Volunteer collectives searching for missing relatives have criticized a state government initiative presented this week outlining new guidelines to be implemented when anonymous reports about the location of clandestine grave sites are received.
A statement from the Madres Buscadoras de Jalisco said the planned protocols limit the participation of groups such as theirs in investigations, undermine the transparency of searches for human remains and missing persons, and discourage collaboration between authorities and families.
The group added that the measures only provide improved guarantees of safety for public security officials and not to civic volunteer groups.
State authorities drew up the new guidelines after six police officers were killed in land mine explosions set by criminal gangs in Tlajomulco in August. The officers were lured to the booby-trapped site after calls were made to a volunteer collective that searches for missing persons.
The new guidelines establish a single official contact number for the reception of anonymous reports, more comprehensive collection of details before first responders are dispatched to potential sites, and a prior review of the locations by anti-explosive teams before anyone can begin work at the sites.
The new guidelines also prohibit livestreaming and broadcasting from the sites, and the dissemination of photographs and videos from the locations, which cannot be disclosed to the public.
The number of participants taking part in the searches must be agreed with authorities before any work at the site begins, the guidelines state.
The State Prosecutor’s Office (FE) said 13 groups of relatives of missing persons were consulted during the elaboration of the protocols. However, Héctor Flores, leader of the Luz de Esperanza collective, said the observations of victims’ relatives were not taken into account in the final document presented by authorities this week.