The road to peace goes through justice and peaceful means, stated the human rights activist and Nobel Peace laureate Tawakkol Karman, stressing the need to make reparation to victims of conflicts.

This came during a joint press conference held today with former Mexican President Vicente Fox on the sidelines of the 21st Century Thinking Conference hosted by la Universidad Autónoma del Caribe in Barranquilla, northern Colombia.

During the news conference, Tawakkol Karman praised the youth facing dictatorships, corruption and extremism throughout the world.

She also expressed her great confidence in the youth, indicating that hope for a better future is pinned on the youth generation.  

With regard to young people in Venezuela, Karman stressed the need for young Venezuelans to adopt a non-violent approach if they wish to overthrow Maduro.

On the peace agreement signed between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), Mrs. Karman noted that it is important at present to adopt transitional justice in order to guarantee the rights of victims.

She pointed out that the Colombian peace experience is a role model for the world, and is of interest to the Yemenis whose country is witnessing an armed conflict between the coup’s alliance and the legitimate forces supported by Saudi-led military coalition. 

"While transitional justice enables certain degrees of amnesty, there must be some kind of punishment for those who have committed crimes against humanity," Karman added.

She concluded by saying: “for an effective transition to peace, it is necessary for the militia to become political parties and thus part of public political life.”