Disappearances in Mexico Two Years After Ayotzinapa

Mrs Leticia Hidalgo (FUNDENL - United Forces for our Disappeared in Nuevo León) will share her experience in the search of her son Roy Rivera Hidalgo, who disappeared in January 2011. Leticia Hidalgo along with fellow members of FUNDENL have set an example of citizen led search and lobbying with the government in order to end disappearances at the local and national level.

Also, an update on the Ayotzinapa tragedy: on the night of the 26th of September, students from the Rural Teaching College of Ayotzinapa, Guerrero in Mexico were attacked by the police. 43 of them were forcibly disappeared, 3 of them were killed along with 3 bystanders, and dozens more were wounded. This case brought by a wave of national and international condemnation while shedding light on a broader crisis on human rights in general and enforced disappearances in particular. Two years after the attack, and as part of a series of events taking place in London to commemorate that date, this discussion panel will analyse a broad range of issues from different perspectives in order to understand the impacts of the Ayotzinapa case and the current human rights situation in Mexico.

Dr Thomas Rath (UCL History) will chair and analyse the role and the implications of the Army in the Ayotzinapa case.

Ed Vulliamy (The Guardian, The Observer) will talk on his experience reporting on human rights issues in Mexico.

London Mexico Solidarity will give an update on the Ayotzinapa case.