Argentina's 'Greater Fatherland

Elections in Argentina are casting light on effect of immigration on the country. Teresa Bo reports from Buenos Aires.

Argentina is an attractive destiny for many immigrants.

Legal and undocumented immigration in recent times

Besides substantial immigration from neighboring countries, during the middle and late 1990s Argentina received significant numbers of people from Asian countries such as Korea (both North and South), China and Vietnam, which joined the previously existing Sino-Japanese communities in Buenos Aires. Despite the economic and financial crisis Argentina suffered at the turn of the millennium, people from all over the world continued arriving to the country, because of their immigration-friendly policy and other reasons.

According to official data, between 1992 and 2003 an average 13,187 people per year immigrated legally in Argentina. The government calculates that 504,000 people entered the country during the same period, giving about 345,000 undocumented immigrants. The same source gives a plausible total figure of 750,000 undocumented immigrants currently residing in Argentina.

In April 2006, the national government started the Patria Grande plan to regularize the migratory situation of illegal aliens. The plan attempts to ease the bureaucratic process of getting documentation and residence papers, and is aimed at citizens of Mercosur countries and its associated states (Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela). The plan came after a scandal and a wave of indignation caused by fire in a Buenos Aires sweatshop, which revealed the widespread utilization of undocumented Bolivian immigrants as cheap labor force in inhumane conditions, under a regime of virtual debt slavery.

Nearly a million permanent residency applications were filed from 2000 to 2008, and their country of origin was as follows:

Place	Country	Applications
1	Paraguay	319,492
2	Bolivia	240,467
3	Peru	138,355
4	China	34,746
5	United States	24,626
6	Chile	23,231
7	Uruguay	22,733
8	Brazil	19,547
9	Colombia	16,539
10	South Korea	10,279
11	Ukraine	10,072
12	Spain	7,434
13	Germany	7,164
14	Mexico	6,791
15	Ecuador	6,564
16	Cuba	6,093
17	France	5,890
18	Venezuela	4,618
19	Italy	4,392
20	Russia	4,249
	Other countries	16,855
TOTAL		953,368

African Immigrants turn to Argentina for opportunity
Escaping war, poverty or political persecution in their homelands, it's estimated that immigrants from over 29
African countries are now living in Argentina.

"An Argentine Mosaic: Destino Patagonia": 

Since 1907, when petroleum was discovered near the small port of Comodoro Rivadavia, on the sparsely populated coast of central Patagonia, company towns were developed by the Argentine state and foreign companies to attract a steady supply of workers. The oil fields and the economic activities that emerged around them (services, commerce, agriculture) drew a diverse labor force from southern and Eastern Europe, mostly from Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Poland, Russia, Germany and the former Yugoslavia. These migrants joined a small population of earlier European merchants and South African ranchers already settled in the area. These developments and the growth of the Comodoro region were linked to larger processes of labor mobility, urbanization, economic growth, and community formation that took place in the larger transatlantic space during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, and contributed greatly to shaping modern Argentina. Because of its unprecedented scale, transatlantic migrations have figured prominently in the narrative of national formation in Argentina and the regional settlement of Patagonia and Comodoro Rivadavia. A parallel movement, however, of workers from neighboring countries and internal migrants from the northwest of Argentina contributed significantly to the development of the region.

The multiethnic community of Comodoro Rivadavia offers a unique opportunity to analyze the ways in which groups of diverse origins relate to the traditional historical memory of Argentina as a country of immigrants. Given the diversity of migration flows, the identity of the Patagonian-Comodorense is multifaceted. Various groups developed different and unique versions of their individual and collective histories in relation to their participation in the symbolic and material construction of their community. The people of Comodoro Rivadavia have created collective histories that emphasize their role as pioneers, their difficulties in facing severe climatic conditions, and their isolation. This work seeks, inside this general narrative, to reveal the existence of multiple versions of this historic experience which is representative of the immigrant experience of Argentina as a whole. In analyzing the existence of parallel and intersecting histories, and comparing and contrasting the visions of migrants from different origins and time periods, this work goes beyond the limits and approaches of the traditional historiography of Argentina. Utilizing oral history interviews and archival materials, it explores the construction of multiple identities as one of the multiple versions of this complex historic process.

