Borderland Beat by DD
Javier Hernandez, representative of the U.N. Photo: EFE |
The representative of the U.N. Human Rights office in Mexico, has
said he holds the government responsible for the
disappearance of the 43 students from the Ayotzinapa teachers' school.
“There is no other way to explain it, when the authorities commit these
kinds of arbitrary acts, which are crimes, what we are looking at is a forced
disappearance. There is no other name for it,” said Javier Hernandez.
The commissioner also criticized the federal
attorney general, Jesus Murillo, for failing to recognize
that the state was behind the violent incidents and asserting it was an
isolated case
The young men ... were attacked, captured by public servants, and that distinction is fundamental in order to determine not only the state's responsibility … but also what kind of action and effort needs to be taken in the search,” said Hernandez after his visit to Ayotzinapa, Guerrero.
At about the same time that the
UN official was making his remarks the Attorney General of the Republic flatly rejected
the demands of the families of the 43
missing students to extend the search to a military base less than a mile from
where the students were kidnapped.
The attorney general said that
as the National Defense Department is “more concerned than anyone” with
finding the students, it would be “absurd” to think the students could be
hidden there. “We know they are not there,” he added.
AG Murillo does look a little consado (tired) |
His response came as journalist Marcela Turati asked him if the search
would include the grounds of the 27th Battalion of the National Defense
Department.
Turati also claims that it is not only the family members who believe
that the 27th Battalion should not be discounted in the search.
Several sources have mentioned the Battalion in relation to the missing
students, including the Bicameral Congressional Commission on National
Security, the second in command of the United Warriors gang accused
of disappearing the students, and the human rights center Tlachinollan, have
all raised questions about the complicity of Battalion 27.
In particular, the commission wants to know what the 27th Infantry
battalion, based less than one mile away from the scene of the massacre, did
that night. (within hearing range of the gunfire)
The 27th was one of several battalions of soldiers and marines deployed to
Iguala and other places during the first years of the war on drugs against drug
cartels and guerrilla groups, based on the belief that municipal and state
police forces were infiltrated by the drug cartels.
However, the activities of
the battalion have not been made clear and seem inexplicable
Those normalistas that managed to escape alive from the ordeal, initially
said that they suspected that some of the disappeared students were being held
in an Army base in Iguala (that of the 27th Infantry). The role of the
battalion has never been fully explained. Omar García, one of the surviving
students, had described how, after an initial attack by the Iguala police at
9:30 p.m. on September 26 that resulted in the execution of Aldo Gutirrez, a
student, the police then withdrew. Four hours later, at 1:30 a.m. on September
27, a second attack was launched on the students, this time by men dressed as
civilians and in unmarked cars; more than 200 rounds were fired. Two other students
and three bystanders were killed, several students were left wounded and 43
others were abducted
Students went knocking on doors for help for their wounded comrades and met
up with a military patrol that arrived within minutes of the second attack. After
stealing their cell phones, the soldiers threatened to arrest them for
trespassing. “You guys wanted to be big shots, now pull up your pants!” said
the soldiers as they were leaving, according to García.
When informed of the wounded students, the officer in charge offered to call
an ambulance (that never showed up). When on Sunday, October 28, relatives of
the missing students accompanied by human rights activists questioned Colonel
Rodriguez at the Army base, he denied having any of the students in custody. He
did admit that the Army had been aware of the attack on the students, and that
troops had been sent out to the scene, but that the Army had not participated
in the attack.
The role of the Army in Iguala now places a question mark over how much the federal government knew
about the Iguala and Colusa drug connections, when the news of the police assault reached federal authorities, and how involved the Peña Nieto administration was in planning and
executing the attacks of that night.
Those questions, “what did he know”, “when did he know it”, and “what
involvement did he have” are reminiscent of the questions asked about President
Nixon during the infamous Watergate Scandal that resulted in his resignation as
President.
The crime of burglary that started Watergate pales in significance compared
to the kidnapping and apparent murder of the 43 students from the Ayotzinga
teahers college, but the closing of
ranks by government officials and its failure to give answers after the Watergate scandal broke seems similar to
what is happening in Mexico today.
Maybe if we get answers about the Army’s role in the incidents in Iguala, we
might have answers to the “What, When and Why”.
