15th Annual Día de los Muertos Pilgrimage Honors the Thousands of Lives Lost on the Arizona-Sonora Border
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Continuing to demand an end to this human rights crisis, that justice be sought for each of the thousands of lives that have been taken and an end to policies of 'deterrence' that have proven to continue to cost human lives.
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By Derechos Humanos
Censored News October 30th, 2015
TUCSON, Arizona -- For the 15th year in a row, Derechos Humanos, along with several other community groups, will walk from the St. John's Church to the San Xavier Mission to draw attention to the human rights crisis occurring here in the southwest. Again this year we will honor the estimated 10,000 lives that have been taken too soon as a result of inhumane policies implemented by the U.S. government since the 1990s.
On Saturday, October 31st, 2015, participants will gather at the St. John's Church (602 W. Ajo Way) at 8:00 in the morning. Following a short sending ceremony by the Calpolli Teoxicalli, we will begin our 8-mile walk, carrying the 137 crosses that represent each set of recovered remains found in the Arizona-Sonora border and documented by the Pima County Medical Examiner's Office from October 1st, 2014 to September 30th, 2015. We will arrive at the San Xavier Mission between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. where we will be greeted by the W:ak Traditional Singers. Stephen Barnufsky, OFM will end the event with a blessing of all participants and crosses as we read the names of the dead and place their crosses with those of the last fourteen years.
100 of this year's crosses carry the word "Desconocid@" or "Unknown," representing each set of remains whose identity is unknown. For us, it also represents the number of families still looking for their loved ones and the effectiveness of a system that 'deters' people from crossing by disappearing them. The rest of the crosses carry a name and an age, if known. All of them are members of communities and families who have been killed unnecessarily by U.S. policies.
Since border policies were implemented in the 1990's, it is estimated that the remains of approximately 10,000 men, women and children have been recovered along the U.S.-Mexico border. This does not include the countless souls whose bodies have yet to be found, those who will never be found and those who have died while crossing through Mexico as a result of the U.S. funded Southern Border Program that began in the summer of 2014. Just like the Border Patrol Strategic plan of 1994, the Southern Border Program knowingly funnels people into dangerous terrain, intended to be used as a 'deterrent' to keep people from migrating to the U.S.
La Coalición de Derechos Humanos invites community members to join us in our Pilgrimage to honor each life lost and to protest the inhumane policies that our government continues to create, fund, and expand. We continue to demand an end to this human rights crisis, that justice be sought for each of the thousands of lives that have been taken and an end to policies of 'deterrence' that have proven to continue to cost human lives.
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Join Coalición de Derechos Humanos
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What: Day of the Dead Pilgrimage - A 7.8 mile walk from ST. John's Church, on 12th Ave & Ajo, to the San Xavier Mission commemorating the migrant lives lost in the desert each year!
When: October 31st, 2015 pilgrimage begins at 8:30 a.m. Please arrive at the church at 8 a.m.
Media Contact:
Amanda Garces
Phone: 520:333:8864
Email address: Coalicion@derechoshumanosaz.net
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