Away From Home:

Due to strict migration policies in Europe, Latin America is the new final destination for African citizens. Many arrive as gadabouts in ships even without choosing their destination. These people basically seek for new horizons or escape from a bad economic situation

Buenos Aires is one of the cities that becomes home for African migrants, as it once was the new home for Italians, Spanish, French, etc. They come to complete the broad ethnic variety which is the aim of Argentineans´ roots.

Natives from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Zambia and mainly from Senegal have been arriving during the past three years. Many of them have no documentation but are determined to work, mainly selling jewels on streets as they used to do in their homeland.

During the 90's they came attracted by the financial welfare in Argentina but during 2001 crisis many left and just a few stayed on. Now, the African migration flow has re started.

As the ACNUR cut down the financial assistance for those migrants, other migrants in the country support and help new members of the community. The African citizens keep their habits and religion, yet cope with local costums quickly.

Syrian security forces open fire; 27 killed.

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian security forces fired live bullets and tear gas Friday on pro-democracy demonstrations across the country, killing at least 27 people — including a young boy — in one of the bloodiest days of the uprising against President Bashar Assad's authoritarian regime, witnesses said.

Protesters flooded into the streets after Muslim prayers in at least nine major areas across the country, a sign that Assad's attempts to quell the monthlong protests with a deadly crackdown and promises of reform have all but failed.

"Bullets started flying over our heads like heavy rain," said one witness in Izraa, a southern village in Daraa province, the same region where the uprising kicked off in mid-March.

The protest movement has been the gravest challenge against the autocratic regime led by Assad, who inherited power from his father 11 years ago in one of the most rigidly controlled countries in the Middle East.

The uprising in Syria takes its inspiration from the popular revolts sweeping the Arab world. But there are significant differences in Syria that make the protest movement there all the more unpredictable.

The country's military structure is one key difference — unlike the armies of Tunisia and Egypt, Syria's military and security apparatus will almost certainly stand by Assad, at least for the time being.

That means there could be darker days ahead as the uprising gains momentum, something that has implications far beyond Syria's borders. Damascus stands in the middle of the most combustible conflicts in region because of its web of allegiances, from Lebanon's Hezbollah and Shiite powerhouse Iran.

On Friday, tens of thousands of people were protesting in the Damascus suburb of Douma, the central cities of Hama and Homs, Latakia and Banias on the coast, the northern cities of Raqqa and Idlib, the northeastern Kurdish region, and the southern province of Daraa, where the uprising kicked off in mid-March.

As the protesters dispersed, the scope of the bloodshed began to emerge.

Outside the capital, witnesses said they saw at least five corpses at the Hamdan hospital. All suffered gunshot wounds.

In the southern province of Daraa, other witnesses said at least 10 people were killed when protesters marched in front of the mayor's office in Izraa. They said an 11-year-old boy was among the dead.

"Among the dead was Anwar Moussa, who was shot in the head. He was 11," said the witness.

A video posted on the protest movement's main Facebook page showed a man carrying a bloodied boy near a building as another child could be heard weeping and shouting "My brother!"

Ammar Qurabi, head of Syria's National Organization for Human Rights, said another nine were killed in Hajar Aswad near Damascus and three killed in the central city of Homs.

Friday's witness accounts could not be independently confirmed because Syria has expelled journalists and restricted access to trouble spots. Witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

The protest movement has crossed a significant threshold in recent days, with increasing numbers now seeking the downfall of the regime, not just reforms. The security crackdown has only emboldened protesters, who are enraged over the deaths of more than 200 people over five weeks.

Activists promised that Friday's protests will be the biggest rallies yet against the regime led by Assad, who inherited power from his father 11 years ago in one of the most authoritarian countries in the Middle East.

The president has been trying to defuse the protests by launching a bloody crackdown along with a series of concessions, most recently lifting emergency laws that gave authorities almost boundless powers of surveillance and arrest.

He also has fulfilled a decades-old demand by granting citizenship to thousands among Syria's long-ostracized Kurdish minority, fired local officials, released detainees and formed a new government.

But many protesters said the concessions have come too late — and that Assad does not deserve the credit.

"The state of emergency was brought down, not lifted," prominent Syrian activist Suhair Atassi, who was arrested several times in the past, wrote on her Twitter page. "It is a victory as a result of demonstrations, protests and the blood of martyrs who called for Syria's freedom."

