Wounds of war
By: Max Herrador
/ Translation: Ramón Avalos
(en español-spanish) http://infomaxorg.blogspot.com/2013/05/heridasde-guerra-erala-primera-vez-que.html
It was the very first time that their hands were
intertwined, mother and son, David Kupstas was kidnapped 28 years ago by a
lawyer that later on was found -guilty of being a member of an international
gang dedicated to children trafficking during the civil war that was ravaging
El Salvador in the 80’.
During this conflictive period in the history of El
Salvador as well as in any other countries that are going through social
crisis. These crisis pave the way for human atrocities such as mass murders,
human rights violations and cruelties alike, being children trafficking one of
them. which was led by a group of fraudulent people and using the most out
righteous tactics such as the use of false documents to sell children to
couples that wanted to adopt these kids.
David knew of his mother’s existence and her desire
to meet him since 2005, however it took him this long to take the courage to
meet her probably because was very hard for him to assimilate the reality and
the consequences this will bring; also because the story he was told by his
adoptive parents were totally different from what he was finding out. His
certificate of adoption was real but not so much the biological parents signatures.
Maria Rosa tells me that it was the year of 1984
when her husband went missing with out any notice and while she was attending a
religious service and her little son, David, was taken care by her mom a lawyer
came to the house and with intimidation and lies told her mom that the army
found out where they were living and were coming after them and they will be
killed. The grand mother fearing the worst for her grand child and in a rushing
moment gave David to the so called
trusted lawyer who in turn proceeded to sell David to an American couple.
David is now 29 years old, an American citizen who
lives in Pennsylvania and owns a prosperous trucking company tells us, while
holding his biological mom Maria Rosa Flores hand:“during these last years I
was very afraid to meet my mom”.
The psychological team from Pro-Busqueda tell us
that this fear is well founded since these lawyers used to tell the adoptive
parents that these kids were given in adoption by parents that didn’t love them
and their only motive was financial gain.
Pro-busqueda is a non-profit organization that its
main goal is to reunite families that were torn apart due to the civil war that
spread for almost two decades. Thanks to its investigate and psychological work so far Pro-busqueda has reunite 230
families.
During this emotional reunion David was always
accompany by his two kids; a little boy and a girl; and his wife who was always
by his side.
Once all the hype of this meeting was gone and the
press had left it was only Ulises Rodriguez me and two of the best
photographers who understand that a good picture goes beyond the “click”who
stayed with the family and besides in the country side, it is totally impolite
to say no to a lunch invitation. Especially when it comes to eat chicken.
While driving back to San Salvador I was asking
myself how many wounds this type of conflict scares the heart of the society.
How many Davids and Rosas Marias are all over the world that cannot give
closure to this chapter of their lives because of the mafias that profit from
the human suffering?
