Julio 14, 2005
Lynchings
MABB writes a bit about the recent surge in cases of lynchings AKA communal justice.
Aparently, in Cochabamba alone, there have been seven murders by communal justice in the last seven months. In the last six months, police has attended 21 cases of lynchings (a.k.a. communal justice).
It definitely is not a recent phenomenon and not only seen in rural settings. There have even been some cases of attempted burnings of suspected thieves in La Cancha, the huge open-air market in Cochabamba.
Much of this stems from the lack of security, as crime continues to rise as economic opportunities remain scarce. A large part of it is the lack of trustworthy police in rural Bolivia, as MABB points out, but a lot of it is the zero trust in the justice system. There is a solid perception that the justice system is inefficient and most criminals never see the back of a cell.
The most unfortunate part of this type of justice is that it is fueled by rumor and hasty decisions. Often some people are attacked, when one person accuses them of being a criminals. Mistaken identity often lands some unfortunate soul in the midst of a mob that is intent to show no mercy.
Clearly the solution is to strengthen the justice system and a more trustworthy law enforcement, which is not an easy task.
Posted by eduardo at Julio 14, 2005 05:54 PM