Mohamed Alí Seineldín
Encyclopedia
Mohamed Alí Seineldin (November 12, 1933 Concepción del Uruguay
- September 2, 2009) was an Argentine
army colonel
who participated in two failed uprisings against the democratically elected governments of both President
Raúl Alfonsín
and President Carlos Menem
in 1988 and 1990.
Seineldín was born in Concepción del Uruguay
into an Arab Argentine
family. He converted from Islam
to Roman Catholicism during his youth, being consecrated to Virgin of Rosario
(Virgen del Rosario). He remained a devout Roman Catholic throughout his life, even devoting his men in the army to the Virgin of Rosario as well. In an interview on his goals during his military career, Seineldín later explained, Luchamos por el mismo objetivo, que es la nacionalidad y la fe cristiana, which is roughly translated as, "We fought for the same goal, which is the nationality and the Christian faith."
Seineldin rose to prominence in Argentina during the 1982 Falklands War
against the United Kingdom
.
An ardent nationalist, Seineldin became a member of the Carapintadas
, or "painted faces," group within the Argentine Army
. The Carapintadas demanded that the Argentine government halt legal proceedings against army officers accused of human rights abuses during the Dirty War
, which occurred during Argentina's military dictatorship
from 1978-1983. The low ranking officers were charged with a wide range of crimes, including the murder of dissidents, torture
and kidnapping
.
In 1987 and 1988, the Carapintadas rebelled against the government of President Raúl Alfonsín
, but both uprisings were quickly put down. In December 1988, members of the Grupo Albatros
, led by Colonel Mohamed Alí Seineldin rebelled once again against the Alfonsín government and seized the military barracks at Villa Martelli
. The mutineers eventually surrendered and Seineldin was arrested.
Mohamed Alí Seineldin led a second unsuccessful uprising against the government of President Carlos Menem beginning on December 3, 1990. The failed uprising resulted in 14 deaths, including five civilians.
Seineldin was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the 1990 mutiny. However, he was pardoned by then President Eduardo Duhalde
in 2003.
Mohamed Alí Seineldin suffered a heart attack and died in a hospital in Buenos Aires
on September 2, 2009, at the age of 75.
Concepción del Uruguay
Concepción del Uruguay is a city in Argentina.It is located in the Entre Ríos province, on the western shore of the Uruguay River, some 320 kilometers north from Buenos Aires. Its population is about 65,000 inhabitants .-History:...
- September 2, 2009) was an Argentine
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...
army colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
who participated in two failed uprisings against the democratically elected governments of both President
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín was an Argentine lawyer, politician and statesman, who served as the President of Argentina from December 10, 1983, to July 8, 1989. Alfonsín was the first democratically-elected president of Argentina following the military government known as the National Reorganization...
and President Carlos Menem
Carlos Menem
Carlos Saúl Menem is an Argentine politician who was President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. He is currently an Argentine National Senator for La Rioja Province.-Early life:...
in 1988 and 1990.
Seineldín was born in Concepción del Uruguay
Concepción del Uruguay
Concepción del Uruguay is a city in Argentina.It is located in the Entre Ríos province, on the western shore of the Uruguay River, some 320 kilometers north from Buenos Aires. Its population is about 65,000 inhabitants .-History:...
into an Arab Argentine
Arab Argentine
An Arab Argentine is an Argentine citizen or resident alien whose ancestry traces back to any of various waves of immigrants, largely of Arab cultural and linguistic heritage and/or identity, originating mainly from what is now Lebanon and Syria but also there are some individuals from the...
family. He converted from Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
to Roman Catholicism during his youth, being consecrated to Virgin of Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
(Virgen del Rosario). He remained a devout Roman Catholic throughout his life, even devoting his men in the army to the Virgin of Rosario as well. In an interview on his goals during his military career, Seineldín later explained, Luchamos por el mismo objetivo, que es la nacionalidad y la fe cristiana, which is roughly translated as, "We fought for the same goal, which is the nationality and the Christian faith."
Seineldin rose to prominence in Argentina during the 1982 Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
against the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
An ardent nationalist, Seineldin became a member of the Carapintadas
Carapintadas
The were a group of mutineers in the Argentine Army, who took part in uprisings during the presidency of Raúl Alfonsín in Argentina.In December 1986, the Ley de Punto Final was introduced...
, or "painted faces," group within the Argentine Army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
. The Carapintadas demanded that the Argentine government halt legal proceedings against army officers accused of human rights abuses 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...
, which occurred during Argentina's 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....
from 1978-1983. The low ranking officers were charged with a wide range of crimes, including the murder of dissidents, torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
and kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
.
In 1987 and 1988, the Carapintadas rebelled against the government of President Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín was an Argentine lawyer, politician and statesman, who served as the President of Argentina from December 10, 1983, to July 8, 1989. Alfonsín was the first democratically-elected president of Argentina following the military government known as the National Reorganization...
, but both uprisings were quickly put down. In December 1988, members of the Grupo Albatros
Grupo Albatros
The Grupo Albatros is a special operations service of the Prefectura Naval Argentina. Located in the province of Buenos Aires, it conducts river and maritime operations in the lakes and rivers and anything close to the coast line...
, led by Colonel Mohamed Alí Seineldin rebelled once again against the Alfonsín government and seized the military barracks at Villa Martelli
Villa Martelli
Villa Martelli is a town in the Partido of Vicente Lopez, in the Greater Buenos Aires metro area.-History:The first recorded settlement in the area occurred on May 6, 1910, and the town was officially recognized by the Provincial Legislature on July 27, 1964. The Villa Martelli Army Barracks were...
. The mutineers eventually surrendered and Seineldin was arrested.
Mohamed Alí Seineldin led a second unsuccessful uprising against the government of President Carlos Menem beginning on December 3, 1990. The failed uprising resulted in 14 deaths, including five civilians.
Seineldin was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the 1990 mutiny. However, he was pardoned by then President Eduardo Duhalde
Eduardo Duhalde
-External links:...
in 2003.
Mohamed Alí Seineldin suffered a heart attack and died in a 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...
on September 2, 2009, at the age of 75.