MEXICO: Central Americans look for missing relatives in southern Mexico

Record ID: 304068

  • Title: MEXICO: Central Americans look for missing relatives in southern Mexico
  • Date: 13th February 2009
  • Summary: CIUDAD IXTEPEC, OAXACA, MEXICO (FEBRUARY 12, 2009) (REUTERS) "CARAVAN OF HOPE" PASSING THROUGH STREETS MEMBERS OF CARAVAN MARCHING WITH BANNER THAT READS: "CONFAMIDE: WE'RE LOOKING FOR OUR MISSING RELATIVES" MEMBERS OF CARAVAN MARCHING HOLDING PHOTOGRAPHS OF THEIR MISSING RELATIVES CARAVAN PASSING THROUGH STREETS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOTHER OF MIGRANT FROM HONDURAS, MARIA MENDEZ, SAYING: "I haven't been able to find her. I've looked for her everywhere using all means but I haven't been able to get a response but I trust in God now that we're here that he will help us find her by asking authorities." MEMBERS OF CARAVAN MARCHING AND HOLDING PHOTOGRAPHS OF MISSING RELATIVES RELATIVES HANDING OUT PHOTOGRAPHS AND FLYERS IN THE STREETS VARIOUS OF CARAVAN VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF CARAVAN PRAYING IN "HOUSE OF THE MIGRANT"
  • Embargoed: 28th February 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: International Relations,Population
  • Reuters ID: LVA7P2ODILFBIIC82M4TLOHLRZ1H
  • Story Text: Men and women from Central America, primarily El Salvador, march through the humble Mexican town of Ciudad Ixtepec, in the southern state of Oaxaca, looking for their long-lost migrating relatives who went missing after leaving home passing through Mexico, trying to reach the United States illegally.
    Dozens of men, women and children from El Salvador and Honduras arrived on Thursday (February 12) in southern Mexico searching for missing relatives who disappeared on their way to the United States.
    About 30 family members related to the migrants arrived at Ciudad Ixtepec, in the state of Oaxaca, on the so-called "Caravan of Hope,"
    on board buses that departed during the weekend from El Salvador, passing through Guatemala and the southern Mexican state of Chiapas.
    Illegal immigrants travel from Central America through Mexico heading towards the United States, looking for better living conditions. Some die due to the harshness of desert areas they travel through and others are victims of crime.
    The Salvadoran human rights organization, Carecen International, said that from February 2006 to the present, there is a record of 136 Salvadorans who died or went missing as they passed through Mexico.
    The protesters carried banners with photographs of their missing loved ones. They walked through the humble streets of an agricultural town of low-roofed houses sprinkled by trees, located next to cargo train tracks used by Central American immigrants on their journey.
    The relatives asked Mexican authorities to create a database of deceased immigrants with DNA samples so that they are able to be identified.
    Maria Mendez is optimistic she will find her migrating Honduran relative.
    "I haven't been able to find her. I've looked for her everywhere using all means but I haven't been able to get a response but I trust in God now that we're here that he will help us find her by asking authorities," she said.
    The relatives were welcomed at the "House of the Migrant," which provides assistance, shelter and food to traveling migrants in the area.
    Some make the grueling trip by foot, because of lack of funds, such as Salvadoran migrant, Juan Carlos Borja.
    "I have been walking from there (El Salvador) to here for about nine to 10 days. The problem is that I've been like that (walking) because I didn't bring money to pay for the bus. After walking for many days, one has to sleep on the mountain range or wherever night falls because I don't have money to pay for a hotel or anything like that," he said.
    The "House of the Migrant" coordinator, father Alejandro Solalinde, said he knew of the disappearance of at least 800 people who had left El Salvador. He said the figure could quadruple in the case of Guatemalans.
    "There is no attention, there are skeletons, there are bodies, but they can remain there because nothing is documented here, DNA studies are not carried out. They are thrown into a communal graves and that's it, that's what happens in Oaxaca," he told Reuters Television.
    Solalinde said there had been cases of robbery and violations against Central American migrants while passing through the region of the Istmo de Tehuantepec, by both criminals and policemen.
    But there are other dangers. This Honduran migrant, Jaime Curri, was injured from a fall because he was exhausted from walking.
    "Due to tiredness, sleepiness I didn't keep my balance, it wasn't caused for another reason, I don't blame anyone and only four of us were traveling. I'm not saying saying anyone pushed me, no, I fell asleep and didn't take care, for not stopping at migrant homes. That's what they are for," he said.
    The autonomous National Commission of Human Rights (CNDH) of Mexico has documented cases of abuse by Mexican soldiers, local and federal police and migration authorities against Central American migrants.
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