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WORLD NEWSFriday 1 April 2016
Report: Mexico not advising child migrants of rights REGIONAL BRIEFS
A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol truck patrols the U.S. border with Mexico in Douglas, Ariz. did want to apply, there Guyana to create
(AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo) was no legal assistance to new response unit
help them navigate the after deadly riots
C. SHERMAN to reduce a surge reaching told by only one that of- process.
Associated Press the U.S. border, the num- ficials had informed him Only 0.3 percent of the GEORGETOWN, Guyana
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mex- ber of children detained in of his right to seek refugee unaccompanied child mi- (AP) — Guyana is creat-
ico does not comply with Mexico has risen dramati- recognition, as is required grants detained in Mexico ing a special response
its own laws on handling cally. by Mexican law. were granted international unit to handle disturbanc-
unaccompanied child mi- Last year, Mexican authori- Children were not properly protection in 2015, the re- es at the South American
grants who arrive in the ties apprehended nearly screened for possible refu- port said. country’s main prison af-
country fleeing violence in 36,000 children, more than gee claims, the report said. “If the interest is enforce- ter a riot that killed 17 in-
Central America, a Human half of whom were unac- On the contrary, it said, ment, which it is, meaning mates.
Rights Watch report said companied. It detained the children described arrest, detention and de- Public Security Minister
Thursday. 9,600 children in 2013. immigration officials who portation, Khemraj Ramjattan says
Since the United States In interviews with 61 child warned them of long stays it is clearly in the interest of the unit will back up un-
pressured Mexico to step migrants, Human Rights in detention if they applied individual officials, agents, derstaffed prison guards
up detentions of migrants Watch researchers were for asylum. And even if they to make that as easy as dealing with overcrowd-
possible,” ed conditions.
said Michael Bochenek, He said Thursday that
senior counsel to the chil- prison guards also would
dren’s rights division of Hu- get a salary raise and
man Rights Watch and the improved working con-
report’s author. “They are ditions so the govern-
not complying with the ment can attract more
law, and as to why they qualified candidates. The
are doing that, that’s an government already has
open question. There is no implemented night courts
question that the incentive and transferred inmates
is to cut corners.” to other prisons to ease
Without mentioning the re- overcrowding.
port, Mexico’s national im- An inquiry commission has
migration institute released been created to inves-
a statement Thursday say- tigate the riot earlier this
ing that “without excep- month in which inmates
tion” all unaccompanied set fire to mattresses to
children are informed of protest prison conditions.
their rights and cared for A top prison official has
until they can be reunified been placed on leave.
with their families.
New council sworn
El Salvador asks congress to help it fight gangs in to organize Haiti
special runoff vote
MARCOS ALEMAN for prisoners. for every 100,000 residents to suspend all visits with pris-
Associated Press They would be an exten- last year. The government oners except from lawyers. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti
SAN SALVADOR, El Salva- sion of steps the govern- blames the gangs, which Ramirez said even lawyer (AP) — A new council has
dor (AP) — The government ment took this week when have expanded their terri- visits would occur under been sworn in to oversee
of El Salvador on Thursday it transferred 299 impris- tory. greater control. Haiti’s electoral process
asked lawmakers to give oned gang members from Last weekend, masked The proposals, which would and organize a twice-
it a freer hand to impose seven prisons to one where men appeared in a widely be in place for at least one postponed runoff vote
control over the country’s they will be circulated video saying year, also include mea- while a short-term care-
prisons and the gang lead- held in isolation. The trans- they represented the coun- sures to compel cellular taker government is in
ers they hold. fers came under a 15-day try’s three major gangs and phone companies to block power.
The administration of Presi- state of emergency in the were unilaterally telling their their signals around prisons. The nine-member Provi-
dent Salvador Sanchez prisons that also suspend- rank and file to stop killing. Presidential spokesman Eu- sional Electoral Council
Ceren presented the leg- ed family visits to those in- The daily total of bodies genio Chicas accused the ratified this week is tasked
islature with a package of mates. dropped around the coun- phone companies of refus- with concluding an elec-
measures that included El Salvador is stepping up its try has fallen this week, but ing to weaken their signals toral cycle by holding a
making it easier to transfer fight against street gangs the government has said it around prisons and instead runoff to elect a president
prisoners from one lockup in the face of the world’s will not negotiate. of strengthening the signals and the final members of
to another and to institute highest murder rate, which Under the new proposals, when the government tries parliament.
special security measures reached 103 homicides government would be able to block them.
