Twenty-five Twenty-five yearsyears of of DemocracyDemocracy in Argentinain Argentina
The search for the disappeared The search for the disappeared
Forensic Anthropology and Forensic Anthropology and Human RightsHuman Rights
Lic. Silvana TurnerLic. Silvana Turner
Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF)Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF)www.eaaf.orgwww.eaaf.org
Political violence Political violence in Latin Americain Latin America
Disappeared/killed by political reasons (1960 – Disappeared/killed by political reasons (1960 – present): present):
Guatemala (250.000)Guatemala (250.000) Colombia (100.000)Colombia (100.000) El Salvador (75.000)El Salvador (75.000) Peru (70.000)Peru (70.000) Argentina (10.000)Argentina (10.000) Chile (3.000)Chile (3.000)
Gral. Pinochet
Mothers of Plaza de MayoMothers of Plaza de Mayo
Some Truth CommissionsSome Truth Commissions
Argentina (1983/84) 1976-83 Argentina (1983/84) 1976-83 Chile (1990/91) Chile (1990/91) 1973-90 1973-90 El Salvador (1992/93) El Salvador (1992/93) 1980-91 1980-91 Guatemala (1997/99) Guatemala (1997/99) 1962-96 1962-96 Peru (2001/03) Peru (2001/03) 1980-00 1980-00
Military dictatorship: March 24, 1976
Self-amnesty Law (Law 22.924): Sept. 27, 1983
Return to democracy: Dec. 10, 1983
Self-amnesty Law Annulment.(Law 23.050): Dec. 29,1983
CONADEP’s official report: Sept. 20,1984
Chronology 1Chronology 1
Disposal of Bodies Disposal of Bodies
Search and recoveryof remains1984
Search and recoveryof remains1984
forensic specialists
Judiciary, Prosecutor's office, Police
Not very independent
Cases of complicity
Few independent options
No anthropologist, archaeologists, etc
No integration of families/communities
Forensic system in Latin America
Victims’ relativesVictims’ relatives
EAAF foundation (1984)EAAF foundation (1984)
Independent forensic alternative to the official Independent forensic alternative to the official forensic system. forensic system.
Focuses on the investigation of human rights Focuses on the investigation of human rights violationsviolations
Special emphasis:Special emphasis: the rights of the relatives/communities of the rights of the relatives/communities of
disappeared people,disappeared people, their necessity to know and participate.their necessity to know and participate.
•Trials of Top Junta Members:April 22, 1985
•Full Stop Law:Dec. 5, 1986
•Due Obedience Impunity Law: May 13, 1987
•Amnesty Law (1st Presidential pardon):Oct. 30, 1989
•Amnesty Law (2nd Presidential pardon):Dec. 28, 1990
Chronology 2Chronology 2
Dr. Clyde SnowDr. Clyde Snow
EAAF’s international workEAAF’s international work(1986-2008)(1986-2008)
AFRICAAFRICA
AngolaAngola
DRCDRC
EthiopiaEthiopia
Ivory Ivory CoastCoast
KenyaKenya
MoroccoMorocco
NamibiaNamibia
Sierra Sierra LeoneLeone
South South AfricaAfrica
SudanSudan
TogoTogo
ZimbabweZimbabwe
AMERICAAMERICA
BoliviaBolivia
BrazilBrazil
ChileChile
ColombiaColombia
El El SalvadorSalvador
GuatemalaGuatemala
HaitiHaiti
HondurasHonduras
MexicoMexico
PanamaPanama
ParaguayParaguay
PeruPeru
UruguayUruguay
VenezuelaVenezuela
EUROPEEUROPE
BosniaBosnia
CroatiaCroatia
CyprusCyprus
GeorgiaGeorgia
KosovoKosovo
RomaniaRomania
ASIAASIA
East East TimorTimor
IraqIraq
NepalNepal
PhilippinePhilippiness
OCEANIAOCEANIA
French French PolynesiaPolynesia
EAAF’s objectivesEAAF’s objectives
To provide evidence in court/special commissions of To provide evidence in court/special commissions of inquiry.inquiry.
