Parents demand “indubitable” evidence on the whereabouts of the normalistas

Jessica Xanthomilla

Newspaper La Jornada
Saturday, August 27, 2022, p. 4

With the dignity, firmness and courage that have distinguished them over nearly eight years of demanding truth and justice, yesterday the mothers and fathers of the 43 missing Ayotzinapa students in Iguala, Guerrero, reiterated that they will not give up their struggle until they have scientific tests indubitable about the whereabouts and fate of their children.

After leaving the Angel of Independence to the Hemicycle in Juárez, 95 months after the disappearance of the young people, they recognized that the report of the Commission for Truth and Access to Justice in the case accepted that the events of 26 and 27 September 2014 they were a state crime –as they have warned from the beginning–, and that it has positive elements that will help in the investigations, but they highlighted that it is still not clear where their boys are.

In announcing their first joint position on the preliminary conclusions of the commission, among which it is pointed out that there are no indications to affirm that the 43 students are alive, they maintained: It will be painful for our families to learn of their fate, especially if it is lifeless, but if they give us objective, scientific and indubitable proof, we will go home to mourn them and experience our grief. To date we do not have these tests, therefore our demand and struggle continue.

After more than a week of intense activity for the fathers and mothers of the normal students, yesterday they marched again despite the heavy rain that fell in the Historic Center. On this occasion, the relatives of the young people were more protected than in previous months and were accompanied by students from various rural normal schools, as well as members of organizations.

Because alive they took them away, alive we want them!, September 26 is not forgotten, it is a combative fight, It was the State! Y We are all Ayotzinapa!were some of the slogans that the demonstrators exclaimed and carried on posters.

anti-monument

Although the rain did not let up, the fathers and mothers of the young people made the traditional stop at the anti-monument +43 for the roll call. Later, upon their arrival at the Hemicycle in Juárez, drenched, they held a brief meeting in which they also spoke about the arrest of former prosecutor Jesús Murillo Karam, for his alleged responsibility in the crimes of forced disappearance, obstruction of the administration of justice and torture.

It represents a step forward on the path of access to justice, they affirmed. former official conducted a murky, irregular investigation, plagued with torture, manipulation and planting of evidence, thus constructing a lie that prevented knowing the whereabouts of our children.

They acknowledged that in its report, the commission chaired by the Undersecretary for Human Rights of the Interior, Alejandro Encinas, shows that various state entities participated in the disappearance of the 43 students, as well as the Federal Police and elements of the 27th and 48th infantry battalions and the 35 Military Zone.

Vidulfo Rosales, lawyer for the relatives, indicated that although former President Enrique Peña Nieto does not appear in the investigations, What we request is that the entire chain of command be investigated, up to the highest level of responsibility..

These days They have been very difficult, the report that they presented to us was very strong, but as we have said, we are going to continue fighting until the truth is found and justice is done, because the former officials violated the law, mocking us, the people and of all the worldexpressed Cristina Bautista, mother of Benjamín Ascencio.

After the mobilization, the Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center and the Tlachinollan Mountain Center, as well as Fundar and Serapaz, supported the position of the relatives.