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Perdidos: The Forgotten Stories of Mexican Migrants REBECCA LOCKWOOD Vice-President Social, Latin American Law Society
Mexico’s National Commission on Human Rights reported that in April to September of 2010, 11 333 migrants were kidnapped on 214 different occasions. Human Rights Watch reports that 18 000 migrants are kidnapped annually in Mexico.
that, according to a report by Human Rights Watch on this military tactic published in November 2011, has actually seen an increase in violence and other illegal activities such as human trafficking. The same report states that from 2007-2010 alone, the homicide rate grew by 260%. The migration route is now prime fighting ground between rival drug cartels, as kidnapping is a very lucrative business. The
Mexico - U.S. Border
Mexico is a unique country in the context of migration. Many of its own citizens migrate: about 10.1 million Mexican nationals are living abroad which makes it among the top nations with the highest emigrant rate according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Yet it also acts as a bridge between the United States and the rest of Latin America, so it sees many other Latin migrants pass through. The migration route typically starts in Chiapas in southern Mexico and travels northward to the US. When discussing forced migration, it is important to talk about human trafficking and kidnapping as well. We usually think about push factors in the home countries that force people out: war, political strife, armed conflict. Yet, when people choose to leave their land for fear of violence and persecution, they often face even more violence and coercion along the way. In 2006, Mexican President Felipe Calderon initiated the now well-known “War on Drugs” the OBITERdicta
UNHCR Report on human trafficking released just last month explains that the cartels kidnap migrants hoping to get a ransom from their family members in the United States. However, it’s not as simple as getting the ransom and sending people along their merry way. In the process of kidnapping and human trafficking, migrants are exposed to horrific forms of violence and exploitation. If families abroad are unable to pay the ransom, migrants have to pay their debt in other ways. Many are killed but some are forced into a modern form of slavery, usually to the gang or cartel running the operation, which includes sexual exploitation and prostitution, domestic service, drug smuggling or gang recruitment according the same UNHCR report. Not surprisingly, the UNHCR report indicates that women and children are the most vulnerable group of migrants because they run the greatest risk of being trafficked, raped, as well as
sexually and physically abused. Rape and sexual abuse is so common for female migrants—6 in 10 female migrants is the victim of some sort of sexual abuse during their journey—that many human smugglers actually inject women with contraceptives before beginning their journey to prevent pregnancy along the way. Some reading this may think, “That’s a shame, but it doesn’t affect me in Canada, so why should I really pay attention?” But Canada does play a role in this. More and more, Latin migrants are choosing our country as their destination of choice. And with them (if they make it here) they are bringing all of these experiences. My fellow members of the Latin American Law Society and I are volunteering at the Legal Aid Clinic for Spanish Speaking People’s around the corner at Jane and Wilson. The lawyers at the clinic talk about the huge impact this journey has on migrants, particularly their mental health. They describe how many of them keep it together for the long ordeal until arriving on safe soil and then fall apart. The Clinic has a Women’s Division that dedicates a great part of their time to this issue alone. That is just the emotional impact. Now imagine having to go through the experience of immigration, applying for refugee status in some cases, finding work, supporting your family— all of those very practical elements of life which do not allow room for emotional struggle or distraction. This isn’t to say that every immigrant to this country has a horrific story to tell or has experienced violence along the way. But when talking about migration, particularly forced migration, we must discuss the dangers and violence that can occur along the way. This does have an impact on our system, and more importantly on our community as well.
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monday - february 27 - 2012