12 Established 1961 Lifestyle Features Sunday, May 23, 2021

Cristina Moreno, 18, carries her baby at her home in Juquila Yuvinani village, Cristina Moreno, 18, holds her baby at her home in Juquila Yuvinani village, A girl carries logs for self-consumption at home in Juquila Yuvinani village, Metlatonoc municipality, Guerrero state, Mexico. — AFP photos Metlatonoc municipality, Guerrero state. Metlatonoc municipality, Guerrero state, Mexico. ‘We’re not animals’: The Mexican girls sold as brides

loina Feliciano begged her mother parents, who will only consider men from and nearly 59 percent have difficulty feed- take care of their father-in-law. ‘I’ll pay for Mexico to work as a day laborer to pay the not to sell her into marriage aged 14 the region for their daughters, range from ing themselves, according national statis- you and I can do whatever I want to you,’ is debt. “Here we’re poor people. We cannot Eunder an ancestral tradition in their $2,000 to $18,000, residents told AFP. tics institute INEGI. what they say,” she said. A mother of two afford to buy a daughter-in-law to marry indigenous community in southern Mexico, “The girls are completely vulnerable. Their adolescent girls, she fears that her hus- our sons and we struggle a lot to pay,” said but her pleas were in vain. “I don’t want to new family enslaves them with domestic ‘Make you suffer’ band will repeat the tradition. the father of two. Benito Mendoza, a mem- be sold,” she remembers telling her mother and agricultural tasks” and sometimes “in- Maurilia Julio, a 61-year-old midwife, ber of the non-governmental organization at their home in the mountains of Guerrero laws abuse them sexually,” said anthropol- was also sold as a child and made sure ‘Help us’ Yo quiero, Yo puedo (I want to, I can), gave state. “We’re not animals. Animals are the ogist Abel Barrera, director of the her own daughters avoided the same fate. More than 3,000 girls between the ages awareness raising workshops until the ones who are sold,” added Feliciano, now Tlachinollan Center of Human Rights of “They make you suffer for the simple fact of nine and 17 gave birth in Guerrero last group ran out of funds in February. 23, who lives in the municipality of the Mountain. Due to the “growing precari- of having bought you,” she said in her year, some of them after being sold into Brides’ parents ask for money “because Metlatonoc in one of Mexico’s poorest ousness” of these communities, he added, earthen floor home made partly of mud marriage, according to official figures. “We they believe that they must recover what areas. “the indigenous ancestral ritual of giving and animal dung. “Many women say ‘I’m want it to change but people say ‘I do what was spent bringing up their daughters,” he She became one of many girls from her away maidens in return for a dowry from going to sell my daughter for 110,000, I want because I have my daughter and no said. So far only around 300 people in the Mixtec community subjected to a tradition their first menstruation has been lost and 120,000 pesos ($5,500-$6,000) because I one is going to tell me what to do,” said area have agreed to stop the tradition, that critics say traps women in abuse and girls are now being commodified.” want money,’ but it makes me very sad to Victor Moreno, a 29-year-old resident. “We according to a community leader. “Most leaves the groom’s family mired in poverty. Indigenous people represent around 10 hear because they’re their children,” she would like someone to help us, to pass a continue to sell their daughters,” said Today such agreements are still made in percent of Mexico’s population of 126 mil- said. law so that this changes,” he added. Feliciano. — AFP dozens of communities in Guerrero, but lion, and almost 70 percent live in poverty, Next to a grayish, smelly river, a woman Moreno married under the same kind of calls are growing for an end to the practice according to official figures. More than 94 who did not want to be named for fear of arrangement and although he does not of selling daughters. percent of Metlatonoc’s 19,000 inhabitants reprisals from her neighbors condemned mistreat his wife, he opposes the tradition The payments demanded by the brides’ do not have basic services in their homes, the practice. “Women who are sold have to because he had to move to northern That ‘70s Show’ actor Masterson to face trial on rape charges

