AMLO: It took 10 years to ratify the UN on forced disappearances

Chivis Martinez Borderland Beat   Reforma

As of December 31, 2019, there were 61,637 missing persons according to the government of Mexico…. This obviously does not include economic migrants which according to human rights orgs vanish at the rate of apx 10k per year.  Missing people can remain on the tally forever if a body is not found, they stay “missing” never being counted as dead….

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador acknowledged that the ratification of the competence of the UN Committee against Forced Disappearances (CED, for its acronym in English) was in consultation for 10 years.

Yesterday, the Ministry of the Interior sent the President's statement to the Senate of the Republic so that the Upper House endorses the competence of the CED and can receive and examine particular cases on missing persons.

In the letter, López Obrador warns that the National Commission for the Search of Persons estimates that as of December 31, 2019, there were 61,637 missing persons.

"Given the magnitude of this crisis, the Mexican Government has made the search for people a priority, including all those whose whereabouts are unknown and are presumed missing as a result of any crime," says the President.

Remember that Mexico adhered to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, adopted on December 20, 2006 and in force in the Country since December 23, 2010.

"In 2010, on the eve of entry in force of the Convention began the process of consultations with the competent Mexican authorities, to determine the viability of recognizing the competence of the Committee, "acknowledges López Obrador.

"As a result of the internal evaluation carried out by the national authorities, in which the technical, operational, practical, financial and political implications were considered, it was determined that the Mexican State recognizes the competence of the Committee to receive and examine individual communications."

The ratification of the competence of the CED has been a demand of relatives of disappeared persons to which President Enrique Peña Nieto committed himself, but which he never carried out, now the Senate must confirm the recognition to the UN Committee.

"The recognition of the competence of the Committee will be a catalyst for the prevention, investigation and clarification of cases, at the same time, that it will contribute to promote a reconciliation based on truth, justice, punishment, reparation and the guarantee of non-repetition" , argues López Obrador.

In the letter, the President explains the procedure followed by the CED to hear particular cases, which will be admissible only when national instances of justice have been exhausted or reasonable time limits are exceeded.