By Raymond Colitt BRASILIA, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The Brazilian state apologized on Friday to 13 victims of the 1964-85 military dictatorship in a public ceremony that is part of a broader effort to to atone for the abuses of the past. Unlike neighboring countries such as Argentina and Chile, Brazil has never put anyone on trial for the murder and widespread torture of dissidents during its dictatorship, which pushed an amnesty law through Congress in 1979. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has emphasized forgiveness rather than pushing for prosecutions, as some in his leftist government favor. A justice ministry commission called the Caravan of Amnesty has been touring Brazil since April asking victims and their families for forgiveness and awarding many financial compensation. But the ceremony on Friday before leading Roman Catholic bishops in the capital was the first high-profile apology, a symbolic gesture to the hundreds who were murdered and thousands tortured under military rule. "The objective is peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness," said Paulo Abrao Pires Junior, head of the Caravan of Amnesty. The Caravan has already declared the state guilty of human rights violations in 172 cases and faces another 25,000 claims by victims. Lula said last month that his government would not attempt to revise or annul the amnesty law after comments by his justice minister that torturers could be tried stirred strong opposition from the still-powerful military. But some members of his government still want the judiciary to rule that the law does not cover crimes such as torture, and thus allow for trials against former military officers. "Judges must decide whether (the law) can cover up torture, sexual violence, decapitation and dismemberment," Secretary for Human Rights Paulo Vannuchi told reporters at the commission's hearing on Friday. "The amnesty law does not cover violent crimes, assaults, or terrorism -- it is not all-encompassing," said Vannuchi, adding that he expected a court ruling on the issue soon. A public prosecutor in Sao Paulo charged former military officers in May with torture. The Organization of American States this month will discuss Brazil's amnesty law and could make a binding decision, Vannuchi said. SECRET FILES Lula's government has also opened secret files revealing some human rights abuses during the period and may investigate officials suspected of destroying archives to hide evidence. "There's a decision by the president that he will not enter history as the president who covered this issue up," said Vannuchi in reference to the files. The dictatorships in Argentina and Chile were even more brutal than Brazil's but torture was still widespread here. Before a teary-eyed audience on Friday, the commission recounted graphic stories of rights abuses. Ruy Frasao Soares, a Catholic youth activist, was arrested and tortured in 1964 and later lived in hiding under a false name. He was arrested again in 1974 and was never seen again and is believed to have been assassinated. His widow represented him at Friday's hearing. The bodies of 170 people who disappeared during military rule have not yet been found. "The commission reminds younger generations of the facts that stained our history with blood," Bishop Geraldo Lyrio Rocha said. "We should never cover up this crime." (Editing by Stuart Grudgings and Kieran Murray)
Brazilian Indians from the Pataxo tribe, pay tribute to Pataxo Indian Galdino who was burned alive in a bus stop 11 years ago, at the square of the Indian, in Brasilia ...
