The International Mayan League, a coalition representing Mayan indigenous nations, released the following statement on the violation of the rights of indigenous people at the U.S.-Mexico border.
THE U.S. CONTINUES TO VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF ALL MIGRANTS ESPECIALLY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' RIGHTS
WHEREAS, on this Human Rights Day celebrated around the world, the International Mayan League calls attention to the United States government's continued human rights violations of all persons seeking asylum at the US/MX border, particularly for indigenous peoples migrating to the United States, and
WHEREAS, since December 2018 there have been at least five Maya children and one young Maya woman who have died at the U.S.-Mexico border under U.S. custody, or killed by Federal officials: Claudia Patricia Gómez González (Maya Mam Nation, 20 years old), was shot in the head by a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agent in Texas on May 23, 2018, after crossing the border. Jakelin Caal Maquin (Maya Q’eqchi’ Nation, 7 years old), died of a bacterial infection on December 8, 2018. Felipe Gómez Alonzo (Maya Chuj Nation, 8 years old), died on Christmas Eve 2018 of flu complications. Juan de León Gutiérrez (Maya Ch’orti’ Nation, 16 years old), died on April 30, 2019 from a brain infection caused by an untreated sinus infection. Wilmer Josue Ramirez Vasquez (Maya Ch’orti’ Nation, 2 1⁄2 years old), died of pneumonia on May 16, 2019. Carlos Gregorio Hernández Vásquez (Maya Achi Nation, 16 years old) died on May 20, 2019 after an influenza A diagnosis, and
WHEREAS, the CBP agent that shot Claudia Patricia (Maya Mam) on May 23, 2018 has not been publicly identified by authorities and the only witnesses have been deported back to Guatemala, we express our outrage at the failure of the U.S. government to prosecute those responsible; and
WHEREAS, the autopsy report for Jakelin Caal (Maya Qʹeqchiʹ) demonstrates she died of streptococcus sepsis in her lungs, adrenal glands, liver, and spleen and that per news reports, she did not have a medical exam for basic vital signs or to assess symptoms, and that physicians who reviewed her autopsy stated she would have had noticeable and visible symptoms of sickness for many hours, and
WHEREAS, Carlos Gregorio Hernandez (Maya Achi) died of the flu with complications of sepsis and pneumonia, his death is especially inhumane and cruel as his last moments are captured in a video, vomiting on the floor and dying near a toilet, CBP agents in charge of his care failed to conduct wellness checks as required by law; while we are outraged by the most recent video evidence, we are deeply concerned that it was released without his family’s consent and has further inflicted trauma to his family and all our peoples affected by the public and violent display of our killing and suffering, and
WHEREAS, abusive treatment, physical and psychological trauma under the 2018 Zero Tolerance Policy has been reported including inhumane conditions in detention and separation of children from their families and caretakers, and
WHEREAS, basic safe and sanitary conditions at detention centers are not afforded to detainees including: the lack of soap, toothbrushes or beds, cold temperatures, minimal food, aluminum blankets, lack of showers, denial of feminine products for girls and women, creating the conditions for increased sickness among those detained, particularly vulnerable groups like children, and
WHEREAS, in September 2019, it was revealed that federal officials intentionally chose to traumatize children by separating them from their parents or caretakers, and deny them full protection which has contributed to their mistreatment and avoidable deaths, and
WHEREAS, such inhumane treatment goes against the May 2019 recommendations expressed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which calls for comprehensive health care services for children in detention centers, including identification and trauma treatment that may have occurred in the children’s country of origin, during migration or during immigration processing or detention in the United States, and
WHEREAS, many Indigenous people fleeing to the U.S. are unaccompanied children or families traveling with children, and monolingual only in their Indigenous language and unable to communicate their basic or urgent medical needs in Spanish or English, and that there is no Indigenous language assessment process conducted by immigration officials which becomes a contributing factor to their mistreatment and death, and
WHEREAS, despite a joint congressional letter signed by 17 members of Congress, an additional letter from Senator Warren, statements from national and international committees and organizations such as the United States Coalition against Corruption and Impunity in Guatemala, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, all demanding an explanation and a full accounting for the causes and circumstances of the deaths of Maya children, the U.S. Government has not conducted exhaustive and transparent investigations or made any findings public, and not held anyone accountable concerning the deaths of children at the border, and
WHEREAS, the U.S government, through the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has previously stated that it would investigate the death of Jakelin Caal, we remain concerned that to date, no such investigations has been made public, and
NOW THEREFORE the International Mayan League acknowledges the past history of family separation and the resulting trauma in this country, particularly for indigenous peoples, and vehemently rejects the Flores Rule, arbitrary detention of immigrant families, expansion of jails for children, MPP or other “safe third country” proposals because of the aforementioned human rights violations, and continues to call for an independent, exhaustive, and transparent investigation concerning Maya children’s death and the deaths of all the children at the border, to hold all those responsible accountable for these deaths, and provide the necessary applicable justice and reparations. Congress must exert oversight powers and demand transparency from DHS to prevent CBP agents’ impunity for human rights violations, including at its most extreme, border killings and deaths.
INVISIBLE NEVER MORE!
December 10, 2019
Jun Kan