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Office of Human Rights
One of the unique aspects of La Casa del Migrante in Tecun Uman, Guatemala is the Human Rights Office at the site. This office allows migrants to report human rights abuses that they experience along their journey.
Many migrants are robbed at some point along the way and some of these robberies are at the hands of police at the borders who force the migrants to pay them, lest they deport them. Though migrants do not necessarily have much money with them, they feel compelled to give the money that is demanded of them, as they have already taken the hardest steps in leaving their homes and families. Returning so soon after departing would mean failure; thus, they submit to the unjust treatment by authorities in an attempt to complete the difficult journey they have begun.
During my time in Tecun Uman, I encountered migrants who had this very experience, some going days without eating because they simply did not have enough money to spend on basic necessities, given the abuses they had experienced at the hands of authorities. Social workers at the site offer charlas or talks regarding the safety of travel, and referrals to the site's lawyers in cases in which migrants experienced abuse. There were posters and pamphlets all around the shelter with information on physical health as well as safety tips for avoiding human traffickers. Images of them are reproduced below.
Many migrants are robbed at some point along the way and some of these robberies are at the hands of police at the borders who force the migrants to pay them, lest they deport them. Though migrants do not necessarily have much money with them, they feel compelled to give the money that is demanded of them, as they have already taken the hardest steps in leaving their homes and families. Returning so soon after departing would mean failure; thus, they submit to the unjust treatment by authorities in an attempt to complete the difficult journey they have begun.
During my time in Tecun Uman, I encountered migrants who had this very experience, some going days without eating because they simply did not have enough money to spend on basic necessities, given the abuses they had experienced at the hands of authorities. Social workers at the site offer charlas or talks regarding the safety of travel, and referrals to the site's lawyers in cases in which migrants experienced abuse. There were posters and pamphlets all around the shelter with information on physical health as well as safety tips for avoiding human traffickers. Images of them are reproduced below.
The Necessity of the Office
The Office of Human Rights at Casa del Migrante in Tecún Umán, Guatemala has been documenting the sorts of abuse that migrants experience for the past 14 years. As migration from Central America increased—first due to the necessity of escaping armed conflicts and now due to the lack of employment opportunities in these same countries—the abuse that migrants endure increases as well (Ademar 2009). During my time in Tecun Uman, approximately 25-40 migrants stayed at the shelter each night. The migrants were mostly young males between the ages of 18 and 26, and the presence of women and children at the shelter was minimal.
While I prepared meals at the casa, I would often converse with the cocineras, or cooks, about their experience volunteering at the shelter. One woman that I became particularly close with, Rosie, explained that she had been volunteering at Casa del Migrante for the past 15 years, coming twice a month to prepare meals. She recalled that she served the most migrants in 2005, when she would often cook lunch for over 100 migrants. This same day, we prepared lunch for 15 migrants. When I inquired as to why there were fewer migrants passing through now, she explained that it was much more dangerous now to journey through Mexico than it had been in the past, and that it was especially difficult to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.
While I prepared meals at the casa, I would often converse with the cocineras, or cooks, about their experience volunteering at the shelter. One woman that I became particularly close with, Rosie, explained that she had been volunteering at Casa del Migrante for the past 15 years, coming twice a month to prepare meals. She recalled that she served the most migrants in 2005, when she would often cook lunch for over 100 migrants. This same day, we prepared lunch for 15 migrants. When I inquired as to why there were fewer migrants passing through now, she explained that it was much more dangerous now to journey through Mexico than it had been in the past, and that it was especially difficult to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.