As an aside, I think EPN did not help himself this week when after more than 2 months
since the students disappeared, he finally visited the state of Guerrero where
the kidnapping took place (though he did not visit Iguala). I can’t believe a politician who has risen to
the level he has would be so stupid as to tell the crowd gathered there that
maybe “it was time to get over the pain caused by the disappearances”. (how many more marches will that prompt)
Sources
You can bet that any group of military, police, or government was involved in this. Why would they not come if they heard the shooting. It is because they were involved. Here where I live, the military escorts the crops of Marijuana from the mountains and into the city where it is passed on to the next buyer. Not a guess or assumption as I know it for a fact.
ReplyDeleteCorruption. corruption is the name. no a tiny bit of ethics or morals.
DeleteThe mayors police was involved didn't you see the news reports!? and testimony from the people they saw them. yesterday som news reported that. that midget had an extra police force of about 100 "police" that wasn't registered with the mx-gob (unofficial). those "police" were more like thugs disguised as police officers just imagine that. and the dumb citizens believing they were real authority. what a crooked motha fcker.
. . . .
If a midget mayor can do that now imagine the fat pigs governors what can they not do with all that power that is giving to them. mexicans need to change their retarded system, like have more control over its gob. employees....
Im surprised the government hasn't said it was fake police that took the students away.That would have been a better coverup then what they have now.I remember in the 80s in TJ I bought a cops police badge off him fo r $10 for a souvenior for my RCMP brother and it wasn't hard to do,took 30 seconds.
DeleteWhy have an army there if they do nothing? It is because they are just there to collect money from organized crime which they are apart of.
ReplyDelete@8;06. You ask why have an army. It comes in handy in repressing and quashing social movements, protesters, and marches. An of course arresting up and coming potential leaders that could give the govt. a problem- think Dr. Mireles.
DeletePut this on facebook so I can share it
ReplyDeleteI congratulate for doing that. I do that from time to time. The original purpose of Borderland Beat was to inform English speaking people about was happening in Mexico because there was so little coverage especially in the US. That continues to be one our primary goals. Facebook is an excellent way to spread the word. Share articles with your friends.
DeletePeña Nieto wants the pain to be over. He's being honest in wanting this big mess to be over and is just trying to do anything to cover this up and move forward with more corruption! I don't see any sincerity in his words!
ReplyDeleteWhat dah hell?? UN workers aren't foreigns?? another mexican?? No jodan.. lol
ReplyDeleteWhat an insensitive remark by EPN.
ReplyDeleteIt's getting more interesting with every article on Iguala's 43 students !
ReplyDeleteBy the way, what about the mayor of the city ?
He was captured and what ? What did he say ?????
I know right...what did he reveal? They are keeping him quiet for a reason. Too many domino's will fall.
Delete3;57 You asked what the mayor of Iguala has said since his capture.
Delete"This is the brief conversation Process had with Mexican Attorney General Murillo Karam, who had previoulsy refused to give interviews to this news source. The Attorney General answered in this manner:
Q: What have you learned from the Abarcas' statements about the disappearance of the 43 normalistas?
A: They have not said anything. They've reserved their right not to speak.
DD. And you know Mexico always protects detainees rights. ha ha
Some more interesting comments he made to Proceso were printed on Forum today by Pepe;
(This is referring to reports that have existed on the rains the night of September 26 and the morning of 27 in the region, which would have made it impossible to burn the bodies of the students for 12 hours, as claimed by the version of the PGR).
A: The rain? Look around you. Rains are reported by the meteorological rainfall in the region. Reports show that there were "isolated showers." It may have rained on that hill over there. Nobody can tell me if it rained or didn't rained there, and no one has asked everyone.
Q: The locals there say, yes, it rained hard that night.
A: The locals? Forgive me, it's a place like here - they may be out there... But there's not a single house 10 miles from there, there's no one. Did you watch the video? There's nothing there. No one, not a single house around, no one. I did see cows. Skinny and loose cows.
Q: Did you talk to the people taking care of the cows?
A: There were none.
Q: But, yes, there are.
A: Bring them to me, and I'll take their statements. I'll ask that they testify.
Q: .... About the advances in the case of the young man who was skinned alive ...
A: OK. That's all. I've already answered your questions."
Just bullshit and runarounds by the escape artists
ReplyDeleteIn mexico they give you atole con el dedo, on the US they feed you bullshit and nazi tea.
ReplyDeleteHow is any corrupt government officer part of a corrupt regime, going to give any kind of half decent answer?
--Nasa is said to have captured images of a big fire in the guerrero area on the night of the disappearances, just in case somebody can try and get them...