South Asian Network Bears Witness to Migrant Deaths on the US-Mexico Border

In Solidarity…
Migrant Trail: We Walk for Life

June 6, 2008

During the week of May 26 – June1, 2008, South Asian Network (SAN) staff Joyti Chand, Prakash Ghimire and Hamid Khan walked in the 5th annual Migrant Trail -Walk for Life. SAN walked with 65 others in the migrant rights movement to bear witness to the thousands of migrants who have died crossing the border and to raise awareness about the unjust policies of the U.S. government.

The Migrant Trail - Walk for Life is a 75 mile walk on the Arizona/U.S and Sonora/Mexico border. It allowed SAN staff to walk in the footsteps of other migrant men, women and children who attempt to cross the border. This walk was sponsored by a coalition of more than a dozen organizations, including Coalicion de Derechos Humanos, No More Deaths, BorderLinks and Witness for Peace - Mexico.

South Asian Network is a grassroots, community based organization dedicated to advancing the health, empowerment and solidarity of persons of South Asian origin. Fundamental to the mission of SAN is equality for all. SAN is working to improve the lives of the South Asian community, immigrants, and people of color.

SAN staff had the opportunity to learn about the negative impact that immigration and trade policies have had on communities on both sides of the border. These policies include Operation Gatekeeper, passed in 1994, which has forced migrants to cross through the most dangerous and hazardous routes. Extreme hot and cold temperatures, lack of food and water, violence by bandits and border patrol agents, and animal/insect bites, all lead to high rates of death and/or detention for migrants attempting to cross.

During the walk, the participants were approached by two migrant men who had been traveling with two women in a larger group when a border patrol helicopter spotted them and forced the group to separate. The men told the walkers that the women were unable to walk and ran out of food and water. Three walkers went back with these men but were unable to locate the women. The men feared that the women had been picked up by border patrol or bandits.

Since 1994, more than 5000 dead bodies have been recovered along the border. Many more remain missing. One family has been searching for their missing loved ones for eight years, hoping to find them. This is common. Entire communities have been displaced from their land.
Migrant women who are attempting to cross the border have increased risks of being sexually assaulted and raped. According to the organizers, about 90% of women begin taking birth control pills two weeks prior to crossing because of being raped and impregnated by border enforcement, coyotes (smugglers), or other people.

The experience of the migrants crossing through the US/Mexico border resonates with many of the experience of immigrants from the South Asian community in the U.S.

In the past several years there has been much debate in the South Asian community about immigration issues and policies. False messages are being spread in the community that there will be a large legalization program that will legalize people soon. Unfortunately, a majority of the policies that have been proposed by the U.S. government will compromise the rights and dignity of all immigrants and people of color in the U.S. If passed, they will further dramatically increase the current internal and external militarization and policing in our communities, such as local police and immigration enforcement partnerships, F.B.I. surveillances, warrant less wiretapping, increase numbers of detention centers being built, more reasons to deport non-citizens, and will give power to local law enforcement to ask for immigration status.

Although the media and politicians are giving this false message that a full legalization program is under way and that the immigration debate only impacts Latinos, we know that the South Asian community and other people of color will continue to be negatively impacted across the board by this militarization.

Participating in The Migrant Trail – Walk for Life was a stark reminder of our own history of colonial oppression and affirmed SAN's position against supporting any policy that would lead to increase militarization and more death on the border, reduction of immigrant rights, and increased deportation of immigrants. As a community, we must not compromise!

For more information about the Migrant Trail – Walk for Life, please contact South Asian Network at 562-403-0488. You can also visit our office at 18173 South Pioneer Blvd., Ste I, Artesia, CA 90701 or log onto http://www.southasiannetwork.org/.

Joyti Chand
Lead Community Advocate
Civil Rights Unit

South Asian Network
18173 S. Pioneer Blvd, Suite I
Artesia, CA 90701
Tel: 562 403 0488 x 108
Fax: 562 403 0487
http://www.southasiannetwork.org/