Overlooked amid all the violence in Mexico’s northern border area is the rash of murders targeting women. According to local women’s rights activists as many as 500 women have been murdered since 2003 and most of these deaths have gone unpunished. To bring attention to these crimes (and other border issues) a small group of Mexicans are participating in a unique form of protest.Thirteen women gathered in front of the White House on Monday and commenced a hunger strike. They requested that the U.S. government pay more attention to social problems along the border region. Claiming to represent the citizens of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, the women claimed that border communities are not only suffering due to violence but also “crushing” poverty and a lack of resources.
One of the protesters told the Mexican press that she blamed the North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994 for doing more harm than good. Another activist tried to summarize what they stood for:
“Violence (in the border area) has become the latest layer in our reality where poverty, unemployment, a lack of opportunities and poor education surrounds us”, said 25-year-old Rubi…According to organizers the hunger strike will be carried out at the gates of the White House only during the day for security reasons. They are also trying to deliver a letter to President Obama expressing their concerns though for the time being they have reportedly been assured of appointments with representatives of at least five different federal agencies.
Image- Milenio (Via Notimex).
Online Sources- Milenio, El Informador, The Latin Americanist
Well, that's horrible.
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