Fwd: Urgent Action 201/11 - Mass Kidnapping of Migrants in Mexico
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Amnesty York PA
Jun 27, 2011, 10:57:15 PM6/27/11
to Bryan Sheaffer
Please act right now! These people's lives are in imminent danger!
Kathleen
Kathleen
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Urgent Action Network <u...@aiusa.org>
Date: Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Subject: Urgent Action 201/11 - Mass Kidnapping of Migrants in Mexico
To: Kathleen Lucas <Amnest...@comcast.net>
URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA
To learn about recent Urgent Action successes and updates, go to
http://www.amnestyusa.org/iar/success
----------------------------------
For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa20111.pdf
27 June 2011
UA 201/11 - Abduction/Fear for safety
MEXICO Over two hundred irregular migrants
A mass kidnapping of irregular migrants travelling on a freight train between Oaxaca and Veracruz states, Mexico, took place on 24 June. The whereabouts of many of the men, women and children who were travelling on the train is unknown. Their lives are at risk.
On 24 June, a freight train carrying over two hundred irregular migrants on its roof left the town of Ciudad Ixtepec, Oaxaca state for the town of Medias Aguas, Veracruz state. Many of the migrants travelling on the train had stayed at "Brothers of the Road" ("Hermanos en el Camino") migrants' shelter, run by migrants right defender Father Alejandro Solalinde Guerra, before leaving for Veracruz state on route to Mexico's northern border with the USA. Several children were travelling on the train.
According to eyewitnesses, as the train was approaching Medias Aguas, the train driver stopped the train in an isolated area where three pickup trucks were parked. Once the train was stationary, at least ten armed men got out of the vehicles and began to round up the migrants shouting "get off the train son of a bitches, hurry up and get inside the pickups" ("bajense hijos de su puta madre, bajense rapido y subanse a las camionetas"). Some of the migrants managed to escape but many were forced into the vehicles at gun point and driven away.
Several witnesses of the kidnapping who were able to escape returned to "Brothers of the Road" ("Hermanos en el Camino") migrants' shelter following the attack. According to these witnesses, there were women and children amongst those kidnapped. Some of the witnesses of the kidnap have filed a complaint with the authorities.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Hundreds of thousands of irregular migrants (those without official travel documents) attempt to travel through Mexico from Central and South America every year to reach the USA. Many are detained by the Mexican migration authorities and returned to their countries of origin. Amnesty International recently visited Mexico to investigate reports of human rights violations against these people. During the visit, Amnesty International found that many had been kidnapped by gangs, sometimes with the complicity of local officials. Impunity for abuses against migrants, who are extremely vulnerable, has allowed these abuses to increase, despite government commitments to ensure respect of migrants' rights.
According to a report launched by Mexico's National Human Rights Commission, over a six month period in 2010 over 11,000 irregular migrants were kidnapped in Mexico.
Amnesty International recently made a film documenting the plight of Central American migrant travelling through Mexico, you can watch it and take action here: www.youtube.com/invisiblesfilms
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- Urge the authorities to immediately investigate the mass kidnapping of irregular migrants, establish their whereabouts and ensure their safety, and bring those responsible to justice, including any public officials found to be acting in complicity with criminal gangs;
- Call on the authorities to provide the migrants who witnessed the kidnap with protection and temporary visas, so they can testify against those responsible without fear of reprisals or repatriation;
- Call on the Interior Minister to lead the implementation of an action plan to protect the rights of migrants in transit including the effective investigation and prosecution of those responsible for abuses, protection of migrants at risk and collection and publication of nationwide data on abuses.
APPEALS TO:
Minister of the Interior
Lic. Jose Francisco Blake Mora
Secretario de Gobernacion
Bucareli 99, 1er. Piso, Col. Juarez
Delegacion Cuauhtemoc
Mexico DF, CP 06600
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 50933414 ext. 32356
Salutation: Senor Ministro/Dear Minister
Attorney General of the Republic
Marisela Morales Ibanez
Procuradora General de Justicia de la Republica,
Av. Paseo de la reforma 211 -- 213,
Col. Cuauhtemoc, Del. Cuauhtemoc,
Mexico D.F.
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 555 346 0908
Email: mmor...@pgr.gob.mx
Salutation: Dear Attorney General
Governor of Veracruz
Lic. Javier Duarte de Ochoa
Palacio de Gobierno
Av. Enriquez S/N, Col Centro,
CP 91000, Xalapa, Veracruz
MEXICO
Email: javier...@veracruz.gob.mx
COPIES TO:
Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana
Embassy of Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington DC 20006
Fax: 1 202 728 1698
Email: mexe...@sre.gob.mx
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 8 August 2011.
----------------------------------
Tip of the Month:
Write as soon as you can. Try to write as close as possible
to the date a case is issued.
** POSTAGE RATES **
Within the United States:
$0.29 - Postcards
$0.44 - Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Canada:
$0.80 - Postcards
$0.80 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Mexico:
$0.80 - Postcards
$0.80 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To all other destination countries:
$0.98 - Postcards
$0.98 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights.
