UN human rights chief calls for urgent measures in wake of latest Mexico killings

GENEVA -- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday strongly condemned the killing of 72 migrants in the North of Mexico. “I am deeply shocked about these killings, which highlight the critical situation of migrants in the country,” she said.

According to government reports, on 24 August the Mexican Navy discovered a site which contained 72 corpses, including 14 women, who had apparently been executed by members of organized crime.  The victims were reported to be undocumented migrants from Central and South America.    

Last year, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants indicated that an estimated 400,000 migrants transit through Mexico each year, most of them victims of trafficking by transnational gang networks also involved in smuggling and drugs. Many never reach their destination. In a recent public hearing the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights was informed that the number of kidnappings of migrants in transit through Mexico has neared 18,000 during 2009, mostly for extortion purposes. The majority of them are women, girls and boys.

 “I recognize the Government of Mexico has made strong efforts to curb the growing climate of violence," Pillay said. "Nevertheless, due to the dire circumstances I call on the authorities to undertake all necessary steps to protect the life and integrity of migrants, in particular women and children, in line with Mexico’s international obligations.”

The High Commissioner also called on the authorities "to conduct as a matter of urgency a thorough, transparent and independent investigation into these killings, and to preserve the dignity of the victims by ensuring their identification and return to their families." She also urged them to prosecute and punish those responsible and adopt preventive measures. "Ensuring that there is no impunity is crucial to avoid a repetition of such a heinous crime,"  she said.