Argentina to Host FIP World Polo Championship in October 2011

Buenos Aires,  The Council of Administration has approved the bid from the “Asociación Argentina de Polo” (AAP) and has officially granted Argentina to be the venue and host its ninth edition of the “FIP World Polo Championship” to be held in October 2011. The FIP World Championship will be played at the “Estancia Grande Polo Club” in San Luis province. The club will have four polo grounds plus stabling for a pool of some 280 ponies from which teams will draw their mounts. FIP has developed a “Pool System” for the horses as a program to mount all the teams and reduce the high costs of horse transportation. This system is also used in the qualifying tournaments. Ten national teams will qualify for the World Polo Championship after play-offs during 2011: two from each of the FIP’s four geographic zones, host country Argentina, and the reigning champions, Chile. The Council of Administration also confirmed venues for two of the four Zones of the qualifying tournaments to be played in 2011. Zone A- North America /Central America:                   (Venue and dates TBA) Zone B - South America:                                                Brazil  (Dates TBA) Zone D- Europe                                                               (Venue and dates TBA) Zone D - África/Asia/Oceanía:                                       Malaysia (June 2011) Venues for Zone A and C will be announced shortly. More information about Polo.

Barcelona, Real Madrid to clash in Copa del Rey final

Barcelona and Madrid are set to lock horns in the Copa del Rey final at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia after their 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday night.

Jose Mourinho has confirmed his Real Madrid squad for the final and nineteen players have made the grade, but Lassana Diarra and Fernando Gago are both out with injuries. The midfielder has a hip problem, while Gago has an adductor tear.

The usual suspects are back in the fray with Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Mesut Ozil all included for the second Clasico after their 1-1 draw with Barca in La Liga on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola confirmed Carles Puyol is fit to feature after weekend injury scare.

There were fears the Spanish international would not make the team after he was stretchered off against Real Madrid in Saturday's 1-1 Liga draw after he had a problem with his thigh.

It was his first game back in almost three months, and he could feature again after passing a training test on Tuesday. Anyway, the club confirmed Puyol is available to coach Pep Guardiola and has been included in the squad

Likewise, Mourinho talked to the press and said that both they and Barcelona have an equal chance of winning the Copa del Rey on Wednesday evening, and has also hit back at club legend Alfredo Di Stefano for disapproving of the tactics used against Barcelona.

During a pre-match press conference the Portuguese said "I don't want to say anything out of the ordinary because there is never a favourite in a final. Both teams have the same chance of winning. I hope we see a nice match and that everything in the stands and on the street goes down without incident.”

Likewise, Mourinho recognized that “These are typical words before a final, but I truly believe them. I have played in many finals against teams that have been either inferior or stronger than mine, but they have all been evenly balanced. That is the natural tendency of finals."

“This is my first final with Real Madrid, but I am relaxed,” added the 48-year-old. “I have experienced many matches like this one, which is why I am a lot more calm than a coach who has never been here before. Our confidence lies in our hard work to reach success in the form of titles. If we win, great. If we don't, we will continue working."

However, Madrid legend Di Stefano was not impressed with Mourinho’s tactics and in his weekly column in Spanish sports daily Marca wrote, among other things, that “Barcelona were a lion, Madrid a mouse”.

Reacting to those stinging words, Mourinho said: "He (Di Stefano) is one of the most significant people in the history of Real Madrid and I am nothing in the history of Real Madrid. But I am the coach and the coach is the one who decides.”

"I am the coach," he repeated. "What do you want to do? It's me. The decisions are mine."

Meanwhile, Barcelona have received some positive news with full-back Adriano available for selection following a leg problem. Sport reports that the Brazilian defender has returned to full match fitness again after spending the past few days on the sidelines, and is in contention to retain his place in coach Pep Guardiola's starting line-up.

Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque, who is in Valencia for the latest Clasico installment, believes both sides have what it takes to lift the cup.

"The two teams have plenty of resources with which to win, so anything can happen," he told reporters. "It's just one game and the two teams start on the same footing."

Madrid's last Champions League success came with Del Bosque as coach back in 2002, two months after the capital club had lost the final of the Copa del Rey at home to Deportivo La Coruña.

Full squads for today's final:

FC Barcelona

Goalkeepers: Valdés, Pinto.
Defenders: Fontas, Puyol, Maxwell, Adriano, Piqué, Álves, Milito.
Midfielders: Busquets, Keita, Xavi, Iniesta, Afellay, Thiago, Mascherano
Forwards: Pedro, Jeffren, Messi, Villa.

