Past Event January 01, 1970

Regional Roundtable Discussion

This round table will examine the question whether ensuring accountability for the widespread torture that has taken place in the past can contribute to the prevention of torture. Lessons from Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Myanmar and Sri Lanka will be shared, taking stock of local and civil society-led initiatives to national policy changes designed to transform entrenched practice of torture. The roundtable will provide a space to discuss innovative approaches needed to push for change.

Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR) together with KontraS (Indonesia), the National Peace Council (Sri Lanka), Associacaon Chega Ba Ita (Timor-Leste), and Wimutti Volunteer Group (Myanmar) have been working together to strengthen survivors of torture and promote accountability in our respective contexts. These four countries share a common trait where the lack of accountability for mass torture may contribute to the country’s continued practice of torture while in process of transition. We have also developed participatory tools to document testimonies from victims of torture, that integrate methods to assist victims to heal and empower themselves, inclusive of providing legal aid and partnership in advocating for policy change.

In this roundtable, we wish to share lessons learned from efforts to strengthen accountability by creating capacity to care for survivors in communities with large numbers of victims and little resources. Currently, torture survivors are rebuilding their lives with little support or acknowledgement from the state or their communities. In many cases, they continue to face discrimination and are shunned by their communities. This is particularly true for women victims of sexualized torture. Furthermore, impunity for torture in the past actively contributes to new cases of torture, as security institutions still refuse to acknowledge these violent practices. Transitions to democracy based on the rule of law take decades to achieve, thus creating a space for mutual learning is therefore a necessary tool in establishing that achievement.