The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, January 21, 2003

NO TO WAR: Ticos protest possible war on Iraq.
-AFP

Still no Funding for Costa Rica's
Child Sexual Exploitation Plan
Costa Rica is one of eight Latin American countries that has developed a national action plan to combat the sexual exploitation of minors, but still not provided funding to implement the plan, found an international report released yesterday by ECPAT, a worldwide network of children's rights organizations.
(Click for more)

January 21

Fusión Caribe in Concert
Celebrated musicians get together to perform Jazz at 9 p.m., at Jazz Café, across from Banco Popular, San Pedro. Info: 253-8933.

Book Presentation
The book "Pablo José," winner of the 2000 Costa Rica Literary Contest in theater, narrates the story of brothers, at 7 p.m. at Mexico Institute, Los Yoses. Info: 253-5354.

Librería Internacional Activities for Kids
Wed., Jan. 22, 3:30 p.m., Workshop on Kites, Multiplaza. Thurs., Jan. 23, 3:30 p.m., Origami Workshop, Plaza Cemaco. Sat., Jan. 25, 11 a.m., Pancita Story Telling "Mimosaurio," and Craft, Barrio Dent; Also, at 3 p.m., Multiplaza. Wed., Jan. 29, 3 p.m., Paper Airplanes Contest, Multiplaza, 280-2011.

Nature Classes
Nature photography, Jan. 20-24; Little Farmers, 7-10 years, Jan. 22; Nutrition for Animals, 5-7 years, Jan. 23; Agriculture, 8-11 years, Jan. 24; Endangered Trees, 16 and up, Jan. 25; Acting Workshop, 10-15, Jan. 27-31; The Surprising Ants, 3-5, Jan. 28; Felines, 7-8, Jan. 30-31; Night tour, all public, Jan. 31; Zoo Camp, 8-12, Feb. 7-8, Simón Bolivar Zoo, 256-0012, 233-6701, 223-1790.

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Still no Funding for Costa Rica's
Child Sexual Exploitation Plan
By Tim Rogers
Trogers@ticotimes.net

Costa Rica is one of eight Latin American countries that has developed a national action plan to combat the sexual exploitation of minors, but still not provided funding to implement the plan, found an international report released yesterday by ECPAT, a worldwide network of children's rights organizations.

Of the 10 Latin American countries to develop national action plans to combat the social scourge, only the governments of El Salvador and Colombia have provided funding for their plans, according to the report.

Costa Rica's National Action Plan was last unveiled in 2001, with a promised annual budget of $800,000. Yet despite President Abel Pacheco's repeated statements that the fight against the sexual exploitation of children is a priority of his government, the funding for the plan has still not been allocated (TT, Nov. 22, 2002).

"It is great that Costa Rica has a national action plan, but the plan itself is not the end result," Bruce Harris, regional director of ECPAT, told The Tico Times yesterday. "The question is: how is the plan going to work without money?"

ECPAT also criticized Costa Rica for not doing enough to prosecute those who sexually abuse children, and "coyotes," who illegally traffic children across borders for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

According to Rocio Rodríguez, investigation director for the child advocacy group Casa Alianza -- which Harris also heads -- the Costa Rican government has fiddled with and re-released the same national action plan four times in the last five years.

Child Welfare Minister Rosalia Gil, meanwhile, told The Tico Times last November that the government's National Action Plan was not dead, but undergoing a process of fine-tuning.

Gil, who was not at yesterday's ECPAT presentation, has reportedly requested a copy of the report -- something Harris says is "a good sign."

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Ticos Protest War on Iraq

Shouting protest-slogans like "Bush, assassin" and waving anti-war placards, some 300 Costa Ricans assembled last Saturday in San José's Plaza de la Cultura to join international protest against a possible U.S.-led military strike on Iraq.

Under the slogan "There is no road to peace, peace is the road," the protest was organized by the non-governmental group The Friends Peace Center and brought together peace activists of all ages.

"We are here to oppose a false war," said student protestor Sofia Solano. "The United States says it wants to disarm Iraq, but in reality it is looking to appropriate the country's oil."

Organizers presented President Abel Pacheco with a signed letter stating "war against Iraq is immoral and unjust." The letter reminded the President that Costa Rica "abolished its army more than 50 years ago, and thus has the moral authority to demand respect for international law, peace and justice."

"This is the first activity we have organized in coordination with other countries in the world; and we are planning another protest for Feb. 15," said demonstration organizer Diego Low.
-AFP

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33 Nabbed in Immigration Roundup

As part of the continued immigration crackdown, authorities detained 33 foreigners last Thursday in San José found to be staying here illegally, according to a ministry press release.

The latest raid -- conducted in downtown bars, restaurants, sodas and bus stops -- resulted in the detention of 24 Nicaraguans, three Colombians, two Peruvians, a Mexican, an Argentine, a Panamanian and a U.S. citizen. Immigration authorities have already begun the deportation process for some of the detainees, while those found with illegal drugs were turned over to police.

Last week's raid was the second of 2003. Earlier this month, 31 "illegal" foreigners were detained during an Immigration raid of the popular nightclub spot "El Pueblo."

Immigration director Marco Badilla said the immigration sweeps will continue regularly.

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