The Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo human rights group recovered the 102nd child born to parents who disappeared during the dictatorship. The youth, a 32 year-old lawyer, was born in the the Navy Petty-Officers School of Mechanics (ESMA) in 1977.
Estela de Carlotto, the head of the Abuelas made this announcement on Sept. 20, 2010. He is the son of María Graciela Tauro and Jorge Daniel Rochistein, though his identity remains confidential.
In a press conference, Carlotto stated that the recovered youth is aware of his identity, but wishes to remain anonymous because he is processing the idea of his parents and their disappearances that occurred on May 15, 1977.
“It is not a simple case. He is amidst a tough, though not unique process,” explained Carlotto. “Still, based on the experience we have, it is going to end well.”
Initially he refused to submit DNA to genetic testing. Though after a court order for his submission by Judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral, who is presiding over the case, the National Genetic Data Bank identified him as the child of Tauro and Rochistein with 99.9999 percent certainties.
Both Taro and Rochistein were from Bahía Blanca, a city in the province of Buenos Aires. Taro was said to be four months pregnant at the time of her disappearance and relocation to ESMA. After the birth of their son, the pair were executed.
Though the discovered youth did not attend the conference to remain anonymous, other Abuelas as well as six other recovered grandchildren came alongside Carlotto. Human Rights Secretary Eduardo Luis Duhalde, who also attended the press conference, remarked that “this case makes us feel stronger, in spite of the delaying measures which are taking place in the Noble-Herrera case”.
The Abuelas estimate that there are still 400 other children of the disappeared, much like the situation of the 102nd, who are still unidentified.