To assist the relatives of the victims in pursuit of their To assist the relatives of the victims in pursuit of their rights to recover the remains of their loved ones.rights to recover the remains of their loved ones.
To collaborate in the training of new teams in other To collaborate in the training of new teams in other countries where investigations into human rights countries where investigations into human rights violations are necessary. violations are necessary.
To contribute to the historical reconstruction of the To contribute to the historical reconstruction of the recent past.recent past.
Forensic AnthropologyForensic Anthropology
Forensic anthropology uses methods Forensic anthropology uses methods and techniques from physical and techniques from physical anthropology, archaeology, and anthropology, archaeology, and forensic medicine to investigate legal forensic medicine to investigate legal cases involving skeletal or almost cases involving skeletal or almost skeletonnized remains. skeletonnized remains.
EAAF investigation processEAAF investigation process
•Historical investigation:Historical investigation: Recovery and analysis of oral Recovery and analysis of oral and written sources.and written sources.
Collection of Ante Mortem dataCollection of Ante Mortem data•Archaeological work: Archaeological work:
Recovery and analysis of the Recovery and analysis of the findings.findings.•Laboratory analysis: Laboratory analysis:
Identification of remains, and Identification of remains, and determination of the cause of death.determination of the cause of death.
•Historical investigation:Historical investigation: Recovery and analysis of oral Recovery and analysis of oral and written sources.and written sources.
Collection of Ante Mortem dataCollection of Ante Mortem data•Archaeological work: Archaeological work:
Recovery and analysis of the Recovery and analysis of the findings.findings.•Laboratory analysis: Laboratory analysis:
Identification of remains, and Identification of remains, and determination of the cause of death.determination of the cause of death.
-EAAF--EAAF-
Zonas Argentina
Zona 2
Military division of the country
Map of Illegal Detention Centers
Map of cemeteries with NN graves (in red)
-EAAF--EAAF- 2020
Testimonies of victims at Truth Commission
Cemetery records
Intelligence reports
Media reports
“30 bodies were found in Pilar”
Collection of Collection of Ante Mortem informationAnte Mortem information
Building a relation of confidence and trust.Building a relation of confidence and trust. Respect cultural and religious context.Respect cultural and religious context. Interviews with different members of the Interviews with different members of the
family and friends.family and friends. More than one meeting, proper time and More than one meeting, proper time and
place.place. Use of specific forms.Use of specific forms. Specific strategy for blood/saliva samples for Specific strategy for blood/saliva samples for
DNA.DNA. Medical, anthropological, odontological Medical, anthropological, odontological
information. Persona effects, clothing.information. Persona effects, clothing.
East Timor, meeting with relatives before exhumations, 2005
Darfur, Sudan, 2004, recording graves
How to organize the How to organize the information?information?
The use of computer experts: working with The use of computer experts: working with investigators.investigators.
Defining what do we want to collect.Defining what do we want to collect. Data bases on: Data bases on: List of victims (name, sex, age, date of disapp., place).List of victims (name, sex, age, date of disapp., place). Ante mortem information.Ante mortem information. Location of possible grave sites.Location of possible grave sites. Chronology of the conflict.Chronology of the conflict. Information from the media.Information from the media. Official documents.Official documents. Sharing information among NGO´s.Sharing information among NGO´s. Security of the information.Security of the information.
22ndnd stage - Forensic stage - Forensic ArchaeologyArchaeology
Forensic archaeology applies the techniques of the Forensic archaeology applies the techniques of the traditional archaeology to a legal context. traditional archaeology to a legal context.
Capacity and knowledge to analyze a “crime scene” Capacity and knowledge to analyze a “crime scene” that involves exhumation of bodies, recovery of that involves exhumation of bodies, recovery of remains and objects spread about the surface. remains and objects spread about the surface.
Minimum field team:Minimum field team: Forensic physician, Forensic Forensic physician, Forensic anthropologist/archaeologist, Scene of crime anthropologist/archaeologist, Scene of crime officers, Photographer, Planimetry, and Security. officers, Photographer, Planimetry, and Security.
