Letter To Mtnl To Disconnect Telephone Line

Popular Queries: Comparative Experiences

By Victor G. Atencio Human rights activist


In moments when I feel that we need Patria, Republic and Freedom, and given the Government's call to consult the public on various topics, and comments and discussions on this call; I've been to find the rules and experiences of other countries, in order to get a more or less informed opinion on the matter. So I read

standards of countries like Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and see recently, issues such as the transfer of a Moai to France (March 1, 2010), or the payment of compensation to the UK and Holland by the crisis in the banking system (March 6, 2010), were asked to the people of Easter Island in Chile and Iceland respectively, each with negative results.

In this search I also found the Act No. 4 of March 17, 2010, issued by the Parliament of Catalonia, which is about referendums via referendum.

As this is perhaps the most recent standard issued in the world on the subject, I shall briefly disclose some points that I find interesting for the debate in our country is promoted, with the caveat that even this latest standard is had its detractors (on the objections of Deputy dollors Battle may be the next league http://www.intereconomia.com/noticias-gaceta/politica/cataluna-podra-celebrar-referendos-permiso-del-estado ) and that to understand it, must take into account the particular political and legal system of Spain.

The Preamble highlights the objectives of the Government to "encourage participation and increase the quality of democracy to encourage implementation of mechanisms for citizen participation, to next administration and ensure the participation of citizens in making decisions that affect their interests", and later enter define referendum by referendum (art. 3) as "an instrument of direct participation to determine the will of the electorate on policy issues of particular importance to the guarantees of the electoral process."

Within the Law of Catalonia, there are provisions that allow queries can be made on issues covering the powers of the Government or the City Council. However it requires the approval of the English government.

popular consultations via referendum can be, depending on who holds the initiative, institutional or popular initiative (Article 11). Those under the Government a proposal of the President, Parliament a proposal for a fifth of the deputies or two parliamentary groups, or 10% of the municipalities that must represent at least 500 thousand people (art. 15).

popular consultations via referendum on popular initiative may be driven by the citizens of Catalonia, provided they have the support of 3% of population (which in January 2008 amounted to 7,364,078 inhabitants), whose signatures must be collected within six months. The popular initiative inquiries are forbidden to touch or budgetary tax issues, love the general prohibitions of the art. 6 extend to all queries, which states that these can not go against the powers that the Constitution and the Statute of Autonomy recognized institutions of the Government and local authorities, or may be formulated so that a bill affecting or bill that is pending in Parliament.

consultations via referendum on a municipal level, can play songs to the jurisdiction of the municipality and local, with the exception of matters relating to local finance or prohibitions of art. 6. In this area the initiative can also be institutional or popular.

The rule also talks about when queries are binding or advisory, and thus when the Government must act on the results, information campaigns, access to media and public spaces for the dissemination of the campaigns informative, such access free of charge (such as in municipal areas, or in the media state-owned), according to criteria of equal opportunities for the dissemination of each of the positions on consultation issues, among others.

also regulates matters such as absentee ballots, whether from electronic voting, petitions by electronic means, so any sort of arrangements specific to the democracies of the twenty-first century.

So, we recognize that we have not exhausted the contents of the Law on referendum in Catalonia.

only hope to contribute modestly, by this means, the promotion of references, comparative in nature, which serve to nourish the seminal debate on the issue of Panama, because we have the conviction that well-targeted public consultations can be a important tool for improvement of our democracy, especially if we draft a rule to facilitate this mission, and avoid falling into the temptation to submit to referendum, issues that should be forbidden in liberal democracies (can remember my position on the death penalty in visible http://www.laestrella.com.pa/mensual/2010/03/16/contenido/212793.asp ).

wish, so be it.

Showing Boobs In Cloths

ON THE INABILITY TO RESTORE THE PENALTY DEATH IN PANAMA. HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS

By Victor G. Atencio

Human Rights Activists

Human Rights Network Panama

I want to make some things clear. Among them that not surprising statements by Mr Mark Gonzalez as no surprise, so much so that we could say that this man would be a test for all Greek philosopher Heraclitus who asserted that one does not bathe twice in the same river.

This seems to be false in the case of Rep. Gonzalez, it is not the first time in favor of this measure could violate the law, particularly international obligations on human rights undertaken by the Panamanian government.

As early as 2001 or so then-legislator, now deputy initiated a proposal in this regard [1] . And that same year was presented a note to the National Assembly where they were reminded that Panama has ratified the American Convention on Human Rights became part of our legal system by Act No. 15 of October 28, 1977, published in Official Gazette No . 18 468 of 30 November 1977 and the Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty, which became part of our legal system by Act No. 13 of 8 June 1991 which is published in the Official Gazette No. 21,816 of June 26, 1991.

Indeed paragraph 3 of Article 4 of the Convention provides that no "will restore the death penalty in the United that have abolished it.

And that is precisely the case of Panama, and that capital punishment is eliminated from our law since 1918. All this should remind Rep. Gonzalez today if you read the letter brought to the Assembly at that then.

Another thought could be done about as liberal democracies there are limits to the decisions that can be taken in a democracy. One of these limits are human rights.

But it may be recalled as during the 30s and 40s Germany Nazi took democratic measures "final solution" against the Jewish people, which led to one of the bloodiest genocides in history.

recommend

being so important not to contaminate the discussion about public consultations, including proposals that would go counter to the international commitments it must honor the Panamanian State.

not detract from the value in our democracy may have public consultations with those unhappy attempts.

[1] Reflections on the subject of the death penalty and previous attempts by Rep. Gonzalez, the thread can be found in historical outlined by Atencio Gomez, Victor. Humanitarian Doxa: Voices from the Panamanian activism. Universal Books. Panama, 2009, p. 16.

Kates Playground Is The Hottest

visited the prison of La Chorrera

DEMOCRATIC INITIATIVES CENTER, THE COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK OF PRISON VISIT PANAMA Chorrera.

March 14, 2010.

Licenses and Leila Maria Jaén Arosemena (Executive Director and responsible Prison Justice and Peace), accompanied by the Licensee. Victor Atencio Gomez (Vice President of the Center for Democratic Initiatives and a member of the Network of Human Rights in Panama) visited the Central Prison of La Chorrera.

During this visit, human rights organizations were able to observe the deplorable prison conditions, which have hardly changed since development in 2007 of the Report of the Harvard University [1] , and the conclusion of the hearing subject to the Human Rights Commission [2] .

Particularly serious is the situation of drinking water and sewage, in the case of those of their rarity and these by inadequate treatment. The latter are filtered throughout the building affecting prisoners and staff. These leaks are present even in the area where food is handled for distribution.

In this last issue complaints from inmates revolve around the quantity and quality of food (lack of creams on the breakfast and do little, sometimes the chicken is raw). It was confirmed during the visit of poor quality rice for lunch, which was only accompanied by gizzard, without lining of beans, and beverage packaging that was not enough for the 500 detainees at the center.

This situation is aggravated by poor product of the Centre, which can be considered equivalent to those in the prisons of Columbus, reported in October 2009 by these organizations, and that decision is still pending an Action Habeas corpus is a group that is in the hands of the Supreme Court.

Overcrowding is evident in an installation that houses 527 people the day of the visit, when their physical capacity is for 175 people [3] .

These physical conditions, which adds to inadequate ventilation, poor light and moisture, impact on prison inmates, resulting in skin diseases, the spread of colds and other pathological characteristic of overcrowding.

Prisoners complain of the length of visiting time (15 minutes) than in Chorrera is advanced in a room where no contact is allowed between inmates and their visitors.

assert that receive only one hour in the yard a week. Given the conditions

presents the structure of the prison, which was originally was designed to meet administrative cases, but it now has a tried and convicted of criminal cases, Human Rights Network said that they do not meet the Minimum Standards for the Treatment of Prisoners United Nations, be established as a form of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, to the detriment of the right to humane treatment of prisoners and staff who work in the Centre.

finally remind the Panamanian government commitments made during the 2008 theme hearing before the Inter-American Commission, in an effort to adjust the conditions of detention to the standards set by human rights instruments ratified by the Panamanian government, and invite the Panamanian government to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in an effort to improve the rules that allow for better monitoring the situation of persons deprived of liberty.

[1] Human Rights Clinic at Harvard University. Here is the gate to end human rights: Injustice and Inequality in Panamanian prisons. 2008, visible in http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/ngos/HarvardClinicPanamaprisons.pdf . The title of this report was coined by a detainee in the prison of La Chorrera, and originates from a phrase that was used by the guards who watched the center. We will see that conditions continue to justify the use of this unfortunate phrase.
[2] Held in March 2008. It also participated in the Clinic of Harvard University Center for Democratic Initiatives and the Justice and Peace Commission.
[3] View statistics of prison population from 1 to 5 March 2010 in http://www.sistemapenitenciario.gob.pa/uploads/static/4.pdf