“Please, Mr. President put your hand over your heart and stop this war that we did not ask you to start.” These were the words of one of the hundreds of victims who raised their voice to make public the loss of a relative during the first anniversary of the Mexican Peace and Justice Movement celebrated in Cuernavaca Morelos last march 28th, 2012.The stories being shared by the victims were about women or men who have been kidnapped and never returned, people who were found killed, forced disappearances, feminicides, death-threats by organized crime, paramilitary groups and police. From the audience side sometimes it was difficult to hold back the tears.
Crying, a woman who lost his son shouts “Please stop this war! Please!”
Another desperate voice says, “My daughter was killed by her husband, since he was a police officer, he was set free. If you want to end organized crime (referring to the Mexican president) please do not protect the criminals that are in security forces, they should protect us, not kill us.”
Another woman shares, “I took my son to a rehabilitation clinic; I wanted him to quit drugs. He disappeared from the clinic. I joined the movement to shout the pain of not having my son. The authorities have done nothing. If anyone knows anything about my son, I hope you will tell me.”
Without exception, each story was claimed in the context of the war against drug cartels and the impunity of the government and police authorities. Their demands are to put an end to the widespread violence that has prevailed in Mexico since 2006 as a consequence of Calderon’s war against organized crime. They ask consolation, claim justice, and demand clarification of the unpunished killings with respect to their suffering.
The Mexican Peace and Justice Movement emerged over a year ago just after the killing of four boys in Cuernavaca; among of them was Javier Sicilia’s son. Apparently, the boys were killed by organized crime, their bodies were found gagged and with signs of torture. After the murder of his son, Javier Sicilia called for a mass mobilization, demanding a response and investigation from the local authorities.Having no response from the local authorities, Sicilia called for a three-day protest march from Cuernavaca to México City. This was the first time that hundreds of victims looking for consolation ended their silence and dared to talk publicly about their painful stories. During the three days of the march, a hundred different testimonies from victims who lost a relative were told. As the days passed, it became evident that more and more victims needed to speak and denounce the government’s impunity.
In June, 2011 the movement organized the first consolation caravan that crossed the entire country and arrived in Ciudad Juarez, one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico. The caravan took one week. In each of the public squares where the caravan stopped, hundreds of different testimonies were told.
In August, 2011, the victims met President Felipe Calderon in a public meeting. He was asked to rethink the strategy in the fight against organized crime, prioritizing human security and rebuilding social ties. The victims demanded that he recognize that rather than protecting people, this war is only producing bloody results, and that he ask forgiveness for the high human cost, but he rejected any possibility of changing his violent security strategy.The peace and justice movement called for a second consolation caravan in September 2011, but this time with a destination in the southern part of the country. Much as in the first caravan to the north, more and more victims made public their suffering caused by Calderon’s war.
Officially, since 2006 to present, 47,500 people have been killed in the context of the war against drugs in México. The government's strategy has not changed. As the war continues, the victims' stories increase day by day. Due to their activism, three important members of the movement have been killed; before they were killed they were harassed and received death threats by their killers. The authorities did nothing to prevent these deaths and have not found the people who committed the murders.
A year has passed since the emergence of this civil resistance movement, still underestimated by Calderon’s government. However, from the movement side, there are enough reasons to be proud. Those who have been affected by this war became visible and empowered, as they lost the fear and dared to talk. There is a chance to build dialogue and solidarity among those in society who have been directly or indirectly affected by the war.
To not talk and remain in fear is unsustainable. As one victim put it, “The fear goes away when we find consolation, when our suffering is heard by you and when we feel accompanied.” Consolation is what this article aims to bring about.
Alaide Vences
Mexico
Gender Studies Alumna
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