MEXICO: Several hundreds march in Mexico City to demand justice after deadly day-care fire
Record ID:
1533025
MEXICO: Several hundreds march in Mexico City to demand justice after deadly day-care fire
- Title: MEXICO: Several hundreds march in Mexico City to demand justice after deadly day-care fire
- Date: 6th July 2009
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (JULY 04, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS STANDING OUTSIDE MEXICO'S MAIN PUBLIC DAY-CARE PROVIDER OFFICES, CHANTING: "Justice!" DEMONSTRATIONS HOLDING BANNERS AND CHANTING: "The murderers are at Los Pinos!" VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS DEMONSTRATORS, CARRYING LONG BANNER WITH NAMES OF ALL THE VICTIMS, WALKING ALONG REFORMA AVENUE, BELOW ANGEL OF INDEPENDENCE MONUMENT PROTESTERS WALKING ALONG STREET FATHER OF ONE OF THE FIRE VICTIMS WALKING IN PROTEST (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FATHER OF CHILD VICTIM, MANUEL ALFRED RODRIGUEZ ANAYA, SAYING "First, there should really be justice and an exemplary punishment for the people involved in this murder. After that we want a change and that is what we are asking for so that this does not happen again anywhere. This unfortunately happened to our children but people have to realise it could also happen to their children." DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING BANNER THAT READS: "We demand safe nurseries with experienced personnel" VARIOUS OF PROTEST UNDERWAY/ PEOPLE CARRYING BANNERS VARIOUS PROTESTER HANGING FLOWER WREATHS OUTSIDE SONORA STATE GOVERNMENT INSTALLATIONS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOTHER OF CHILD VICTIM, PATRICIA DUARTE, SAYING: "We are asking those people (those responsible) to never be allowed to hold a public position ever again." VARIOUS PROTESTER HANGING FLOWER WREATHS OUTSIDE SONORA GOVERNMENT INSTALLATIONS PROTESTERS HOLDING BURNT BABY DOLL
- Embargoed: 21st July 2009 01:09
- Keywords:
- Location: Mexico
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
- Reuters ID: LVABE9GOZOQZK417SWU9FF0CA0PE
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Hundreds marched in Mexico City on Saturday (July 04) calling for justice in a fire at a day-care centre in the state of Sonora last month that killed 48 young children.
The demonstrators chanted "justice!" and "the murderers are at Los Pinos!" (Mexico's Presidential Residence) while standing outside IMSS offices, Mexico's main public day-care provider. Afterwards they marched along the city's historic Reforma avenue.
Last week, the country's Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora, announced he was seeking to arrest the politically connected owners of the day-care centre. The slow pace of the investigation has outraged parents who have accused local authorities of a cover-up.
Medina Mora's news was an indication authorities have filed charges against the nursery owners who include wives of two top state officials and a businessman closely linked to Sonora state governor, Gov. Eduardo Bours.
Mexico's main public day-care provider, requested changes be made to the building four years ago, to bring installations up to fire code standards, but changes were never made and yet the day-care centre's contract was renewed by the same government institution that ordered the changes.
The father of one of the victims, Manuel Alfredo Rodriguez Anaya, said he wanted those responsible to be brought to justice.
"First, there should really be justice and an exemplary punishment for the people involved in this murder. After that we want a change and that is what we are asking for so that this does not happen again anywhere. This unfortunately happened to our children but people have to realise it could also happen to their children."
The protesters then went to Sonora state offices in the Mexican capital where they hung flower wreaths and carried burnt dolls.
"We are asking those people (those responsible) to never be allowed to hold a public position ever again," said Patricia Duarte, the devastated mother of another victim.
Marches have been held in the northern city of Hermosillo, Sonora state's capital city, every weekend since the fire. Last week, a group of parents requested the local Supreme Court and Congress order their ministers to conduct their own investigation.
So far, only low-level state government employees have been arrested for their involvement in the fire. The state government said the employees, facing charges of criminal negligence, were responsible for a warehouse where the June 5 fire started and then spread to the nearby ABC day-care centre.
Last week, the federal government took over the investigation from prosecutors in Sonora and Mexican President Felipe Calderon has promised to get to the bottom of this case.
As smoke poured from the day-care centre, bystanders and firemen, unable to pass through the doors, punched holes through its brick walls to reach more than 140 infants and toddlers.
The fire quickly killed more than a dozen children and others have since died in hospital.
After melted aluminum from a faulty air conditioner ignited paper on the floor of the warehouse, where the government stored license plates and documents, heat and fire spread into the rafters of the industrial building and across to the day-care centre, the government says. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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