Tag: Americas

International community asked to act fast ‘in name of victims’ of gang violence — Global Issues

The Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry reiterated his call for an international force in his speech to the UN General Assembly on Friday 22 September.

“In the name of the women and girls raped every day, the thousands of families driven from their homes, the children and young people of Haiti, who have been denied the right to education and instruction, in the name of all a people who are victims of the barbarity of gangs, I urge the international community to act quickly.”

Here’s what you need to know about what happens next:

UN Photo/Cia Pak

Prime Minister Ariel Henry of Haiti addresses the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s 78th session.

Why is an international security mission necessary?

Haiti is wracked by violence that has escalated to unprecedented levels. Between 1 January and 9 September this year, 3,000 homicides were reported; there were also over 1,500 victims of kidnapping for ransom. The UN says that some 200,000 people (half of whom are children) have been forced to flee their homes because it’s just too dangerous to remain.

Sexual violence and abuse against women and girls is on the rise, and tens of thousands of children are unable to attend school due to insecurity.

Haiti’s military is small and only modestly equipped. The Haitian National Police (HNP) is unable to fully contain the outbreak of violence and needs international support so that Haitians can return to a situation where they can go about their daily lives without the fear of being murdered, displaced, kidnapped, or raped.

People protest on the streets of Port-au-Prince in crisis-torn Haiti.

© UNICEF/Roger LeMoyne and U.S. CDC

People protest on the streets of Port-au-Prince in crisis-torn Haiti.

Who is supporting the security assistance?

Just about everyone agrees that assistance from the international community is needed to support the HNP in its efforts to stabilize the situation. As far back as October 2022 UN Secretary-General António Guterres responded to a request from Prime Minister Henry, urging nations to step forward.

In July, on a visit to the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, the UN chief repeated that immediate action was necessary.

“The seriousness of the situation demands our urgent and sustained attention. We must put the victims and the civilian population at the centre of our concerns and priorities” adding that “if we do not act now, instability and violence will have a lasting impact on generations of Haitians. I reiterate my call to all partners to increase their support for the national police – in the form of financing, training or equipment.”

The issue was once again high on the agenda of the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s 78th session, which concluded on Tuesday.

In his speech, US President Joe Biden said the “people of Haiti cannot wait much longer,” and Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, the President of the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, called for “a revival of our collective determination to forge a more secure, inclusive and sustainable future for Haiti”.

© UNOCHA/Giles Clarke

Communities in Port-au-Prince have erected barricades of abandoned vehicles to limit the risk of kidnappings and gang attacks.

Why has it taken so long to establish the mission?

A major sticking point has always been which country would step forward to lead what could be a very complicated and risky mission. Media reports suggest that gangs exert some control over around 80 per cent of the capital and the Haitian Prime Minister said that there were 162 armed groups with 3,000 “soldiers” across the country.

In late July, Kenya announced it was considering leading the multinational security support effort in Haiti. Kenyan officials have visited Haiti and held talks with Haitian and regional leaders, among others, regarding the mandate and scope of such an operation.

Kenyan President William Ruto told the General Assembly that Haitians were “suffering immensely from the bitter legacy of slavery, colonialism, sabotage and neglect”, adding that dealing with the situation there was the “ultimate test of international solidarity and collective action”.

Fellow Caribbean nations and members of the CARICOM regional group, including Jamaica, the Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda have expressed their readiness to support the mission.

UNDP/Borja Lopetegui Gonzalez

The Haitian National Police needs to be strengthened to be able to respond to the huge challenges it faces, according to the UN.

What type of operation will it be?

It’s important to note that the security mission will not be a UN operation, unlike MINUSTAH, the UN peacekeeping mission to Haiti, which ended in 2017.

Prime Minister Henry has asked for the “robust support” of police and military personnel to support the HNP. He added that this support was “indispensable to defeat the gangs, re-establish order and create an environment for the proper functioning of the State”.

President Ruto of Kenya said the mission, which could include 1,000 Kenyan personnel, would be “well-resourced and effective”.

WFP/Theresa Piorr

IOM delivers relief items to vulnerable communities in Cité Soleil, Haiti.

What happens next and what is the UN’s involvement?

The UN Security Council is due to meet to develop the framework for and authorize this non-UN mission. The 15-members of the Council will consider approving what is known as a Chapter Seven provision of the UN Charter that authorizes the use of force after all other measures to maintain international peace and security are exhausted.

