MEXICO: Indigenous Women and Military Injustice

Monday, November 1, 2004
Americas
North America

In the afternoon of 22 March 2002, in the community of Barranca Tecuani, municipality of Ayutla de los Libres, Guerrero State, 27-year-old Inés Fernández Ortega accompanied by four of her young children, was in her kitchen preparing water when eleven soldiers appeared nearby. Three of them reportedly came into her home and forcefully interrogated her about some meat that was drying outside on the patio, which the soldiers said had been stolen. While she understood the question, Inés, a Tlapaneca (Me'phaa) Indian speaks little Spanish and did not reply. Her children ran off to a relative's home. Inés Fernández was then reportedly raped. When Inés finally dared to approach her front door to close it, she saw that the meat meant for the family had been stolen. Later, she told her husband what had happened and together they reported the case to the local authorities in the hope that those responsible would be brought to justice.

Document PDF: 

Mexico: Indigenous Women and Military Injustice, Amnesty Intl. (2004).