National Human Rights Commission (Mexico)

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Mexico's National Human Rights Commission (Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos, or "CNDH") is a public institution that enjoys judicial, organizational and functional autonomy from the federal government. As of 2006 the President of the CNDH is José Luis Soberanes

Contents

[edit] History

On February 13, 1989 the Interior Ministry (Secretaría de Gobernación) created the "General Human Rights Department" as a wholly dependent office within the ministry's structure. On June 6, 1990, by presidential decision, the General Human Rights Department" was renamed the "National Human Rights Commission" and gained full autonomy from its parent ministry.

It was not until 1999, after some constitutional reforms, that the National Human Rights Commission became fully independent of the government.

[edit] Controversy

In January 2006 the CNDH, in collaboration with the U.S. based Humane Borders, planned to distribute 70,000 border maps to aid immigrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. This action was cause for serious concern in the U.S. government, especially in the department of Homeland Security. The CNDH eventually, in response to allegations that such maps would also lead anti-illegal immigration groups such as the minutemen to common border crossings, dropped the program. While Humane Borders and the CNDH were attempting to distribute the maps in an effort to prevent the hundreds of injuries and deaths that occur along the border every year, many groups within the United States objected to this as an attempt to encourage undocumented immigration. Human rights and humanitarian aid groups claimed that the maps were not meant to encourage new immigration but were instead meant to ensure the safety of those individuals that would normally cross the border without a map.

[edit] Presidents of the CNDH

Presidents of the CNDH were originally designated by the President of the Republic. Since 1999 the President of the CNDH is appointed by the Senate.

The CNDH has been presided by:

Name Took office Left office
Jorge Carpizo MacGregor June 6, 1990 January 4, 1993
Jorge Madrazo Cuéllar January 5, 1993 May 1994
Carlos Rodríguez (interim) June 1994 December 1994
Jorge Madrazo Cuéllar January 1995 November 26, 1996
José Luis Ramos Rivera (interim) November 27, 1996 January 7, 1997
Mireille Roccatti Velásquez January 8, 1997 November 13, 1999
José Luis Soberanes Fernández November 16, 1999

[edit] CNDH Consultant Council

The CNDH has a ten-member council, the members of which are appointed by the Senate. The Council is responsible for establishing the CNDH's general guidelines, approving the commission's internal rules and overseeing the its budget. The President of the CNDH serves as the head of the Council.

As of 2006 members of the council are:

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

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