While the state legal system is punitive, the indigenous peoples' legal system is restorative
Indigenous Peoples have the right to preserve their justice systems, because a true rule of law includes legal pluralism, stated today Ricardo Pérez, president of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights during the regional seminar on Legal Pluralism "The Right to Own Law ” organized by the Honduran Public Prosecutor's Office and the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean (FILAC).
The event held in Tegucigalpa had the participation of experts from different countries in the region, some of them through electronic platforms.
“Indigenous peoples have the right to preserve and strengthen their own legal institutions. A true rule of law includes legal pluralism. The IACHR has been a pioneer court in defense of their rights,” Pérez said.
The jurist added that "a true Rule of Law is one that integrates diverse and effective regulatory systems to comply with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, which seeks to promote fair, peaceful and inclusive societies."