Jan 31, 2012

Central American Migrants: Amnesty International hangs shoes in front of the Mexican Ministry of Interior in support of migrants

A creative demonstration, Mexican style, in support of protection of Central American migrants. Translated by CIP intern, Michael Kane.

La Jornada: "On Thursday, Jan. 26, in front of the offices of the Mexican Ministry of Interior, on Paseo de la Reforma (Mexico City), Amnesty International’s (AI) Mexico office organized a rally in support of the international campaign “Migrants desperately need socks,” through which they hope to raise awareness about and highlight the plight of thousands of Central Americans who every year venture across the country with hopes of reaching the United States.

In front of the doors of the Ministry of Interior building, AI placed two clothes lines of shoes: “They are a symbol of the hundreds of shoes that are lost and abandoned every year in the desert. They represent the fate of thousands of migrants who cross the Mexican border and penetrate the U.S. desert in search of the ‘American Dream.’”

Why a campaign to donate socks to migrants? AI’s Daniel Zapico explains: “When the organization asked the migrants – in interviews that were done to investigate the issue – what would they take with them when they left their country, the answer was ‘socks.’”

Zapico added: “we are here to denounce yet again--despite the Mexican government’s promise to change--these laws and other official methods, no matter how small; abuses, kidnappings, extortion, and threats against migrants all continue.” Spanish original

No comments:

Post a Comment