Who were Las Mariposas, and why were they murdered? - Lisa Krause

翻译人员: Frank Xu 校对人员: Helen Chang

From 1930 to 1961, thousands of people

从1930年到1961年，有数千人

were imprisoned, tortured, and murdered

被监禁、折磨还有杀害，

under Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic.

这些都发生在特鲁希略独裁统治下的 多米尼加共和国。

Three sisters would go on to lead an underground revolution.

三位姐妹将在这段时期中 领导一场地下革命。

But while their courage inspired many, it threatened the man in power,

可是她们的勇气在启发了无数人的同时， 也威胁到了这位掌权者，

and their lives would come to a tragic early end.

而她们的人生也将早早地以悲剧收尾。

Trujillo rose through the military ranks during the United States’ occupation

特鲁希略在美国占领多米尼加共和国时，

of the Dominican Republic.

在军队中不断晋升。

He assumed power in 1930 through a coup and rigged election

他在1930年时通过一次政变 以及操纵选举取得了权力，

and created a system that enriched himself and his allies.

并且创立了一套为他自己 及他盟友夺取财富的体系。

Trujillo’s family alone controlled three-fifths

单是特鲁希略一家就控制了整个国家

of the country’s gross domestic product,

五分之三的生产总值，

including monopolies over salt, beef, and newspapers.

其中包括对盐、牛肉 以及报纸行业的垄断。

He renamed the country's capital after himself

他将国家的首都以自己的名字重新命名，

and expected his portrait to be displayed in every household.

还要求在每一个家庭中摆设自己的肖像。

And he committed atrocities, including the massacre of thousands of Haitians.

并且他还犯下了包括 屠杀数千名海地人在内的多起暴行。

All the while, a secret police force maintained his power

在这期间，有一支秘密警察 通过针对身处本土

by targeting opponents at home and abroad.

以及国外的反对派开展行动 来维持他的权力。

The Mirabal sisters grew up in a middle class family in the countryside.

米拉瓦尔姐妹们在乡下的 一个中产阶级家庭长大。

Their parents sent the four sisters—

她们的父母将四姐妹 ——

Patria, Dedé, Minerva, and María Teresa—

帕特丽娅、狄狄、米涅尔芭 和玛丽亚特丽莎

to one of the country’s best boarding schools.

送到了全国最好的寄宿学校之一。

There, Minerva met a classmate whose relative was killed on Trujillo's orders.

在那里，米涅尔芭结识了 一位亲人被特鲁希略下令杀害的同学。

She began seeking out strong voices of opposition

她开始寻找人群中强烈的反对声音

and discussing issues of oppression and justice with her sisters.

并且和她的姐妹们讨论 关于压迫和正义的问题。

While Dedé stayed out of politics,

在狄狄避开政治的同时，

Minerva, Patria, and María Teresa became invested in changing their country.

米涅尔芭、帕特丽娅和玛丽亚特丽莎 对改变她们国家变得投入。

However, the Mirabal family’s safe standing soon collapsed.

然而，米拉尔瓦家族安全的地位 很快瓦解了。

In 1949, they were invited to one of Trujillo’s parties,

在1949年，他们受邀参加 特鲁希略的一场宴会，

which served as his personal hunting grounds for young women.

这些实际上是他 物色年轻女子的狩猎场。

Declining the invitation was not an option.

拒绝邀请不是个选择。

Despite Minerva’s attempts to avoid him at the reception,

尽管米涅尔芭在迎宾时试着躲开他，

she eventually danced with Trujillo but rejected his advances.

她终究还是和特鲁希略跳了支舞， 但她拒绝了他的示爱。

The Mirabal family left the party early,

米拉尔瓦一家提早离开了宴会，

which was seldom done and considered disrespectful to the dictator.

这在当时不常发生，且被视为 对这位独裁者的不敬。

Their father, Enrique, was imprisoned and family property was confiscated.

她们的父亲，恩里克， 遭到了监禁而家族财产也被没收。

Minerva graduated with highest honors

米涅尔芭以最高荣誉毕业，

as one of the first women in the country to receive a law degree.

并成为了该国第一批 获得法律学位的女性之一。

But she was denied state authorization to practice—

可她的从法授权被国家拒绝 ——

a process Trujillo oversaw.

这过程由特鲁希略亲自监督。

While studying, Minerva met Manolo Tavárez Justo.

在学习时，米涅尔芭遇到了 玛诺鲁·塔巴雷斯·胡斯托。

He shared her political convictions and the two married in 1955.

