Several migrants’ rights organizations have urged the Mexican government to give top priority to the search for missing migrants in light of the growing migration crisis and the increasing number of families separated in this type of process.
The National Search Commission (CNB), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have indicated in a joint communiqué that it is »urgent» and »indispensable» to establish as a national priority immediate search processes »under the presumption that these people are still alive».
In order to contribute to the construction of effective mechanisms for the search, location and identification of persons, as established by the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (PMM), these organizations have joined forces to carry out the first National Meeting of Search Commissions this week in Mexico City.
»In the region, thousands of people have disappeared along migration routes, causing immense anguish to their families as they do not know what has happened to them or where their loved ones are,» said Miguel Ramirez, head of operations in Mexico for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
In this regard, they have stated that countries »must do everything in their power to prevent disappearances, prevent families from losing contact with each other, search for missing persons and mitigate the humanitarian consequences related» to migration.
It is imperative to no longer delay efforts to provide a forceful response to this human tragedy,» they said, while IOM’s deputy head of mission in Mexico, Jeremy Mac Gillivray, called for the establishment of transnational coordination channels to facilitate the search and information channels with families.
Thus, he seeks to encourage the examination of the effects of policies and laws related to migration »so that they do not increase or create risks of migrants disappearing».
It is necessary to strengthen collaboration with States and relevant international organizations to identify risks and establish effective mechanisms to prevent and address disappearances along migratory routes: to address the phenomenon at the local level considering the particularities of the dynamics, taking into account the central role of consulates and their involvement with a regional and cross-border approach,» said Mac Gillivray.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