Meanwhile, the UN continues to support Haiti on multiple fronts. A political mission, known by its French acronym, BINUH, continues to support government efforts to strengthen political stability and good governance, including the rule of law.

UN agencies are also providing immediate humanitarian aid to Haitians affected by violence, insecurity and natural disasters such as the August 2021 earthquake. And they are supporting national authorities and public institutions in restoring long-term sustainable development gains. This includes strengthening an inclusive economy and the administration of justice, ensuring the delivery of and access to basic social services and improving the management of multidimensional risks.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

US urged to end detention of Venezuelan Special Envoy — Global Issues

They called for his immediate release and for the US “to comply with its obligations under international law…and drop all charges against him.”

Allegations

Mr. Saab was appointed as a Special Envoy by the Government in Caracas in April 2018 to undertake official missions in Iran to secure humanitarian deliveries, including of food and medicine, a press release issued by the UN human rights office detailed.

The US alleges the envoy was behind a corruption network involving a Government-subsidized food programme called CLAP that was in effect, stealing from the Venezuelan people, while also using food as a form of social control, according to the US Treasury.

In July of the same year, Mr. Saab was placed under US sanctions for allegedly being responsible for inter alia engaging in transactions or programmes administered by the Venezuelan Government.

On 12 June 2020, during his third trip to Iran, while in transit through Cabo Verde, he was arrested and detained by local authorities. Following an extradition request by the US, he was ultimately extradited in October 2021.

Problematic arrest

According to the Human Rights Council-appointed experts, the Cabo Verde courts dealing with his case reportedly rejected his numerous appeals against the extradition, his diplomatic status as an ad hoc diplomat and the decision in his favour by an ECOWAS Court in the region.

They said the courts also “discarded numerous official communications” from Venezuela, and recommendations from international rights bodies, including the Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“We note with concern the reported irregularities in the arrest and detention in Cabo Verde of Mr. Saab, prior to his extradition to the US,” the experts said.

“In particular, information we received indicates that at the exact moment of his arrest, while he was on his place at the Amílcar Cabral International Airport, there was no Red Notice by Interpol, nor an arrest warrant presented to him. Both were instead issued ex post facto,” they noted.

Charges against Saab

Following his extradition, US judicial authorities dropped seven counts of money laundering against him, while maintaining a single count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

“We deeply regret that for almost two years since his extradition, Mr. Saab remains in detention awaiting trial for alleged conduct which is not considered an international crime, and thus should not have been the subject of extraterritorial or universal jurisdiction,” the UN experts said.

The experts were informed that since his extradition Saab was being detained at the Federal Detention Center in Miami, which is not a correctional institution, but instead a pre-trial administrative facility.

Violation ‘for millions’

“The actions against Mr. Saab are not only violations of his human rights…but also a violation of the right to an adequate standard of living for millions of Venezuelans, as result of the abrupt interruption of his mission for the procurement of essential goods,” the experts said.

Special Rapporteurs and other independent UN experts are not UN staff. They serve in their individual capacity and receive no salary for their work.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Venezuela continues crackdown on dissenters, UN rights experts warn — Global Issues

Marta Valiñas, Chair of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela, presented its latest report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, which covers the period from January 2020 to August this year.

The report, which was published last week, focused on two areas: the various “repression mechanisms” used by the State, and the need to monitor a new security force whose members include officers who allegedly were involved in crimes against humanity.

‘Repressive tactics’

“What we are witnessing is the accumulated impact of these repressive tactics which have given rise to a predominant environment of fear, mistrust and self-censorship. As a consequence, the fundamental pillars of civic and democratic fora have been seriously eroded in Venezuela,” said Mr. Valiñas, speaking in Spanish.

She warned that repressive measures are likely to increase in the run-up to the presidential elections next year.

During the reporting period, at least 58 persons were arbitrarily detained, according to the report.

They included trade union leaders, human rights defenders, members of non-governmental organizations, journalists, opposition party members, and others who voiced criticism of the Government of President Nicholas Maduro.

Arbitrary killings and torture

The Mission investigated nine deaths to determine if they were linked to detention, finding reasonable grounds to believe that five were arbitrary killings that could be attributed to the State authorities.

Furthermore, at least 14 individuals were forcibly disappeared for periods ranging from several hours up to 10 days. The Mission documented 28 cases of torture or degrading treatment in official or clandestine places of detention, with sexual and gender-based violence being most prevalent.

