Story Highlights
Argentine woman vanished in 2002; it's believed she was forced into prostitution ring
Argentine soap opera, based on Marita's mother's search, probes human trafficking
Mom: "My life will be completely absorbed with this fight until she is back and safe"
Mother Susana Trimarco's foundation tries to save women, children from sex slavery
By Brian Byrnes
Special to CNN
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (CNN) -- When Susana Trimarco's daughter Marita Veron was 23, she vanished from their hometown in Argentina, a suspected victim of a human trafficking and prostitution ring with links throughout Latin America and Europe.
Trimarco, 54, has spent the past 6½ years searching for her daughter, often putting herself at risk. While chasing down leads on Marita's whereabouts, she's entered dark and dangerous brothels and confronted pimps and politicians who, she says, are complicit in her daughter's disappearance.
She has won accolades throughout Latin America, Europe and the United States for her work. But Marita is nowhere to be found.
"Marita is a wonderful and caring girl. My life will be completely absorbed with this fight until she is back and safe," Trimarco said.
On April 3, 2002, Veron left her house in the northern Argentine province of Tucuman early for a doctor's appointment. She was wearing a turquoise shirt, blue jeans and old white sneakers.
As she left the house, she told her mother, "Don't worry. I'll be back soon." Those were the last words the two exchanged.
The investigation that has followed has led police and Trimarco to believe that she was kidnapped and forced into prostitution, either in rural Argentina or Spain. So far, a series of random clues has failed to provide any concrete information on Marita's whereabouts.
Now, art is imitating life on Argentina's airwaves. Trimarco's story has become the basis of one of Argentina's most popular nighttime soap operas, "Vidas Robadas," or "Stolen Lives." Watch art imitate activism »
The program premiered in March on Telefe, one of Argentina's largest television networks, to a lukewarm response. But as the storyline and characters evolved and word started to spread, the audience grew, and it became water-cooler television.
"Stolen Lives" attracts more than 2 million viewers nightly, a considerable feat considering Argentina's population is only 40 million.
The show's plot centers on widowed anthropologist Bautista Amaya (played by Facundo Arana) and Rosario Soler (Soledad Silveyra) -- the mother of a young kidnapped girl, based on Trimarco -- who team up to unravel an underground prostitution ring.
"With every performance, I try to display the inner feelings of this woman who is suffering, to transmit her grief," Silveyra said. "As an actress, I feel an enormous responsibility."
The usual telenovela themes of love, passion and revenge are ever present in "Stolen Lives," but the show strives to expose an issue that has remained in the dark in Argentina until recently. Human rights groups in Argentina estimate that 800 women have gone missing at the hands of human traffickers since 2007. Worldwide, about 800,000 people are trafficked across borders annually, according to the U.S. State Department.
"I am delighted that the show has been able to bring this topic to light, because no one ever talked about human trafficking in Argentina before," Trimarco said.
"Stolen Lives" is the latest in a series of recent Argentine telenovelas that dissect important social issues while also aiming to entertain.
One of the most important was the 2006 hit "Montecristo," which examined crimes against humanity committed by Argentina's military during the 1970s and 1980s. Local versions of "Montecristo" are produced in nine countries around the globe, including Turkey, Portugal, Mexico and Russia.
"With these types of telenovelas, we are able to bring something entirely new to the public debate. And because we take a take a fictional and not a journalistic approach, we are able to attract and keep more viewers," Telefe programming director Claudio Villarruel said.
"Montecristo" helped reunite children of Argentina's Dirty War who "disappeared" with lost family members. The Dirty War happened from 1976-83, when the government carried out a secret campaign to purge the country of those it considered to be dissidents.
"Stolen Lives" is making a similarly strong impact.
Trimarco established a foundation in her daughter's honor, Fundacion Maria de los Angeles, last year in Tucuman. It counts U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Earl Wayne and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner among its supporters.
According to Trimarco, the foundation has rescued 360 women and children from trafficking networks, and leads on missing people continue to pour in. Argentina passed its first national law against human trafficking this year, a law that Trimarco lobbied hard to get passed.
Meanwhile, praise rings from home and abroad.
