the dirty war

peaceful protests took place this past saturday in buenos aires in rememberance of the military coup that brought to power a brutal junta 31 years ago. that military dictatorship ruled from 1976-1983 and the state-sponsered terrorism that was carried out in agrentina under jorge rafael videla's military government was termed the Guerra Sucia- the dirty war.

it is estimated, by the National Commission on the Disappearence of Persons (CONADEP), that 9,000 people were "disappeared" during the dirty war. human rights orgs. bring the estimate closer to 30,000.

if you are interested in knowing more about this painful time in argentina's history, i recommend a foreign film called "the official story." there is also the more recent "imagining argentina."

during our church service sunday morning we took a moment to remember the disappeared and their families and those around the world who have suffered and continue to suffer at the hands of injustice. together we sung a song written by leon gieco, deemed the argentine bob dylan, that became the unoffical anthem during those years.

the lyrics are powerful.

it was impossible to do the lyrics justice in an english translation, so this is for those of you who read spanish.

Sólo le pido a Dios
León Gieco

Sólo le pido a Dios
que el dolor no me sea indiferente,
que la reseca muerte no me encuentre
vacío y solo, sin haber hecho lo suficiente.

Sólo le pido a Dios
que lo injusto no me sea indiferente,
que no me abofeteen la otra mejilla,
después que una garra me arañó esta suerte.

Sólo le pido a Dios
que la guerra no me sea indiferente,
es un monstruo grande y pisa fuerte
toda la pobre inocencia de la gente.

Sólo le pido a Dios
que el engaño no me sea indiferente,
si un traidor puede más que unos cuantos,
que esos cuantos no lo olviden fácilmente.

Sólo le pido a Dios
que el futuro no me sea indiferente,
desahuciado está el que tiene que marchar
a vivir una cultura diferente.

Sólo le pido a Dios
que la guerra no me sea indiferente,
es un monstruo grande y pisa fuerte
toda la pobre inocencia de la gente.

*** you can check out a performance of the song by gieco on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhvWwBjmlsQ