New York, December 10, 2021. The Scalabrini International Migration Network (SIMN), like many other actors involved in the migration topic, wishes to express its consternation at the death of more than 50 migrants and dozens of injured in Chiapas, Mexico. SIMN also joins the pain of the family members and reiterates its call, like that of many other civil society organizations, to comprehensively attend to the flows of people who, from different parts of the continent and outside it, go through different countries in the region, including Mexico, seeking to reach the United States to start a life with greater opportunities.
That this tragedy, which is at the same time a criminal act, does not constitute another episode of violence to which those who pass through the countries of the region are subjected. It is urgent that the authorities of all the countries involved, particularly in Central and North America, place as a priority on their agendas the search for structural, comprehensive and long-term solutions, among which the expansion of routes to regular migration stands out, to avoid that this tragedy to happen again. In this, like so many other organizations, we reiterate our willingness to collaborate to find the best solutions.
In prayer and to the best of our abilities to provide concrete support, the Scalabrinian centers join with those who must mourn the death or disappearance of loved ones in their migration process, and we will redouble our efforts to continue our work of supporting the people in a situation of human mobility. May the Lord make it possible for all of us to respond with generous hearts and a firm will to treat as ourselves those who are forced to leave everything behind just for the sake of seeking a better life.
Below, we provide some links to expressions of solidarity and justice in the face of the events that occurred:
Words of Pope Francis:
https://www.vaticannews.va/es/papa/news/2021-12/el-dolor-del-papa-por-la-muerte-de-los-migrantes-en-mexico.html
Statement from the Clamor network:
https://simn-global.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/red-clamor-COMUNICADO-SOBRE-EL-INCIDENTE-MORTAL-EN-CHIAPAS.pdf
Statement from civil society organizations and family associations:
https://simn-global.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Comunicado-Chiapas.docx-1.pdf