MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on disappearance of 43 teaching students in Mexico
21.10.2014 - (2014/2905(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure
Cristian Dan Preda, Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio, Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Giovanni La Via, Ska Keller, Tunne Kelam, Francisco José Millán Mon, Dubravka Šuica, Petri Sarvamaa, Eduard Kukan, Jiří Pospíšil, Jarosław Leszek Wałęsa, Lara Comi, Michaela Šojdrová, Monica Luisa Macovei, Jeroen Lenaers, Andrej Plenković, Stanislav Polčák, David McAllister, Lorenzo Cesa, Tomáš Zdechovský, Philippe Juvin, Franck Proust, Pavel Svoboda, Jaromír Štětina, Massimiliano Salini, Francesc Gambús on behalf of the PPE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0161/2014
B8‑0161/2014
European Parliament resolution on disappearance of 43 teaching students in Mexico
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous resolutions on Mexico, in particular the one on 11 March 2010
- having regard to the Economic Partnership, Political Concertation and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Mexican States,
- having regard to its Recommendation to the Council of 12 March 2009 on an EU-Mexico Strategic Partnership,
- having regard to the Commission Communication to the Council and the European Parliament of 15 July 2008 entitled ‘Towards an EU-Mexico Strategic Partnership’ (COM(2008)0447),
- having regard to the Mexico-EU Strategic Partnership Joint Executive plan on 16 May 2010
- having regard to the declarations of the summits of heads of state and government of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean (EU-CELAC),
- having regard to the joint statement of 17 June 2012 by the VII Mexico-EU summit held in Los Cabos,
- having regard to the joint statement by the XII meeting of the EU-Mexico Joint Committee, held in Mexico City on 10-11 June 2013,
- having regard to Rule 135 of its Rules of Procedure,
A- whereas Mexico and the European Union share common values that find expression in our democratic, pluralist societies, defending fundamental freedoms, human rights, environmental protection and sustainable development, and the commitment to consolidating democracy, legal certainty, fighting poverty and equitable economic and social development;
B- whereas our democratic systems have a duty and obligation to safeguard the operation of the rule of law and respect for human rights, and whereas the enjoyment and full exercise of freedoms and the right to the integrity of the human person are thus one of the basic pillars of the rule of law;
C- whereas on the 26 September 2014, 6 people, among them 3 students, were shot dead during clashes between the police forces and protesting students and teachers from the Escuela Normal ("Normal School") of Ayotzinapa in Iguala, Guerrero state; whereas since then 43 students remain disappeared: whereas according to various sources those students were abducted by unidentified armed men linked to a drug cartel;
D- Whereas since that date, the National Security Commission has conducted search operations to find the disappeared students jointly with search brigades composed by Federal agents and parents of the missing students as well as operations have also been carried out by agents of the Attorney-General’s Office and the Military;
E- Whereas according to Mexican government 51 persons linked to the crimes have been arrested, most of them police agents from the municipalities of Iguala and Cocula; whereas on 14 October the Attorney General declared that after forensic analyses of 4 out of the 28 bodies found in clandestine graves near Iguala on 4 October 2014 do not correspond to those of the missing students; Whereas Mexican authorities have captured the suspected main leader of a criminal gang Guerreros Unidos (United Warriors) allegedly involved in the disappearance of the 43 students;
F- whereas the President of Mexico has instructed the Federal Government and his Security Cabinet to take immediate and conclusive measures; and has addressed his country fellows several times recognising the dimension and importance of the commotion created by these sorrowful and tragic events; whereas the Mexican Government recognizes the challenges is facing Mexico and has demonstrated a firm commitment to improving the security situation in the country, including an appreciable increase in the security forces‘ budget and reform of the public security institutions, with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement and the effectiveness of the legal system, thus making it possible to confront organised crime;
G- whereas the Mexican Government and main opposition parties has agreed in 2012 to a "Pact for Mexico" to address Mexico's key challenges, amongst others security and impunity;
H- whereas the Mexican government is cooperating with multilateral bodies as OAS informing about its actions for investigate the disappearances, punish those responsible, and protect the families of the missing students; whereas the UN has urged Mexico to "fully investigate, prosecute, and punish" all cases of extra-legal, arbitrary and summary executions;
