I need your help to send 350 messages to the families of 350 murdered girls and women.

[Chandra]

This is not a nice topic but unfortunately it's true, and it makes me sad that by the time I get this thread together and ready to send it to their families, another girl/woman would have died.

Since 1993 over 350 young woman have been raped, strangled, stabbed and killed or have disapeared in Juarez, a Mexican city in the border of the U.S. The majority were pretty, slim, working class and young, some as young as 13. Not a single person has been brought to justice for these murders and the Mexican government has been slow to act. Suspicions abound as to why local and state officials have been dragging their feet over the murders investigations. Several men have been arrested over the years, but the murders continue. Some suspect that officials are protecting one of their own. Others say that the authorities are not interested in solving these cases as the victims were young, poor and dispensable.

In response of this Esther Chavez opened Casa Amiga in 1993, which provides psychological, medical and legal support to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and incest; and has also been an unequivocal voice against violence towards women. Esther Chavez has recently won an International Service Human Rights Awards (see www.internationalservice.org.uk) in the Grass-Roots Human Rights Campaigner category ? this award rewards the ?unsung heroes? of human rights who daily risk their lives so that the truth may be heard, the defenceless defended and the powers that be are held to account.

Although I have borrowed the text above from the nice people of the International Service, you can find more information on the subject by entering "Esther Chavez Cano" and "Juarez" in any Internet search engine.

The intention of this thread is to make more people aware of what is going on in my city (yes, I was born and raised there and I'm sad to say that when all this nightmare started ten years ago I could not have never imagined that I would be here writting to you about this unresolved problem so many years and victims later); to get more people to write messages to our government demanding more attention to the subject (you can post messages to the Mexican president -who don't care much about the subject but cares about what the international community think of him- at this web site

And finally, even if you decide you can't do much to help bring justice to the families of these women, Amnesty International is filling a book with thoughts for the families of the victims, I'm taking it to Esther Chavez on December and I thought that it would be really nice of you if you can contribute with a little message for the family of one of the victims. I'm hoping to get at least a message for each family, would you help me on that? Thanks in advance.

Chandra

[Chandra]

P.S. A post= a message

[Chandra]

Have just checked Google, is easier to found info about the subject if you search "Juarez Murders"

[suzywong]

Thanks for brining this to our attention Chandra, I shall certainly be contributing to this cause.

[JanH]

Oh Chandra, this was featured on Woman's Hour last week and Esther was interviewed - you can hear it here . It is literally unbelievable that it is still going on and nothing has been done.

[Marina]

If you tell us what to write, Chandra, and give us the details etc, I'd be pleased to help with this. This terrible story gets a brief mention in the press from time to time (sometimes the women's magazines do a piece on it) but it is a scandal that the Mexican government is so unconcerned about it.

[Gingerbear]

I would be pleased to help, tell us how Chandra. (My Spanish is very basic, I don't think I would be able to put anything on the govt. website)

[pedilia]

Be more than pleased to help, does rather put things in perspective a bit !!

[prufrock]

Chandra - could you translate the website for us/tell us what to fill in where?

[Chandra]

Thanks for your help, the translation of the website is the following:

Nombre= Name
Apellidos= Surname
Sexo= Sex (choose between Female and Male)
Edad= Your age
Nacionalidad= Citizenship (Choose between Mexican and Other)

Calle y Numero= Your Address
Localidad o Colonia= Your city or borough
Entidad Federativa= State?
CodigoPostal= Postcode
Pais= Country
Correo-e= e-mail
Telefono= The boxes are for the area code and number
Ocupacion= What you do (I have made a selection as I don't think many of them apply to the UK)to choose from: Ama de Casa=Housewife, Empleado de la Empresa privada= employee, Empleado Estatal=if you work with the government (municipal=city gov, Estatal=county gov, Federal= country gov.), Estudiante= student, Magisterio= Education. Professionista independiente= Free lance?, etc)

Define tema a tratar=Subject I would suggest to use Juarez' Murders in the subject

The next box is for the message, you can write in English, as a former head of Coca Cola I expect he knows the language.

Thank you very, very much.

P.S. One last thing, could you post a copy of your message in this thread or if you wish a sympathy note? That way I can include your messages in the Amnesty Book so the families of the victims can have access to them. Thanks

a

[Chandra]

bump?

[Gingerbear]

Thanks Chandra, I will fill in the form now.

[Gingerbear]

When I tried to submit the form it said 'Falta estado' think that means it failed??

[Gingerbear]

perhaps if we sign this petition?

[Chandra]

It's the area -like Yorkshire, Hertfordshire,etc. but they don't have options for foreign places.
So..insert Chihuahua, which is the state where the problem happens.

Thank you so much Gingerbear.

[Chandra]

YES!!! That's a good one too. (and it's in English) Thank you Ginderbear, you are a star!

[smileyragdoll]

much easier using the link

[Caligula]

Done it. Thanks for the link Gingerbear, I couldn't quite get to grips with the other site!

[Gingerbear]

I have managed to send the form on the spanish language website - I translated the reply using Google's auto translator (here is the translation....)
Thanks for your participation, and we remembered you that recibiras an answer in next the 30 to 60 days. We requested to you not to send the same request again since it could annul the previous one and leave behind your proceeding. Kindly Coordination of the Federal Network on watch to the Citizenship.

I have signed the amnesty international petition too.

[Chandra]

Thanks you Caligula

For those who may want more info about the subject, this article represents the current situation very well, even if it was written last year.

[colinsmommy]

Thanks for bumping this up again. Done, and signed in behalf of Colinsmommy and Colinsdaddy.

[Chandra]

Thanks Colinsfamily

[Chandra]

...and smileyragdoll

[Gingerbear]

.

[peskykids]

Signed petition using GingerBear's link below.

Our hearts go out to the bereaved families and friends in Mexico,
A Coventry family xxxx

[winnie1]

Have signed the petition too. Thanks Chandra for prompting us all to do something. have heard about this on and off and am utterly disgusted by the Mexican governments response.