WHERE DO THEY GO

 

WHERE DO THEY GO

Millions of people disappear in the world annually, of which a minority returns home alive, and the other part returns dead or only lived in the memory of their loved ones. Throughout these last years, this fear and suffering have been tormenting the Dominican society, that without knowing how and why their loved ones disappear and without leaving any trace, they never return home, at least, not alive. These continuous and mysterious disappearances in the Dominican Republic have alarmed the Dominican security, arousing fear, agony, and desperation among all the Dominicans.

In the last five years, the rate of disappearances in the Dominican Republic has increased surprisingly and it frightens the society. These constant disappearances without resolutions are been causing insecurity among the Dominicans. People are scared of going out at night especially alone. They are even scared of taking a taxi or an Uber to take them home. According to an article published in the newspaper Listing Diario (Castillo, Laura, May 28th, 2022) between 2017 and 2022 at least 10,000 people were reported missing in which less than half of the cases were resolved. The families desperately search and pray for the victims to return home saved and alive, although it ends up being a search with no results. It is regrettable that despite the number of disappearances in the whole country, only 10 police officers carry out these investigations.

Authorities allege that they are improving with investigations into the missing people. However, in 2020 107 people were reported missing and only 87 of these cases were resolved, 73 cases out of 126 in 2021 were resolved. According to the newspaper El Caribe (May 23rd, 2022) in 2019 around 200 people were reported missing and around 122 cases were resolved. This situation alarms the Dominicans even more due to the lack of concrete responses given to the families. Then, we should ask ourselves, what kind of improvement is making the authorities if the rate of missing people is still very high? This only indicates that no progress is really being made in the investigations and the agony and desperation of the family and friends increase as time goes on.

The fear of going out into the streets has always been experienced in our society. However, this stronger fear that we are facing recently and with which we have a piece of limited knowledge comes like a shadow and changes everything around us. This fear of leaving and the idea of not returning home generates anxiety among citizens, not knowing if they will be the next. More than the fear of going out alone, getting into a taxi and something happening to them generates Dominicans feeling insecure even from their own co-workers. Such is the case of Jesus Cuevas, a young man who disappeared without a trace and was found dead in the house of a supposed ‘co-worker’. This event shocked Dominican society due to the inhumane way in which his body was found. People increments their worries about what is happening, and in this aspect, start concerning that it could happen to them too. Frederick Pérez Ventura, Natanael González Jesús Cuevas, Alexander Sang, Kendry Alcantara, Luis Ángel González Méndez, and Leanyi Vicente Sánchez. They are other victims who have disappeared without a trace, but unlike Jesus Cuevas, they have not returned home either dead or alive.

The last years in the Dominican Republic have been of suffering, agony, and impotence not only for the families involved but for all the Dominicans that care about the people's safety. Despite the technology we have today, disappearances seem to be a mystery that cannot be resolved. People ask themselves if there is something bigger behind those events, or if just the earth swallows them. All these people disappeared for no apparent reason leaving great sadness in their families and friends.

Where do they go by Darinelly Cambero H.

07/12/2022