Document #1057512
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
In a 19 September 1996 telephone interview,
the director of the Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (Centre
for Legal and Social Studies) in Buenos Aires provided the
following information.
The Franja Morada (Purple Fringe or Purple
Stripe) came into existence in 1918, when students were given the
right to participate in the administration of universities. The
Franja Morada is the student wing of the Union Civica Radical (UCR,
Radical Civic Union), a long-established centre-left political
party. The UCR is the second-largest political party in Argentina.
Not only is it well-represented in the National Congress, but holds
the majority in four provincial governments, as well as the post of
mayor in Buenos Aires.
The Franja Morada is neither a Marxist nor
an extreme leftist organization, although at times it may take more
radical positions than the UCR due to the youth of its members.
Ultimately, the student wing responds to the political agenda of
the parent party.
The majority of student representatives who
sit on the governing councils of the 36 state-run universities are
members of Franja Morada, and gained their posts democratically,
through student elections. The source noted that there have been
violent incidents at protests organized by Franja Morada or that
included Franja Morada participants, but these disturbances were
caused by radical groups that are not affiliated to Franja Morada.
The source stated his opinion that members of Franja Morada are not
subject to mistreatment by public authorities.
Please consult the attached translation of
an 18 March 1996 media report on the recent student elections in
Argentina, which also names some of the current leaders of Franja
Morada.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Reference
Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales
(Centre for Legal and Social Studies), Buenos Aires. 19 September
1996. Telephone interview with director.
Clarin Digital [Buenos Aires, in
Spanish]. 18 March 1996. "Franja Morada Wins Again." [Internet] ,
[Internet] , [Accessed 9 Sept. 1996]. Translated by the
Multilingual Translation Directorate, Department of Public Works
and Government Services Canada.