FEATURES
APRIL 12, 2013
No Mas Muertes: an introduction to tiio bordor crisis
BY SAMANTHA METZNER
Guest Writer
During spring break, five other Guilford students and
I decided to volunteer with the organization No More
Deaths/No Mas Muertes, aiming to prevent death and
suffering on the Arizona-Mexico border by offering basic
humanitarian assistance to those in need. This assistance
involves dropping off water and food in remote parts of
the desert to help people survive their arduous journeys or
offering respite and medical aid to people who are in need
and want of it.
While doing this work, we were located in the rugged
and mountainous region of the Sonoran Desert in southern
Arizona where most of the crossing occurs. This area has
turned into a ruthless graveyard littered with the broken
remnants of people's stories, stories which are filled with
hope and despair, suffering and solidarity. There are empty
water bottles, broken backpacks and various other types
of clothing scattered all over the trails that crisscross over
mountains, through canyons and across cow pastures.
There are also shrines put in place by migrants to remember
and honor those who have perished in the desert, known or
unknown.
While I was in this desert hiking one of the many trails,
I discovered a bra lying there in the dirt surrounded by
sanitary pads. It provided a visceral reminder to certain
instances of suffering that occur on the border. Many
women who cross are warned by their doctors before their
journeys to go on some sort of oral contraceptive because it
almost definite that they will be sexually assaulted in some
manner while out in the desert.
The Sonoran Desert is so vast that it stretches all the
way through Baja California, southwestern and southern
Arizona, and encompasses the central parts of Sonora,
Mexico. The temperatures can reach upwards of 130
Fahrenheit in summer and drop below freezing in winter.
Migrants that cross this area usually begin their journeys
in the border town of Nogales, Mexico, and trek anywhere
from a couple days to over a week. In the past 10 years.
more than 2,000 dead migrants have been found in these
vast borderlands that lay between Sonora, Mexico, and
Tucson, Ariz.. Last year alone, 183 remains were discovered.
The number one cause of deaths such as these is severe
dehydration. Many people attempt to cross and end up
going without food or water for days because of the very
limited access to both in the remoteness of the desert.
Even though the numbers of migrants trying to cross
has decreased in recent years, the numbers of deaths have
remained disturbingly high. This is because of the "funnel"
effect that has been created by the militarization of the
U.S.-Mexico border. There are hundreds of miles of walls,
checkpoints, various other physical barriers and high tech
infrastructure that has been put in place around urban areas
where m^y people used to easily cross. Now, however,
migrants are forced to navigate through the most remote
and deadliest areas with the roughest terrain.
Instances of suffering and injustice such as these are just
a small part of the major humanitarian crisis that is going
on. The whole picture is much larger and much more
multifaceted than what takes place in the desert. All of
this, however, is the direct result of economic and political
policies set in place by the U.S. such as the privatization
of prisons, the signing of NAFTA, and the need for labor
that can be exploited. It all contributes to an issue that is
much more far reaching than the physical constraints of the
border, and repercussions of it are seen in communities all
over the country, including ours here in Greensboro and
Guilford.
International
Festival
2013
Students came together to
enjoy food from around the
world
The International Club held their annual International Festival on the Founders Lawn Wed.,
April 3.The food was provided by Zaytoon Mediterranean Restaurant, Da Raggae Cafe and
Tandoor Cuisine. Students were able to spend time in the sun while supporting their peers
and the international community.
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Contact faustap@guilford.edu