Comments on: Hungry for Justice: Corrupt Courts in Panama Deny Impoverished Children $50 Million in Inheritance http://www.coha.org/hungry-for-justice-corrupt-courts-in-panama-deny-starving-children-50-million-in-inheritance/ COHA is an NGO specialized in monitoring Latin American and Canadian Relations for more than 30 years... Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:22:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Leila Shelton-Louhi http://www.coha.org/hungry-for-justice-corrupt-courts-in-panama-deny-starving-children-50-million-in-inheritance/comment-page-1/#comment-37779 Leila Shelton-Louhi Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:59:24 +0000 http://www.coha.org/?p=9823#comment-37779 Panama is imploding as the days progress, but the propaganda machine continues to work overtime internationally to keep the facade -- better said, the lures floating out there -- intact. Your help in bringing the reality of Panama today into focus is greatly appreciated by everyone committed to preserving its economic and public health by also saving its heritage and unique significance for our planet's future inhabitants. Looking foward to your next report. Panama is imploding as the days progress, but the propaganda machine continues to work overtime internationally to keep the facade — better said, the lures floating out there — intact.

Your help in bringing the reality of Panama today into focus is greatly appreciated by everyone committed to preserving its economic and public health by also saving its heritage and unique significance for our planet's future inhabitants.

Looking foward to your next report.

]]> By: COHA http://www.coha.org/hungry-for-justice-corrupt-courts-in-panama-deny-starving-children-50-million-in-inheritance/comment-page-1/#comment-37623 COHA Thu, 15 Jul 2010 03:54:46 +0000 http://www.coha.org/?p=9823#comment-37623 Thank you all for your feedback. In writing this piece we hoped to illuminate the Lehman case as one shocking example of a larger epidemic of judicial corruption. As a number of you have pointed out, however, the judiciary is just one of the many facets of the Panamanian government that are in crisis. Since the passage of controversial Law 30/"9in1", (also called by many the "chorizo law" because it is widely considered to contain an excess of pork), the Martinelli government has reached a new low in its respect for the voices of Panamanian citizens and the institutions meant to represent them. I'm currently working on a piece that will address the current crisis in Panama as well as consider the long-term implications of Martinelli's privatization agenda, particularly in light of the signed - though yet to be approved by Congress - free trade agreement with the U.S. Look for that piece sometime next week; I hope you will find that one to be of interest as well. Alexander Brockwehl Thank you all for your feedback. In writing this piece we hoped to illuminate the Lehman case as one shocking example of a larger epidemic of judicial corruption. As a number of you have pointed out, however, the judiciary is just one of the many facets of the Panamanian government that are in crisis. Since the passage of controversial Law 30/"9in1", (also called by many the "chorizo law" because it is widely considered to contain an excess of pork), the Martinelli government has reached a new low in its respect for the voices of Panamanian citizens and the institutions meant to represent them. I'm currently working on a piece that will address the current crisis in Panama as well as consider the long-term implications of Martinelli's privatization agenda, particularly in light of the signed – though yet to be approved by Congress – free trade agreement with the U.S. Look for that piece sometime next week; I hope you will find that one to be of interest as well.
Alexander Brockwehl

]]> By: Leila Shelton-Louhi http://www.coha.org/hungry-for-justice-corrupt-courts-in-panama-deny-starving-children-50-million-in-inheritance/comment-page-1/#comment-37620 Leila Shelton-Louhi Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:29:16 +0000 http://www.coha.org/?p=9823#comment-37620 For Panama to start behaving responsibly, clear incentives need to be established by those bodies with the clout to demand it, starting with a review of funding, including for the expansion, and of the environmental implications of all projects, plus a revamp of the legal system. No sustainable improvement in human rights and public health or welfare of any of Panama's citizens will occur without help from the outside, with more people stepping up to the plate, using Mr. Lehman's commendable tenacity as an example to be followed by us all. For Panama to start behaving responsibly, clear incentives need to be established by those bodies with the clout to demand it, starting with a review of funding, including for the expansion, and of the environmental implications of all projects, plus a revamp of the legal system.