I- whereas the EU Delegation, in agreement with Heads of Mission of the EU Member States in Mexico issued a statement on 12 October expressing its deepest concern over the crimes committed and calling for an impartial and exhaustive investigation;
J- whereas as a result there is a threat that violence spreads in the state of Guerrero; whereas hundreds of students and teachers are protesting for the safe return of the missing students; whereas the Government Buildings in Chilpancingo and some other official buildings in different municipalities of the state of Guerrero were also under the threat or have been attacked;
K- whereas the EU- Mexico Strategic Partnership includes enhanced cooperation on human rights, as both sides have confirmed their attachment to human rights and their willingness to cooperate closely towards the common goal of attaining the highest human rights standards;
L- whereas Mexico participates in all the regional and universal fora and has signed all the international agreements on human rights and fundamental freedoms, including combating violence against women; whereas, moreover, it promotes the law in favour of gender equality;
1. Strongly condemns the unacceptable events and crimes of Iguala and calls on the Mexican authorities to investigate all the crimes including the finding of 28 bodies in the clandestine graves; supports the relevant authorities in taking all necessary steps to identify, arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of such crimes and that those responsible be identified and prosecuted, without margin for impunity;
2. Takes note of the detentions that have taken place and express its concern for the apparent infiltration of organised crime into local entities;
3. Calls that the search operations carried out to find the disappeared students give promptly positive results in order to establish their whereabouts, ensure their physical and mental safety and bring those responsible to justice;
4. Welcomes the arrest warrants issued and investigation of the Mayor of Iguala and his municipality´s Secretary of Public Security due to their alleged involvement in these crimes;
5. Supports the Mexican Government and the National authorities in opening an impartial and exhaustive investigation, with the assistance of Argentinian and international experts, as requested by the civil society; welcomes the creation of monitoring committees in the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives related to the Iguala case;
6. Welcomes President Nieto's determination to investigate and clarify these events as well as to stop gang-related violence in Mexico; calls on the Mexican authorities to protect and assist the families of the victims and keep them informed about the ongoing investigations and efforts to apprehend the perpetrators;
7. Extends its sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims, and to the Mexican people, whom it encourages to continue to fight to defend democracy and the rule of law;
8. Supports the Mexican Government in its determination to combat organised drug trafficking, while voicing its deep concern at the increase in the violence due to drug trafficking and the sense of impunity displayed by the drugs cartels, in particular in the Mexican states lying close to the US border;
9. Condemns all forms of violence, in particular the violence and death threats to which activists engaged in promoting and defending human rights in Mexico as well as teachers and journalists are subjected, and supports and encourages the Mexican authorities in the efforts to provide legal and personal protection to such groups;
10. Underlines that Mexico is a strategic partner for the EU; encourages the Mexican Government to continue with its efforts to strengthen state institutions, and to consolidate the rule of law, with a view to tackling some of the structural problems that are at the root of the human rights violations; highlights, accordingly, the importance of an independent judiciary which stands as a guarantee of impartiality and resolute action to combat impunity;
11. Calls on the EU and its Member States, in their bilateral relations with Mexico, and on the European institutions to step up the support they provide for human rights through programmes and financial and technical resources; Reminds in that sense that the EU and Mexico maintain a regular High-level Dialogue on Human Rights and a High-Level Dialogue on Security and Justice; calls for these dialogues to explore possible cooperation between relevant EU and Mexican agencies, bilaterally and in a regional context; asks also to increase the budgetary resources allocated to cooperation in strengthening and reforming the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and prosecution services, with a view to prosecuting and punishing offenders, and to set up effective systems for protecting witnesses and victims and their families;
12. Welcomes the Mexican Government clear commitments for a continuous communication and full cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to clarify the facts, support the families and implement all precautionary measures;
13. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Member States, the Secretary-General of the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Eurolat Parliamentary Assembly and the President and Congress of Mexico.