Economic Reparations for Grave Human Rights Violations

Abstract

María José Guembe

Since its return to democracy, Argentina has made great efforts to address the legacy of the last military dictatorship. This chapter presents a complete overview of the Argentinean policy of economic reparations for the victims of human rights violations committed between 1975 and 1983, including the beneficiaries, the crimes for which victims received reparations, the amounts paid, and the forms of payment. The study also analyzes the motivations for redressing the victims, from both national and international perspectives. It identifies the positions adopted by the different actors involved in the measures, especially the State and human rights organizations. The latter gained undeniable legitimacy by representing the victims and has consolidated into a group that has become the main actor on issues related to the legacy of the military dictatorship. The study also focuses on economic, legal, and political questions that have arisen during the process of designing and implementing the reparations policy.

The full text of this chapter appears in Pablo de Greiff, ed., The Handbook of Reparations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006)