UN urges Mexico must withdraw army forces doing police job

The United Nations has called on Mexico to end its controversial program, under which army personnel have undertaken the duties of police and law enforcement forces on the streets.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein on Wednesday called on Mexico to set a timetable to meet the world body’s demand and replace the military forces with police.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s government must “adopt a time frame for the withdrawal of the military from public security functions,” as army forces have not been trained to do police tasks, the UN official says.

In late 2006, former president, Felipe Calderon, deployed troops on the streets to crack down on organized crime as part of a wider and ongoing war on drugs.

However, human rights organizations have recently said soldiers deployed to streets of Mexico were committing crimes and other abuses.

Hussein criticized Mexico’s police, judicial and investigative system for failing the nation, saying its poor performance has led to 26,000 disappearances and thousands of killings.

“No one in Mexico can feel safe,” said the UN official, adding, “They’re not enjoying the protection of the law.”