HIJXS denounces political attack: a feminist activist from the group was beaten and abused
Days before the anniversary of March 24th, the national network of the HIJXS (Children for Identity and Justice against Forgetting and Silence) organization denounced that a member suffered an attack and sexual abuse in her own home. They demand a thorough investigation.
Share
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina. Days before the anniversary of the civic-military coup, the National Network of HIJXS (Children for Identity and Justice against Forgetting and Silence) denounced a political attack against one of its members.
The incident occurred on March 5th and was reported to the authorities. The victim's identity, as well as the location of the attack, are being withheld. The human rights and feminist activist recounted that she arrived home that night to find two armed individuals inside who assaulted her. While they were tying her up, they told her she was a working woman and that they could take whatever they wanted. She received a brutal response: “We didn't come to rob you, we came to kill you. We get paid for this.”
After completely covering her head and mouth, they sexually assaulted her. While they were attacking her, they repeatedly said, “We know you’re a human rights activist, now you’re going to shut up.” The men left, leaving the initials of the activists from La Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances) on one of the walls: VLLC (Long live freedom, damn it).
The activist managed to leave her house with great difficulty. After asking neighbors for help, the police arrived but couldn't get her out because the door was locked. Finally, the firefighters arrived and broke down the door so she could get out.
A political attack
Lucila Puyol is a lawyer, a member of the HIJXS organization, and one of its spokespeople. For her, as well as for other leaders in the network, there is no doubt that this was a political attack.
“We say this is a political attack, just days before March 24th, against a fellow human rights and feminist activist. Besides the fact that we are all shocked, this shows that all members of human rights organizations are in danger,” Puyol told Agencia Presentes .
The attackers ransacked the entire house, including specific areas like the wardrobe and her bookcase. It was later learned that they had been gathering information about the woman and her daily life from neighbors.
Puyol confirmed that there is a criminal case. In addition to the complaint, there was intervention from the police, firefighters, and medical personnel, as a medical report was prepared. Details of the case were not released to protect the activist who was attacked and to avoid hindering the investigation.
For Lucila, also a member of HIJXS, this is a new episode in the climate of political violence gripping the country. “Let’s not forget the body bags in Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, the threats and insults directed at our Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, and even the attempted assassination of the Vice President. I see all of this as the work of those who want to attack those who think differently,” she explained.
“That’s what’s happening to us, to the human rights collective. There’s a national government that constantly incites violence.”
Heading towards March 24th
As soon as the Network made this brutal attack public, it received solidarity from union leaders who offered their support to HIJXS, as well as from political parties. Estela de Carlotto also commented on the attack.
Estela de Carlotto also addressed the attack in an interview with Ari Lijalad for El Destape Radio. "What kind of country are we living in? It's an abominable act," said the president of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo.
"There is an enormous lack of morality and a disenchantment with life among our young people who live as best they can. Our people are as if asleep. They are complacent, saying 'it will pass,' a flatness in defending what is theirs, the right to live well," Carlotto emphasized.
“It frightens me that they are so calm when they say ‘we’re not having dinner.’ We have to change the system in our country, without violence.” Finally, he referred to the call for the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice. “The event on the 24th will be very important because we will encourage our people not to resign themselves to this situation and to continue working for the kind of country our children wanted.”
In recent weeks, the national government, which denies the existence of the civic-military dictatorship, has added provocations of various kinds. Rumors of pardons for the perpetrators of genocide, amnesty for repressors, and a supposed "news" announcement to be made on March 24th itself, circulated from within the government, in response to the call for unity in the march on the 24th.
“The political message will be the forcefulness of the March 24th march,” Puyol told Presentes. “I have no doubt that, just as we had an enormous response from our people in 2017, when the national government tried to implement the 2x1 law in favor of the release of the genocidal perpetrators and the people flooded the streets with their white scarves saying no, I believe that will be the response from the labor, political, social, and human rights organizations.”
In the statement, HIJOS called for “the immediate clarification of the facts by the judiciary and holds the national government responsible for the events that occurred.” They added, “As we approach another anniversary of the coup d'état, we affirm that our people said: Never Again. Memory, Truth, and Justice, always.”
We are Present
We are committed to a type of journalism that delves deeply into the realm of the world and offers in-depth research, combined with new technologies and narrative formats. We want the protagonists, their stories, and their struggles to be present.
SUPPORT US
FOLLOW US
Related Notes
We Are Present
This and other stories don't usually make the media's attention. Together, we can make them known.