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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | March 2008 
Mexico Probes Alleged Abuse Near Border
 BYLINE
| | Members of the Mexican Army's Special Forces hold their helmets during a helicopter training exercise on the outskirts of Mexico City, Saturday, March 1, 2008. (AP/Gregory Bull) | | |
Mexico City — Mexico's army is investigating allegations that soldiers performed degrading searches, made arbitrary arrests and stole private property south of the Texas border, the government said Sunday.
"We reiterate the army's and air force's commitment to unconditionally respect human rights and our firm intention to make our actions transparent," the Defense Department said in a statement.
The allegations were brought last week before the National Human Rights Commission, which has not issued a finding on the cases in the border state of Tamaulipas but urged the military on Saturday to respect human rights.
President Felipe Calderon has used the military to battle drug trafficking, sending more than 24,000 soldiers and federal agents into drug strongholds across the country, including Tamaulipas. But human rights groups have said using troops to combat crime for long periods of time is inappropriate and can be dangerous.
In Sunday's statement, the Defense Department said soldiers have seized more than 13 tons of cocaine, nearly 3,000 guns and about 800 suspects in Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon states since Calderon took office in December 2006.
Mexico Asks Army to Respect Citizens Near Border
Associated Press
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Mexico City — Mexico's human rights commission said it had asked the army to protect constitutional rights south of the border with Texas after complaints of violence and mistreatment.
The complaints, filed earlier this week, allege soldiers treated residents of the border state of Tamaulipas in a "cruel and/or degrading" manner during searches, arbitrarily detained people and stole private property, according to a statement from the National Human Rights Commission.
The commission called on Mexico's Defense Department to follow the nation's laws by respecting citizens' physical integrity and property. After making arrests, soldiers should turn suspects over to police rather than holding them in military custody, the statement said.
A defense spokeswoman who wasn't authorized to give her name said Saturday afternoon that the army had no statement to release.
Since taking office in December 2006, President Felipe Calderon has used the military to battle drug trafficking, sending more than 24,000 soldiers and federal agents into drug strongholds across the country, including Tamaulipas.
Last month, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour warned that using the army to combat domestic crime for long periods of time is inappropriate and can be dangerous.
But Calderon insists the increased military presence is only a stopgap measure until local police are better-trained and corrupt officers fired. He said federal agents and soldiers have helped to make enormous drug busts and arrest some 15,000 organized-crime suspects. |
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