Bogotá city councilor asks that rapist priests and pastors appear on the walls of infamy

ALC/Gospel Noticias, BOGOTA, Colombia, August 27, 2007

“The first persons who should be on the so-called walls of infamy of the city Taxi Heathrow Airport are those priests and pastors who, taking advantage of their positions of power or affection, sexually abuse minors,” Bogotá city Councilwoman Gilma  Jiménez has asked of the capital district’s city council.

“The churches, and especially the Catholic Church, to which I belong, have got to react immediately to this kind of crime demeaning of humanity; they cannot continue to protect the criminals who take advantage of the priestly garments to submit girls and boys to their sexual aberrations,” the councilwoman indicated.

Jiménez, who has asked the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and requested of all the leaders of other denominations that the immunity given to those persons who are being questioned both morally and ethically be lifted, said that what she is pursuing is that the Colombian justice system be able to investigate without any restrictions at all.

Jiménez revealed that it is expected that the “walls of infamy” will be put up over the next two weeks, and emphasized that “it will be proposed that special billboards be put up showing those clergy and pastors who have been involved in sexual crimes.” Councilwoman Jiménez is known for her work in defense of the girls and boys of Bogotá, Colombia’s capital city.

For their part, some presidents of Evangelical denominations have shown themselves to be pleased with what the councilwoman is demanding, and that she had reminded the Catholic Church by means of the right of petition that, “all public and private institutions, religious institutions and the community in general are protected and governed by the same Constitution, which states in its Article 44 the “prevalence of the rights of the children over the rights of the rest.”

Jiménez indicated that in 2006 there were 20,000 reports of sexual violence. Of these 17,000 cases involved minors and of those close to 15,000 involved 10 year old minors or younger. In 70% of these cases no formal accusations were made.

“There are few sentences given and the punishment imposed is a disgrace, as in the case of that dealt out to Víctor Blanco, a priest in the city of Cali who was merely sentenced to 54 months of jail for having raped two boys who were under his “care” in a social protection institution. This unwanted priest will appear on the Walls of Infamy. All this is shameful for our country,” the politician concluded.

Home

Top

 Comment this article