Real Madrid CF

Goalkeepers: Casillas, Adan, Dudek.
Defenders: Garay, Ramos, Carvalho, Pepe, Marcelo, Arbeloa.
Midfielders: Xabi Alonso, Ozil, Di María, Khedira, Granero, Kaká.
Forwards: Ronaldo, Adebayor, Higuaín, Benzema.

Read more about this here.

‘A city open to the world of books’

More than 1,500 exhibitors from 42 countries plus 22 private and state-run organisms pitch in for the hundreds of cultural activities in the event, such as storytelling, live shows, games, seminars, contests, workshops for writers and conferences for publishers, librarians, teachers, translators, scientists and distributors in La Rural’s premises.

Read this article here.

Official Web page here.

Callejeros condemned for 2004 Cromañón fire, Chabán's sentence reduced

The High Criminal Court pronounced the members of the Callejeros band guilty today during the hearing which unveiled the decision over who holds responsibility for the 2004 Cromañón club fire that killed 194 people. The sentence given to the club’s ex-manager Omar Chabán was reduced.

When the court opened the hearing, tensions rose between the relatives of the fire's victims and Federal Police who were guarding the entrance to the court. They were not granted permission to be present in the main courtroom, but broke their way in by force; pushing, shoving and hitting guards preventing their entry.

The relatives had been forced to stay outside of the hearing, being present in the adjacent courtroom, holding photographs and messages communicating their feelings that 'justice must be made, and those responsible must pay.'

The court communicated their decision over whether ex-manager Omar Chabán, and Callejeros band members who were playing the fatal night of the accident, will be sent to prison or not after the sentencing was changed in 2009. Chabán had already been sentenced to 20 years inprisonment previously. 

The fire that took place in the Cromañón nightclub in December of 2004, killed 194 people.

Read more here.

Syrian forces fire at protesters, unrest intensifies

People perform prayers during a demonstration in the Syrian city of Homs

Syrian forces fired shots at hundreds of protesters who had gathered overnight in Homs city in defiance of warning by the authorities to halt what they called an insurrection, a rights campaigner said.

A member of the security police addressed the protesters at Clock Square through a loud speaker asking them to leave, and then the forces opened fire, said the human rights campaigner, who is in contact with protesters in the square.

Tear gas was also used. At least one protester was injured, the activist added. Two residents of Homs also said they heard the sound of gunfire coming from around the square.

Several hours earlier, Syrian state television broadcast an interior ministry statement that described the wave of unrest in Syria as an insurrection, pointing specifically to Homs as one of two cities where "armed groups belonging to Salafist organizations" were trying to terrorize the population.

Salafism is a strict form of Sunni Islam which many Arab governments equate with militant groups like al Qaeda.

President Bashar al-Assad announced on Saturday that he would end nearly half a century of emergency rule with legislation that should be in place by next week, but his pledge did little to appease protesters calling for political freedoms.

Rights campaigners say more than 200 people have been killed since the protests began.

Syrian authorities have intensified bans on independent media since protests challenging the authoritarian rule of Assad erupted more than a month ago.

No independent media is allowed into Homs or other cities witnessing unprecedented pro-democracy demonstrations. Several international journalists have been expelled or arrested.

Thousands demanded the overthrow of Assad on Monday at the funerals of 17 protesters killed in Homs, 165 km (100 miles) north of Damascus. Human rights campaigners said the 17 had been killed late on Sunday during protests against the death in custody of a tribal leader in Homs.

"From alleyway to alleyway, from house to house, we want to overthrow you, Bashar," the mourners chanted, according to a witness at the funeral.

Further north, in Jisr al-Shughour, 1,000 people called for "the overthrow of the regime," echoing the chants of protesters who overthrew leaders in Egypt and Tunisia, at the funeral of a man who they said had been killed by security forces.

Protests against the authoritarian rule of Assad's Baath Party erupted in the southern city of Deraa more than a month ago, and have spread across the country.

The government says Syria is the target of a conspiracy and authorities blame the violence on armed gangs and infiltrators supplied with weapons from Lebanon and Iraq. Opposition groups say there is no evidence of a conspiracy.

The interior ministry statement said Salafist groups were trying "to spread terror across Syria ... using the march of freedom and reform that was launched according to a timetable by President Assad in his guiding speech."

The demonstrations present the gravest challenge yet to Assad, who succeeded his late father Hafez al-Assad, who died in 2000 after 30 years of rule.

You can read more here.