The Women of Atenco have waited three years for justice…

The women of Atenco calling for justice on the 2nd anniversary of the abuses, one year ago.

The women of Atenco calling for justice on the 2nd anniversary of the abuses, one year ago.

…and they’re still waiting. Yesterday and today mark the third anniversary of the police operations in San Salvador Atenco that resulted in the arbitrary arrests of more than 45 women. At least 25 of those women filed complaints of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of the police who arrested them. However, none of those responsible for the events at Atenco have been brought to justice. The women of Atenco continue to wait for justice.

This past week, the swine flu outbreak has caused terrible problems for Mexico.  Unfortunately, on the third anniversary of those events at Atenco, several campaign actions that were planned now have to be postponed.  Rallies had to be cancelled, speakers cannot fly into Mexico, and offices are closed throughout the country.  As such, several of our actions and campaign ideas have had to be set aside for the time being as Mexicans struggle to get through this sudden outbreak.

As you can imagine, the women of Atenco are feeling pretty discouraged that they will not be able to draw attention to their case this week as they had hoped. They continue to wait for impunity to end and for justice to be served.  Support them through our Mariposas Initiative or by signing our online petition to tell President Calderon that they are not alone – the world is waiting for justice for these women.  Even though swine flu is his main concern right now, he needs to remember the Women of Atenco and he needs to see how many people are watching and waiting.

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8 thoughts on “The Women of Atenco have waited three years for justice…

  1. Sometimes I read through all sorts of articles like this one as others. I am really horrified at what is really going on in the world. Seems there is more and more crap out there than we thought and it it getting worse. Would democracy help, I am not sure or it would have changed around by now. The foreign leaders need to take a stand for their own people, muslim, catholic, christian whatever, peace and democracy should be promoted. Now, in the US we are asked to promote this as well as articles on amnesty again that we in the US need to make a stand on. WELL, I SAY LET THE FOREIGN GOVERNMENT STAND UP AND TAKE THAT STAND SO THAT THEIR PEOPLE WILL BE FREE FROM ABUSE, HARM, VIOLENCE AGAINST ANYONE. Why do children have to endure such awful things on a daily life. I have come in contact with someone that fleed their country because as a child growing up saw people dead after a bombing, how horrific is that and the trauma this person endures. I would never get over that. Yet here in the US we have many people from many lands fleeing to this country because there is peace not war. Why is that americans have to stand up for their people WHY can't those leaders do that. Here in the US we are all suffering our own and it's bad. I have signed petitions for amnesty but i refuse to keep doing that if foreign policies and government won't take responsibility. It is not President Obamas full responsiblity for other leaders. He is taking responsibility for the US. Let foreign leaders stand up and be leaders as they so want to be in their high and mighty seats instead of sitting back and wait for everyone else do it for them. Why not have foreign leaders teach their people how to survice not wait for a hand out from the US for food from the UN such as an article stated Somalia is doing. It shows a picture of Somalia people waiting for a plane with food from the UN to arrive sittting next to trucks, so people there know how to drive why not teach them how to plant seeds, grow crops and help themselves as we americans are helping ourselves and our U.S. president is helping us. Can these poor countries help us, I don't think so. It is the year 2010 I can not believe that birth control is not an option instead of having so many kids that are needing assistance. If they can't take care of them stop having sex or get on birth control that the government should be doing. Irresponsible in my book. So now we have commercials that have children that need money to take care of them. well stop having sex. stop having kids. GET ON BIRTH CONTROL. ITS TIME FOREIGN LEADERS DO THAT FOR THEIR PEOPLE. IM SO TIRED OF THIS WHOLE B. S. OUT THERE.

  2. Sometimes I read through all sorts of articles like this one as others. I am really horrified at what is really going on in the world. Seems there is more and more crap out there than we thought and it it getting worse. Would democracy help, I am not sure or it would have changed around by now. The foreign leaders need to take a stand for their own people, muslim, catholic, christian whatever, peace and democracy should be promoted. Now, in the US we are asked to promote this as well as articles on amnesty again that we in the US need to make a stand on. WELL, I SAY LET THE FOREIGN GOVERNMENT STAND UP AND TAKE THAT STAND SO THAT THEIR PEOPLE WILL BE FREE FROM ABUSE, HARM, VIOLENCE AGAINST ANYONE. Why do children have to endure such awful things on a daily life. I have come in contact with someone that fleed their country because as a child growing up saw people dead after a bombing, how horrific is that and the trauma this person endures. I would never get over that. Yet here in the US we have many people from many lands fleeing to this country because there is peace not war. Why is that americans have to stand up for their people WHY can’t those leaders do that. Here in the US we are all suffering our own and it’s bad. I have signed petitions for amnesty but i refuse to keep doing that if foreign policies and government won’t take responsibility. It is not President Obamas full responsiblity for other leaders. He is taking responsibility for the US. Let foreign leaders stand up and be leaders as they so want to be in their high and mighty seats instead of sitting back and wait for everyone else do it for them. Why not have foreign leaders teach their people how to survice not wait for a hand out from the US for food from the UN such as an article stated Somalia is doing. It shows a picture of Somalia people waiting for a plane with food from the UN to arrive sittting next to trucks, so people there know how to drive why not teach them how to plant seeds, grow crops and help themselves as we americans are helping ourselves and our U.S. president is helping us. Can these poor countries help us, I don’t think so. It is the year 2010 I can not believe that birth control is not an option instead of having so many kids that are needing assistance. If they can’t take care of them stop having sex or get on birth control that the government should be doing. Irresponsible in my book. So now we have commercials that have children that need money to take care of them. well stop having sex. stop having kids. GET ON BIRTH CONTROL. ITS TIME FOREIGN LEADERS DO THAT FOR THEIR PEOPLE. IM SO TIRED OF THIS WHOLE B. S. OUT THERE.