This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you for your help with this appeal.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: u...@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/uan
Phone: 202.509.8193
Fax: 202.675.8566
----------------------------------
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
----------------------------------
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From: Urgent Action Network <u...@aiusa.org>
Date: Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 7:57 PM
Subject: Urgent Action 201/11 - Mass Kidnapping of Migrants in Mexico
To: Kathleen Lucas <Amnest...@comcast.net>
URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA
To learn about recent Urgent Action successes and updates, go to
http://www.amnestyusa.org/iar/success
----------------------------------
For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa20111.pdf
27 June 2011
UA 201/11 - Abduction/Fear for safety
MEXICO Over two hundred irregular migrants
A mass kidnapping of irregular migrants travelling on a freight train between Oaxaca and Veracruz states, Mexico, took place on 24 June. The whereabouts of many of the men, women and children who were travelling on the train is unknown. Their lives are at risk.
On 24 June, a freight train carrying over two hundred irregular migrants on its roof left the town of Ciudad Ixtepec, Oaxaca state for the town of Medias Aguas, Veracruz state. Many of the migrants travelling on the train had stayed at "Brothers of the Road" ("Hermanos en el Camino") migrants' shelter, run by migrants right defender Father Alejandro Solalinde Guerra, before leaving for Veracruz state on route to Mexico's northern border with the USA. Several children were travelling on the train.
According to eyewitnesses, as the train was approaching Medias Aguas, the train driver stopped the train in an isolated area where three pickup trucks were parked. Once the train was stationary, at least ten armed men got out of the vehicles and began to round up the migrants shouting "get off the train son of a bitches, hurry up and get inside the pickups" ("bajense hijos de su puta madre, bajense rapido y subanse a las camionetas"). Some of the migrants managed to escape but many were forced into the vehicles at gun point and driven away.
Several witnesses of the kidnapping who were able to escape returned to "Brothers of the Road" ("Hermanos en el Camino") migrants' shelter following the attack. According to these witnesses, there were women and children amongst those kidnapped. Some of the witnesses of the kidnap have filed a complaint with the authorities.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Hundreds of thousands of irregular migrants (those without official travel documents) attempt to travel through Mexico from Central and South America every year to reach the USA. Many are detained by the Mexican migration authorities and returned to their countries of origin. Amnesty International recently visited Mexico to investigate reports of human rights violations against these people. During the visit, Amnesty International found that many had been kidnapped by gangs, sometimes with the complicity of local officials. Impunity for abuses against migrants, who are extremely vulnerable, has allowed these abuses to increase, despite government commitments to ensure respect of migrants' rights.
According to a report launched by Mexico's National Human Rights Commission, over a six month period in 2010 over 11,000 irregular migrants were kidnapped in Mexico.
Amnesty International recently made a film documenting the plight of Central American migrant travelling through Mexico, you can watch it and take action here: www.youtube.com/invisiblesfilms
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- Urge the authorities to immediately investigate the mass kidnapping of irregular migrants, establish their whereabouts and ensure their safety, and bring those responsible to justice, including any public officials found to be acting in complicity with criminal gangs;
- Call on the authorities to provide the migrants who witnessed the kidnap with protection and temporary visas, so they can testify against those responsible without fear of reprisals or repatriation;
- Call on the Interior Minister to lead the implementation of an action plan to protect the rights of migrants in transit including the effective investigation and prosecution of those responsible for abuses, protection of migrants at risk and collection and publication of nationwide data on abuses.
APPEALS TO:
Minister of the Interior
Lic. Jose Francisco Blake Mora
Secretario de Gobernacion
Bucareli 99, 1er. Piso, Col. Juarez
Delegacion Cuauhtemoc
Mexico DF, CP 06600
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 55 50933414 ext. 32356
Salutation: Senor Ministro/Dear Minister
Attorney General of the Republic
Marisela Morales Ibanez
Procuradora General de Justicia de la Republica,
Av. Paseo de la reforma 211 -- 213,
Col. Cuauhtemoc, Del. Cuauhtemoc,
Mexico D.F.
MEXICO
Fax: 011 52 555 346 0908
Email: mmor...@pgr.gob.mx
Salutation: Dear Attorney General
Governor of Veracruz
Lic. Javier Duarte de Ochoa
Palacio de Gobierno
Av. Enriquez S/N, Col Centro,
CP 91000, Xalapa, Veracruz
MEXICO
Email: javier...@veracruz.gob.mx
COPIES TO:
Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan Casamitjana
Embassy of Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington DC 20006
Fax: 1 202 728 1698
Email: mexe...@sre.gob.mx
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 8 August 2011.
----------------------------------
Tip of the Month:
Write as soon as you can. Try to write as close as possible
to the date a case is issued.
** POSTAGE RATES **
Within the United States:
$0.29 - Postcards
$0.44 - Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Canada:
$0.80 - Postcards
$0.80 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Mexico:
$0.80 - Postcards
$0.80 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To all other destination countries:
$0.98 - Postcards
$0.98 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights.
This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you for your help with this appeal.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: u...@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/uan
Phone: 202.509.8193
Fax: 202.675.8566
----------------------------------
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
----------------------------------
You are receiving this email because you registered to participate in the Urgent Action Network. If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, reply to this email (please keep the full text) and write 'unsubscribe' in the subject heading.
To remove yourself from this mailing, please go to http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=mjKXJaPRLpIULdK&s=4nIFISOmFaIOJQMnHmH&m=egITIXNBKgJJK5J
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