Search for missing loved ones: Volunteers rally against indifference in Mexico

NEW DELHI: Dozens of women and men engaged in a search effort at a garbage dump near Mexico City on Friday, combing through the refuse in hopes of finding traces of missing loved ones. Working independently, they aimed to draw attention to the ongoing challenges faced by those seeking missing persons across Mexico, where nearly 100,000 people are registered as missing.
Operating without official support, these search groups face significant risks, with documented cases of violence against those involved in searching for missing relatives, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and other organizations.
Over the weekend, hundreds of collectives across the country conducted search operations to highlight the lack of assistance from authorities. They chose to work without government protection as a form of protest against what they perceive as authorities' indifference towards disappearances.
Juan Carlos Trujillo Herrera, who has been searching for his four missing brothers for over a decade, emphasized the importance of collective action in raising awareness about the issue. Despite challenges and dangers, he stressed the need to continue searching with or without government support.
During the search at the dump, volunteers utilized various tools, including shovels, picks, and a backhoe, to sift through the waste. Despite ongoing efforts by the current administration to address the issue through initiatives like a national database and the National Search Commission for Missing Persons, criticism persists, particularly regarding the handling of missing persons' data.