In May, "Stolen Lives" was declared a show of "social interest" by the Buenos Aires City legislature. In 2007, Trimarco received the U.S. State Department's "International Women of Courage Award" from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at a ceremony in Washington. Later this year, Trimarco will travel to Spain to speak about human trafficking with lawmakers from the European Union.
"It's just like Condoleezza Rice told me: My screams are being heard all over the world," she said.
Trimarco travels around Argentina constantly, educating people about human trafficking, and following up on clues about Marita. She is also raising Marita's daughter, Micaela, 9.
With all the publicity surrounding the case and the success of "Stolen Lives," Trimarco has herself become a target. Her accusations of political and police involvement have led to death threats, she says.
Still, she remains committed to the cause and says that collaborating with the producers of "Stolen Lives" to tell her story has helped give her the strength to continue searching for her daughter.
"I'm content, because my pain is now serving a purpose," she said.
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Friday, September 19, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Former DJ to host his funeral via DVD
HE has planned his own funeral, down to what he will wear and who is going to host the event.
He wants to be dressed in the army uniform he wore to his father's funeral.
And he is in the process of choosing the best picture he has - one that will capture his essence for his funeral photo.
Former radio DJ Billy Wang, also known as Dongfang Billy, also plans to host his own funeral here.
He will address family and friends in a DVD he has been making with the help of an assistant.
It is a documentary of his life as well as a record of things he wants to say individually to the people in his life.
The DVD, which is almost completed, will help to set the mood at his funeral.
It starts off in Mandarin with: 'Hi, how are you? I'm Billy. Are you surprised I'm your host?'
The DVD will also have 10hymns sung by Billy.
Funeral all planned
The former DJ, who now heads a cancer charity, wants his funeral to be held at his home first and then at his church.
He hopes no one will cry.
And he wants everyone to celebrate.
The 45-year-old said in an interview with Lianhe Wanbao: 'I don't want people to be sad. I want them to throw a party.'
The reason for all his preparation? The fact that his cancer has returned.
Billy was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1993, but he battled it into remission. He later became an advocate for cancer prevention and cure.
In 2006, he left MediaCorp Radio to concentrate on his work as the president of CareCancer Society, a charity he founded in 2003.Earlier this year, he became easily tired and his bones ached.
His hair fell out and he would also become thirsty after saying only a few words.
Doctors confirmed that his cancer has returned, but would not say how long more he has to live.
He told Wanbao that he now takes 24 pills a day and the side-effects include giddiness, blurred vision and nausea.
He said: 'Even though I find it hard to face death, I have accepted it. How long can I live if I have cancer? Death is but a station in life... I'm prepared to get off at that station any time.'
No regrets
Billy said he has no regrets in life.
And for friends he quarrelled with and never met again, he will address them and say goodbye in the DVD.
He also does not regret not getting married, he said, adding that his parents had spent their entire marriage fighting and marriage requires a certain personality which he does not have.
He has discussed his funeral plans with one of his older brothers and a few close friends.
But he cannot bear to tell his mother that his cancer has returned because she would be frightened.
He told Wanbao that when his cancer was first diagnosed 15 years ago, she found out about it only two years later.
After she found out, she prayed and cried every day and when he spoke to her previously about making his will, she became red-eyed.
Taiwan-born Billy came to Singapore in the late'80s.
After stints on TV variety shows here, he got a DJ job in MediaCorp Radio, where he won the hearts of heartland housewives with his no-holds-barred chats during his phone-in shows.
He was named one of the 10 most popular male artistes in the 2002 Star Awards.
Billy has come a long way from his unhappy childhood.
In earlier media interviews, he revealed that he had wanted to grow up fast and be independent to spite his family.
His late father was an army general under Taiwanese president Chiang Kai-shek and he spent little time with his family.
His mother was addicted to mahjong, Billy said.
He added: 'We had no freedom, we had to follow our father's wishes and (we) led a regimented life.
'I was the youngest among the five sons. I was often beaten by my elder brother as a form of discipline.'
So he turned rebellious and experimented with drugs.
He graduated from college after studying advertising design.
When he was in his early 20s, he travelled, singing in various nightclubs in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
'When my mother and elder brother volunteered to donate their bone marrow to save me, I realised that my family loves me after all.
'I apologised to my family and forgave them,' he said.
