were tortured and murdered. Today Argentines are marching in their memory.
“We are already marching to Plaza San Martin, along with thousands of youth remembering the night of the pencils.”
“In Arana, they gave me electric shocks in my mouth, my gums, and my genitals. They tore out one of my toenails. It was very usual to spend several days without food.” – torture survivor Pablo Diaz
During the military dictatorship, 30,000 people were forcibly kidnapped by the right-wing junta. The Commission Against the Disappearance of Persons (Conadep), began an inquiry in 1984 investigating crimes against humanity committed by the military dictatorship. They found some of the victims were as young as 13 years old.
“38-years after #NocheDeLosLapices, arriving at Puerto Madero, the Rosadita”
In September 2011, nearly two dozen junta officials were charged with crimes against humanity for their roles in the Night of the Pencils. Among them was Miguel Etchecolatz, 82, who is already serving a life sentence for other crimes committed during his time as an officer in the regime. Still many guilty parties walk free with impunity and too many families still don’t know the fate of their missing relatives.
The phrase “los lápices siguen escribiendo” (the pencils continue writing) has been echoed in social media today in remembrance of all those who are still missing and as a reminder that the bloody history of the junta is still being written.
Testimony of survivor Pablo Diaz (Spanish)
Testimony of survivor Emile Moler (Spanish)