他和她有着相同的政治信仰， 并且两人在1955年结了婚。

They watched as armed revolutions launched throughout Latin America.

他们眼看着武装革命 在整个拉丁美洲爆发。

After Trujillo crushed an attempt to overthrow him in 1959,

在特鲁希略于1959年 镇压了一次推翻他的企图后，

they began to prepare a revolution of their own.

两人开始准备一场他们自己的革命。

The Mirabal sisters and their husbands formed the June 14th movement

米拉瓦尔三姐妹和她们的丈夫们 创立了6月14日运动，

along with many others from the middle class.

一同参与的还有其他 许多中产阶级成员。

Codenamed Las Mariposas, or the Butterflies,

以西语“Las Mariposas”， 或中文叫“烈焰飞蝶”作为代号

the three sisters organized and attended clandestine meetings

三姐妹组织并参与了秘密集会，

and distributed pamphlets detailing Trujillo’s violations.

并分发细说特鲁希 略践踏国家行为的传单。

In January of 1960,

在1960年一月，

they called representatives together from all over the country

她们召集了来自全国的代表，

to establish the movement’s structure and prepare an uprising.

以此确立运动的组织并准备一场起义。

But it was not to be.

但事实并非所愿。

Trujillo had spies everywhere.

特鲁希略到处都有间谍。

Soon, many revolutionaries, including Minerva and María Teresa, were arrested.

很快，很多革命家，包括 米涅尔芭和玛丽亚特丽莎都被逮捕。

During this time, Patria found creative ways of transmitting information

在这段时间里，帕特丽娅 找到了独特的方法，

to and from imprisoned rebels.

以向狱中的反叛者发送和接受信息。

Fearful of losing the support of the U.S. and the Church,

害怕失去美国和教会的支持，

which had recently begun to criticize him,

两者在不久前开始批判他，

Trujillo released the sisters while leaving their husbands imprisoned.

特鲁希略在持续关押他们丈夫的同时 释放了两姐妹。

But they continued to threaten his regime’s stability— and his ego.

但是两姐妹继续破坏他的统治稳定 以及他的自尊心。

On November 25th,

11月25日，

as the three sisters were returning from visiting two of their imprisoned husbands,

在三姐妹们看望被监禁的丈夫们后 回家的路上，

Trujillo’s men stopped their car.

特鲁希略的手下拦下了她们的车。

The sisters, along with their driver, Rufino de la Cruz,

三姐妹，连同他们的司机 鲁非诺·德拉克鲁斯

were asphyxiated and beaten to death.

被殴打和窒息致死。

The men rolled the Jeep off a hill to frame the murder as a car accident.

手下们将吉普车推下山崖 来为这起谋杀制造意外假象。

Patria was 36, Minerva was 33, and María Teresa was 25.

帕特丽娅时年36岁，米涅尔芭33岁， 而玛丽亚特丽莎当时25岁。

But Trujillo's plan to silence the Mirabal sisters

然而特鲁希略压制米拉尔瓦姐妹

and stabilize his regime backfired.

并稳固他统治的计划适得其反。

Much of the public wasn’t fooled by the flimsy coverup.

大部分公众并没有被这 不足为信的假象所蒙蔽。

The international community condemned the assassination.

国际社会对这次刺杀发出了谴责。

And the U.S. closed its Dominican embassy

而美国关闭了 在多米尼加共和国的大使馆，

and secretly invested in the anti-Trujillo movement.

并秘密为反对特鲁希略的运动 提供了支持。

Months later, former members of the Dominican military

几个月后，多米尼加军队的前成员

killed the dictator, bringing his violent, 31-year reign to an end.

杀死了这位独裁者， 结束了他31年的残暴统治。

Thanks to their family, especially their surviving sister, Dedé,

托她们的家人，尤其是幸存的二姐狄狄，

the legacy of the Mirabal sisters would surpass the clutches of Trujillo’s tyranny

米拉瓦尔姐妹的遗赠 才能胜过特鲁希略暴政的魔爪，

even long after their deaths.

甚至在她们死后远远流传。

Today, the Mirabal sisters are national heroes

今天，米拉瓦尔姐妹们是国家英雄，

with monuments and honors commemorating their struggle.

人们用纪念碑和赞誉纪念她们的奋斗。

In 1999, the United Nations declared November 25th,

在1999年，联合国宣布将11月25日，

the anniversary of their deaths,

她们的逝世纪念日，

the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

作为世界消除对妇女暴力日。

Their courageous fight for justice has inspired generations.

她们为正义的勇敢斗争启发了几代人。