Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from the Human Rights Alert (HRA), a human rights organisation based in Imphal, Manipur, India.
Asian Human Rights Commission
Hong Kong
A Press Release from the Human Rights Alert, forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
Press Release
As a prelude to the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June 2009, the Departments of Clinical Psychology and the Psychiatry of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in collaboration with Human Rights Alert (HRA) have launched a 5 days’ Workshop entitled Towards Restoring Lives: Practical Assessment of Torture Victims’ Profile and Intervention today.
In a solemn function at the lecture hall of Department of Clinical Psychology, Prof. M. Akshayakumar, Head of the Department welcomed 12 torture victims and their care givers. Later in the day the torture victims were minutely examined and exposed to different therapies by the resident doctors. The day concluded with a pep-talk by Prof. N. Heramani, Head, Department of Psychiatry on different ways of coping with traumatic experiences. The workshop will conclude with the observation of the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June 2009 at Jubilee Hall, RIMS.
As done elsewhere in the world, HRA has been observing the International Day in Support of the Victims of Torture on June 26, for the last many years. The Government of India have signed the UN Convention Against Torture in 1997. The Parliament is ratifying the Convention and is actively considering a bill to outlaw and eradicate torture.
However, in the context of Manipur the phenomenon of torture is endemic and a large section of the population routinely experience mental and physical torture. The victims usually seek medical assistance to redress the physical wounds; but they rarely seek expert help to overcome the mental trauma. They accept it as a faith accompli and learned to live with it. The cumulative impact of this trauma on the society is by no means light.
The organisers believe that there is a dire need to address this issue of mental health and the workshop is a humble attempt towards this end.
Basantakumar Wareppa
Program Executive
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