Ms. Valiñas said these incidents represent a decrease over previous reporting periods, reflecting a shift in the political and human rights crisis in Venezuela.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the end of opposition protests, and subsequent mass arrests, torture and large-scale reprisals.

Freedoms under attack

“Our conclusion is that in Venezuela, serious human rights violations continue, and that these violations are not isolated events. Rather, they reflect a policy of repressing dissent,” she said.

The Mission also investigated attempts against the freedoms of expression, assembly and peaceful association, and the right to participate in public life.

“Numerous cases” of selective repression were documented, including against trade unionists, journalists, human rights defenders, political leaders, and their relatives. Key civil society institutions, political parties and the media have also been targeted.

New strategic force

The report also expressed concern over a new police body, the Directorate of Strategic and Tactical Actions (DAET), created in July 2022.

The Mission concluded that the DAET is a continuation of the disbanded Special Action Forces (FAES), which it had identified as one of the structures most involved in extrajudicial executions, among other gross human rights violations, in the context of fighting crime.

Ms. Valiñas said 10 of the 15 top positions are held by former FAES leaders, “and these were already people who were named in former reports of our Mission because we believe that they have been involved in international crimes.”

She cited allegations around the new force’s involvement in operations last year that were linked to multiple assassinations and over 300 detentions.

“These actions were very similar to the strategies used by the Special Forces when they existed, including extrajudicial killings,” she said, calling for further investigation.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

We can’t keep putting the interest of the few before the lives of many, Mia Mottley says at UN — Global Issues

Describing the Sustainable Development Goals as “the promise of development and the conferral of dignity on our people,” the Prime Minister of Barbados questioned whether the world’s actions since the adoption eight years ago of the 2030 Agenda will be sufficient to attain the 17 targets on poverty, gender equality, the environment, and more.

“Will we be too late to save as many as we can from the climate crisis; too late for us to save as many as we can from the ravages of war; too late to provide the food that so many need?”, she asked.

The same facts

Acknowledging that world leaders have made progress, Ms. Mottley said much remained to be done on the road to 2030. Indeed, she pointed out that as of last year, 735 million suffered from chronic hunger, and that more people are likely to be hungry in 2030 than in 2015.

Moreover, the way forward must be based on commonly agreed objectives. “Our Democracy cannot survive if we do not have the same facts, but we live in a world where the generation of fake news is a near daily occurrence. And where people act on those premises without consideration as to whether the news is true or not,“ she stressed.

Calling for the creation of a regulatory framework in line with that outlines by the Secretary-General, she said the role artificial intelligence (AI) will play in our world “must be for good purposes but not evil.

High gas and oil prices

With aggressive oil supply cuts in Saudi Arabia and Russia and deadly flooding in Libya sending crude prices on a tear, oil prices are on pace to hit their largest quarterly increase since Russia invaded Ukraine in the beginning of 2022.

According to Ms. Mottley oil and gas prices have been driven higher in the Venezuela because of lack of transparency, and the people of the Caribbean are bearing the brunt of it.

“How is it possible for Chevron and the European Union to access the oil and gas of Venezuela but the people of the Carribean, cannot access it at the 35 per cent discount offered by the people of Venezuela?”Ms. Mottley asked.

“Impossible that we should always have to bear the cost of an additional 4 per cent in my country”, she said, simply because the rules are allowed for one but not the other.

Corporate Taxes

Touching on the issue of corporate tax, the Barbados Prime Minister noted that World leaders do not approach the issue with fairness.

“We know how to run fast in one set of circumstances when it suits one set of people but yet we run very slow when it matters to billions of people and their access to livelihood,” she said.

“We cannot continue to put the interest of the few before the lives of many,” the Carribean leader added.

Climate action

Ms. Mottley said the fight against climate change is far from over, adding that the climate change is as much of a crisis as the war in Ukraine and the ongoing conflict in Africa.

“We are committed to resume the battle of saving people and the planet,” she said. According to her reform is critical at this point, and what matters is what each country does to address the global issue.

Attributing a quote to Nelson Mandela, Ms. Mottley concluded: “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision is merely passing time. But vision with action can change the world.” The best leaders not only create their vision, but also inspire others toward action.”

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Haitian Prime Minister calls for urgent deployment of multinational force to quash gang violence — Global Issues

Armed groups control areas of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and some towns, blocking roads, driving citizens from their homes, and forcing the closure of schools, hospitals and businesses.

