Friendship Park, not so friendly, is it?
The Tijuana River Valley in Imperial Beach, CA is literally ON the Mexico - United States border. It is a beautiful land rich with history and culture, bordered by the gorgeous Pacific Ocean and a lovely wildlife preserve. There are equestrian trails all throughout, where you can literally ride along the wall between the two countries. I’ve done it, and it’s pretty amazing. Little Mexican children giggle and yell at the horses through the fence and you can see families selling items on the beach out of carts. You can see over the fence into Tijuana.
Friendship Park is one specific area of the Border Field State Park, a park that runs along the dividing fence (nicknamed Tortilla Wall). This park is designed so that half of it is on the United States side, and the other half is on the Mexico side. There was a fence running between the two countries, which permitted residents of both sides to reach through and touch each other. It was a fascinating place where broken families could reunite, talk to and touch each other.
Events happened there. They still do, they’re just a bit different now. There is yoga class held across the border. There is a huge annual event held at Christmas time that re-enacts Mary and Joseph trying to find a place to give birth to Jesus. There are picnics, party, and celebrations of unity.
The park still exists now, but another fence has been added that prevents any touch from occurring. Where there was once one fence, there is now 2-3 fences, feet apart so that no touch is possible. A new sign was erected that specifically says “No physical contact between humans is permitted”. There was even a community garden grown by US and Mexican people that was bulldozed by the United States Border Patrol in January 2009.
I can’t help but be sad when I see this empty park now. Where it was once a friendly gathering place for families and friends to spend time with each other despite a physical cultural barrier, it is now a representation of division, of separation. Of being so close, yet so far away.
The fence on the U.S. side. You can walk or ride horses right up to this fence. It extends way out into the water, and is not passable.
This picture shows where people on the U.S. side are permitted - inside that black iron fence. The gap between it and the actual border wall is now 5 feet. This park is closely monitored by patrols to make sure rules are followed. The rules also include, no guns, and no trading of items across the border.
This same fence is the one that people have dug tunnels under to get through to the other side. Some of the tunnels have been so elaborate, they’ve had electricity.
When some celebrate the falling of the Berlin Wall, others have their own walls that affect them so.
The Mexico side of the wall is a memorial to all of the people who die each year trying to cross it. Hundreds per year.
For more information, check out the Friends of Friendship Park website to join the fight against the newly erected wall. You can also follow the cause on Twitter. Much more information is located here.
