Local leaders in Mexico have asked for UN peacekeepers

[Dragunov]

12 November 2009 - 02H24
AFP - Local leaders in Ciudad Juarez have asked for UN peacekeepers to help stem the alarming bloodshed in their city that is chasing business across the border to Texas, their representatives have said.

Despite the deployment of 8,500 troops since February, more than 2,000 people have been killed so far this year in drug-related crimes, making Ciudad Juarez one of the world's most violent urban areas, business leaders told a press briefing Wednesday.

The city's Association of Maquiladoras (assembly plants) said it had requested "the intervention of United Nations blue helmets (peacekeepers) to control" the crime wave, said association president Soledad Maynez.

She said the failure of federal and local authorities in staunching the bloodshed prompted local business leaders to approach the United Nations for help.

"We must allow military police from the United Nations and the United States to tackle crime here, since in addition to murders there's also a lot of kidnapping and blackmail," which have led to some 6,000 business closings in the city, said National Chamber of Commerce regional president Daniel Murguia.

He said the violence has prompted business leaders to live and invest across the US border in El Paso, Texas, where they enjoy greater safety.

The northern state of Chihuahua, of which Ciudad Juarez is the largest city, is at the heart of wave of suspected drug-related violence that has left some 14,000 dead since the end of 2006.

President Felipe Calderon deployed some 50,000 security forces across the country after he took office in December 2006, in a controversial crackdown that has failed to stem violence from powerful drug cartels.

http://www.france24.com/en/node/4923110

[DizBukHaPeter]

Send in the Ghosts

[Shadowstorm]

Yeah, like the UN is going to anythng.

[GtodeO]

No way man I'm against this

but then again we can just let UN peacekeepers ONLY come in but just in Ciudad Juarez

I just hope they don't start complaining and calling for a massive invasion into C.Juarez once their troops start getting kidnapped, tortured and getting their heads blown off.

but its not like likely to happened

[DizBukHaPeter]

Yeah, I don't think the cartels care who they shoot at, if anything the blue helmets make them easier to aim at.

[wildcat12]

I think it time to make mexico a state.

[SBL]

I wonder if these local leaders are on the take.

[alejandroelmexicano]

absolutely against this. compared to other nations that have bigger problems than us, we dont need them. they will only cause problems. what the **** are they going to do? bring a white painted tank and park it in the middle of a intersection and ask the cartels to politely put their guns down?

in other news, i am currently looking for a video of a shoot of of mexican military against cartels that happens yesturday or earlier today, can someone please provide a link?

[Dragunov]

They can train the local police forces and patrol the ''hot zones''. Any help is welcome.

[cn_habs]

Those thugs won't hesitate to engage UN forces in order to keep their lucrative way of living IMHO. Hence, it's very unlikely that this request from the local authorities will get any result any time soon.

[PeterG]

Los Pepes. When traditional LE is no longer able to cope - one must go unconventional.

[Nizark]

Sure....put thousands of Pakistani, Jordanian and Indian blue helmets in Mexico and see how quickly they will fire back after being fired upon

[Clearblues]

eeesh, I'm seeing possible hostage peace keepers here as well as American soldiers.

[Sootan]

Er, why wouldn't hey just ask their own government for more troops?

[LuKaZz]

Er, why wouldn't hey just ask their own government for more troops?

They probably don't trust them, there have been complaints of abuses here and there, still I don't really think sending UN peacekeepers will do much.