クメールルージュが政権をとってから４０年になる２０１５年。
ドイツの団体が、クメールルージュ裁判と今後の行方を、とくにサーバイバーの視点から検討するという会議を開催して、わたしも性犯罪について講演させていただくことに。
↓大混雑の会場、１００人以上が参加、大多数が白人
Truth Commission を作ったほうがいいのでは、っていうアイディアがあって、Kudei Karnaの人が賛成論と反対論について発表。
個人的には、ECCC にちゃんと仕事をしてほしいけれど、なんせあの混乱状態と、一般の人たちが関心を失ってしまっている今日現在のことを考えると、Truth commissionで議論をしていく過程を重視するほうがいいような気もするのであった・・・・
ちなみにこの日発表したECCCの検察の関係者はとってもとても素敵な南アの人だった。素敵というのは、外見がっていうことだけではなくて、発表の内容が、被害者視点にたっていて、被害者が自分の苦しみを語る場となっているECCCと、訴追されている側が被害者の回答にこたえようとしている姿勢がみえるっていうことを映像で紹介してくれたところ。なかなかよかった。
以下は、わたしの原稿草案。実際には、かなりアドリブをいれて、好き放題話したのであっった。
Justice and Reconciliation
After the Khmer Rouge Regime
What has been achieved?
18 February 2015
Gender based violence during the Khmer Rouge regime
Key words: Silence, culture of impunity, empowerment
- Sexual violence in conflict affects both men and women but due to the under-reporting we can only estimate the numbers for both genders. The available statistics show that women are affected disproportionately because of the disadvantaged situation of women in society. However, there is a knowledge gap in regard to sexual violence perpetrated against boys and men, and against people from sexual minority groups, so we do not know the real magnitude of GBV in conflict.
- Sexual entitlement, discrimination, abuse of power and impunity all contribute towards the perpetration of such violence in a conflict setting. Rape is often used as a weapon in war as part of a military strategy to terrorise, displace and control communities. A culture of shame and stigmatising victims leads to the silencing of survivors, which also negatively affects the cycle of violence.
- Gender based violence is a continuum of gender based discrimination, which is a manifestation of societal cultures and institutions that value and prioritize men. The abuse of power and social beliefs and norms that subordinate women and marginalized groups in society are also factors that allow for widespread sexual violence to manifest in conflict.
- Conflict related sexual violence includes, Rape, Forced pregnancy, Forced abortion, Trafficking, Forced prostitution, Sexual slavery, Forced sterilization, Sexual torture, and the list goes on.
- Normally survivorskeep silent about crimes - due to fear, stigma, self-blame, fear of being shunned by their communities, to maintain reputation.
- As well as this, most perpetrators go unpunished, creating a culture of impunity - in many cases, the sexual violence was encouraged as a strategy of war, or seen as an inevitable side effect of war by many.
- Research into gender- based violence in the KR regime - When I tried to do a research into GBV during KR in 2005, no one believed survivors were still alive or even if they were alive they would never break the silence - however, yes, they were alive and they did speak to me. Survivors are willing to break silence, as long as safe environment is provided.
- In 2014 I did another research study on GBV against sexual minority groups, and documented many untold stories of violence, which were perpetrated against them. It also included sexual violence against men in the KR regime, which was the first documentation of this kind. It also documented the phenomenon of forced marriage- a unique form of widespread sexual violence used by KR.
- Failure to address past crimes – a culture of impunity –creates a vicious cycle of VAW and continues to affect safety of women and marginalized and vulnerable people. This is reflected in the fact that latest statistics shows that Cambodian men perpetrate rape (crimes) at the high level in Asia- Pacific. It also found out that gang rape was a particular problem in Cambodia, particularly among the young men. Failure to address sexual violence in post-conflict settings also threatens peace and security, and can feed a cycle of conflict.
- Perpetration of GBV in the present time is, in part, a result of the normalization of violence in the community and in the home facilitated by weak legal system and limited security structures, widespread impunity, and weak community norms that do not condemn GBV.
- Government policy and service response to current cases of sexual violence needs to acknowledge the past crimes. We all need to consider the mental health impacts and trauma and how this has permeated through the generations. Survivors need a wide range of support, and must be at the centre of responses to sexual violence in conflict.
- Today is a great occasion to discuss the GBV in conflict. We still need to create a safe environment for women and men, and all of those who suffered from GBV during the KR regime, to break the silence in order to stop the culture of impunity, and so they can heal, be empowered and act as agents for positive change.
End
