translated from Spanish: The Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo on Berni: “We repudiate his words”

After the words of the Minister of Security of Bonaerense, Sergio Berni, were disseminated in which he pointed out against human rights organizations, the Mothers, Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo and different spaces came out to repudiate him. “They collect the most important salaries in the state, they live traveling, giving lectures but never contribute anything. They are pure blah blah…”, had secured the official in an interview with channel A24. This afternoon, several human rights sectors issued a letter to Berni. “We repudiate his words and call on the official to reflect and address the issues that concern his portfolio, including police claims and cases of institutional violence,” they began. “The statements made in the A24 signal by the Minister of Security of the Province of Buenos Aires, Sergio Berni, referring to the “human rights sector” in a derogatory and stigmatizing way, offend our history and our struggle,” they said. They said: “We call on the Minister to deal with the serious problems facing the province and the country. We also remind you that the media exhibition does not replace management, and that you should be engaged in addressing the problems in your portfolio, including the unacceptable way in which the Bonaerense police – under your command – claimed in front of Quinta de Olivos last week and the numerous cases of institutional violence involving it, including that of Facundo Castro.” In the letter they signed Abuelas De Plaza De Mayo, Madres De Plaza De Mayo – Línea Fundadora, Relatives of Missing and Detained for Political Reasons, H.I.J.O.S. Capital, Center for Legal and Social Studies (Cels), Permanent Assembly for Human Rights, Argentine League for Human Rights, Ecumenical Movement for Human Rights (Medh), Asociación Buena Memoria, Fundación Memoria Histórica y Social Argentina, Permanent Assembly for Human Rights La Matanza, Relatives and Companions of two 12 of the Holy Cross, In the last hour, Minister Berni, after reading the disseminated letter, expressed himself on his Twitter account and apologized. “It’s worth a clarification. When asked about Verbitsky, I am clear that I do not mean history, nor the struggles of HRD agencies, whom I respect, recognize and admire, I mean who takes advantage of these spaces to build their own trajectory,” he said. 

It’s worth a clarification. When asked about Verbitsky, I am clear that I do not mean history, nor the struggles of HRD agencies, whom I respect, recognize and admire, I mean who takes advantage of these spaces to build their own trajectory. — Sergio Berni (@SergioBerniArg)
September 14, 2020

He continued: “My apologies if anyone was offended or alluded to by my statements made yesterday, especially my respect for Mothers, Grandmothers, Sons, and relatives of victims of the military civic dictatorship. We owe them an important part of rebuilding democracy”

Original source in Spanish