Six Months Report Of Rct -pvchr Project On Testimony

1. Organization 2. Project Title

3. Name of the District and Country where project is implemented 4. Project duration: Start (day/month/year) Completion (day/month/year) according to the application 5. Reporting period

People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) & Jan Mitra Nyas (JMN) Capacity building project on testimonial therapy for Human Rights Organization in India (hereinafter “the project”) Varanasi district, India 1/8/2008 30/4/2009

This reporting period

1/8/2008 – 31/1/2009

Next reporting period

1/2/09 – 30/4/2009

Summary of status describe especially problem encountered during project implementation, including proposal for changes and reason for changes in time schedule, outputs and budget EXTERNAL PROBLEM (First quarter) • Delay in transfer of installment to the project. It took approximately 1 month (14th October, 2008) for the transfer of installment in to the account of Jan Mitra Nyas. So to manage monthly expenses, expenses of supervision workshop and professional consultation, we took loan of 72, 000 Rupees from Jan Mitra Nyas. We reimburse advance immediately after installment was transferred in the account.

INTERNAL PROBLEM (Second quarter) •

A district team or the main/central team does not perform as planned. On 30th November, 09 Mr. Karmanya Kumar designate as Assistant Project Co-ordinator in this capacity building project gave resignation. Appointment of Mr. Karmanya was done on probation period for three month. After completion of his probation period, his work was revived by the Managing Committee and Mr. Karmanya request to extend his probation period for the two and he assure he will improve his performance. His probation period was extended for the two months. So, when Mr. Karmanya realized that he was unable to give qualitative performance up to the expectation of the management. So, he gave one month prior resignation according to the H.R policy of the trust Jan Mitra Nyas (JMN). Prior to his resignation his work was revived by Management committee and written admonishes to improve his performance as problem encountered in filling Monitoring & Evaluation questionnaire and he accepted. Project Coordinator also reproves him to improve his performance. To review his work and take decision on 29th December, 08 core team of PVCHR/JMN did meeting and decided to discontinue him with immediate effect from 31st December, 08. In Place of him Mr. Upendra is appointed as assistant project co-ordinator. The work of the project is not too much affected in the absence of Mr. Karmnaya as other staff/activist of PVCHR is continuously helping in the activities. (His resignation letter is attached as annexure). In this meeting Dr. Lenin, Ms. Shruti Nagvanshi, Ms. Anupam, Mr. Anup, Mr. Siddique Hasan, Mr. Jai Kumar Mishra, Mr. Ajay Kumar Singh, Mr. Manoj Kumar Pandey, Ms. Shirin Shabana Khan, Mr. Upendra, Mr. Umesh Singh and Mr. Shobnath were present.

12. Assessment of overall progress

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The overall progress of the project is according to the planned and activities frame out in project proposal. Detailed report of the program is attached as annexure I and II in first and second quarter report. •

A WORK PLAN FOR THE NEXT REPORTING PERIOD:

Specify activities with realistic time and place. Name of the program Editing & translation of the testimony Delivery Ceremony Delivery Ceremony Ranchi Training (New dates) Follow up M&E questionnaire National Consultation

place Varanasi Sonbhadra Ranchi

New Delhi

Realistic time schedule 25th January 17th February, 09 23rd Feb, 2009 – 27th Feb, 2009 2nd March, 2009 – 6th March, 2009 20 March 16th April – 17th April, 09

• Person responsible for the arrangement for carrying out activities S. no 1 2 3 4

Name of Program Ranchi Workshop New Testimony Delivery ceremony Follow up M & E

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Editing of testimonies

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National Consultation

Responsible Person Dr. Lenin and Ms. Shabana Mr. Upendra Mr. Upendra Dr. Lenin, Mr. Upendra, Mr. Manoj and Ms. Shabana Dr. Lenin, Mr. Upendra, Mr. Manoj and Ms. Shabana with the external consultant Dr. Lenin and Ms. Shabana

12. Assessment of overall progress (other significant progress):

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The other significant progress detailed is attached as annexure III in first and second quarter report

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FIRST QUARTER REPORT (1st August, 08 – 31st October, 08)

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Annexure I I. Supervision The three days supervision from 17th September, to 19th September, 2008 was organized in PVCHR office. Supervision starts with welcome speech by Dr. Lenin Director of PVCHR. In this workshop entire achievement was discussed which was attain after workshop held in the month of May. Dr. Inger Agger discussed the objective of this workshop. In this workshop main emphasis was given on (1) achievements (2) Challenges (3) use of testimony for legal advocacy The schedule was discussed between the participants. Three participants Ms. Shruti, Ms. Anjana Das and Mr. Vijay Bharti were unable to attend. One intern, Ms. Frauke Hollerbach from Germany attended this workshop. SUPERVISION ON TESTIMONIAL THERAPY

17-19 September

Wednesday 17 September

Morning 10 -12 am

(1) Experiences and problems/challenged faced by Human Rights Defender while taking testimonial therapy (2) Meditation

12 -1 pm

Lunch

Afternoon 1 – 4 pm

(1) Experiences and problems/challenged faced by Human Rights Defender while taking testimonial therapy

Name of participants 1. Dr. Lenin 2. Ms. Shruti 3. Ms. Anupam 4. Ms. Saba Iqbal 5. Ms. Anjana Das 6. Mr. Upendra 7. Mr. Vijay Bharti 8. Mr. Neeraj 9. Mr. Karmanya 10.Mr. Daya 11.Mr. Anand 12.Mr. Mangala

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Thursday 18 September

Morning 10 – 12 am

(1) Experiences and problems/challenged faced by Human Rights Defender while taking testimonial therapy (2) Meditation Lunch

12 – 1 pm (1) Experiences and problems/challenged Afternoon faced by Human Rights 1- 4 pm Defender while taking testimonial therapy Friday 19 September Morning 10 – 12 am

(1) Experiences and problems/challenged faced by Human Rights Defender while taking testimonial therapy Meditation Lunch

12– 1 pm (1) Meditation Afternoon 1 – 4 pm

(2) Formation of plan of action

The success and challenges faced by participants after third session were traced out with thorough discussion, themes are given below-

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CHALLENGES:1. 2. 3. 4.

Fear of police Security Confession by Victims Direct Intervention by the victim (without lawyer advice & HR defender advice) 5. Lower officials 6. Political provocation SUCCESS:1. Breaking fear 2. Psychological support 3. Respect by the police Testimony of eight Survivors was published in the face to face column of web news www.mynews.in. On the acceptance of survivors case was sent for the legal advocacy to Director General of Police (DGP) and National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi. 1. In the enquiry of the cases Circle officer called Mr. Daya Shanker Patel and Mr. Upendra as they both of these participants took the testimony of Kaju and Paras (Paru). Along with Survivor Mr. Daya Shanker Patel and Mr. Upendra went to the office of Circle Officer (C.O). Circle officer offered chair to these survivor and he immediately called responsible police and yelled them, that you people are involving them in fake case. The gentle behaviour done by police provides mental support to the survivor. 2. National Campaign on Dalits Human Rights (NCDHR) directly

intervene looks the testimony of Mr. Satendra Yadav on www.mynews.in and they intervene and sent letter to Chief Minister (C.M) of Uttar Pradesh and C.M immediately gave response and ordered for the investigation. Basically NCDHR works for the dalits rights but in this case they support to survivor who belongs to backward caste.

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3. Jaswant before taking testimony, he was saying his self suffering in fragmented story. Now he shows his testimony to the Director General of Police (DGP).

Role Play: Two participants Mr. Upendra Kumar play as a role of survivor (Kaju) and Mr. Daya Shanker Patel as an interviewer.

Story: When police again came to Kaju house so, after looking police Kaju feared and hide himself. Kaju immediately makes a telephonic conversation with Mr. Daya Shanker Patel (Human Right Defender). No problem occurs in this case as Mr. Daya Shanker Patel successfully build trust and also gave support to Kaju. CHALLENGES AFTER THIRD SESSION AND LEGAL ADVOCACY: I. TRUST:

When a Human Right Defender (who is going to fill 2nd part of Monitoring and Evaluation questionnaire) visits a survivor, he faces the problem of trust. Interviewer ask about survivor to his neighbour or the people living surrounding his house, they look interviewer with suspense. However their

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confidence increases when human Rights defender evokes them about honor ceremony. Role Play: to clarify the situation in front of other participants and how to tackle these type of situation. Mr. Karmanya plays the role of Survivor and Ms. Anupam as an Interviewer. Ms. Anupam went to fill the second part of Monitoring & Evaluation questionnaire and in second role play Dr. Lenin (Interviewer) and Mr. Karmanya (survivor).

Story: - {when other Human Rights Defender (Mr. Karmanya) went to fill the second part of Monitoring & Evaluation questionnaire. As other survivor did not meet with Mr. Karmanya so, they did not have trust on him. Ssurvivor strangely behaves with him and he was not willing to respond the question of Mr. Karmanya.} In this role play participants look the challenge that before going to fill the second part of Monitoring and Evaluation questionnaire. It is necessary to communicate with the Human Rights defender, who took the testimony of the survivor and also to carry the photographs of honor ceremony with them. II. POLITICAL PROVOCATION:-

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Fear

Anger

Positive fight back democratic & non - violent Negative provocation

Feeling of injustice Story: {The political provocation was seen in the case of Jaswant whose son was kidnapped and he also has some land dispute. The alleged person occupied his house and open office of ruling party (Bahujan Samaj Party). When Jaswant found his son then people from the different political party stand with Jaswant, as Jaswant already has feeling of injustice and this feeling convert into anger and after getting support from different political parties he went into the negative provocation.} III. CONFESSION:-

To make the challenges of confession clear to the participants a role play was done. The role play was done in two parts first with lawyer having human rights background and secondly any professional lawyer having no knowledge of human rights. (a) Mr. Upendra (victim), Daya (Human Right Defender) and Dr. Lenin (Lawyer) and (b) second situation of crime committed by the victim this role play was done by Niraj (Human Rights Defender), Anupam (Victim) and Daya Shanker (Lawyer) The difference was trace after the two role plays in first situation professional lawyer was not giving any moral support to the victim and his emphasis was more on the money. The second scenario was entirely different from first situation. Lawyer gave respect and he truly gave advises to the victim.

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Meeting of survivor and human rights defender with lawyer

All the Participants used the process of testimonial therapy while doing counseling the victim. This therapy really helps Survivor to again adjoin in the main stream of society. Survivor were feeling relief and happy from inside. MR. MANGAlA PRASAD: He briefly presented the success which he achieved after using testimony. One survivor Jali Mushar was feeling insult and fear from inside. Mr. Mangala used the process of testimonial therapy which he learned during testimonial workshop in the month of May. After hearing his story Mr. Mangala gave psycho- education and encourage survivor for his struggle. QUICK TESTIMONY: MR. NIRAJ: He shared one incident that happened in Bihar. One innocent book seller was involved by police in fake case and he was sent to prison. So, Mr. Niraj with other human rights defender went to prison and discuss incidence happened to him. Again Mr. Niraj individually went to meet with this survivor and provide psychological support to him. He was feeling shame and fear. He shares the self suffering of other people whose story was very similar to them. This time Mr. Niraj uses the process of testimony.

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MS. SABA IQBAL: She adds to them that if human rights defender shows sympathy to the survivor while hearing his self suffering. Survivor without any hesitation informs his self suffering. (One survivor of rape first time without her husband informs her self suffering to female human rights defender, this happened with the use of testimony. MODIFIED TESTIMONY: In the modified testimony Mr. Anand Prakash came to know about one respected family charged in the fake case by the police. Police arrest that person from his home. Survivor has feeling of shame and he was unable to make eye contact with the people and finally he keeps himself in the house. Children and women were feared with the police. So, Mr. Anand did first session with the women’s and children as they were having fear. However Mr. Anand was unable to meet with the survivor. Slowly and gradually he succeeds in making relation with the survivor. After that he starts using the process of testimonial therapy and gave some psycho –education to him that normally police do torture. He shares few self suffering of respected person being tortured by the police. Finally Survivor came out side from his house and now survivor and his family members are living their life without fear.

Use of Testimony in future:Dr. Lenin discuss with the participants regarding the further use of testimony by the human right defender of People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR). 1. Legal (a) United Nation (b) Human Rights Institution 2. Prevention 13

(a) folk school (b) information sharing (c) publication (d) Human Rights streets movement (e) Community meeting (f) Street play 3. Campaign (a) Psychological mapping (MLR) (b) Publication of testimony (c) Information sharing (d) Video advocacy 4. Research (a) Data collection (b) Analysis (c) Publication Essential aspect for Legal Intervention:1. Removing facts (confession) against victims from testimony. 2. Correcting testimony with lawyers and Human Rights defenders, during another session of selective cases. 3. Creating new testimony for the legal purpose.

Testimony Method

Session

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1. Opening the story    

Contact/trust Psycho – education Monitoring & Evaluation – I Starting the story Story is written

2. Closing the session  Story is read/corrected by survivor  Final version of story constructed  How to use the testimony? Dialogue with victim and his approval 3. Delivery ceremony  Group meeting/ folk school/community meeting/demonstration/ community  Testimony is read to group and delivered to survivor  Victim is honored  Legal dialogue with victim if there is fact against the survivor in testimony (Testimony for legal) (Lawyers) 4. Follow up  Filling of second part of monitoring and evaluation by Human Rights defender.

The new session which came out after presentation were – This will be discuss before starting of second session 1. Approval of legal intervention by victim 2. Advise for the democratic & non – violence realistic struggle 3. challenge the impunity their reaction against torture 4. SWOT analysis 3 a. after third session creating new testimony for the legal purpose with human rights defender, victim and advocate

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Annexure II

II. Round Table discussion On “Using Testimony as a psychotherapeutic tool”

Round Table discussion on “Using Testimony as a psychotherapeutic tool” held on 25th September, 2008 at 9:45 am in Diamond Hotel Varanasi with the joint endeavor of Deva International of Child Care (DISCC), People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), Varanasi and Rehabilitation and Research Council for Torture victim (RCT), Denmark.

Dr. Jhawar clinical psychologist he sent an apologies letter that due to some unavoidable circumstances I am unable to participate and learn sheer bad luck on my part but my colleagues are there. Using testimony is a really wonderful thought and this helps the post traumatic individual in all spheres. To brief, testimony therapy could be viewed as T- Truth where E- Emotions & S- Sentiments of T- Tortured I – Individual with M- Magnifiable O- Operations & N- Never Y- Yawing their rights right

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Wishing you all the best for the programme, best wishes to Dr. Agger & Prof. Gurnani and all other learned participants. Discussion starts at 9:30 am with the registration with the designed schedule thirty renowned psychologist, psychiatrist and counselor of Uttar Pradesh actively participate in this stimulating Round Table Discussion.

Program detail: S. no 1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Program

Time

Registration Inauguration of round table discussion on using Testimonial therapy as a psychotherauptic tool Tea Break Power point presentation on Testimonial Therapy Impact of testimonial therapy on PVCHR work Comments on Testimonial therapy Open Discussion on Testimonial Therapy Break Vote of Thanks Lunch

9:30 – 9:55 10:00: 10:30

Resource person

10:30- 11:00 11:00 – 11:30

Dr. Inger Agger

11:30- 12:00

Dr. Lenin

12:00 – 12:15

Dr. Tulsi

12:15 – 1:00 1:00 – 1:05 1:05 – 1:15 1:15 – 2:00

Dr. Tulsi

The program was Moderator by Dr. Tulsi Ms. Shruti Nagvanshi Trustee of People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) hearty welcome participation in this round table discussion

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on behalf of above three organizations and she gave her best wishes for the success of this discussion. She also briefly presents the Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Inger Agger. Program was moderated by Dr. Tulsi. The discussion starts with the traditional Indian spiritual style by lighting candle.

