The following is my free translation of Ismael Serrano's song "A las Madres de Mayo", "To the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo." Of all the songs written about the disappeared, and/or to the Mothers of them, this is one of my favorites. Though the wording reflects the particular situations of disappearances in Argentina (throwing people alive to the sea, the wearing of scarves) I think the lyrics will speak to the Mothers of the disappeared all over the world.
He looks for you, mother, while the sea,
in which he is sinking, rocks him asleep.
He dreams of your embrace, searches for memories
to which to hold on so he won't fall asleep.
The sea roars, it's a tempest, a cry.
Who could have sent a thousand angels to heaven?
And he hears your screams, white scarves
cover its waters; the wind brought them.
Send a wave to take away
the traitors who planted so much death.
Boats and castaways hear their voices.
They say "Never, never, forget our names".
Tell the mothers that someplace,
where it's needed, we continue fighting.
Mother, your son hasn't disappared.
Mother, I found him walking with you.
I see him in your eyes, I hear him in your mouth,
and he calls me in everyone of your gestures.
I see him in my struggle and he is with me
among the flames of every new battle.
His strong hands guide mine,
towards a future, always towards victory.
His strong hands guide mine,
towards a future, always towards victory.
A las madres de mayo
Te busca madre mientras su cuerpo es mecido
por el mar en el que se sumerge dormido.
Sueña tu abrazo, busca recuerdos,
a los que aferrarse para no conciliar el sueño.
El mar se inquieta, es tempestad, lamento.
¿Quién pudo lanzar mil ángeles desde el cielo?
Y oye tus gritos, blancos pañuelos,
cubren sus aguas, los trajo el viento.
Manda una ola para que se lleve
a los traidores que sembraron tanta muerte.
Barcos y naúfragos oyen sus voces.
Les dicen "Nunca, nunca, olviden nuestros nombres".
Díle a las madres que en algún lado,
donde hace falta, seguimos luchando.
Madre, tu hijo no ha desaparecido.
Madre, que yo lo encontré andando contigo.
Lo veo en tus ojos, lo oígo en tu boca,
y en cada gesto tuyo me nombra.
Lo veo en mis luchas y me acompaña
entre las llamas de cada nueva batalla.
Guían mis manos sus manos fuertes,
hacia el futuro, hasta la victoria siempre.
Guían mis manos sus manos fuertes,
From Witness:
Two decades of armed conflict between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Ugandan government in Northern Uganda have displaced nearly two million civilians from their homes. Ordered into so-called protected camps, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) face heightened insecurity, appalling living conditions and lack the basic means of subsistence. Human Rights Focus (HURIFO) and WITNESS have co-produced "Between Two Fires: Torture and Displacement in Northern Uganda" to address the issue of torture committed against the IDP communities of Northern Uganda. Through the personal stories of torture survivors, the video advocates for official acknowledgement of these abuses, redress for torture victims, and strengthened national mechanisms against the use of torture.
Abuses against the IDP communities are rampant: the LRA has committed war crimes and gross violations of human rights including the abduction of over twenty thousand children, widespread maiming, rape and murder. These attacks have led to secondary displacement in which up to forty thousand children commute nightly from the camps to sleep in the relative safety of town centers.
While the LRA has committed these atrocities, the Ugandan People's Defense Forces (UPDF), the national army, has also committed human rights violations against civilians that include arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killing, torture and rape. The UPDF whose mandate is to protect civilians, has not only failed to prevent attacks and abductions by the LRA, but has also perpetrated grave abuses against civilians in a climate of impunity.
Please join us in this campaign to end torture against IDPs in Northern Uganda by taking action.
The ACLU has produced a series of documentaries on civil libertyissues affecting the US. Topics include racial profiling, dissent, the Supreme Court, religious freedom and the patriot act. The documentaries have been aired on on satellite Link TV and will be broadcast on Court TV starting Saturday, February 11th (at 12:30 pm). They are also available for download online. You can also buy the DVDs for the shows for $10 each.
I haven't watched them yet, but I've put them on my "to watch" list.
For more information go to: