Tell us what to write, Mexican paper pleads with drugs gangs

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edgarshade

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UK- The Independent
By Rupert Cornwell
Tuesday, 21 September 2010

With comments

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/tell-us-what-to-write-mexican-paper-pleads-with-drugs-gangs-2084751.html

'After seeing two of its reporters killed in less than two years, the leading newspaper in Ciudad Juarez has issued a remarkable plea for guidance on its coverage from the drug cartels – acknowledging that the latter, not the government, effectively runs what is Mexico's most violent city.

In a front-page editorial on Sunday, El Diario de Juarez asked the two cartels fighting for control of drug trafficking in the city, across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas, to say what they want from the newspaper so it can continue to operate without further death or intimidation of its staff.'


'We ask you to explain what you want from us, what we should try to publish or not publish, so we know what to expect...

Even in war there are rules.... there are protocols or guarantees and the warring sides are under an obligation to safeguard the integrity of the journalists covering them...

We do not want more injuries or even more intimidation. It is impossible to exercise our role in these conditions. Tell us, then, what do you expect of us as a medium?

This is not a surrender. Nor does it mean that we've given up the work we have been developing. Instead it is a respite to those who have imposed the force of its law in this city, provided they respect the lives of those who are dedicated to the craft of reporting.'
 
The problem isn't the American's appetite for drugs, the problem is the government's policy of ciminalising natural human behavior. I was in Juarez a few years ago and it was seriously fucked up. I saw four corpses in the streets in three days, and more crime scenes and places where there had been shootings. The people who have the power to regulate this market and choose not to are the ones to blame, i.e. the government. Them, and the cartel leadership of course. But the government has the power to stop and violence and it chooses not to, and its behavior is what caused the violence to begin in the first place.
 
That's some pretty crazy shit. The cartels are gonna be like "Yea, stop giving reports about us. PERIOD.
 
I don't know, I have my doubts. I feel like this is a publicity stunt and a CYA move rolled in to one. First off, a number of journalists have been killed around the country, two in one station doesn't seem like an usually high number. Not to devalue the loss of life, but it is not like the rest of the station is under attack. Honestly, just two in a few years doesn't seem too bad in Juarez.

Second, this is a great away to call for narco content. The famous blog del narco ( http://www.blogdelnarco.com/ ) relies on narcos sending in their own pictures, videos, and leads. So this news station got international headlines and I am sure generated quite a local media stir. Ratings go up, government officials are not going to kill you on official orders (maybe they will though as this opens up the possibility of different groups, including those linked with the government, fighting for control over the station), and maybe the narcos back off.

I don't see how the station loses. I don't think I hear much about them compromising their journalist integrity and any claims to that fact can be countered with the mortal threat to their lives.
 
actually, I don't think the mexican government has the power to stop the cartels, or they would have already. seems to me that mexico is quickly becomeing a failed state, ruled by warlords and puppets.
 
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/09/2010924224210339885.html

Suspected drug gang members have shot and critically wounded the mayor-elect of a small town in Mexico's northern state of Chihuahua.

Ricardo Solis, who was recently elected as mayor of Gran Morelos, was shot in the head several times on Friday, less than 24 hours after armed men had killed the mayor of another town outside the city of Monterrey in Nuevo Leon state...

The traffickers use isolated, lightly patrolled towns to hide and to stash kidnap victims, weapons and drugs. They must co-opt or eliminate authority figures like mayors to assert control over both residents and police.

"The drug traffickers identify that very clearly. They know mayors are in charge of the local police and local roads which are key to their drug trafficking operations"
Click to expand...

Close to 30,000 dead in just a few years.
They're taking out all the Mayors, Governors, political candidates, news reporters, etc lately.
In addition to the usual rivals/cops/absolutely everyone in the way.

That simply goes beyond any previous modern conventional warfare.
Democracy/pacifism is no match for boundless bullets. Kill enough of the innocents, and all that remains is corruption (voluntary, or coerced through sheer terror).

For the same reason, the police/military are compromised at all levels.
Choose $$ and life, or choose almost-guaranteed execution. Only those with the strongest values and disregard for personal safety remain to fight.

Ruthless as hell but a damn effective policy by those winning the drug war.

Not unprecedented either. US Military has been operating under the same policy in the "war on terror."
You're either with us or against us, Bush II declared.

I for one look forward to the uncontrollable violence spreading North of the border :)
Police State USA vs. gun-battles in the streets, that is excitement.
The Drug War strikes back ... no longer one-sided!
 
Last edited:
exarkann said:
actually, I don't think the mexican government has the power to stop the cartels, or they would have already. seems to me that mexico is quickly becomeing a failed state, ruled by warlords and puppets.
Click to expand...

They don't actually, the number of people arrested for ties to cartels or cartel activity outnumbers the number of people in the military and the police force combined
 
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