1 2-3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11-12 13-14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22-23 24

page 20

Testimonials

"There were conditions to take the expertise further"

QWhen Unicamp was approached to participate in this work to identify the bones, a fact that had enormous national repercussions, the idea was, from the outset, to develop the work with a very large cooperation between the institutions. actions that, in different ways, were interested in the process. And more, of course, the support of family members and national and international organizations. I think that, in this sense, the process was quite positive, at least at the beginning, to the extent that we sought, while I was in the Rectory, to create for the then Department of Forensic Medicine the legal conditions techniques and techniques not to be able to house the bones, but at the same time to allow the work of the personnel involved.

There was a significant number of identifications and we were able to announce here at Unicamp, with enormous institutional satisfaction, together with Mayor Erundina, the results that were being obtained. Later, when I left the Rectory, I confess that I was a little disappointed at the fact that the process had been interrupted, for reasons that at the moment I may not even be able to evaluate. But considering the fact itself, I think that Unicamp would have been and always had the conditions to carry out the work. These conditions were not exclusive to Unicamp, as they involved a very large cooperation between technicians from both the University and other institutions.

This work could have been carried forward. This is my opinion until today, I have always insisted on it. While I was at the Rectory, I tried to enforce what Unicamp assumed with family members, the mayor and institutions legitimately and humanly interested in these identifications. I'm not exactly sure, but I think that what was identified was during my management. During the period in which I was in charge, we fulfilled what we had agreed. Afterwards, in fact, the process entered a phase of reducing procedures, it went slower. Until it culminated in the situation we reached later.

I was surprised that the following administrations did not continue. The people I worked with at the time were all extremely correct, loyal and worked well, with dedication and discipline. We are from the Department of Forensic Medicine, but also from the FOP (Faculty of Dentistry of Piracicaba) and other institutions. It was a sector that provided enormous services, not in this episode, but in several others. What happened next, I don't know.

Although there was tension between people – there always was and that is normal – it never reached the point of dissolving an entire department, with the characteristics that this department had. On the contrary, we created the DML during the management of Paulo Renato (Paulo Renato Souza, current Minister of Education) and we sought to consolidate it in the following management, within the Faculty of Sciences Doctors. Certainly, one of the factors that influenced the development of the work to identify the bones was that there was a breakdown of personnel internally. That was falling apart.

'The University has to serve society'

When I took over as Rector of Unicamp, the bones were already at the University. At that time, the families of the missing politicians were dissatisfied with the conduct of the identification work. I went to São Paulo and participated in a meeting with representatives of family members, at the Department of Justice. It was necessary for the Rectory to intervene to calm them down. After some negotiation, it was decided that Professor Badan Palhares would be replaced by Doctor Eduardo Zappa in coordinating the work.

I consider that a public University has to provide services to society. And the request to rescue an important historical process such as the identification of bones fits into this mission. It is an activity that involves risks, as it is a difficult process, which has to take into account the technical capacity to make the diagnosis. We even asked the Federal University of Minas Gerais to do a DNA test on one of the bones to try to identify it. I can guarantee that, during the period in which I was in charge of the Rectory, Unicamp spared no efforts – both from a technical and institutional point of view – to identify the largest possible number of bones .

OTHER OPINIONS

There were some mishaps, as far as I know. Since I have been at the Secretariat dealing with this matter, I have had Unicamp as a partner, without any problems. When it was decided, at the request of the family, that the bones be transferred to the IML, there were no difficulties that the University posed. I think that the Security Secretariat and Unicamp work in partnership and there are no reciprocal complaints. We are very satisfied. The work is progressing. It is heavy, difficult work, which involves a sad time in Brazil's history; involves highly respected interests, which are the interests of the relatives of the disappeared. There are difficulties. These difficulties sometimes lead to some harsh comments, both against us and against Unicamp.

M�rio Papaterra (right), Deputy Secretary of Public Security of the State of São Paulo

The objective of the Public Ministry in this investigation was to catalyze, bring together the various actors involved so that there was a channeling of efforts, a concentration towards completing the work. I think this has been successful so far. The investigation does not aim to judge, evaluate or verify Unicamp's performance. It aims to complete the work. It is clear that this is a very long story, with very sad historical relevance and with some sensations that are not clear to everyone. But I don't have the purpose of enlightening you in this inquiry and I don't even know if that goal will ever exist. What I want here is to seek the truth, to satisfy family members about the identifications being carried out.

Marlon Alberto Weicher (left), public prosecutor who handles the case of the bones for the Federal Public Ministry.