Mexico
29.05.02
Urgent Interventions
Mexico: two migrant children killed and three adults wounded by security guard
Case MEX 290502.CC/MEX 290502
Child Concern
Attacks / Extra-judicial killings
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Mexico.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Casa Alianza, a member of the OMCT network, that 16-year old Delmer Alexander Pacheco Barahona and 16-year old David - also known as “El Moreno” - were extra-judicially executed, and three adults, 38-year old Jesus Juventino Andino Arguijo from Honduras and 21-year old Jose Rodolfo Rivas Ramirez and 24-year old David Dominguez Vazquez from El Salvador were severely wounded by gun shots on May 24th, 2002, in northern Mexico.
According to the information received, on the night of the May 23rd, 2002, 20 Central American immigrants jumped on a train in San Luis Potosi heading for Saltillo. When the train stopped in La Esperanza, a security guard at the station, working for “Eulen Seguridad Privada SA de CV” which provides scurity for the railway company, discovered the immigrants and threatened them at gun-point to get off the train, at which point the group reportedly ran and dispersed.
According to the report, seven of the immigrants, including the five mentioned above and 20-year old Luis Anotonio Pacheco Barahone (brother of one of the deceased) and Amilcar Efrain Rodriguez Rivas, reportedly travelled into La Esperanza, where they knew of a woman named Mary who would provide them with food and shelter. Ironically, the security guard reportedly later picked them up and gave them a ride to Mary’s house. However by the time they arrived at Mary’s house it was too late and the group decided to spend the night outside in an empty lot. At 5am on 24th May, Jose Rodolfo Rivas Ramirez reportedly glimpsed sight of a “military like figure,” who approached them “like a madman” and pulled out a semi automatic weapon. He reportedly asked, “Do you remember me?” and then opened fire. 16-year old Delmer Alexander Pacheco Barahona and his16-year old friend David “El Moreno” were killed in the shooting. Delmer was shot three times in the back and once in the head, while David received four bullets in his back. Their companions, Jose Rodolfo Rivas Ramirez, Jesus Juventino Andino Arguijo and David Dominguez Vazquez also suffered serious injuries in the shooting and are now in the University Hospital in Saltillo.
According to the information received, the Eulen security firm has previously received complaints concerning their treatment of immigrants. Public Prosecutor Rafael Martinez de la Rosa is currently handling the case and so far twelve men have been questioned by the police, but the police have reported not having any concrete leads.
While the International Secretariat of OMCT welcomes an investigation into the aforementioned case, it fears that, given the results so far, that the perpetrator(s) of this crime will not be brought to justice. OMCT also calls upon the authorities to ensure that the persons wounded during these events receive adequate medical assistance and that the bodies of the deceased children be returned to their families. Furthermore, OMCT is gravely concerned about the situation of immigrants, notably children that are travelling through Mexico to the United States and Canada, as many of them are reportedly not offered adequate protection and often end up living on the streets and being physically and sexually abused or even killed, as in this case, during their travels.
Action requested :
Please write to the authorities in Mexico urging them to:
i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the reports of these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. guarantee adequate reparation the families of Delmer Alexander Pacheco Barahona and David alias “El Moreno” and to Jose Rodolfo Rivas Ramirez, Jesus Juventino Andino Arguijo, and David Dominguez Vazquez;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards - notably the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in this case.
Addresses :
· Doctor Vicente Fox Quezada, Presidente de la Republica Mexicana, Mexico Distrito Federal, Fax: +525 522 20 00, Email: radio@presidencia.gob.mx
· Dr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Palacio National, Patio de Honor, Piso 1, Col. Centro, 06067 Mexico / DF Mexico, Fax: +525 277 23 76, 525 395 67 90, 525 271 17 74, Email: webadmon@oppresidencia.gob.mx, secpar@presidencia.gob.mx
· Lic. Jorge Madrazo Cuellar, Procurador General de la Republica, Av.Reforma, esq. Violeta, Col Guerrero Mexico DF, CP 06300 Mexico / DF Mexico, Fax: +525 626 44 26, Email : ofproc@pgr.gob.mx
· Dr. José Luis Sobenares Fernandez, Presidente de la Comision Nacional de Derechos Humanos, Periféco Sur 3469, Col. San Jeronimo Lidice, CP 10200 Mexico / Df Mexico, Fax: + 525 681 71 99, 525 681 92 39
· Lic. Juan Alarcon Hernandez, Presidente Comision de Derechos Humanos de Guerrero, Av. Juarez, Esq. Galo Soberon y Parra, Centro, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, Mexico, Fax : +52 174 712 190, coddehum@prodigy.net.mx
· Emb. Mariclaire Acosta Urquidi, Embajadora Especial de Derechos Humanos y Democracia, Fax : +52 5327 30 45, Email : macosta@sre.gob.mx
Please also write to the embassies of Mexico in your respective country.
