By: Daniel Nardini
The drug war is doing more than killing tens of thousands of people and destroying the whole fabric of Mexican society. It is starting to create refugees of a number of groups. One of these groups are the Mennonites. The Mennonites, the followers of Protestant reformer Menno Simons who lived in the 16th Century, follow a strict traditional pattern of living and social isolation from the rest of society. Under their religious beliefs, they farm and live in communities largely without electricity and modern farming equipment (although most Mexican Mennonites have bowed to modernity by using modern equipment to make their famous cheese because drought is a frequent problem in northern Mexico and it affects their livestock).
The Mennonites first came to Mexico from Canada in the 1920’s. They were promised plenty of land in Chihuahua and Durango states. From that time until now they had lived in peace. The drug cartels have changed all that. Mennonites have been attacked, kidnapped, and even brutally murdered. The drug cartels frequently trespass on Mennonite land to run their illicit operations and there is nothing the Mennonites can do about it. The Mennonites, being pacifist, carry no firearms or any weapons. But because Mennonites are fairly wealthy farmers they have been the targets of the cartels. Whole Mennonite villages have been attacked by heavily armed drug cartel thugs.
The Mexican government, already stretched trying to protect Mexico’s cities, are seriously hampered trying to protect rural, isolated villages. At present 7,000 to 10,000 Mennonites have fled to Canada—leaving 60,000 of their brethren in Mexico. Most Mennonites want to stay in Mexico. Many communities have set up alarm systems and have nightly patrols to warn their communities of any suspicious activities. This alone may not be enough to stop the cartels from attacking peaceful Mennonite communities that seem to be “soft targets.” Could more Mennonites flee Mexico? If current conditions persist that is possible. Could they settle elsewhere in Mexico? Maybe. For now most Mennonites wish to stay and be a part of Mexico. Their future is uncertain.
The Mennonites and the Drug Cartels
By: Daniel Nardini
The Mennonites first came to Mexico from Canada in the 1920’s. They were promised plenty of land in Chihuahua and Durango states. From that time until now they had lived in peace. The drug cartels have changed all that. Mennonites have been attacked, kidnapped, and even brutally murdered. The drug cartels frequently trespass on Mennonite land to run their illicit operations and there is nothing the Mennonites can do about it. The Mennonites, being pacifist, carry no firearms or any weapons. But because Mennonites are fairly wealthy farmers they have been the targets of the cartels. Whole Mennonite villages have been attacked by heavily armed drug cartel thugs.
The Mexican government, already stretched trying to protect Mexico’s cities, are seriously hampered trying to protect rural, isolated villages. At present 7,000 to 10,000 Mennonites have fled to Canada—leaving 60,000 of their brethren in Mexico. Most Mennonites want to stay in Mexico. Many communities have set up alarm systems and have nightly patrols to warn their communities of any suspicious activities. This alone may not be enough to stop the cartels from attacking peaceful Mennonite communities that seem to be “soft targets.” Could more Mennonites flee Mexico? If current conditions persist that is possible. Could they settle elsewhere in Mexico? Maybe. For now most Mennonites wish to stay and be a part of Mexico. Their future is uncertain.