Professors got facts wrong in Frampton letter

TO THE EDITOR:

I am writing in regards to a letter published here on June 21.

The letter addresses the issue of UNC professor Paul Frampton, who has been held in an Argentine prison since January after being caught trying to leave that country with 2 kg of cocaine.

UNC professors Hugon Karkowski and Mark Williams are asking for donations for professor Frampton, who is no longer receiving his salary from UNC. I find nothing wrong with that.

It is wrong, however, to falsify information.

In the letter, professors Karkowski and Williams refer to Villa Devoto prison — where Frampton is being held — as “notorious” for riots in 1972 (62 dead), 1978 (50 dead), 1990 (33 dead) and 2005 (33 dead).

I wonder where they did their research. Not one piece of evidence here is accurate.

There was a riot at Villa Devoto in 1962 (not ‘72. I guess they mixed the year up with the death toll) in which 24 people died.

The one from 1978 they got right — only it was 60, not 50 dead.

The riot in 1990 was at Olmos, not Villa Devoto, and the death toll 35.

Finally, in 2005 the riot was at Magdalena, again a different prison. This last death toll they got right.

As an Argentine, I find it offensive that the history of my country be treated so lightly. And as a UNC graduate student and Teaching Fellow, I find it appalling that two professors from my institution not only did such poor research, but went ahead and published it.

It is clear that this is not the point, and we all hope professor Frampton is innocent. But it is unacceptable for academics to treat data so lightly and publish falsities.

Pablo Maurette

Graduate Student

Comparative Literature