The Disappeared, and Those Waiting

On February 17, 2011, Victor Rolon’s life changed forever. His nephew, police officer Adrian Dominguez Rolon, disappeared, along with a fellow officer. His story has become all too common in Mexico, where 26,000 people have gone missing in the past six years. The disappearances are linked to the enormous surge in violence since the government began cracking down on drug cartels. Earlier this month, mothers of the disappeared embarked on a two-week a hunger strike in Mexico, demanding that Mexico’s attorney general do something about the thousands who have gone missing. And next month, a conference addressing the seriousness of the situation will be taking place at the University of Coahuila, in cooperation with the Government of Coahuila, and Furerzas Unidas por Nuestros Desaparecidos (in English: Forces United for our Disappeared). But even as the disappeared are starting to receive the attention they deserve - they’ve yet to be returned - and those who are waiting, like Victor Rolon, want justice - and answers. The Mexican federal police did not respond to our request for comment. And Human Rights Watch, which has been documenting Adrian's story, says the Mexican government has no official response on this case.