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María Elvira Mora

LISTENING BEFORE CONDEMNING: A STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN DIGNITY

 

I have always admired my brother Santiago Mora, for being a fair man, who takes the right stance in every situation and for the drive and commitment he displays when it comes to reaching his goals. He never gave up his fight against cancer, which he suffered at the age of 19 and which led him to lose one of his legs. Silently, he underwent the treatment, and kept on with his studies. His apparent physical disadvantage never prevented him from doing field research in the Amazon and the eastern flats of Colombia, neither from travelling around the country, as well as in Canada and the United States. He put up a fight and went the extra mile not just for becoming the outstanding professional he is, but also to provide his children with the best opportunities he could. Today, a court from New Brunwick in Canada forces him to give up 83% of his salary in the middle of the Canadian Winter, forcing him to go on a hunger strike as the only way to fight for his rights and dignity.

 

The thing he has always loved the most is his family; his doctoral thesis was dedicated to “his band” referring to the five people he was exploring the world with. When his wife Claudia decided to leave him five years ago, they drafted and signed a legal agreement according to the Colombian law and justice; in this agreement, the rights and interests of all parties were considered and satisfied.

 

Today, a blindfolded Canadian court disregards the previous agreement and only considers the right of one single person, his estranged wife, Claudia. We just can’t understand the sentence issued by the court, in which he is being forced to give her 63% of his monthly income and 20% extra to pay for HER lawyer. He hasn’t even been found guilty of any crime. Is just unbelievable that a man who has worked to the bone all his life to secure the future and well-being of his family is now being forced to give up everything and to see his family destroyed both emotionally and economically for the judgment of a court which doesn’t listen to him but only prejudicially punishes.

 

I just want to invite all those who think they have the right to be listened before being convicted to protest energetically against the court of New Brunwswick in Fredericton Canada and to demand from the judge to listen to Santiago as soon as possible. We also demand that the court explains to the world the criteria upon which it takes such radical and rather irrational decisions especially it being a court of Canada, a country traditionally known for its respect for dignity as well as human and civil rights.

 

María Elvira Mora

 

 

 

HUELGA DE HAMBRE: ESCUCHAR ANTES DE CASTIGAR.

 

Siempre he admirado a mi hermano Santiago Mora, por tomar posiciones justas en todas las circunstancias y por el carácter con que lleva a cabo todo lo que se propone. Con la mayor energía asumió el cáncer que a los 19 años lo llevó a perder una pierna, en silencio  tomo la quimioterapia, junto con los cursos que requería su carrera; sus aparentes dificultades físicas no le impidieron dejar las investigaciones de campo en los Llanos y el Amazonas, ni continuar sus viajes por Colombia, por Estados Unidos y por Canadá, para buscar no sólo ser mejor profesional, sino darle a sus hijos mayores oportunidades. Hoy, una corte de New Brunwick enajena su salario, lo obliga a realizar una huelga de hambre, en medio del invierno Canadiense.

 

Si algo ha querido Santiago es a su familia, su tesis doctoral fue dedicada a “a mi banda” refiriéndose al grupo de los cinco que iban por el mundo juntos explorando. Cuando Claudia decidió irse de la casa hace 5 años, Santiago llegó a acuerdos legales con ella, acuerdos mutuos que fueron legalizados siguiendo las leyes colombianas; con ellos se protegian los intereses de todos. Hoy una corte Canadiense, ciega, no considera esos acuerdos y solo ve a un miembro de la familia: Claudia. Me resulta incomprensible las sanciones que sobre él y su familia impone la corte, especialmente por no haber sido juzgado o siquiera acusado de alguna falta. Inconcebible que una persona que ha trabajado toda su vida en el proyecto de su familia, vea como la misma es destrozada emocional y economicamente ante la inmutabilidad de una corte que no escucha, pero sanciona.

 

Invito a quienes crean en el derecho a ser escuchados antes de ser sancionados a protestar enérgicamente contra la corte de New Brunwswick en Fredericton y a exigir que un juez escuche a Santiago a la mayor brevedad; igualmente exijo que la corte explique al mundo la lógica sobre la cual basa tan terrible accionar, en un país que se supone respetuoso de los derechos humanos.

 

María Elvira Mora

 

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