The Dignity Battalions were paramilitary combatants used under the Noriega Regime in Panama in the 1980s to suppress dissent and terrorize the opposition. They carried out arrests and torture of political opponents, but were disbanded after the brutal US invasion in 1989. Manuel Noriega Date of birth February 11, 1938 Place of birth Panama City, Panama Occupation Career soldier Education Military School de Chorrilos Lima, Peru School of the Americas Panama Remarks Allegedly a participant in the military coup détat to overthrow Arnulfo Arias. ... Panama (Spanish: Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. ... Aspects of torture Incrimination of innocent people One well documented effect of torture is that with rare exceptions people will say or do anything to escape the situation, including untrue confessions and implication of others without genuine knowledge, who may well then be tortured in turn. ...
Below we reprint an excerpt from "Why the Panamanian people are fighting for national dignity," by Cindy Jaquith, which is found in the pamphlet, Panama: The truth about the U.S. invasion.
The invading troops have met resistance from the DignityBattalions.
The battalions have been branded "terrorists," "thugs," and "looters" by the likes of General Thurman.
The 3rd Battalion had been prepositioned at Fort Sherman two weeks prior to the operation and was under the control of the 7th Infantry Division.
The battalion conducted air and sea assaults in northern and central Panama to seize the dam that controlled the water in the Panama canal, a prison, several police stations, several key bridges, a PDF supply point, the PDF demolitions school and an intelligence training facility.
The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 504th, along with 4th Battalion of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment and the 1st Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment, conducted a parachute assault on the Omar Torrijos International Airport.
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