NEW YORK'S DIRTY WAR

On Feb. 5, 2004, a historic march took place at the Plaza de Mayo
circle in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For over 25 years, Argentine
mothers have come to the circle to protest against the disappearance
of their love ones from the despicable acts of the military
dictatorship of Argentina, which formed in 1976. What made the day
different this year was that members of the Mothers of the New York
Disappeared joined them. They came to Argentina to pay homage to the
Mothers who had inspired them in their seven-year struggle against the
Rockefeller drug laws of New York State. Two groups of mothers from
worlds apart united against the violation of human rights.

It was a bright, sunny day. Dozens of elderly women marched through
the plaza, praying that their dedication might somehow bring justice
to the children of the disappeared. Old women from the Asociation
Madres de Plaz De Mayo - the most radical of several groups
participating - began the march waving bright blue flags proudly
displaying their logo. A banner reading "Ni Un Paso A Tras!!" - "No
Step Back" - was held tightly in frail hands. A sea of white
handkerchiefs adorned the heads of the Argentinean mothers, gracefully
marching in protest against atrocities that were committed against
them and their families. It is estimated that 30,000 people were
kidnapped and murdered in the reign of terror that existed between
1976 and 1983.

In 1973, a similar reign silently began in New York State. The
draconian Rockefeller drug laws sentenced thousands of men and women,
many non-violent offenders, to life imprisonment. They were
"disappeared" from the roles they played in society. For over thirty
years, these laws have devastated and destroyed families. Although the
acts of the New York legislature were not of the same caliber as those
implemented by the Argentinean dictatorship, the enactment of the
Rockefeller drug laws was similarly a violation of human rights. Over
94 percent of the population incarcerated in New York State prisons
are people of color.

In 1998 the Mothers of the NY Disappeared was formed to fight to
repeal these laws. In five years, using street level protests inspired
by the actions of Argentinean mothers, they managed to change the
political climate of New York State by putting a human face on the
issue of the drug war.

In 2001, for the first time in 27 years, the governor of New York
along with the Senate and Assembly all agreed that the laws must be
changed. Acute disagreement on what changes should be made, however,
threw the repeal of the laws into limbo. Meanwhile, over 16,000 men
and women convicted under these laws are wasting away in New York
State prisons.

One member of the Mothers group from New York was Julie Colon, an
aspiring actress whose mother, Melita Oliviera, a first time
non-violent offender, had served 13 years of a 15-to-life sentence for
the sale of cocaine before she was granted clemency two years ago by
Governor George Pataki.

"My mother had made a mistake, and she paid dearly for it," said
Colon. I am here to join with other mothers and family members to
share the pain of losing someone dear. Although it was not finite, the
act of her being taken from my life for all those years was
devastating to me." Julie was placed in foster care. Her case is
representative of many others in the NY group including Arlene Olberg,
whose baby was born in prison while she was serving time under the
Rockefeller drug laws.

The pain of losing someone dear is what ties the American families who
have lost sons and daughters to the Rockefeller drug laws with the
Argentinean families who lost members to the brutal dictatorship. The
Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo - the grandmothers of the disappeared - was
formed on October 22, 1977, and remains dedicated to finding the
children that were stolen from them.

In an attempt at political repression, the dictatorship would kidnap
pregnant women and put them in concentration camps where their
children were born. Then they were murdered and their children were
put up for adoption. To date 77 children have been found through DNA
testing. President of the group, Estela de Carlotto, lost her daughter
on November 26, 1977. Laura Estella de Carlotto had been a militant
student at the university. Estela, a soft-spoken woman in her 70s,
said, "we had warned her of the danger, but she wanted to change the
country." Nine months after her kidnapping, the military police called
Estela to tell her that her 21-year-old daughter had been
assassinated.

Estela notes that protesting the kidnappings "was dangerous, some of
us were kidnapped and assassinated." Their perserverance paid off.
Recently the government annulled two immunity laws of those who
committed the atrocities, allowing the law to be able to prosecute
them. Estela said that "the new president opens his doors to us all
the time because he belongs to the same generation of the children
that disappeared."

Members of another group, called the Madres de Plaza de Mayo Linea
Fundadora, told a similar story. Their office walls were adorned with
photos of love ones that had disappeared. Some of the women had
pictures of murdered family members draped around their necks in the
place of jewelry. In a round table discussion the Mothers of the New
York Disappeared and the Madres de Plaza de Mayo Linea Fundadora
exchanged information about each groups' struggle. At the end of the
meeting their leader suggested that she write an open letter to the
governor of New York State asking him repeal the laws. The letter
would be signed by many organizations that fight for human rights in
Argentina.

"We thanked them for their generosity and understanding. We went there
not knowing how they would accept us" said Luciana, the wife of a
former Rockefeller drug offender who attended the meeting. "Seeing
these women gives me the strength to continue my fight to change these
laws."

Some might argue that the families of those incarcerated under the
Rockefeller drug laws have not suffered as much as the Madres in
Argentina. But for 30 years the oppression of these laws has been felt
in New York. Both groups of mothers, worlds apart, are connected by
their respective struggles.

In mid-April the Madres de Plaza de Mayo Linea Fundadora will visit
New York to meet with politicians and others to voice their protest.
For more information, visit www.15yearstolife.com.

Anthony Papa is co-founder of the Mothers of the New York Disappeared.
He served 12 years of a 15-to-life sentence under the Rockefeller drug
laws. His book "15 To Life" is being published in fall 2004 by Feral
House.