The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), based in Copengahen, welcomes the agreement signed Monday between the government of Indonesia and Free Aceh Movement. The population of the Indonesian province of Aceh has suffered severely from human rights violations, including torture, throughout the history of the province.
Hopefully the peace agreement will support the efforts for the reconstruction of Aceh after the tsunami and help bring an end to the severe violations of human rights. Among the key points in the agreement is the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission, the organization notes in a press release Tuesday.
– The re-establishment of full-scale rehabilitation facilities for victims of torture must be a key component in the truth and reconciliation process. Furthermore, the effects of a trauma induced fear, hopelessness and depression that the victims of the tsunami feel is similar to the feelings experienced by victims of torture, says Bhogendra Sharma, president of the IRCT and of the rehabilitation centre for torture victims in Kathmandu, Nepal, CVICT.
The IRCT is an international, independent health professional NGO working for the rehabilitation of torture victims and the prevention of torture.
Since 1999, the IRCT has supported Rehabilitation Action for Torture Victims in Aceh (RATA) has cared for victims of man-made atrocities, specifically torture. In December 2000, three volunteer field workers from RATA) were tortured and killed by Indonesian security forces. A fourth field worker was also tortured but managed to escape.
The IRCT urges the international community and Indonesian government to protect vulnerable human right defenders, who are now taking part in the reconstruction of Aceh, and to assure the access to Aceh by international representatives seeking to assist.
The tsunami that hit Aceh on 26 December 2004 and killed more than 220.000 people also affected RATA. The key staff, including the Medical Director, was killed.
Some of the people behind RATA have now established a new consortium and they are currently struggling to re-establish RATA and start new activities, including a programme for recovery and reconstruction after the tsunami.
A society that has been through a period of repression or conflict, but which cares for and provides support for all of its citizens who have suffered torture, trauma or loss, is a society that is well on the road to recovery. Rehabilitation treatment enables people to rebuild broken relationships, and to begin to take part again in the lives of their family and of their community.
The IRCT urges the international community to support RATA, which has managed to treat over 1.500 torture victims in addition to undertaking training, documentation and awareness raising of its activities. RATA was supported financially by the Danish Embassy in Djakarta and the EU during its short existence.
RATA was accepted by all parties in Aceh for doing important work despite the political and military unrest in the province. Such a neutral health based organisation has just as important a contribution to add to the well-being of the people today as it did during the periods of political and military unrest.
For further information, contact IRCT Media Co-ordinator Poul Struve Nielsen, 33 76 06 00, 33 76 06 49 (directly) or 23 34 55 09 (mobile), fax 33 92 05 00. www.irct.org
International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), Borgergade 13, P.O. Box 9049, 1022 Copenhagen K.
