How to strike a balance between peace and justice

How to strike a balance between peace and justice

By Piero Bonadeo, vice president of Humanitas360

At the end, Colombia chose walking down the path of peace. Two major lessons emerged from the Colombian peace process that went through four years of negotiations, a referendum rejection, and a revised agreement achieved on a last minute deal. First, an extreme activism both in favor and against the agreement has shaken Colombian citizens along with an extreme receptivity from politicians and ruling government. This is evidence that an open, two-ways dialogue between government and the entire society is possible. As a civil society institute working on citizens empowerment we would support actions able to instill the same enthusiasm and open dialogue on major governmental reform and decisions. We strive to multiply users of new technologies and tools as the Colombian referendum happens every day. Second the extreme complexity of striking a balance between peace and justice. Such balance will be achieved and ensured by the special peace tribunals to be set-up by law to be passed in the Congress as part of the implementation of the agreement. We hope Colombian citizens will have a say along the peace path.