Friday, November 21, 2014
Mexico Shootings
Discuss some of the broader implications of this weeks' protests over 43 missing students in Mexico.
In Canada our right to protest is the freedom of assembly.
What actions are the protesters taking? What have they achieved? What more are they trying to achieve? What challenges do the police fact in these scenarios? Are police merely trying to do their job? Or are they somehow a symbol of what protesters are rallying against? How has the freedom of assembly taking a twist in the modern era with protesters organizing themselves with bandanas, tear gas, etc.
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ReplyDeleteWith the disappearance of the 43 students from Iguala, Guerrero state, Mexico it was been the cause for many questions that are in need of answering regarding Mexico's long past with people suddenly disappearing. Since 2007, at least 20,000 people have disappeared (1). In Mexico the protesters have been gathering in large assemblies by the thousands.
This whole situation began with protesting. The students had planned to protest hiring and funding the government has done regarding teachers and rural and city schools. Protesters are calling for more information/answers on the missing students, the corruption to come to an end between governments and the cartels/gangs within Mexico and for the "forced" disappearances to end. President Enrique Peña Nieto is trying to swiftly adopt steps to modernize the justice system as he tries to defuse mass protests over the massacre of 43 trainee teachers (2).
Through the protests that have gone on, there have been out breaks of violence as well as peaceful moments. Much of which has been remembrance for the young students. This comes with all protests. I think that with protests now turning to violence (ie. masks and tear gas) is because of the extent things have come too and with just overall being fed up. This isn't the first time incidents such as this have happen in Mexico and people have just had enough.
Now for the Police side in the situation, this is where it gets more tricky. Numerous journalist have been arrested and even physically assaulted (3). So far the reports indicate that it was police who intercepted the students and first began firing shots. 6 people were killed during this and then of the ones who didn't escape were arrested. The story after this gets a little vague. sometime between the students being taken by police, it isn't sure if they went to a police station or if they were directly turned over to Guerreros Unidos (United Warriors). It is known that Mexico is home to poor policing and easily bribed police officers. In this case so far it seems that the police of iguala, the municipal government of Iguala and the Guerreros Unidos were working in joint with each other to prevent the students to go through with there planned protests.
1. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/22/mexico-missing-students_n_6200842.html
2. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/22/us-mexico-violence-idUSKCN0J52DV20141122
3. http://www.article19.org/resources.php/resource/37774/en/mexico:-police-attack-journalists-and-human-rights-defenders-at-protest-over-43-missing-students
other resources:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-30127458
http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2014/10/mexicos-missing-43/100838/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Iguala_mass_kidnapping