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From: "Dana Aldea" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Universal,Human rights in Mexico: Still stuck on square one,Mar 12 Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 14:52:59 +0100 Human rights in Mexico: Still stuck on square one By Dan Lund/The Herald Mexico El Universal Lunes 12 de marzo de 2007 "Human Rights" is a frequently addressed topic in Mexico, but in reality there's been little real discussion about it and no discernable progress in recent years. National and international monitoring groups continue to file the most alarming reports of basic human rights violations, often related to mass protests. We hear of murders under the cover of law, torture as a sham substitute for investigation, and the arrest, jailing and violation of activists and ordinary people in horrible dramas of legalized vengeance and intimidation. But the so-called "discussion" of human rights in Mexico is little more than these alarms from the monitors, and the laments from the victims and their families, friends and supporters. The only progress, if it can be called that, is that now the alarms are publicly reported and the laments duly noted. But then they're either ignored or passed off into that area of our concerns where there is no closure. The unresolved murders of women in Ciudad Jua'rez have taken on the character of deep, persistent tragedy. Continuous reports by Human Rights Watch, the UN and a host of national and international NGOs of the most primitive abuses in the criminal justice system provide the sound track for the most serious threat to Mexico's democratic transition. Atenco and Oaxaca are only the most visible parts of an endless montage that's often invisible to everyone except those living the outrage. We can't tackle the more complex levels of human rights education, because the fundamental levels are still not institutionalized. We can't address a complicated situation that occurs when legitimate rights are in conflict because even the most basic of rights are still not secure. It is even hard to have coherent discussions of "integral security" plans against the drug cartels when the shadows of abuse haunt nearly every police force in the country, and not a few sectors of the military. We can, at least, point to the advances represented by some of the reforms taking place in the Mexico City police forces. To do so in no way excuses the abuses that continue there. It is sad when discussion of progress in some police units around the country becomes politicized. It is also a mistake. When Fox was president he spent a disproportionate amount of his security-theme time bad-mouthing Mexico City and its institutions. Some NGOs continue in this vein, and some politicians are tempted to join in. Of course, where there are problems, they should be pointed out. Where there are pretensions of reform but no reform, there should be voices noting that the emperor has no clothes. But, the efforts of police reformers in Mexico City merit our attention and in some instances our respect. The problem is that because the most fundamental guarantees are not in place, we lose the ability to have textured conversations of advances and setbacks. And the fundamental guarantees not in place include some of the most venerable human rights - such as the right to be respected under the law and the right to protection from abuse of one's person or dignity. Simply put, nobody should be hurt or killed under the abusive authority of the law. Human rights should occupy a prominent position on the social agenda in Mexico and the global agenda for all. If we could get beyond the still-rampant violations of the most basic protections, we could then move on to richer discussions. One such discussion might center on the ensemble of rights that have developed over human history. The first generation of human rights is associated with the idea of personal, property, civil, and political rights that emerged in the 1500s. The idea still exists today, we are still trying to implement this set of guarantees. What legal scholars refer to as the second generation of human rights includes the economic, social and educational rights defined initially in the late 19th century. This cluster of rights actually emerged quite quickly as modern industrial capital societies consolidated. They constitute the core of the traditional labor and progressive reform agenda. But as with the older civil rights, they are still unfinished business. Finally, we have what is known as the third generation of human rights, which are modern social guarantees of peace, protection from genocide and war crimes, environmental health, and economic development. These rights, defined in the wake of World War II, are protean and are still being formalized as international tribunals wrestle with the most basic of these concepts. In time, they may come to form the core of a new global quality-of-life agenda. It would be a magnificent gift to our children for us to start working through the question of how to forge a coherent program to implement all human rights. Instead, we're still stuck in the struggle to tame brutal authority and therefore don't have time to begin the discussion. Dan Lund is a market demographics and public policy researcher in Mexico. 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