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16 Jan 2006 |
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Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, January 16, 2006
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Children's and Adolescents'
Rights Code,
Parental Responsibility
Law Translated into Bribrí
President Abel Pacheco symbolically handed copies of Costa Rica's Paternal Responsibility Law and Children's and Adolescents' Rights Code, translated into Bribrí, to two youths from an indigenous Bribrí community in the southern Caribbean Talamanca area Friday. The ceremony launched a Child Welfare Office (PANI) initiative to distribute 2,000 copies of these texts to schools in Bribrí communities, where teachers will use them in the classroom to teach children about their rights.
(Click for more)
Mysterious Object in Sky
Draws
Crowds in San José
Was it an alien spaceship, a weather balloon, a solar eclipse or just an optical illusion? A round white circle seen hovering in the sky above San José Friday left pedestrians scratching their heads and craning their necks, pondering what this mysterious object could be.
(Click for more)
Woman Police Officer
Detained
For Distributing
Drugs in Women's Prison
A woman police officer was arrested Friday by Costa Rican authorities after they discovered she was allegedly distributing drugs in the women's prison El Buen Pastor, south of San José, according to Justice Minister Patricia Vega.
(Click for more)
Protest Planned by Civil Movement
Traffic could be backed up today due to a protest planned by agricultural and transport workers in front of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) building, west corner of Parque González Víquez, calle 9 between Ave. 20 and 22, beginning at 9 a.m. The workers, unified under the Civic Movement, are protesting the country's road conditions, gasoline costs and privatization of vehicle inspection by Riteve.
January 16
American Embassy Closed
The American Embassy announced its offices are closed today due to the commemoration of the birth of Martin Luther King. Tomorrow, the staff will work their normal schedule.
Open Classes at National University
Universidad Nacional registration for open summer classes opens today and continues through Jan. 19. The institution is offering different courses for people of all ages, including sports, theater, dance, computer, fine arts, etc. Registration is 9 a.m.-noon, 2-4 p.m. at FUNDAUNA, west to the Soda “Padre Royo,” 125 meters east and 25 meters north of Burger King. Cost for each course is ¢3.000 and can be paid by credit card. Info: 277-3419, 277-3117.
Summer Classes for Special-Needs Children
Popular dance classes for deaf children ages 8-12 with instructor Ileana Murillo, registration Jan. 16-20, classes Jan. 24, 26, 28, 10 a.m.-noon; tactile stimulation for visually impaired children, ages 4-6, instructor Celina Zúñiga, Jan. 24, 27, 31 (call for schedule); origami for mentally handicapped children, ages 10-12, instructor Jackeline Mora, Jan. 30, Feb. 1-3; dance therapy for visually impaired children, ages 9-12, instructor Ivannia Quesada, Jan. 27-31, Feb. 2, 10 a.m.-noon, Museum of Forms, Spaces and Sounds.
Edited By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff
aroberson@ticotimes.net
Children's and Adolescents' Rights Code,
Parental Responsibility Law Translated into Bribrí
By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff
aroberson@ticotimes.net
President Abel Pacheco symbolically handed copies of Costa Rica's Paternal Responsibility Law and Children's and Adolescents' Rights Code, translated into Bribrí, to two youths from an indigenous Bribrí community in the southern Caribbean Talamanca area Friday. The ceremony launched a Child Welfare Office (PANI) initiative to distribute 2,000 copies of these texts to schools in Bribrí communities, where teachers will use them in the classroom to teach children about their rights.
The Bribrí are one of Costa Rica 's eight indigenous groups with approximately 11,000 inhabitants living primarily in the Caribbean and Pacific zones.
Translating Costa Rica's Parental Responsibility Law, ratified in 2001, and the Children's and Adolescents' Rights Code, ratified in 1990, is a project to promote legal awareness among the Bribrí and make sure laws are applied the same in these communities as in the rest of Costa Rica, said Child Welfare Minister Rosalía Gil. The rights to health, an education, a name and nationality, freedom from abuse and to know one's parents are among those guaranteed under Costa Rican law.
“In the past, not as much attention has been paid to children in these communities as in others,” Gil said. “The law is something everyone should have in their own language. Children should know they have a right to know their parents and a right to speak out against violence.”
Bribrí children from Talamanca traveled to San José to attend the ceremony at Casa Presidencial and received a bag of school supplies donated by the store Mundo de Juguetes and distributor Dixon Vinci along with copies of the texts.
Pacheco called the initiative a “first step” which will be followed by translations of the texts into other indigenous languages. Each of the country's eight indigenous groups has its own language: Brunca, Cabécar, Bribrí, Teribe, Guaymí, Huetar, Chorotega and Maleku.
“This translation is a way of expressing respect and recognizing the validity of this culture that has its own language, world vision and identity,” Pacheco said.
The texts were translated by the University of Costa Rica (UCR) School of Modern Languages.
Mysterious Object in Sky
Draws
Crowds in San José
By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff
aroberson@ticotimes.net
Was it an alien spaceship, a weather balloon, a solar eclipse or just an optical illusion? A round white circle seen hovering in the sky above San José Friday left pedestrians scratching their heads and craning their necks, pondering what this mysterious object could be.
The object was visible between 1 p.m. and 2:15 p.m., according to the daily La Nación. It stopped pedestrians in their tracks and drew workers out of their offices – including several from the Tico Times – to witness this unusual event.
The white, shiny circle was likely one of the weather balloons launched by the National Meteorology Institute (IMN) last week, IMN meteorologist José Joaquín Aguero told La Nación. Using a radio probe, the balloons measure humidity, atmospheric pressure and wind speed, among other things.
“These radio probes are silver; with the sun's light, it's logical that they would shine. When the balloon reaches a certain altitude in the atmosphere, it explodes,” Aguero said.
The mystery object evoked a range of reactions from passers-by. While some immediately took it for an unidentified flying object (UFO), others were skeptical it even existed.
“I was running errands in San José and I saw lots of people standing, just looking up,” said Ronny Salmerón, 24. “I thought it was just a joke, though.”
Mario Altamirado, however, said he was sure the object was a UFO, a belief that was confirmed when he saw people around him panicking and even crying.
“It was a white, shiny circle that looked like silver money, and it didn't move,” Altamirado said. “To me, it was very strange to see something so static in the sky.”
For a few days at the end of last week, IMN launched radio probes every six hours, reported La Nación. The combination of one probe's altitude and shiny appearance likely made it visible Friday.
Woman Police Officer Detained
For
Distributing Drugs in Women's Prison
A woman police officer was arrested Friday by Costa Rican authorities after they discovered she was allegedly distributing drugs in the women's prison El Buen Pastor, south of San José, according to Justice Minister Patricia Vega.
Vega told local press the female police officer, whose last name is Strasburger, was discovered when she entered the prison with 250 rocks of crack (cocaine with other substances) and a package of marijuana cigarettes, supposedly for the prisoners.
Vega said Strasburger, 61, has worked for 27 years as a security agent in different prisons in Costa Rica but, despite her work history, “will be processed by judicial authorities.”
According to Costa Rican law, introducing or distributing drugs in a prison can warrant an eight to 20-year prison sentence.
Since Friday the woman has been suspended from her job and will be submitted to an internal investigation process. She was also denounced by the Prosecutor's Office.
ACAN-EFE
