Mexico backs off on map giveaways

AP/dailybulletin ^ | 1/26/2006 | Mark Stevenson

[ncountylee]

MEXICO CITY - A Mexican government commission said Thursday it has suspended plans to distribute border maps to migrants planning to cross the border illegally, but denied the decision was a response to U.S. criticism.

Miguel Angel Paredes, the spokesman for the federal Human Rights Commission, said the plan would be "rethought" because human rights officials in border states expressed concern that the maps would show anti-immigrant groups such as the so-called Minutemen civilian patrols where migrants were likely to gather.

"This would be practically like telling the Minutemen where the migrants are going to be," Paredes said. "We are going to rethink this, so that we wouldn't almost be handing them over to groups that attack migrants."

Mexico is angry about U.S. civilian groups that have organized patrols along the U.S.-Mexico border, accusing them of carrying out attacks on migrants, accusations the groups deny.

The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps said it intended to use the maps to stake out likely entry points for illegal immigrants.

"If they're going to give out maps, we're going to use those maps to report that activity to the proper authorities," said Chris Simcox, a co-founder of the group.

But Simcox said his group already knows the locations of many watering spots and criticized the Mexican government for trying to "vilify" his group. He said volunteer reports of migrant activity had helped rescuers locate and save migrants in danger.

The map dispute was the latest diplomatic row involving the U.S.-Mexico border, a sensitive issue between the neighboring nations.

U.S. border states are fed up with illegal migration and drug trafficking and are pressuring the U.S. government to do more to protect the border including a proposal to extend a wall along both countries' common frontier, something Mexico bitterly resents.

[msnimje]

Why not have Jimmy Carter and his Habitat for Hamas (hat tip WuzzaDem) go down there and build them all nice houses?

[TEXOKIE]

Oh forevermore. This whole thing is like Alice behind the looking glass. The Mexican govt insistence on America rolling over so her mammary ducts are up and exposed to indiscriminate suckling is just a travesty. The obtuseness of our "representatives" in this matter with major exceptions is just as breathtakingly puzzling.

[samtheman]

groups that attack migrants

Memo to media: this is a lie.

[son of caesar]

dam but i like your post. seriously, are we the insane ones here or is the rest of the planet gone before us? regarding our govts behavior about this issue, no author could concoct such a backasswards story.

[Pro-Bush]

Don't do us any favors. ....Time to teach those scumbags a lesson or two.

[Personal Responsibility]

Miguel Angel Paredes, the spokesman for the federal Human Rights Commission

was the person in the article who said

so that we wouldn't almost be handing them over to groups that attack migrants."

In this case it is a federal employee, not the media, who is horribly mistaken. The reporter here is just quoting the spokesman. That said, I take offense at a spokesman for the Human Rights Commision being so misinformed.

[Squint]

Mexico is angry about U.S. civilian groups that have organized patrols along the U.S.-Mexico border

Yeah, it really sucks to have legally armed, law abiding citizens protecting their country. Makes it hard for the Mexican government to unload it's problems on us.

[samtheman]

Yes, I know the reporter was just quoting. I just wanted to remind the reporter, and all the media, that the charge is a lie. I'm not sure they know that.

[Humble Servant]

Vicente Fox is absolutely correct on how a southern border should be managed, and we should, must, and also dang well better immediately implement his policy. I mean copy what he does on HIS southern border, which, unless I'm misinformed, consists of machine guns, not maps and water stations.

[Little Ray]

I'll believe it probably wasn't because of US criticism.
They probably realized there was a liability issue...

[DumpsterDiver]

Miguel Angel Paredes, the spokesman for the federal Human Rights Commission, said the plan would be "rethought" because human rights officials in border states expressed concern that the maps would show anti-immigrant groups such as the so-called Minutemen civilian patrols where migrants were likely to gather.

The "human rights officials in border states":

The maps were designed by the Tucson, Arizona-based rights group Humane Borders, which operates some of the desert water stations. The group previously distributed about 100 posters in the Mexican border town of Sasabe.

Rev. Robin Hoover is the president of Humane Borders and is the pastor of Southside Presbyterian church in Tucson. Humane Borders' blog is here.

source

[Let's Roll]

"Mexico backs off on map giveaways"

Or so they say anyway.

[TEXOKIE]

THanks!