Lives in danger

The “non-exhaustive” list of violations and crimes they have committed includes massacres, kidnappings, pillaging, sexual violence, human trafficking and child recruitment, he said.

Insecurity has reached a critical point in recent weeks, sparking a new humanitarian crisis, with more than 16,500 displaced people “spontaneously occupying” more than 25 schools in the capital.

“The daily life of the people of Haiti is very difficult,” said Mr. Henry, speaking through an interpreter.

“That is why the Security Council, which has the power and the necessary authority under Chapter Seven of the [UN] Charter, must take urgent action by authorizing the deployment of a multinational support mission to underpin security in Haiti.”

A critical first step

The proposed force would support the Haitian National Police to defeat the gangs and restore peace and order.

He hailed countries and organizations that have expressed commitment and solidarity, particularly Kenya, which has offered to lead the effort, and the regional bloc, CARICOM.

Mr. Henry said use of force is an initial first step to creating an environment for the State to function again.

However, he emphasized that social and economic development must also be addressed to find a solution to the extreme poverty at the heart of the many issues confronting Haiti.

Multiple challenges

The Caribbean nation, which shares territory with the Dominican Republic, has suffered major shocks in recent years, including three earthquakes, cyclones, and the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.

Since then, Mr. Henry has been serving as interim leader of Haiti, where roughly half the population lives below the poverty line and nearly five million people face food insecurity.

Social inequalities and the unequal distribution of resources have created a huge gap between the poor masses and the small minority that controls 90 per cent of all wealth in the country, he said. Meanwhile, extreme poverty and unemployment provide “fertile ground” for gang recruitment.

Mr. Henry called for Haitians at home and in the diaspora “to work hand-in-hand with the Government to combat the gangs, restore security, and, as true democrats, to seek power via the ballot box.”

He said despite the situation in the country, the interim government is determined to hold elections as soon as practically possible.

The Prime Minister also addressed the emerging crisis with the Dominican Republic, which has closed its borders with Haiti following a dispute over the construction of a canal on the Dajabón or Massacre River.

“I wish to state that the Republic of Haiti is not at war with anyone,” he said. “Haitians are a generous people who have always shown solidarity and who believe in dialogue and the ability to fairly share shared resources in full mutual respect.”

Full statement (in French) available here.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

US-Mexico border, ‘world’s deadliest’ overland migration route: IOM — Global Issues

Nearly half of the deaths on the border were linked to the hazardous crossing of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts.

“These alarming figures are a stark reminder of the need for decisive action by States,” said Michele Klein Solomon, IOM’s Regional Director for Central and North America and the Caribbean.

“Enhancing data collection is crucial. Ultimately, what is needed is for countries to act on the data to ensure safe, regular migration routes are accessible.”

Throughout the Americas, 1,457 migrant deaths and disappearances were recorded in 2022, the deadliest year on record, according to IOM.

Lack of proper data

However, these figures represent the “lowest estimates” available as many deaths were likely not recorded due to lack of data.

Other concerning trends in the Americas included an over 42 per cent increase in deaths on migration routes in the Caribbean last year and the continuing dramatic situation at the Darien Gap.

The especially dangerous jungle border crossing between Panama and Colombia saw 141 documented migrant deaths in 2022.

The UN agency revealed that according to its surveys of people who attempted that crossing, one in 25 reported that someone they were traveling with had gone missing.

‘Profound’ impact on families

“The fact that we know so little about migrants who disappear in the Americas is a grim reality,” said Marcelo Pisani, IOM Regional Director for South America.

“The impacts on the families left behind to search endlessly for a lost loved one are profound.”

Agencies, including IOM and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) have been advocating for a “collaborative, comprehensive and regional approach” in responding to humanitarian and protection needs of people on the move across the whole region.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Record numbers risking lives to cross dangerous Darien Gap — Global Issues

So far this year, more than 330,000 people have crossed the Darien Gap on their journey towards North America – the highest annual figure recorded to date, OHCHR said. One in five was a child.

Risk of sexual violence

During the crossing, migrants and refugees are exposed to multiple human rights violations and abuses, including sexual violence – “a particular risk for children, women, LGBTI people and people with disabilities”, said OHCHR spokesperson Marta Hurtado.

