Juarez's inhabitants are a mixed lot. Some are native Chihuahuans whose ancestors conquered the region after centuries of savage warfare with the Navajo, Apaches and Yaquis indians. However, most of those who make Ciudad de Juarez their home hail from central and southern Mexico. Drug dealers, factory workers, merchants or simply migrants hoping to cross the heavily guarded U.S.-Mexican border, these new arrivals come to Juarez for one thing and one thing only: to make money. This mentality coupled with an inadequate infrastructure fosters an environment where anything goes and only the strongest survive.
It would be safe to say that the Juarenes have seen it all. Yet, for 10 long years this rough frontier town has been gripped with fear. Over 400 young women have disappeared. Some naked, broken bodies have been discovered in the countryside, often after they have been dug up and gnawed on by coyotes. Evidence indicates that these poor individuals suffered terribly before death embraced them, with many being ritualistically raped and tortured. The corpses are so horribly mutilated that they cannot even be identified. Currently only one man has been found guilty of participating in the killings.
Why have these brutal crimes continued for so long? Part of the reason lies in the very identity of the victims. Most of the abducted females were workers who toiled in the new factories, known locally as maquiladoras, that have sprung up in Juarez with the establishment of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The fates of these impoverished, rootless women are not of great concern to the local law enforcement officials. Furthermore, traditional Chihuahuan culture is extremely chauvinistic and regards females as objects rather than individuals. Because these poor, rootless, unmarried women are at the bottom of the social ladder, devoid of many basic rights, they are easy prey.
Another factor is the unwillingness of the Chihuahuan government to "rock the boat." It is widely believed that some of those responsible for the atrocities are members of drug gangs and people linked to the maquiladoras. Since the cartels and factories are the two most powerful forces in Chihuahua, the corrupt, under-funded legal establishment has no desire to take either one on.
After ignoring the situation for years, Washington managed to send a Congressional delegation to Ciudad de Juarez earlier this year. However, all it managed to get was a number of photo-ops and empty pledges from Mexican officials to bring an end to the criminal acts.
So women continue to be snatched from Juarez's streets. Bound and gagged, their last hours on earth are filled with terror and pain. Repeatedly raped, these unfortunate girls are already shattered when their tormentors finally slash their throats.
It falls on individuals like us to put an end to these monstrous acts. Thankfully, the five colleges are beginning to organize. During the next couple of months, meetings are going to be held here at Amherst with the sole purpose of figuring out how to apply pressure on both Washington and Mexico City to crack down on the animals responsible for the abductions. I urge everyone to get involved. This is not about feminism or anti-globalization, but whether we have the moral fortitude to not look the other way. We must rise up and denounce what is taking place in Ciudad de Juarez. This situation is as black and white as they come. Those responsible for the atrocities need to be punished. The women of Juarez should not have to fear for their lives when they venture out on their own. Justice needs to be realized. It's just that simple.