PLEDGE FOR SCIENCE IN ARGENTINA

[schreibr at venus.ycc.yale.edu]

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     TO ALL SCIENTISTS CONCERNED WITH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN ARGENTINA
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                                                 Buenos Aires, June 4, 1990

Dear Colleague:


     I would like to draw your attention to the plight of science in Argentina
and to ask for your urgent cooperation to save it from destruction.
    
     As you may know Argentina is in the midst of a profound economic crisis.
As a consequence of this there has been a severe reduction in the governmental
budget. Unless special attention is paid to science we believe that meager 
salaries combined with lack of funding will lead to the shut down of our 
laboratories before there is any improvement in the economic situation.
    
     The following example provides a glimpse of our economic situation: a 
scientist holding the highest available position receives a monthly salary of 
US$ 300 (United States dollars three hundred). On the other end of the scale a 
junior scientist starting his/her career is paid a salary of about US$ 100.
These sums are far lower than those required for subsistence-level feeding and
education for an average family.
    
     If you are willing to help us, please write a letter in your own words
or use the attached letter as a model and send it via air mail to

   
                  Sr. Presidente de la Republica Argentina
                  Dr. Carlos Saul Menem
                  Casa de Gobierno, Balcarce 50,
                  1064 Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA

   
     To expand the chain please send ten copies of this letter to your friends.

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                                 MODEL LETTER



Sr. Presidente de la Republica Argentina
Dr. Carlos Saul Menem
Casa de Gobierno, Balcarce 50
1064 Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA


Dear Mr. President,

    I am writing you to call your attention to the present situation of 
scientific and technological research in Argentina.

    Argentine scientists will not be able to endure for a long time the
present situation in which the lack of funds to support research is
combined with the incredibly low salaries paid to them.

    Such situation will soon lead to a sharp increase in the exodus, which
has already started, of qualified people and hence to the irreversible damage
to your national scientific and technological research system whose quality
is recognized and respected by the international scientific community. This
would be a tragedy for Argentina's cultural and technological development
which would require years to repair.

    With all due respect, Mr. President, I urge you to take actions to reverse
this sad situation. This may help to change the negative image that the 
international community has about this aspect of your administration.


                                               Sincerely yours  



                                       (Signature, name and academic position)

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Other addresses to which correspondence may be forwarded:

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET)
Avenida Rivadavia 1917,
1033 Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA

Secretaria de Ciencia y Tecnica (SECyT)
Avenida Cordoba 831,
1054 Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA

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                                                New Haven, 6 de Agosto de 1990

Estimados todos:

    Esta es la primera vez que me dirijo a todos ustedes por medio de la red.
Creo que la situacion descripta mas arriba, conocida por todos nosotros, lo
justifica. 

    Hoy por la tarde recibi copia de estos textos del laboratorio en Argentina
del cual provengo y hacia el cual aun planeo regresar, este es el Instituto de 
Quimica y Fisicoquimica Biologicas (IQUIFIB), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquimica,
Universidad de Buenos Aires, cuyo director es el Dr. Alejandro C. Paladini.

    Tengo entendido que los esfuerzos tendientes a revertir este estado de
cosas, en el medio local, son frustrantemente inoperantes. De este modo,
se trata de que la presion externa pueda ser mas efectiva.

    Les agradezco a todos desde ya toda la difusion que pudieran darle
a esta iniciativa. 


                                            Jose Maria Delfino

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Dr.Jose Maria Delfino                                      
Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (210 KBT),
Yale University,
260 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
Tel. # (203) 432-5622/5623
Fax  # (203) 432-3282
Electronic Mail: Bitnet: "DELFINO%HHVMS8 at YALEVMS"
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