Buenos Aires Activist Rosa Roisinblit Passes Away at 106
The Argentine human rights activist Rosa Roisinblit, who was a key figure in the search for children stolen during Argentina’s military dictatorship, has died at the age of 106, her organisation has confirmed.
As the honorary president and a founding member of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, Roisinblit dedicated her life to seeking justice for the victims of the “Dirty War” that took place between 1976 and 1983 in Argentina.
“We only have words of gratitude for her dedication… and the love with which she searched for the grandsons and granddaughters until the very end,” the campaign group said in a statement.
Background on the “Dirty War”
During Argentina’s “Dirty War”, an estimated 30,000 people were killed or forcibly disappeared by the military dictatorship. Children of detained opposition activists were seized and given up for adoption as part of the regime’s brutal tactics.
Rosa Roisinblit, who was born in 1919 in Moises Ville, a town of Jewish immigrants in central Argentina, worked as an obstetrician before moving to Buenos Aires in 1949.
Fighting Against Injustice
After her pregnant daughter Patricia, son-in-law José Pérez Rojo, and granddaughter Mariana were kidnapped in 1978, Roisinblit joined the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo to search for the missing children. She served as treasurer for six years before becoming vice-president from 1989 to 2022.
Despite facing challenges and obstacles, Roisinblit never gave up on seeking justice for her family and others affected by the dictatorship’s atrocities.
Legacy of Reunification
Through the tireless efforts of Roisinblit and organizations like the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, an estimated 140 babies have been reunited with their biological parents. However, hundreds are still missing, highlighting the ongoing struggle for truth and justice in Argentina.
Roisinblit’s grandson, Guillermo, a human rights lawyer who continues his grandmother’s legacy, expressed his sadness at her passing but found comfort in the idea of her reunion with her loved ones in the afterlife.
“My Grandma has passed away, and beyond the sadness I feel, it comforts me to think that after 46 years she is reunited with my mom and with her great love, my grandfather Benjamín.” — BBC