  3. I know how frustrating it is to see governments act in uncaring or even hostile ways toward their own citizens. Some of them really seem like lost causes. But in my experience, external pressure can often be the thing that pushes governments over the line, making them do the right thing. Maybe they have too much to do with too small a budget and these abuses just aren't their top priority, or maybe they think no one is aware of the abuses they are committing. It's our job to let them know we do know what's going on, and that we do care, and that it really doesn't take so much for them to do the right thing.

    Why is it our job? Because if we don't do it, who will? Here are some links to successes in Amnesty's work: http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-successes/page.do?ihttp://www.amnestyusa.org/individuals-at-risk/suc
    When I read these stories, I can't help but think, what if everyone had just said "that's not my problem"–would these people be free and safe like they are now?

  4. I know how frustrating it is to see governments act in uncaring or even hostile ways toward their own citizens. Some of them really seem like lost causes. But in my experience, external pressure can often be the thing that pushes governments over the line, making them do the right thing. Maybe they have too much to do with too small a budget and these abuses just aren't their top priority, or maybe they think no one is aware of the abuses they are committing. It's our job to let them know we do know what's going on, and that we do care, and that it really doesn't take so much for them to do the right thing.

    Why is it our job? Because if we don't do it, who will? Here are some links to successes in Amnesty's work: http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-successes/page.do?ihttp://www.amnestyusa.org/individuals-at-risk/suc
    When I read these stories, I can't help but think, what if everyone had just said "that's not my problem"–would these people be free and safe like they are now?

  5. I know how frustrating it is to see governments act in uncaring or even hostile ways toward their own citizens. Some of them really seem like lost causes. But in my experience, external pressure can often be the thing that pushes governments over the line, making them do the right thing. Maybe they have too much to do with too small a budget and these abuses just aren't their top priority, or maybe they think no one is aware of the abuses they are committing. It's our job to let them know we do know what's going on, and that we do care, and that it really doesn't take so much for them to do the right thing.

    Why is it our job? Because if we don't do it, who will? Here are some links to successes in Amnesty's work: http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-successes/page.do?ihttp://www.amnestyusa.org/individuals-at-risk/suc
    When I read these stories, I can't help but think, what if everyone had just said "that's not my problem"–would these people be free and safe like they are now?

  6. I know how frustrating it is to see governments act in uncaring or even hostile ways toward their own citizens. Some of them really seem like lost causes. But in my experience, external pressure can often be the thing that pushes governments over the line, making them do the right thing. Maybe they have too much to do with too small a budget and these abuses just aren’t their top priority, or maybe they think no one is aware of the abuses they are committing. It’s our job to let them know we do know what’s going on, and that we do care, and that it really doesn’t take so much for them to do the right thing.

    Why is it our job? Because if we don’t do it, who will? Here are some links to successes in Amnesty’s work:
    http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-successes/page.do?id=1011281
    http://www.amnestyusa.org/individuals-at-risk/successes/page.do?id=YIS0034039000E
    When I read these stories, I can’t help but think, what if everyone had just said “that’s not my problem”–would these people be free and safe like they are now?

  7. I sympathize with the frustration in this comment in that women all over the world are not being offered viable alternatives to simply bearing more and more children.

    Women need education, access to jobs and birth control, and a greater sense of safety and empowerment. With that, they can begin to improve their own lives, not simply create new lives that will languish in an unsustainable environment.

    It's time we stopped being afraid to stand up and declare these truths. It's time women were encouraged to be mothers to their communities, not just to their own babies, especially in a world that is already pushed to edge by overpopulation.

  8. I sympathize with the frustration in this comment in that women all over the world are not being offered viable alternatives to simply bearing more and more children.

    Women need education, access to jobs and birth control, and a greater sense of safety and empowerment. With that, they can begin to improve their own lives, not simply create new lives that will languish in an unsustainable environment.

    It’s time we stopped being afraid to stand up and declare these truths. It’s time women were encouraged to be mothers to their communities, not just to their own babies, especially in a world that is already pushed to edge by overpopulation.

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