Pubdate: Mon, 27 Sep 2010
Source: El Paso Times (TX)
Copyright: 2010 El Paso Times
Contact: http://www.elpasotimes.com/townhall/ci_14227323
Website: http://www.elpasotimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/829
Author: Ramon Bracamontes

REPORT: DELAY MERIDA INITIATIVE AID FOR MEXICO

Although Mexico has improved in addressing human rights complaints, 
the U.S. Department of State is recommending that a portion of the 
Merida Initiative money set aside to help Mexico in its war against 
the drug cartels be withheld until the country does more.

The State Department in a report to Congress two weeks ago 
recommended that 15 percent of the money scheduled to be released to 
help Mexico in the coming months be withheld. The amount to be 
withheld totals $26 million.

The same report also recommended that Congress release $36 million in 
Merida funds that were previously withheld because of human rights concerns.

Overall, the report says Mexico's security forces are more cognizant 
of their human rights obligations.

"The Government of Mexico needs to do more, however, to address 
concerns when it comes to transparency and impunity, especially with 
respect to the investigation and prosecution of human rights crimes 
alleged to have been committed by its security forces," the report states.

The 36-page report was given to Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye, chairman 
of the Appropriations Committee. Certification reports such as this 
one are done before any Merida money can be released by Congress.

The overall Merida Initiative agreement between the U.S. and Mexico 
states that up to 15 percent of the money scheduled to be given to 
Mexico to help it fight the drug cartels can be withheld if human 
rights complaints in Mexico are not being addressed.

Merida is a three-year program approved by the Bush administration 
that designates $1.6 billion to Mexico, Central America and the 
Caribbean. The majority of the money, $1.4 billion, is earmarked for 
Mexico and is doled out in phases. All of the money from 2009 was released.

Through Merida, the U.S. helps Mexico train, select and evaluates its 
law enforcement, while also helping Mexico reform its judicial and 
prison systems and improve technology, infrastructure development and 
border security.

Under the agreement, the U.S. was scheduled to release $175 million 
in September to help Mexico. Only $149 million were released.

The remaining 15 percent was withheld until the State Department 
drafts another report on human rights issues in Mexico.

The Sept. 2 report states that Mexico must continue to improve its 
transparency and accountability of the police forces. For example, 
the report states that 16 soldiers and three officers stationed in 
Sinaloa were reportedly drunk and using drugs when they opened fire 
on a vehicle carrying children.

The soldiers reportedly killed a woman and a 3-year-old girl. The 
U.S. report states they will be tried in military court, not a civilian court.

The report cites other cases in which soldiers used excessive force, 
including firing at unarmed civilians and beating a suspect to death.

University of Texas at El Paso political science professor Howard 
Campbell said Mexico continues to do a terrible job of protecting its 
citizens' human rights, and those of immigrants in the country.

Campbell is an expert on Mexican drug cartels and Mexico's efforts to 
fight them.

"Nothing has really changed," he said. "Including caveats to the 
Merida plan is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it is yet another 
example of American heavy-handedness vis-a-vis Mexico. On the other, 
if it results in improvements in the human rights situation that 
would be a good thing."

Last week, the Washington Office of Latin America and several Mexican 
human rights organizations sent a memo to Congress asking that Merida 
money be withheld because Mexico is not meeting its human rights requirements.

The human rights organizations said Mexico is lax in prosecuting 
military abuses and torture.

"While the State Department's report lists several actions that the 
Mexican government has undertaken to address torture, these measures 
have failed to curb its systematic use to obtain confessions," the 
memo from the Washington Office of Latin America to Congress states.

The Washington Office of Latin America promotes human rights, 
democracy and social and economic justice in Latin America.

The U.S. report also provides an update of how Mexico is doing in its 
fight against the cartels.

It states that approximately 28,000 individuals have died since 
Mexican President Felipe Calderon launched a war against the cartels. 
As of mid-August in this year, 7,500 have been killed throughout 
Mexico in the ongoing cartel war. Of those, 475 were police officers 
and 39 were military troops.

"The number of narco-related homicides is outpacing all previous 
years, reflecting intensified competition among drug trafficking 
organizations for control of border crossings and internal markets," 
the report states.

[sidebar]

Merida Initiative numbers in 2008, Congress approved the Merida 
Initiative, which allocates $1.4 billion to help Mexico in its fight 
against the cartels. So far, the money has helped Mexico:

- - Assign 40,000 to 45,000 military troops dedicated to counter-drug 
activities. - Train 8,968 Mexican officials. - Acquire 318 polygraph 
units worth 2.4 million. - Seize more than 90 tons of cocaine, as 
well as 6,500 tons of marijuana, more than 2 tons of 
methamphetamines, and more than 83,000 weapons.

Source: U.S. Department of State report.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom