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World Day in Support of Victims of Torture
Themba Lesizwe
June 26, 2003

Themba Lesizwe is amongst the many health and human rights organizations in the world concerned about the consequences of organized violence and torture. This week Themba Lesizwe will join hands with other people and organisations to draw attention to the plight of those who have been tortured - and continue being tortured.
 
Torture continues in many countries, despite the pressure of the international community, the demands of international law, and in the face of countries' signing international conventions and treaties against torture.
 
The UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment came into force in 1987. The Convention is the only international, legally binding convention concerned exclusively with the eradication of torture. The Convention requires state parties
to ensure that acts of torture, attempts to commit torture and complicity in torture are all offences under criminal law subject to punishment. The premise of the Convention is that torturers are not to
enjoy impunity and that their victims are entitled to adequate and effective remedies.
 
Torture is a crime of universal jurisdiction. States parties to the Convention are obliged to either prosecute alleged torturers themselves, or to extradite them to face prosecution elsewhere, regardless of where the crime took place or of the nationality of the alleged torturer or of the victim.
 
In Africa, 33 states have ratified or acceded to the UN Convention Against Torture, while 15 states have not. Zimbabwe is among those that have not ratified the Convention.
 
Themba Lesizwe joins in the concern raised by many international organizations about the levels of organized violence, ill-treatment and torture reported by human rights organisations in Zimbabwe - which have been corroborated by reports by reputable local and international health and human rights organizations. The member organizations of the Themba Lesizwe network have documented many cases of torture experienced by the Zimbabwean refugees who have sought refuge in South Africa. There can be no doubt that torture is taking place within Zimbabwe, and that it is the Zimbabwe government's responsibility to stop this from happening and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
 
As health and human rights professionals dealing with the victims of torture and trauma, we are fully aware of the long-term difficulties that will be experienced by torture survivors and their families - as
well as the extensive damaging consequences on communities which have experienced persistent organized violence and torture. Zimbabwe will face a difficult task in repairing the psychological effect that has been endured by its population in the last three years and by previous generations of ordinary Zimbabweans. Themba Lesizwe stands together with our Zimbabwean colleagues in facing this problem and in drawing the problem to the attention of our governments and calling the Zimbabwe
government to:

• Stop any or all acts of perpetrated violence
• Ratify without any further delay the Convention against Torture

As we observe that torture continues to be widely practised in most Southern African countries, we urge those Southern African states that are still to ratify or accede to the UN Convention, to do so as a matter of urgency - and to act on the obligations contained within it.
 
We urge those countries that have ratified or acceded to the UN Convention, but in which torture still occurs, to engage in more dedicated efforts to eradicate torture and to bring the perpetrators to
justice - and to provide appropriate assistance to the victims of torture and their families.
 
On this Day in Support of Victims of Torture, we ask South Africans to remember and honour all victims of torture, wherever they come from and whoever they are - and to particularly remember the Zimbabweans in our midst, and across the border.
 
Finally, we call upon our Parliament to remember to continue their vow to observe a minute of silence to remember the countless victims, and to reflect upon their duty to honour South Africa's commitment to its international obligations and to human rights for all Africans.

Annexure: List of African countries that have and counties that have not ratified the convention 
African states which have RATIFIED or acceded to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (132 States in total as at 31 March 2003).

African states which have NOT RATIFIED the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (62 States in total as at 31 March 2003).

For any further information, please contact Francois Dronnet on +27-83-275 0802 or at info@santsep.co.za
Website: http://www.santsep.co.za/

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