Illegally Mining Human Rights for Gold
Even though the price of gold has now reached its lowest level in the last five years, gold price increased steadily between 2000 and 2012. This increase produced a worldwide growth in mining activities, including illegal gold mining, which has become an unleashed monster for human rights.
Read MoreObtaining Restitution?
While the Solicitor General publishes reports about the implementation of the Victims’ Law, in some restitution processes he has protected and favored opposing interests.
Read MoreSeparate but Equal
This was the name given to the U.S. Supreme Court doctrine from the infamous case Plessy v. Ferguson, which sought to defend the indefensible: that racial segregation against African-Americans did not violate equality. This reference is useful in Colombia for the discussion about same-sex marriage.
Read MorePragmatics and Revenge Seekers
As we all know, public opinion on the peace process is divided into two camps.
Read MoreRacism’s Two Faces
In the very same week, two scandals in Cartagena have shown the heads and tails of racism in Colombia.
Read MoreInternational Justice Deserves Better
Issues regarding budgets and implementation of ruling are only two examples of the diverse challenges that show that international justice deserves better.
Read MoreIncoherence and Fumigations
It would be contraditory, legally unacceptable and politically inconvenient for the Government to renew fumigations with glyphosate in Catatumbo by arguing that coca cultivation has increased in this region.
Read MoreThe Order of Priorities
There is a famous poem, erroneously attributed to Jorge Luis Borges that reads as follows: “If I could live my life over again,/ in the next one I would try to make less mistakes./ I would not try to be so perfect, I would relax more./ […] I would have more real problems and less imaginary ones.” The poem is not so good, but it does get something right: the ease with which human beings get lost when they have to try to distinguish what matters and what doesn’t.
Read MoreGreek Tragedy
I was lucky enough to be present during the recent Greek referendum regarding its negoations with the Eurozone.
Read MoreA Tax Is a Fee to Fulfill Human Rights
The referendum in Greece last week showed that a majority of the Greek population rejects the austerity measures needed to obtain another bailout from the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IFM), and the European Commission
Read MoreLetter to President Santos on freedom of expression
Civil society organizations ask President Santos that Colombia support the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression at the OAS General Assembly.
Read MoreThe drunks of the jail
In the debate on sanctions against drunk drivers, the ones that seem drunk are those who propose prison.
Read MoreThe paramilitaries and the campaigns of Uribe
Two academic studies found statistically significant relationships between the ratings of former President Uribe in 2002 and 2006 and the degree of control exercised both by paramilitaries and guerrilla groups in the municipalities.
Read MoreJustice reform and cooptation
As in the classic western of Sergio Leone, you may find in the bill of the justice reform the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Read MoreDrug Courts: achievements and challenges of an alternative to prison
This document emphasizes that drug courts are an interesting model due to the fact that they constitute an alternative to imprisonment for drug offenses, however, it also recognizes that it has serious limitations that challenge its convenience.
Read MoreIn the closet: Santos and gay couples
Viewing Obama’s statements in favor of gay marriage, I wondered: what does President Santos think about it? What has he said about the rights of LGBT people? Has he given a nod to his party in Congress to protect same-sex couples families as demanded by the Contitutional Court?
Read More“Dignifying” prostitution
After the scandal of the U.S. Secret Service agents, a bill to regulate prostitution in Colombia is being prepared.
Read MorePublic information and perception of journalists
If we compare ourselves to other countries in the region, we can conclude that the situation of access to information in Colombia is far from being a rose garden.
Read MoreStrengthening Indigenous Rights through truth comissions: A Practitioner’s Resource.
This resource book focuses on truth commissions mandated to look at a period of human rights violations that particularly affected indigenous communities. It is an initial effort to systematically organize lessons learned and make further progress by designing truth processes that are fully compliant with the rights of indigenous peoples.
Cesar Rodriguez and Yukyan Lam contributed with chapter of the book.
Read MoreSuperior interest of the child and equalitarian adoption
Those who oppose adoption by same-sex couples now argue that they do not do it out of prejudice against homosexuals but for one reason above suspicion: the protection of the superior interest of minors.
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