Human rights group: 16 Mexican states dangerous for immigrants

By Marisela Ortega Lozano / El Paso Times
Posted: 04/21/2011 12:41:40 PM MDT

Immigrants in Mexico en route to the United States are at a higher risk to be attacked and kidnapped in 16 Mexican states, the Human Rights National Committee in a statement.

"We have tracked dangerous spots in Baja California, Coahuila, State of Mexico, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacán, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Querétero, Quintana Roo, San Luis PotosÃ*, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas and Veracruz," the group said in a press release.

According to the report by the Human Rights National Committee, Mexican nationals and undocumented immigrants traveling by train or bus to the United States have been sexually assaulted, battered, blackmailed, robbed and beaten.

Officials from the group said that they also mapped 71 counties, highways and railroads where immigrants have been attacked, mainly those who travel by train, the report said.
They added that they identified those dangerous locations through immigrants' accounts as well as reports provided by government officials.

"In light of that issue, Human Rights National Committee calls the Mexican authorities to protect the safe passage of immigrants, regardless of national origin, in order to avoid the events that happened in San Fernando, Tamaulipas," officials said in a statement.

Last August, police in San Fernando, Tamaulipas found the bodies of 72 Central American immigrants who had been shot to death while heading to the U.S. border.

"We urge authorities to lay out a map with the risk areas and destinations for children, men and women looking for a better life," group officials added.
The full report in Spanish is available at www.cndh.org.mx.

Marisela Ortega Lozano, mortega@elpasotimes.com; 542-6077. The Associated Press contributed to this story

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_17901087