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Abuse Documentation Update |
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Thursday, 20 November 2008 19:49 |
Sarah and I went to Nogales yesterday afternoon, along with Vanessa from NMD. The BP/ Wackenhut began repatriating people late in the afternoon and several busses and vans had arrived before we left there at 9:30... we had the chance to speak with a number of migrants and heard much the same story that we have been hearing since the beginning... only crackers and water, abusive language and humiliating treatment from BP/detention personnel, disregarding of requests for food and medical attention. We fed some very hungry people who had been held since Monday on crackers and water... they told us they saw signs reading 'ask if you need food, water or medical attention,' but were told to shut up when they asked... I guess the signs are just window dressing.
Badly blistered feet and sprained ankles were treated for the first time at the Mariposa aid station... and the most heart-breaking story of the night was that of Angeles, a woman from Chiapas who fractured bones in her back climbing over the wall near Agua Prieta... she was in severe pain when she was made to walk back over the line from the Wackenhut bus. We were able to provide her with extra strength tylenol and a place to lie down for the night (the NMD trailer), but she faces a difficult time as she recovers. She was treated in the UMC ER, then released to the BP for processing. Keep her and all those migrating out of necessity in your prayers.
Among the other stories that we heard or heard about were those of a young woman who saw a young man run over and hurt by an agent on a 'moto' (presumably an ATV)... the migrant had head and leg injuries and lost his shoes in the collision... he was made to walk out of the desert to the BP vehicle in bare feet. People deported from custody in California told of being verbally and physically abused by their guards, a humiliating experience. Racist comments from agents to detained migrants were reported by three women...racist language concerning the migrants and the president-elect were reported.
The aid station and comedor need shoes, socks and warm clothes for those they receive and help. We were lucky last night that we had two pairs of shoes available to give two young mothers from Chiapas whose feet were badly blistered by their old, ill-fitting shoes... there are very few shoes left, though, and not many socks, either. Please put a notice in your church bulletin or newsletter asking for donations...
peace, Jim and Sarah |
