Victoria Coalition for the Survivors of Torture (VCST) is a support center for survivors of torture. It was established in 1992 in Victoria British Columbia Canada. The VCST's goal is to assist torture survivors directly in order that they may resume fulfilling lives. Moreover the VCST liases with health care professionals, social workers, settlement workers, and others so that there is an improved integration of strategies to help survivors and their families. Towards these objectives the VCST initiates education events directed at various communities in Victoria BC.
(VCST web-site. accessed the 8 Sept. 2007; http://www.vcst.ca/menu.htm)
The VCST is a member of a Canadian Network for the Health of Survivors of Torture (ResCanNet: http://www.rescannet.2itb.com/cgi-bin/framed/2700/ResCanNet111barre.html) and it is responsible for arranging the ResCanNet Bulletin, a communication vehicle for the ResCanNet.
The Victoria Coalition for the Survivors of Torture is working on a number of international proposals. One of the proposals is aimed at the World Health Organization (WHO) and addresses medical or nursing related abuses associated with the UN Principles of Medical Ethics relevant to the Role of Health Personnel, particularly Physicians, in the Protection of Prisoners and Detainees against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment(UN.1982)
There remains gaps in regulation relating to medical torture in many countries:
1) Government sponsored torture and organized violence, with the complicity and or participation of health personnel, is internationally prohibited yet these violations occur with impunity in a significant amount of cases. An example of this impunity is found in the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner scandel(http://en. .org/wiki/Abu_Ghraib_prison)as well as documented by Amnesty International (http://en. .org/wiki/Amnesty_International) and the University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics (http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/OathBetrayed/index.html).
2) A higher standard of behaviour is expected of health professionals yet the UN Principles of Medical Ethics relevant to the Role of Health Personnel, particularly Physicians, in the Protection of Prisoners and Detainees against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment(UN.1982)are not enforceable when governments are complicit in violations. This higher standard is reflected in the principles of beneficence, non-maleficence (above all do no harm), autonomy, justice, dignity and informed consent and these aren’t covered comprehensively by the UN Convention Against Torture.
To fill in the gap in regulation the Victoria Coalition for the Survivors of Torture(VCST) in Canada has proposed that an International Health Professions’ Ethics Committee be established to enforce the UN Principles of Medical Ethics. A draft of the Ethics Committee has been posted on the VCST web-site: http://vcst.ca/proposal.htm
The concept aimed at the World Health Organization suggests that WHO amend its structure to facilitate the idea. The proposed committee would be comprised of elected experts and will have the membership of civil society. The participation of the World Medical Association, the World Psychiatric Association, the International Council of Nurses and the World Federation for Mental Health is invited.
The Committee's purview would include medically relevant human rights violations connected with torture such as those inherent to the Geneva Conventions, the death penalty, the illegal organ trade, the abuse of women, and breaches against security detainees and prisoners. (See also Medical Torture http://en. .org/wiki/Medical_torture)
The Victoria Coalition for the Survivors of Torture is also proposing the following Accreditation System for US Military training:
Proposed Accreditation System () for the Training and Conduct of US Military Personal
In relation to torture and other cruel inhuman and degrading treatment: The American government investigate establishing a binding Accreditation System for the Training and Conduct of US Military Personnel, henceforth called the Accreditation System:
The Accreditation System be monitored by an implementation committee, hence forth called the Monitoring Committee, and be established in close consultation with torture survivors who have been victims of abuse by the US Military. The Monitoring Committee be granted immunity, authority and access all relevant records and military facilities;
The Accreditation System oblige state the US Military to ensure the following goals regarding the conduct and the basic training of all soldiers:
1. The US Military permit any soldier to report human rights violations directly to the UN Committee Against Torture and other reputable impartial agencies including civilian domestic organizations. That the policy of reporting be incorporated in official regulations and that every soldier be trained about when to report and how to report. The directives associated with reporting to civilian agencies be written down in the form of a policy in close proximity to regulations that oblige soldiers to obtain permission before disclosing military information. Nurses, doctors, and paramedics be trained in a more specialized and detailed manner including training on the recognition and treatment of torture survivors.
2. The US Military invite eminent persons from Amnesty International, the ICRC and other non-government organizations to be members of the monitoring committee.
3. The US Military ensure that all soldiers receive significant training on the UN Convention Against Torture.
4. The US Military ensure that all soldiers receive significant training on the protocols for disobeying unethical, immoral, and inappropriate orders such as torture and other cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Such instruction be initiated during basic training in the form of case studies or vignettes about inappropriate, immoral, unethical orders, and torture. These case studies include situations which are similar to the Abu Ghraib Prison Tragedy, the case of United States v. Calley and the My Lai massacre, as well as the Somalia Affair and the Canadian Airborne Regiment. Subsequently these practical examples be reinforced by their integration in training exercises. ()
5. Federal legislation in the United States include penalties for not reporting violations of the UN Convention Against Torture and not intervening to stop violations.
6. The US Military be required to submit regular reports to the Monitoring Conmmittee on the recommendations of the Monitoring Committee. The Monitoring Committee accept reports and recommendations from individuals, non-government organizations, and other governments.
7. The above aims be secured through regular, public, and confidential interviews and reports by the Monitoring Committee as well as other effective measures consistent with the objectives.
Revised 2 December 2005;
This Proposal directed at the US Military is a compilation of three proposals directed at ; The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) through the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights – 4 January 2000 ; The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – 6 February 2000 ; The People’s Republic of China (PRC) including members of the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police – 18 April 2000 ;
Research by S. Miligram (1974. Obedience and Authority. Harper and Row) indicates the power of orders from an authoritarian hierarchy to override individual responsibility. The kind of character produced by modern society can not be counted on to prevent human rights violations. Without specific training, we cannot assume personal responsibility will override the obedience to an authority figure, especially within the military context.