Families of missing students suspend talks with Mexican authorities

Mexico City, Dec 17 (IANS/EFE) The families of the 43 Mexican students who went missing almost three months ago have suspended talks with the authorities and will only interact with them to obtain information about the investigation into the fate of their children.

Vidulfo Rosales, a lawyer for the families, said Tuesday that the dialogue has been suspended due to the government's acts of repression, harassment, persecution and criminalisation through which the federal police have toughened its position.

"Right now, the talks remain suspended for all that has happened, but the families intend to continue this dialogue for the sole purpose of obtaining information about advances in the investigation and the search for the students," Rosales said at a press conference in Mexico City.

"It's a necessity and the families' right to know the details of the search," he added.

Concerning the second meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, the families' representative Felipe de la Cruz said the president had been insensitive to the pain of Mexicans because of the case.

De la Cruz said ever since Peña Nieto announced that the families had to overcome their pain, it seemed he knew the results of the DNA tests of burned remains, found where it was believed the students were killed, would match with those of missing student Alexander Mora.

"(The president) neither had the sensibility to call Alexander Mora's father, and nor do I think that Mr. Ezequiel (Mora's father) was even bothered because his insensitivity as president towards the pain of Mexicans was out in the open," he added.

"He was preparing the ground so that we would say that it was all right, but instead it made us feel agitated and angry to see that we had such an insensitive president," he concluded.

Sep 26, the 43 students were rounded up by police following a night of violence in the southern town of Iguala and handed over to members of a local crime gang who murdered them and burned their bodies, according to the federal prosecutors office.

Mora's remains were positively identified, but the parents say they still believe their children are alive.

--IANS/EFE

ab/vt