S actor and Scientologist Danny Masterson must stand trial for the Ualleged rape of three women at his home in the Hollywood Hills, a Los Angeles judge ruled Friday. “That ‘70s Show” star Masterson denies the accusa- tions made by the women, who were pre- viously also members of the secretive California-based group and said they did not come forward earlier for fear of In this file photo taken on August 19, 1995 Prince Charles, Princess Diana and their children In this file photo taken on November 15, 1995 shows front pages of UK newspapers following a tel- reprisals from its hierarchy. “I found all William and Harry watch the march past on a dais on the mall as part of the commemorations evision interview with BBC journalist Martin Bashir. three witnesses to be credible and the evi- of VJ Day. — AFP photos dence sufficient to support the charges,” said Judge Charlaine Olmedo, ordering Retired senior judge John Dyson said gram in November 1995, which was ‘Woeful incompetence’ Masterson to be formally arraigned on Ex-BBC chief steps Bashir commissioned faked bank state- watched by a record 22.8 million people He returned to work for the corporation June 7 and to hand over his passport by ments that falsely suggested some of and won a string of television awards. In as religion editor until he stepped down that time. Diana’s closest aides were being paid by it, she famously said “there were three last week, citing ill health, just hours down from high the security services to keep tabs on her. people” in her marriage - her, Charles before Dyson’s report was submitted to BBC bosses. A 1996 internal inquiry by Hall cleared Bashir of wrong-doing, but profile job over Dyson called that probe “flawed and woe- fully ineffective”. In particular, it did not Diana probe ask Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, for his version of events, Dyson said, lam- basting it for failing to scrutinize Bashir’s former BBC chief who was criti- actions properly. cized for his “woefully ineffective” “If they had been able to test Mr Aprobe into Martin Bashir’s decep- Bashir’s account by asking him to com- tion in securing a bombshell interview ment on Earl Spencer’s detailed account, it is very unlikely that they would have In this file photo US actor Danny Masterson with Princess Diana yesterday resigned attends the premiere of “Forgetting Sarah as chair of Britain’s National Gallery. believed him and concluded that he was an ‘honest and an honorable man’,” he Marshall” at the Chinese theatre in Los Journalist Bashir tricked Diana into giving Angeles. — AFP a 1995 BBC television interview in which wrote. Hall admitted that the probe “fell she lifted the lid on her troubled marriage well short of what was required”, and said Masterson, 45, allegedly raped the to Prince Charles, an independent inves- he was “wrong to give Martin Bashir the women, all in their twenties at the time, “by tigation concluded on Thursday. benefit of the doubt”. force or fear” in separate incidents between Tony Hall, who had led an earlier Diana’s son Prince William said the 2001 and 2003. He faces a maximum sen- investigation into the interview and was In this file photo taken on September 06, 1997 (from left to right) Britain’s Prince Philip, Duke of interview had made “a major contribution” tence of 45 years to life in prison if convict- later named head of the BBC, said he Edinburgh, Britain’s Prince William, Earl Spencer, Britain’s Prince Harry and Britain’s Prince Charles, to the demise of his parents’ relationship, ed on all charges. He is currently free on had “today resigned as Chair of the Prince of Wales follow the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales, to Westminster Abbey for her funeral while the BBC’s “woeful incompetence” in $3.3 million bail. Masterson rose to fame National Gallery. “As I said two days ago, service. uncovering the truth had “contributed sig- with the 1998 launch of retro sitcom “That I am very sorry for the events of 25 years nificantly to her fear, paranoia and isola- ‘70s Show,” where he played the character ago and I believe leadership means tak- Bashir then showed them to Diana’s brother and his long-time mistress and now wife, tion” in her final years. Diana died in a of Steven Hyde alongside fellow stars Mila ing responsibility,” he said in a statement Charles Spencer, in a succesful bid to con- Camilla Parker-Bowles - and also admit- high-speed car crash while being chased Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. He co-starred released by the world-renowned London vince him to arrange a meeting between ted adultery. Bashir, now 58, was little- by paparazzi photographers in 1997. Hall again with Kutcher on Netflix’s “The gallery. “I have always had a strong himself and Diana and earn her trust. known at the time of the interview but took charge of the BBC in 2013, and Ranch,” but was fired in 2017 and written sense of public service and it is clear my Questions have long been asked went on to have a high-profile career on stepped down last year. — AFP off the show after Los Angeles police con- continuing in the role would be a distrac- about how Bashir convinced Diana to talk US television networks, and interviewed firmed they were investigating multiple rape tion to an institution I care deeply about”. on the BBC’s flagship “Panorama” pro- stars such as Michael Jackson. allegations against the actor. —AFP

vation work is ongoing. Only 50 percent of year, some three-quarters of them from the usual numbers will be allowed in the abroad. Eiffel Tower to lifts. The Eiffel Tower has been undergoing But because of COVID restrictions, it the most extensive revamp of its 130-year now expects a loss of 70 million euros history to look its best for the 2024 Paris ($85 million) for 2021, after a loss of 52 reopen July 16 Olympics, including with a paint job to give million last year, forcing it to seek fresh it a distinctly golden hue. financing. “We cannot absorb both loss- But painting was suspended after making years with our existing capital,” as France eases traces of lead were found in existing lay- Martins said, adding he expected the Paris ers, making it hazardous to continue. The authorities “to help us get through this”. re-opening marks the emergence of the France on Wednesday loosened restric- COVID curbs 10-tonne metal landmark from its longest tions in a return to semi-normality after closure since World War II. It was shut more than six months of COVID-19 curbs. down for more than three months during Cafes and restaurants with terraces or he Eiffel Tower will reopen on July 16 the first COVID wave in the spring of last rooftop gardens can now offer outdoor din- after several months of closure due year, and then again in the autumn. “After ing, under the second phase of a lock- Tto the coronavirus pandemic, the several months of closure, we are impa- down-lifting plan that should culminate in a Paris landmark’s operator said on tient to have our staff and visitors back full reopening of the economy on June 30. Thursday. Visitor numbers will be limited to with, of course, a strict compliance with Museums, cinemas and some theatres 10,000 a day to meet social distancing sanitary protocols,” Sete president Jean- are also reopening after being closed for requirements, fewer than half of their pre- FranÁois Martins said in a statement. 203 days. Disneyland Paris, another COVID levels, operator Sete told AFP. All Online bookings will open on June 1. The tourist magnet, said on Monday it would People walk on the esplanade des Droits De L’homme at the Trocadero Square in front of the Eiffel floors of the monument will be accessible monument, completed in 1889, usually reopen on June 17. — AFP Tower, where a giant artwork by French street artist and photographer Jean Rene, aka JR, is on to visitors, except some areas where reno- receives about seven million visitors every display in Paris. — AFP