Geneva, May 29th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Child Concern
Attacks / Extra-judicial killings
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Mexico.
New information
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Casa Alianza, a member of the OMCT network, that 16-year old Delmer Alexander Pacheco Barahona and 16-year old David - also known as “El Moreno” - were extra-judicially executed, and three adults, 38-year old Jesus Juventino Andino Arguijo from Honduras and 21-year old Jose Rodolfo Rivas Ramirez and 24-year old David Dominguez Vazquez from El Salvador were severely wounded by gun shots on May 24th, 2002, in northern Mexico.
According to the information received, on the night of the May 23rd, 2002, 20 Central American immigrants jumped on a train in San Luis Potosi heading for Saltillo. When the train stopped in La Esperanza, a security guard at the station, working for “Eulen Seguridad Privada SA de CV” which provides scurity for the railway company, discovered the immigrants and threatened them at gun-point to get off the train, at which point the group reportedly ran and dispersed.
According to the report, seven of the immigrants, including the five mentioned above and 20-year old Luis Anotonio Pacheco Barahone (brother of one of the deceased) and Amilcar Efrain Rodriguez Rivas, reportedly travelled into La Esperanza, where they knew of a woman named Mary who would provide them with food and shelter. Ironically, the security guard reportedly later picked them up and gave them a ride to Mary’s house. However by the time they arrived at Mary’s house it was too late and the group decided to spend the night outside in an empty lot. At 5am on 24th May, Jose Rodolfo Rivas Ramirez reportedly glimpsed sight of a “military like figure,” who approached them “like a madman” and pulled out a semi automatic weapon. He reportedly asked, “Do you remember me?” and then opened fire. 16-year old Delmer Alexander Pacheco Barahona and his16-year old friend David “El Moreno” were killed in the shooting. Delmer was shot three times in the back and once in the head, while David received four bullets in his back. Their companions, Jose Rodolfo Rivas Ramirez, Jesus Juventino Andino Arguijo and David Dominguez Vazquez also suffered serious injuries in the shooting and are now in the University Hospital in Saltillo.
According to the information received, the Eulen security firm has previously received complaints concerning their treatment of immigrants. Public Prosecutor Rafael Martinez de la Rosa is currently handling the case and so far twelve men have been questioned by the police, but the police have reported not having any concrete leads.
While the International Secretariat of OMCT welcomes an investigation into the aforementioned case, it fears that, given the results so far, that the perpetrator(s) of this crime will not be brought to justice. OMCT also calls upon the authorities to ensure that the persons wounded during these events receive adequate medical assistance and that the bodies of the deceased children be returned to their families. Furthermore, OMCT is gravely concerned about the situation of immigrants, notably children that are travelling through Mexico to the United States and Canada, as many of them are reportedly not offered adequate protection and often end up living on the streets and being physically and sexually abused or even killed, as in this case, during their travels.
Action requested :
Please write to the authorities in Mexico urging them to:
i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the reports of these events, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. guarantee adequate reparation the families of Delmer Alexander Pacheco Barahona and David alias “El Moreno” and to Jose Rodolfo Rivas Ramirez, Jesus Juventino Andino Arguijo, and David Dominguez Vazquez;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards - notably the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in this case.
Addresses :
· Doctor Vicente Fox Quezada, Presidente de la Republica Mexicana, Mexico Distrito Federal, Fax: +525 522 20 00, Email: radio@presidencia.gob.mx
· Dr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, Presidente de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Palacio National, Patio de Honor, Piso 1, Col. Centro, 06067 Mexico / DF Mexico, Fax: +525 277 23 76, 525 395 67 90, 525 271 17 74, Email: webadmon@oppresidencia.gob.mx, secpar@presidencia.gob.mx
· Lic. Jorge Madrazo Cuellar, Procurador General de la Republica, Av.Reforma, esq. Violeta, Col Guerrero Mexico DF, CP 06300 Mexico / DF Mexico, Fax: +525 626 44 26, Email : ofproc@pgr.gob.mx
· Dr. José Luis Sobenares Fernandez, Presidente de la Comision Nacional de Derechos Humanos, Periféco Sur 3469, Col. San Jeronimo Lidice, CP 10200 Mexico / Df Mexico, Fax: + 525 681 71 99, 525 681 92 39
· Lic. Juan Alarcon Hernandez, Presidente Comision de Derechos Humanos de Guerrero, Av. Juarez, Esq. Galo Soberon y Parra, Centro, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, Mexico, Fax : +52 174 712 190, coddehum@prodigy.net.mx
· Emb. Mariclaire Acosta Urquidi, Embajadora Especial de Derechos Humanos y Democracia, Fax : +52 5327 30 45, Email : macosta@sre.gob.mx
Please also write to the embassies of Mexico in your respective country.
Geneva, May 29th, 2002
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.