Candle lighting by the chairing person Prof. K.C Gurnani M.D (Psychiatry) Head, Department of Psychiatry, S.N College, Dr. Inger Agger consultant Rehabilitation and Research centre for the Torture Victim (RCT), Denmark, Dr. Sanjay Gupta HOD, Department of Psychiatry Institute of Medical Science, Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U), Dr. Tulsi President Deva, Varanasi and Dr. R.G Saxena Retired psychiatry Ranchi mental jail light the candle. Chief Guest and Guest of Honor and other renowned people present in the desk were honored by the flower garland. The main motive behind this discussion was to know the feedback from the psychologist and psychiatry nearby Varanasi district on using Testimonial as a psychotherapeutic tool in India.

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Flower garland to guest of honor We have increase in war, bombing, increase in terrorist attacks, increase in genocide, torture and domestic violence. Violence at very grass root level increase. Women and child are tortures and we have seems what happening to the Human Race where is our peace. Peace of Gandhi is hidden and where is the peace which says. We see breakage in Human Values in code conduct. The Question is how to bring back again bring a person to the normal level of thinking acting and feeling and how to rehabilitate, how to restore confidence in them in minimum expenditure and in a brief supportive ways. How to reach a common person who is most neglected tortured person of the society. How to give relief him of his trauma and how to tackle what is happening inside them. So, Dr. Inger all ways from Denmark come to give her hopes to give us new method a new technique she work with a torture survivor and war survivor which we cannot imagine. Dr. K.C Gurnani Head of Department, psychiatry S.N Medical College, Agra blessed this discussion with his best wishes. He also adds an aspect only which perhaps only few missionary can dare to do deal this. It needs courage’ to think the fruit of what we think not to deliver today but may tomorrow or may be year or a decades. This is new concept which I am coming across. We did not find approach to find the pain of poor tortured victim which suddenly help to the mankind in general and to all.

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Dr. Gurnani giving his blessing Dr. Sanjay Gupta Head of Department, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) states that torture is now into our life in very common mode. If you look around it is every where. Torture got multiple meaning. I am really happy their are people from all section are really looking in the matter i.e. torture “I will look from psychiatrist point of view and Prof. Sharma from Psychologist point of view, counselor and social worker, educationalist and the people in the community in large are these concept. These are the concept in which we professional have to go in for and we have to produce good thing for the community. Prof R.G Sharma state that Torture and testimonial therapy as a great relation we as a psychologist we see after the effect of torture. Suicide, homicide, anxiety, fear and depression are main component after the effect of torture. Perhaps by bringing this type of therapy, we feel happy that now this therapy has been introduced in a very formal way. It root are very old and now it is present in form of testimony therapy, however it is so old even in second world war with a restricted goal and limited aims. It was used with the prisoner of Second World War and victim of war. So in that way it

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roots are old. A team has given tackling the effect of torture I feel a problem of psychologist we have to be very careful in this type of disturbance. Torture in police custody a question arise it is a genuine torture or hard core torture The reliability of information and tool and assessment after torture and problems are genuine and we can tackle by psychological means. DR. INGER AGGER CONSULTANT RCT: presents testimonial method as a healing process and advocacy through power point presentation. She elucidates on the following points:I. what is testimony therapy II. The history of testimonial method. III. RCT goal: IV. Develop new knowledge, V. Testimony as a Brief Therapy Intervention” VI. Beneficiaries of Testimony Method VII. Procedure of Testimony method varies in different contexts VIII. Testimony procedure developed in UP 2008 IX. Elements of Testimony Method in UP: 4 Sessions X. With justice as the entry point… XI. Healing elements of Testimony Method Client barriers XII. PVCHR Community and Human Rights Work XIII. Community healing rituals Involving the body XIV. Further Perspectives and Challenges XV. Objectives of RCT Project

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Dr. Inger presenting Testimonial Therapy DR. LENIN DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE’S VIGILANCE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS: informed that one week training was given to the Human Rights Defenders who have interest in psychology and after one week survivor came for giving testimony, Police did not torture you other’s are also being tortured. One survivor of attempt to rape start crying became first time she share her self suffering story to other people, as earlier her husband used to narrates her story to the media. The testimony of this survivor was taken by two female Human Rights Defenders. The name of this female survivor was changed and she herself selects her name. The honor ceremony of 15 survivors was done in front of District Head Quarter Varanasi. After the honor ceremony father of one survivor Ram Chander starts crying and said “I fells my dignity is detained back and I will show this testimony when I will go back to my home”. For legal cases we talk with the advocate regarding the confession made by the Survivor, as one survivor did confession that he feel very pleasant when he read in the newspaper that police who tortured him was killed by the naxlite. So, this type of confession may create problem to the survivor. In 12 years of Dr. Lenin work he did not see this type of change in police department. After looking the testimony Circle officer (C.O) immediately called police and yelled him that you are doing 22