GuatemalaGuatemala
South Africa
El Salvador
EthiopiaEthiopia
Croacia
Argentina
ArgentinaArgentina
El SalvadorEl Salvador
ArgentinaArgentina
ArgentinaArgentina
Interdisciplinary TeamInterdisciplinary Team
Forensic physician Forensic physician Forensic anthropologistForensic anthropologist Forensic odontologistForensic odontologist Forensic radiologistForensic radiologist Other disciplines (Biologists, Other disciplines (Biologists,
entomologists, chemists, etc.)entomologists, chemists, etc.)
Are the remains human? Is the case of forensic interest? How many individuals are there in the sample? Identification Cause of death
PREPARATION OF THE REMAINSPREPARATION OF THE REMAINS
X-RayingX-Raying
TakingTaking samplessamples
CLEANINGCLEANING
RECONSTRUCTIONRECONSTRUCTION
LABELLINGEXTENSION IN ANATOMICAL POSITION INVENTORYDEAL WITH NON BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE (records, transfers)
Biological ProfileBiological Profile
DETERMINATION OF SEXDETERMINATION OF SEX ESTIMATION OF AGEESTIMATION OF AGE ESTIMATION OF ANCESTRYESTIMATION OF ANCESTRY ESTIMATION OF STATUREESTIMATION OF STATURE DESCRIPTION OF PATHOLOGIES, DESCRIPTION OF PATHOLOGIES,
ANOMALIES & ANTE-MORTEN TRAUMAS ANOMALIES & ANTE-MORTEN TRAUMAS ODONTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS ODONTOLOGICAL ANALYSIS COMPARISON OF PRE & POST-MORTEM COMPARISON OF PRE & POST-MORTEM
DATA: IDENTIFICATION DATA: IDENTIFICATION
EAAF
Identification of the victimsIdentification of the victims
The information from the study is contrasted with the ante-mortem The information from the study is contrasted with the ante-mortem data obtained through historical investigations and interviews with data obtained through historical investigations and interviews with relatives, as well as with the contextual information and artifacts relatives, as well as with the contextual information and artifacts from the excavation (type of burial, presence of ballistic material or from the excavation (type of burial, presence of ballistic material or elements indicative of violence, etc.). elements indicative of violence, etc.).
Hypothesis of identityHypothesis of identity
In the absence of medical, x-rays, dental records, etc., this In the absence of medical, x-rays, dental records, etc., this hypothesis should be verified through genetic analysis.hypothesis should be verified through genetic analysis.
Genetic analysisGenetic analysisIn the laboratory of molecular genetics the DNA extracted from bone In the laboratory of molecular genetics the DNA extracted from bone material of the skeleton (teeth, segments of large bones, etc.) is material of the skeleton (teeth, segments of large bones, etc.) is compared with the blood of the presumed familycompared with the blood of the presumed family.
LIDMO Laboratory
(Córdoba,Arg.)
• Number
• Location
• Sequence
• Trajectory
Gunshot wounds Gunshot wounds
Peri mortem: classification generally by causal agent
Argentina 1990 - 2008Argentina 1990 - 2008
1990- 2003 Absent by Forced Disappearance Law. Economic compensations for victims and relatives. Trials on child kidnapping (Condor Operation). Opening of processes on the disappearance of foreigners
(Spain, Italy, Sweden, France, Germany).
2003: Annulment of amnesty laws, with congressional support.
2005 Supreme Court overturns Due Obedience and Full Stop
immunity laws. Reopening of criminal cases.
2008 368 detained, 54 condemned, 60 fugitives, 64 trials. 95 young disappeared found by Grandmothers of Plaza de
Mayo. CDCs opened as remembrance places and museum.
EAAF’s achievementsEAAF’s achievementsin Argentinain Argentina
Exhumations: 1.100 Exhumations: 1.100 aprox.aprox.
Identifications: 300Identifications: 300 Blood samples: Blood samples:
6.0006.000 Bone samples: 600Bone samples: 600 Results expected: Results expected:
2008-20092008-2009 2009-2010: continue2009-2010: continue
Latin American Initiative for the Identification of the Disappeared (LIID)
ArgentinaArgentina