This is an effort to acknowledge the country’s pain, the necessity of honoring remembrance and the need to heal completely. It is only seems like vengeance to those who have something to hide.

Informative article about release of information from the days of Brazil's military dictatorship, when people were pulled off the street and tortured and murdered by associates of the military - similar to situations in Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Up to now, Brazil has never addressed these official crimes and there has been no attempt at calling perpetrators to justice - partially in response to a 1979 amnesty law, passed by those responsible to exonerate themselves. An official account of the details of abuses is being published, and President Lula, who himself was a reluctant guest of the military, is promoting this event. Human Rights Watch calls this an important "first step" in dealing ... More »

a difficult story on which to comment. how much time to pass and in what form to hold accountable those who have committed institutionalized horrible crimes on those in disagreement? we see around the world today how much it matters in making a difference between reconciliation and further violence. in brazil, it seems they and we won't know for a while if they've got it right or not.