She added that there were also murders, disappearances, trafficking, robbery, and intimidation by organised crime groups.

10-day journey

Ms. Hurtado pointed out that traveling on foot through the 575,000-hectare jungle was already perilous in itself, and a four to seven-day walk across the Darien Gap in the dry season could turn into a 10-day trip during the nine month-long rainy season.

The harrowing trek involves climbing steep mountains and crossing dangerous waterways.

Increased vulnerabilities

OHCHR highlighted “limited humanitarian attention” both in Panama and Costa Rica as a factor that worsened the precarious living conditions in the two countries and increased vulnerabilities.

Last month, the UN quoted figures from Panamanian authorities showing that those crossing the jungle came mainly from Venezuela (55 per cent), Haiti (14 per cent), and Ecuador (14 per cent).

Some are coming from Colombia and Peru and children of Haitian parents born in Chile and Brazil have been recorded too.

Others come from as far away as China, Afghanistan and Nepal.

Stretched capacity

With the support of the international community, the Government of Panama has built three migration centres to provide shelter, food, health care and water and sanitation for those on the move, OHCHR said. Two are located in Darien province and one at the border with Costa Rica.

However, capacity remains stretched. OHCHR warned that amid rising numbers of incoming refugees and migrants, providing protection and aid was increasingly challenging for the authorities.

Avoid anti-migrant narratives

Ms. Hurtado said her office recognised the efforts being made by Costa Rica and Panama to meet humanitarian needs.

OHCHR called on the international community to strengthen its support to the States in the Americas to close protection gaps and to help address the structural factors forcing people to leave their homes.

Back in August, the UN migration agency (IOM) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) also urged a “collaborative, comprehensive and regional approach” in responding to humanitarian and protection needs of people on the move across the whole Latin America and Caribbean region.

Advocating for human rights-based solutions to migration governance challenges, OHCHR warned against “discriminatory, anti-migrant narratives” targeting vulnerable people on the move.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

UN expert urges international support for The Bahamas amid climate crisis — Global Issues

“The Bahamas needs long-term financial planning to address its climate vulnerability and economic dependence on tourism,” said Attiya Waris, the UN Independent Expert on foreign debt, international financial obligations and human rights, in a statement at the end of a 10-day visit to the country.

Financial aid challenges

Ms. Waris noted that The Bahamas’ status as a high-income country hinders its ability to secure loans from international financial institutions and access development aid.

“The reality is that they should be supported by the international community, including international financial institutions and development banks,” she said.

Mr. Waris called upon both The Bahamas and the global community to adopt an alternative comparative indicator instead of relying solely on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita.

This recommendation stems from recognizing that the nation faces distinctive challenges, such as a high cost of living and an ongoing vulnerability to catastrophic climate-related disasters, which demand a greater allocation of resources than many other states.

Tourism and disaster costs

She highlighted The Bahamas’ strong reliance on tourism as a cornerstone of its economy.

Over the last decade, the nation has endured five major hurricanes, with Hurricane Dorian in 2019 being the most recent. This devastating event resulted in a staggering $3.4 billion in damages, equating to almost a quarter of the country’s GDP.

“The impact of Hurricane Dorian, COVID-19 and the decline in tourism was devastating for both the population and the country’s economy,” the expert said.

“The country is still repaying the debt incurred for reconstruction and will continue to do so for many years to come.”

Economic diversity needed

She encouraged the Government to prioritize comprehensive, long-term economic planning that takes into account the impacts of climate change.

Additionally, she suggested exploring options to reduce the country’s heavy reliance on tourism, enhance food security, and harness local innovation as means to diversify the economy.

These suggestions will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2024.

“The collective responsibility of the international community towards climate change and its consequences should not be forgotten,” Ms. Waris said.

UN independent experts are appointed by the Human Rights Council to monitor specific country situations or thematic issues.

They serve in their individual capacity and are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

‘Carnage needs to stop’ says UN relief chief — Global Issues

The desperate situation prompted a tweet on Friday from Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths calling for an immediate end to the fighting.

“This carnage needs to stop” said the UN relief chief.

Major escalation

In the past two weeks alone, 71 people have been killed and injured in capital Port-au-Prince, marking a major escalation, according to UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, which Mr. Griffiths heads.

“Entire families, including children, were executed while others were burned alive. This upsurge in violence has caused unspeakable continued suffering of Haitians,” Philippe Branchat, acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the country said in a news release on Thursday.

