Celebs Join March Against Mexico Killings

AP ^ | Feb.15, 2004

[nuconvert]

Celebs Join March Against Mexico Killings

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ Associated Press Writer

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (AP) -- Actresses Jane Fonda and Sally Field marched through this gritty Mexican border city urging authorities to investigate the brutal slayings of hundreds of young women and girls.

Mexican authorities say 258 women have been killed over the past decade in Ciudad Juarez, a city of some 1.3 million people. Many of the victims were sexually assaulted, strangled and dumped in the desert near Juarez, across the Rio Grande river from El Paso, Texas.

"I'm here because 300 young, vibrant women are not," Field said Saturday. "Now is the time on this planet when we have to stand up and shine the light on injustice."

The demonstration was sponsored by Amnesty International and the nonprofit V-Day Foundation, led by "Vagina Monologues" playwright Eve Ensler, which combats violence against women worldwide. Participants chanted, "Justice!" and "Not one more!" as they followed Ensler through Juarez.

Hundreds gathered at Juarez city plaza, where they recited a prayer and sang. Women in the crowd held enlarged black-and-white photos of some victims.

"There was a time when we could live in tranquility," said Guadeloupe Ruiz, 73, who walked from El Paso.

"But lately there have been too many crimes, and I'm here because I want to see an end to this."

Fonda, Field and Ensler participated in a panel discussion alongside mothers of slain victims, Mexican officials and U.S. Reps. Hilda Solis, D-Calif., and Janice Schakowsky, D-Ill.

President Vicente Fox's recent appointment of special prosecutor Maria Lopez Urbina has inspired some new hope that investigators will solve the killings. Fox also has appointed human rights lawyer Guadeloupe Morfin to head a commission coordinating the efforts of agencies investigating the slayings.

The panelists urged Mexico to dedicate enough funds to the investigation. Fonda met Friday night with mothers of the victims and said she heard how the authorities have ignored their cry for justice.

Many of the victims' relatives blame police corruption and incompetence for allowing the murders to continue. They say police tampered with evidence, tortured suspects and forced confessions from them.

"I have a daughter and a granddaughter and I know that if they were killed the authorities would do everything possible to solve the murder," Fonda said. "Mexico, Juarez, Chihuahua deserve better than the authorities that are now ruling. These mothers deserve better."

[nuconvert]

I think I'll take cover......

[Triple Word Score]

A broken clock is right twice a day.

[freeangel]

Fonda and Fields better figure out that Mexico is not the U.S. and that Fox could give a crap about these women being murdered. As far as he's concerned, they are just less riff-raff that he needs to encourage to cross the border to the U.S.

[xrp]

Like Rush said, "someone has to commit the crimes that Americans won't commit"

[Paul Atreides]

Odd, how they are not that concerned over the millions of vibrant young women who had their lives snuffed out in the womb.

[Paul Atreides]

Still, they'd take Fox over Bush, in a heartbeat.

[nuconvert]

I like this saying..........

[BurgessLau]

A free republic would be dedicated to preventing attacks on rights, especially attacks on the three basic rights of life, liberty, and property. Murder is an attack on the right to life. Any government that tolerates a string of murders is a corrupt government and should be radically reformed; and I do mean radically, that is, at the roots. A free republic is one that has a written constitution guaranteeing the three basic rights and banning any other function of government -- whether it be welfare or protecting endangered species or whatever. Mexico -- as well as its northern neighbor -- is far from being a free republic. It is time for a change.

[nuconvert]

- "as well as its northern neighbor -is far from being a free republic"

OH??

[contessa machiaveli]

interesting you make the comment about the celebs
involvement cheapening the cause. this scandal reaches up into law enforcement and even higher places in the mexican gov't...it's been going on for years and nothing has been done about it. the women at UTEP and the elpaso times deserve credit for investigating this issue... not jane, sally, and eve.

many students and faculty from utep(university of texas at el paso) didn't go to the demonstration because of the frivolity of these janey come latelys.

[kabar]

Follow the money. What movies, books, etc. are Fonda and Fields pushing. Another opportunity to get in the limelight.

[nuconvert]

"What movies, books, etc. are Fonda and Fields pushing"

Or trying to make?

[NRA2BFree]

"I have a daughter and a granddaughter and I know that if they were killed the authorities would do everything possible to solve the murder," Fonda said. "Mexico, Juarez, Chihuahua deserve better than the authorities that are now ruling. These mothers deserve better."

U.S. authorities have been working on this case with Mexico. It's a tragedy no doubt, but Hanoi Jane's presence will do nothing, except make law enforcement personnel mad. Some cases are just more difficult and take a long time to solve. This has been the way it is with some of our own serial murder cases. The person/persons guilty will be brought to justice eventually.

[Wilhelm Tell]

I'm sure now progressives like Hanoi Jane will argue for the right of citizens to arm themselves and defend themselves against criminals. Right? /sarcasm