Monday, October 29, 2007
Mexico: US Aid
Should Include Human Rights Conditions
Human Rights Watch
The US Congress should oppose counternarcotics assistance to Mexico unless it includes strong conditions
aimed at ending abuses by Mexican security forces, Human Rights Watch said.
The Bush administration asked Congress on Monday to approve a US$500 million aid package to help Mexico
improve its counternarcotics efforts and improve public security. Yet the Mexican military and law enforcement agencies responsible
for counternarcotics operations have very poor human rights records.
“Helping Mexico confront its brutal drug cartels is a good idea,” said José Miguel Vivanco,
Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “Giving a blank check to that country’s abusive security forces is not.”
Over
the past two years, Mexican soldiers have committed egregious abuses while engaged in law enforcement activities. In July
2006, for example, soldiers in Coahuila state beat seven municipal policemen and sexually abused 14 women, according to the
national human rights ombudsman. In May 2007, soldiers arbitrarily detained 65 people in Michoacán state, holding some incommunicado
at a military base, beating many of the detainees, and raping four minors. In June, soldiers opened fire against a truck in
Sinaloa, killing five people, including three children, and injuring three others.
Impunity for these
human rights violations is the norm. The military justice system, which routinely exercises jurisdiction over military abuses,
lacks the independence necessary to carry out credible investigations. The ability of military prosecutors to investigate
abuses is further undermined by a fear of the army, which is widespread in many rural communities and which inhibits civilian
victims and witnesses from providing information to military authorities.
The US Congress should ensure
that the release of the proposed funds be contingent upon a periodic certification process to determine that abuses committed
during counternarcotics operations are thoroughly and effectively investigated and prosecuted.
“The US
Congress has an opportunity to use this aid as leverage to press Mexico’s security forces to improve their appalling
human rights record,” said Vivanco.
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Human Rights Watch, Washington, DC, October 24, 2007
Washington, DC, October 24, 2007