So far this year, gang violence in the Caribbean country has claimed more than 2,500 lives, with over 1,000 injured.

At least 970 Haitians have been kidnapped, and 10,000 forcibly displaced from their homes.

The latest wave of violence has also resulted in the forced displacement of over ten thousand people who have sought refuge in spontaneous camps and host families.

Brazen human rights violations

Also on Thursday, the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) issued a report outlining the dire human rights situation there, including brutal killings and lynchings.

The report noted that frustrated by lack of security and functioning government, residents armed with machetes, rocks, and fuel cans have resorted to brutal measures to prevent gang members and anyone associated with them from entering their neighbourhoods.

Between April and June, nearly 240 alleged gang members were killed by these self-proclaimed “self-defence groups.”

“While some killings appeared to be spontaneous, others were encouraged, supported, or facilitated by high-ranking police officers and gang members belonging to the G-9 and allies,” the report said.

The report also documented horrifying instances of sexual violence, including collective rape and mutilation, perpetrated by gangs to spread fear, punish rivals, and target women and girls under their territorial control.

BINUH expressed concern about the forced recruitment of children by gangs and the severe mental and psychological toll the violence is exacting on the population.

The office reiterated its call to the international community to deploy a specialized international force to address the crisis.

Massive humanitarian needs

According OCHA, nearly half of Haiti’s population needs humanitarian and food assistance.

Despite access challenges due to insecurity, humanitarian partners are reaching the displaced people with immediate aid such as food, water, shelter, sanitation, health, and psychosocial support, particularly for victims of sexual violence.

“The people in Haiti cannot continue to live trapped in their homes, unable to feed their families, find work and live in dignity,” OCHA said.

The relief agency added that humanitarians are committed to stand with the people in Haiti and assist in providing immediate assistance to alleviate human suffering.



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Rights experts ‘outraged’ over attacks on women activists — Global Issues

“We are outraged that those searching for forcibly disappeared family members and loved ones continue to be targeted and face violence in Mexico,” they said in a statement, issued in the wake of two recent incidents.

Brutal killing

Human rights defender Teresa Magueyal was shot dead while riding her bicycle in Celaya, Guanajuato state, on 2 May. Her son, José Luis Apaseo Magueyal, 34, disappeared three years ago.

Ms. Magueyal was part of a group formed by families of people who have disappeared and was the sixth volunteer to be killed since 2021, according to media reports.

Two months earlier, Araceli Rodríguez Nava, who is in a tireless search for her disappeared son, was attacked in Chilpancingo, capital of Guerrero state. The incident took place on 4 March.

Both women were beneficiaries of the federal protection mechanism for human rights defenders and journalists, the UN experts said. Although their cases remain under investigation, information about its effectiveness has been scarce.

Ensure freedom and safety

The UN experts urged the Mexican authorities to ensure human rights defenders working on enforced disappearances can operate freely and safely.

They said enforced disappearances and attacks targeting these activists are linked to the presence of organised crime groups, extortion, human trafficking, kidnapping networks, corruption and collusion with authorities.

Furthermore, operating in a constant environment of fear, threat and insecurity has an intimidating effect on relatives of the victims, civil society, human rights defenders, and organisations.

Investigate and prosecute

They added that many of the rights defenders are women and older persons, increasing their risk of being targeted.

“It is extremely worrying that impunity for crimes against human rights defenders and activists continues despite complaints being filed. Prevention measures and protection for victims and targets of the attacks are either not provided, or not effective,” they said.

“The Government of Mexico needs to promptly investigate, prosecute, and impose appropriate sanctions on any person responsible for the alleged violations”.

Adopt all measures

As their statement was issued on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the UN expert surged the Mexican Government “to adopt all necessary measures to prevent irreparable damage to the life and personal integrity of those searching for the forcibly disappeared, their family members, civil society movements, organisations and public servants.”

They noted that a presidential campaign called De Frente a la Libertadis underway in Mexico that is giving greater visibility to the risks faced by journalists and human rights activists in the country.

They said it was time for authorities to take effective measures to protect human rights defenders searching for truth and justice.

About UN rights experts

The statement was issued by Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, and Claudia Mahler, Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons.

It was endorsed by a UN Working Group and Committee whose mandates cover enforced or involuntary disappearances.

The experts were appointed by the UN Human Rights Council and work on a voluntary basis.

They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Exit mobile version