MEXICO: Drug violence spreads to rehabilittion centres forcing many to close their doors
Record ID:
1519931
MEXICO: Drug violence spreads to rehabilittion centres forcing many to close their doors
- Title: MEXICO: Drug violence spreads to rehabilittion centres forcing many to close their doors
- Date: 10th June 2009
- Summary: CIUDAD JUAREZ, MEXICO (RECENT) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF REHAB CENTRE DRUG ADDICTS SITTING OUTSIDE REHAB CENTRE EXTERIOR OF REHAB CENTRE RELATIVES TALKING OUTSIDE REHAB CENTRE "LA VIDA SIN ADICCIONES" (LIFE WITHOUT ADDICTIONS) REHAB CENTRE EXTERIOR OF REHAB CENTRE DEAD BODY SEEN LYING NEXT TO ENTRANCE TO REHAB CENTRE POLICE CHECKING BODY OUTSIDE REHAB CENTRE CRIME SCENE SOLDIERS OUTSIDE REHAB CENTRE FORENSIC SCIENTISTS VAN EXTERIOR REHAB CENTRE DRUG ADDICTS IN REHAB CENTRE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SUB-DIRECTOR OF REHAB CENTRE ISAIAS FLORES SAYING "Due to the events we have recently witnessed here in the community of Ciudad Juarez, we have seen a lot of desertion from these institutions. The relatives are scared that patients join these groups because they are scared they will be attacked in a certain way. It does create uncertainty, desertion and prevents the addicts from people attending rehab." VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS OF DRUG REHAB IN COURTYARD (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PATIENT AT DRUG REHAB JOSE LUIS GALVAN SAYING: "In regards to what has been happening in the city, only the people who are problematic have problems, you see. We are very aware that in order for us to re-enter society, we should forget about the past and we should search for a new life." VARIOUS OF REHAB PATIENTS DURING GROUP PRAYER SESSION
- Embargoed: 25th June 2009 00:50
- Keywords:
- Location: Mexico
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
- Reuters ID: LVA106XF0404935MUX3QRFV0ZV5D
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Drug rehabilitation centres in a violence-plagued northern Mexico border city that is a target of the government's war against drug gangs, have been forced to close after recent shootings within installations have killed dozens of drug addicts.
Hitmen at the weekend opened fire at drug addicts in a rehabilitation centre in Ciudad Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas, killing five of them.
The army is battling the Sinaloa and Gulf drug cartels that are also fighting each other over lucrative smuggling routes into the United States.
Filled with terror and impotence, drug addicts in this besieged border community have witnessed the closure of places they consider to be a refuge where they can receive help in view of recent killings.
These crimes have frightened away people seeking treatment. Some relatives have prevented addicts from attending the centres because they are scared their loved ones will be murdered. So far, gunmen have killed 16 drug addicts within centres.
People in charge of running centres, which are mostly non-governmental organizations, said the situation has worsened stemming from the violent events against installations last year and recently. They have requested that authorities install security cameras and panic buttons at the centres but the request has yet to be accepted.
"Due to the events we have recently witnessed here in the community of Ciudad Juarez, we have seen a lot of desertion from these institutions. The relatives are scared that patients join these groups because they are scared they will be attacked in a certain way. It does create uncertainty, desertion and prevents the addicts from people attending rehab," sub-director of Life Without Addictions rehab center Isaias Flores told Reuters.
With threatening phone calls, drug traffickers are forcing rehab centres to shut down, after accusing them of taking customers away from them. However, some are choosing to remain open in spite of receiving countless threats.
In the past few weeks, 15 rehab centers have closed their doors. Some 1,000 available treatment spaces have been lost.
There are about 80,000 drug addicts in Ciudad Juarez and in average, some 7,000 people annually seek treatment for drug addiction.
"Only the people who are problematic have problems, you see," . We are very aware that in order for us to re-enter society, we should forget about the past and we should search for a new life," Jose Luis Galvan, a patient at Life Without Addictions, said.
President Felipe Calderon has deployed thousands of troops and police to Ciudad Juarez and across the country to raid suspected safe houses and search cars for drugs at highway checkpoints.
But the offensive has led to an escalation of drug violence that has killed around 2,300 people so far this year.
The government has publicly admitted it has made little progress fighting violent crime, the latest grim assessment of Calderon's push to make the streets safer. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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