No sustainable improvement in human rights and public health or welfare of any of Panama's citizens will occur without help from the outside, with more people stepping up to the plate, using Mr. Lehman's commendable tenacity as an example to be followed by us all.

]]> By: Leila Shelton-Louhi http://www.coha.org/hungry-for-justice-corrupt-courts-in-panama-deny-starving-children-50-million-in-inheritance/comment-page-1/#comment-37619 Leila Shelton-Louhi Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:28:11 +0000 http://www.coha.org/?p=9823#comment-37619 Democracy has been highjacked by what is, effectively, the "economic dictatorship" long-evolving in Panama, so well illustrated by Mr. Lehman's experiences. With over 50% of Panama's people now living under the poverty line, suffering from malnutrition along with the toxic effects of environmental mismanagement, its leaders have made their indifference unmistakable and their cruelty felt in more ways than on paper and with birdshot. Dealing with the current atrocities by publicly referring to many citizens with insulting remarks, exposing a complete lack of compassion or understanding of the circumstances under which most live, is ironically reminiscent of past events coinciding with today's July 14th date. A change will only happen if the gusher of "investment" funds flowing in to Panama -- particularly via unmonitored "development" loans -- is shut off, thereby disabling what facilitates these behaviors and discourages any shifts in modus operandi. Democracy has been highjacked by what is, effectively, the "economic dictatorship" long-evolving in Panama, so well illustrated by Mr. Lehman's experiences. With over 50% of Panama's people now living under the poverty line, suffering from malnutrition along with the toxic effects of environmental mismanagement, its leaders have made their indifference unmistakable and their cruelty felt in more ways than on paper and with birdshot. Dealing with the current atrocities by publicly referring to many citizens with insulting remarks, exposing a complete lack of compassion or understanding of the circumstances under which most live, is ironically reminiscent of past events coinciding with today's July 14th date.

A change will only happen if the gusher of "investment" funds flowing in to Panama — particularly via unmonitored "development" loans — is shut off, thereby disabling what facilitates these behaviors and discourages any shifts in modus operandi.

]]> By: Leila Shelton-Louhi http://www.coha.org/hungry-for-justice-corrupt-courts-in-panama-deny-starving-children-50-million-in-inheritance/comment-page-1/#comment-37617 Leila Shelton-Louhi Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:32:16 +0000 http://www.coha.org/?p=9823#comment-37617 The legacy of this system is going further... with over a dozen killed, including children, and many more blinded and hundreds wounded due to excessive force and illegal weapons used against them by the National Police in western Panama, the impact of a bizarre piece of legislation nicknamed "Law 9in1" -- secretively passed on a weekend (June12th) and universally condemned across all levels of Panamanian society -- is now being felt. Its elimination of basic rights of citizens, including the right to strike, exempting police from prosecution no matter their crimes, and removing internationally required environmental protection measures are just the tip of the iceberg. Harassment and intimidation of ordinary citizens springs from the same mindset that developed the agenda directed against Mr. Lehman. Everyone is vulnerable, from priests to professors to journalists, and many have been jailed without recourse, including a man attempting to record the reactions against workers being mistreated by the private companies working on the canal expansion who is now languishing behind bars, for trying to expose what is occurring behind the facade erected around Panama today. The legacy of this system is going further… with over a dozen killed, including children, and many more blinded and hundreds wounded due to excessive force and illegal weapons used against them by the National Police in western Panama, the impact of a bizarre piece of legislation nicknamed "Law 9in1" — secretively passed on a weekend (June12th) and universally condemned across all levels of Panamanian society — is now being felt.

Its elimination of basic rights of citizens, including the right to strike, exempting police from prosecution no matter their crimes, and removing internationally required environmental protection measures are just the tip of the iceberg.

Harassment and intimidation of ordinary citizens springs from the same mindset that developed the agenda directed against Mr. Lehman. Everyone is vulnerable, from priests to professors to journalists, and many have been jailed without recourse, including a man attempting to record the reactions against workers being mistreated by the private companies working on the canal expansion who is now languishing behind bars, for trying to expose what is occurring behind the facade erected around Panama today.

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