Dirty War

The term dirty war generally refers to a program of state terrorism in response to perceived subversion that threatens a country's stability. Such wars typically include the violent repression by right-wing fascists of left-wing dissidents and rebels — often by means of torture and murder.

Related Topics:
State terrorism - Subversion - Violent - Fascists - Left-wing - Dissident - Rebel - Torture - Murder

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The name Dirty War (in Spanish: Guerra Sucia) is often used in particular to refer to the purges of dissident citizens carried out between 1976 and 1983 by the military government in Argentina (during the so-called National Reorganization Process). During this period, the several military juntas were responsible for the illegal arrest, torturing, killing or forced disappearance of between 10,000 and 30,000 Argentinians.

Related Topics:
Spanish - Dissident - 1976 - 1983 - Military government - Argentina - National Reorganization Process - Junta - Forced disappearance

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There has been a long running debate in Argentina over the issue of amnesty for officials of the Dirty War. A form of amnesty was controversially adopted as law after the reinstatement of democratic rule and the trials of the top military leaders of the juntas in 1984, but it has remained unpopular. In June 2005, the Argentine Supreme Court overturned the amnesty laws, opening the door for prosecutions of former Junta officials. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4093018.stm

Related Topics:
Amnesty - 1984 - June 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~