Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team
Encyclopedia
The Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (Equipo Argentino de Antropología Forense, or "EAAF") is an Argentine
not-for-profit scientific non-governmental organisation. It was created in 1986 at the initiative of various human rights organisations with the aim of developing forensic anthropology
techniques to help locate and identify the Argentines who had disappeared during the "Dirty War
" period of the 1976–1983 military dictatorship
. Since then, the Team's members have conducted field work in 30 other countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina
, Angola
, Timor-Leste, French Polynesia
, Croatia
and South Africa
.
In particular, the EAAF acquired additional worldwide renown by identifying the remains of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, found in Bolivia
.
s — an undertaking in which it soon became apparent that scientific method
s were needed.
CONADEP and the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo
took the initiative and travelled to the United States
, where they were vouchsafed the determined support of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
.
A genetic database was created at Durand Hospital in Buenos Aires
, and a team of forensic anthopologists was created under the leadership of Dr. Clyde Snow
.
Those small beginnings were the basis for the creation in 1986 of the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team.
The EAAF was a pioneer in developing these techniques. In the words of Clyde Snow:
By 2000 the EAAF had succeeded in identifying sixty sets of remains, while a further 300 cases were still under investigation.
.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
not-for-profit scientific non-governmental organisation. It was created in 1986 at the initiative of various human rights organisations with the aim of developing forensic anthropology
Forensic anthropology
Forensic anthropology is the application of the science of physical anthropology and human osteology in a legal setting, most often in criminal cases where the victim's remains are in the advanced stages of decomposition. A forensic anthropologist can assist in the identification of deceased...
techniques to help locate and identify the Argentines who had disappeared during the "Dirty War
Dirty War
The Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
" period of the 1976–1983 military dictatorship
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
. Since then, the Team's members have conducted field work in 30 other countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, Timor-Leste, French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
In particular, the EAAF acquired additional worldwide renown by identifying the remains of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, found in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
.
Origins of the EAAF
With the restoration of democracy and the creation of the National Commission on the Disappearance of Persons (CONADEP) in 1983, Argentina embarked on a process of exhumations of the many unmarked graves found in the country, believing that many of them could well contain unidentified victims of forced disappearanceForced disappearance
In international human rights law, a forced disappearance occurs when a person is secretly abducted or imprisoned by a state or political organization or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organization, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the...
s — an undertaking in which it soon became apparent that scientific method
Scientific method
Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of...
s were needed.
CONADEP and the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo
Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo
The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo is a human rights organisation with the aim of finding the babies stolen during the era of the Argentine dictatorship known as the "Dirty War" . Its president is Estela Barnes de Carlotto....
took the initiative and travelled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where they were vouchsafed the determined support of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
.
A genetic database was created at Durand Hospital in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, and a team of forensic anthopologists was created under the leadership of Dr. Clyde Snow
Clyde Snow
Clyde Snow is a well known U.S. forensic anthropologist. Some of his skeletal confirmations include John F. Kennedy, victims of John Wayne Gacy, King Tutankhamun, victims of the Oklahoma City bombing, and Dr. Josef Mengele.Snow started his higher education at the New Mexico Military Institute were...
.
Those small beginnings were the basis for the creation in 1986 of the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team.
Work of the EAAF
The EAAF's investigation methods were divided into three stages:- Preliminary phase, collecting written and oral accounts of the disappeared.
- Analysis phase, studying documents and records in order to identify the possible whereabouts of the remains
- Archaeological phase, similar to classical archaeologyArchaeologyArchaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
within a forensicForensicsForensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
context. This phase also used genetic investigation techniques based on DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
testing.
The EAAF was a pioneer in developing these techniques. In the words of Clyde Snow:
- "For the first time in the history of human rights investigations we began to use a scientific method to investigate violations. Although we started out small, it led to a genuine revolution in how human rights violations are investigated. The idea of using science in the human rights area began here, in Argentina, and it is now used throughout the world. The Team took the idea to other parts of the world and helped set up teams in other countries, such as Guatemala, Chile, and Peru. European countries now have their forensic anthropology teams. But Argentina was the first."
By 2000 the EAAF had succeeded in identifying sixty sets of remains, while a further 300 cases were still under investigation.
Source
The first version of this article was translated/adapted from the corresponding article on the Spanish-language WikipediaSpanish Wikipedia
The Spanish Wikipedia is a Spanish-language edition of Wikipedia, a free, online encyclopedia. It currently has articles. Started in May 2001, it reached 100,000 articles on March 8, 2006. Currently, it is the 6th largest Wikipedia as measured by the number of articles, having surpassed Polish...
.