Por: David Lauer
¿Es posible extrañar a alguien que nunca conociste? Tomar estas fotos me hizo extrañar a mucha gente porque quisiera que se borrara el dolor en los rostros que capté, me hizo extrañar un mundo anterior a tanta pesadilla, un mundo libre de la impunidad y la corrupción que nos ha arrojado a este absurdo e injusto abismo. Sin embargo, doy gracias al universo por gente valiente, dispuesta a luchar por lo correcto y lo justo, gente como mi gobernador, Javier Corral Jurado, las camaradas del CEDEHM y las víctimas que siguen buscando respuestas. A uds. les dedico estas fotos.
Is it possible to miss someone you never met? Making these photographs made me miss many because I wish the pain could somehow dissappear from these faces, it made me miss the world before the nightmares, a world free of the impunity and corruption that have cast us into this absurd and unfair abyss. I do, though, thank the universe for brave people who are willing to fight for what is right, people like my governor, Javier Corral Jurado, my comrades at CEDEHM, and the victims who continue to seek answers. To all of you, I dedicate these photographs.
I apologize for the lack of context for English readers. Felipe Calderón´s War on Drugs, supported by the US through the Plan Mérida, created untold suffering for the Mexican people, suffering that we continue to experience to day. The exact figures on related deaths vary, but somewhere between 80,000 and 120,000 Mexicans lost their lives violently from 2010 to 2012. Since 2012, 78,000 drug-related killings have been reported. Disappearances is one of the most painful manifestations of this horrific trend because family members don´t know why their loved ones were taken, whether they are dead or alive, whether they were tortured, or whether, perhaps, they are alive somewhere. The 43 students of Ayoztinapa represent an emblematic case, but thousands of people have disappeared all over the Republic of Mexico.
My home state of Chihuahua is one of the most hard hit. When relatives try to find answers they enter an endless, tortuous labyrinth. Many are told to just “let it be”, but there are brave, tenacious human rights organizations, like The Center for Womens´Human Rights (CEDEHM) and others who support victims´ families as they seek answers. I admire Chihuahua´s Governor Elect, Javier Corral Jurado, for his determination to help his fellow citizens find peace, for his commitment to put an end to this violence and rebuild society, and for his generosity and patience to take the time to listen to his people. I hope this puts these images in better context.
JuárezDialoga ha invitado a David Lauer por su gran compromiso social. David es fotógrafo en Chihuahua, estado que acogió como su casa. Principalmente su trabajo se centra en la sierra y las causas indígenas, es incansable defensor de los raramuri.
