Stories
August 29, 2024
David, in search of justice for missing persons
David is a human rights defender from Mexico. In 2021, David was a guest in Shelter City Utrecht.
David is a psychologist specialized in the areas of human rights, gender and security, with his work focusing on advising and guiding family members of missing persons. Since 2014, he has been responsible for the investigation team with the Centro Diocesano para los Derechos Humanos Fray Juan de Larios. Within the team he ensures that the documentation system, which is how human rights violations are reported, is functioning and working properly.
“… one of the main goals of my work is to be able to find these disappeared persons. It is a goal that we share with the families of the disappeared persons and with victims of human rights violations … another goal would be to be able to change this context of impunity and corruption in a way that it will be felt in the lives of all citizens of Mexico.”
In an interview with Mondiaal Nieuws, David explains that in the Mexican state of Coahuila, where he is based, there is extreme violence; violence that has arisen out of the conflict between drug cartels in the region. This violence is not only the fault of the drug cartels but also perpetuated by the complicity of the Mexican government.
David says that “Real change hardly comes. The government does not want that. Putting the truth of the murder and enforced disappearance would expose the role that the army and authorities still play”.
“Not only human rights defenders face this danger, but ordinary Mexicans also encounter these risks.”
According to the government, since 2006, 90,000 individuals have gone missing. However, David contests that the realistic number lies more at 400,000. David himself has been threatened by gang members but does not feel safe enough to make a policy complaint as the police is connected to the cartels.
During his time in Shelter City Utrecht, coordinated by PBI Netherlands, he shared that he was able to step away from the situation in Mexico and find rest in Utrecht briefly.
“This is what I needed to recharge my batteries and continue the tireless search for missing persons in Mexico.”
We thank David for his story of perseverance and growth.