Dance studio dream
Billy has set up a dance studio here called Billy House.
He hopes that people will donate generously at his funeral, especially those whose weddings he had attended and given hongbaos to.
Some of the money will go towards running the dance studio after his death.
He told Wanbao that setting up a dance studio had been his dream for many years.
On the Billy House website, the studio's address is given as Thye Shan Mansion, New Bridge Road.
He said the place is undergoing renovation and will be open next month.
He has also made handover arrangements for his cancer charity.
He wants to be dressed in the army uniform he wore to his father's funeral.
And he is in the process of choosing the best picture he has - one that will capture his essence for his funeral photo.
Former radio DJ Billy Wang, also known as Dongfang Billy, also plans to host his own funeral here.
He will address family and friends in a DVD he has been making with the help of an assistant.
It is a documentary of his life as well as a record of things he wants to say individually to the people in his life.
The DVD, which is almost completed, will help to set the mood at his funeral.
It starts off in Mandarin with: 'Hi, how are you? I'm Billy. Are you surprised I'm your host?'
The DVD will also have 10hymns sung by Billy.
Funeral all planned
The former DJ, who now heads a cancer charity, wants his funeral to be held at his home first and then at his church.
He hopes no one will cry.
And he wants everyone to celebrate.
The 45-year-old said in an interview with Lianhe Wanbao: 'I don't want people to be sad. I want them to throw a party.'
The reason for all his preparation? The fact that his cancer has returned.
Billy was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1993, but he battled it into remission. He later became an advocate for cancer prevention and cure.
In 2006, he left MediaCorp Radio to concentrate on his work as the president of CareCancer Society, a charity he founded in 2003.Earlier this year, he became easily tired and his bones ached.
His hair fell out and he would also become thirsty after saying only a few words.
Doctors confirmed that his cancer has returned, but would not say how long more he has to live.
He told Wanbao that he now takes 24 pills a day and the side-effects include giddiness, blurred vision and nausea.
He said: 'Even though I find it hard to face death, I have accepted it. How long can I live if I have cancer? Death is but a station in life... I'm prepared to get off at that station any time.'
No regrets
Billy said he has no regrets in life.
And for friends he quarrelled with and never met again, he will address them and say goodbye in the DVD.
He also does not regret not getting married, he said, adding that his parents had spent their entire marriage fighting and marriage requires a certain personality which he does not have.
He has discussed his funeral plans with one of his older brothers and a few close friends.
But he cannot bear to tell his mother that his cancer has returned because she would be frightened.
He told Wanbao that when his cancer was first diagnosed 15 years ago, she found out about it only two years later.
After she found out, she prayed and cried every day and when he spoke to her previously about making his will, she became red-eyed.
Taiwan-born Billy came to Singapore in the late'80s.
After stints on TV variety shows here, he got a DJ job in MediaCorp Radio, where he won the hearts of heartland housewives with his no-holds-barred chats during his phone-in shows.
He was named one of the 10 most popular male artistes in the 2002 Star Awards.
Billy has come a long way from his unhappy childhood.
In earlier media interviews, he revealed that he had wanted to grow up fast and be independent to spite his family.
His late father was an army general under Taiwanese president Chiang Kai-shek and he spent little time with his family.
His mother was addicted to mahjong, Billy said.
He added: 'We had no freedom, we had to follow our father's wishes and (we) led a regimented life.
'I was the youngest among the five sons. I was often beaten by my elder brother as a form of discipline.'
So he turned rebellious and experimented with drugs.
He graduated from college after studying advertising design.
When he was in his early 20s, he travelled, singing in various nightclubs in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
'When my mother and elder brother volunteered to donate their bone marrow to save me, I realised that my family loves me after all.
'I apologised to my family and forgave them,' he said.
Dance studio dream
Billy has set up a dance studio here called Billy House.
He hopes that people will donate generously at his funeral, especially those whose weddings he had attended and given hongbaos to.
Some of the money will go towards running the dance studio after his death.
He told Wanbao that setting up a dance studio had been his dream for many years.
On the Billy House website, the studio's address is given as Thye Shan Mansion, New Bridge Road.
He said the place is undergoing renovation and will be open next month.
He has also made handover arrangements for his cancer charity.
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