torture to these types of people. We did not take testimony of hard core criminal because they did not do confession or uncensorship themselves. They only came to Human Right organization for the address of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Dr. Lenin giving his views after using testimony therapy In second phase we are going to organize a workshop of three states Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Manipur in Ranchi for 15 days. Peoples of these states are frustrated with the military. For ex- People of Manipur attack on a person who jokes with him, this is their frustration. It depends on an individual how he makes his private pain into public. Testimony was published on www.mynews.in and times. 100 percent success is trace out in second part of Monitoring & Evaluation question Dr. Peter polatin is coming in the month of December. We will discuss on participation scale and this scale will also be circulated between the learned people. We did take cases of suicidal tendency we select only those cases who haves symptoms of trauma. We want as medico – legal psychological mapping of tortured victim should be done. Dr. Tulsi president of Deva International School for Child Care (DISCC) brief the presentation of Dr. Inger Agger and Dr. Lenin and present given below points

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for stimulating discussion. He says that violence, torture and terrorism have become global psycho- social and economic problems.

Data of torture in India Conservative estimates suggest 23000 dowry deaths in India from 1994 to 1998. • Year 2000 – 16,496 rapes – 32,940 molestations – 45,778 tortures – 52,000 kidnappings – 11,000 sexual harassments – 6995dowry deaths •

The main Characteristic of torture • It involves at least two persons. • It is characterized by extreme degradation, humiliation and on dehumanization. • It leads to severe physical, psychological and social sufferings (stigma) on the victim. • The victim is trapped in a double bind situation where he either has to cooperate with the torturer or to suffer more pain and possible death.

A victim may have undergone either forms of Torturous Experiences • Intense noise. • Use of chilly powder. • Giving electric shocks. • Kidnapping of the family members. • Constant threat against one’s own safety or towards family members. • Being forced to witness the torture. • Rape and Gang rapes and sexual abuse of different kinds. • Burning. 24

• Public humiliation. • Domestic violence. • Organized political violence.

Victim’s Psychological Conditions after Torture and Violence (Rape, Beating, Starvation etc.) • • • • • • • • • •

Total physical exhaustion. Feels shocked and disoriented. Fearful and anxious. Feels guilty and depressed. Feels angry towards self, others and society. Feels betrayed. Feels distressed. Feels helpless, loosing of financial support Feels loosing the custody of the child. Experiences harassments at work.

Psychological Conditions of the Survivor Likely to develop: • Post Traumatic Disorder, with marked generalized anxiety that is triggered by the any cue of traumatic incident. • Depressive Disorder can present in the form of sadness, lack of enjoyment in day to day activities, negative thoughts and may be suicidal ideas and acts. • Anxiety Disorder, Eating Disorder, Substance Abuse Disorder. • Psychosomatic Disorders.

Long Term Impact on victims • • • • •

The core belief of ‘helplessness’ and ‘disempowerment’. The core belief of ‘mistrust’. The core belief of a “just world hypothesis”. The core belief of a ‘negative appraisal’. Low confidence and self esteemed 25

Rehabilitation of Survivor • Pharmacological • Psychological • Social A Multi Disciplinary Team Approach

Psychological Rehabilitation • A series of structured and non directive interviews. • Creating a rapport with the survivor. • If possible assess him on different psychometric instruments to evaluate the impact of the traumatic incidents on the survivor’s psyche. • Therapeutic management by using eastern and western approaches depending upon the need of the hour, tailored as per survivor’s need.

The most popular western interventions of 21st Century • • • • • • • •

Psychopharmacology (For acute cases to reduce the symptom). Supportive Psychotherapy Counseling Crisis intervention Protocols such demobilization, defusing and debriefing Behavior Therapy Methods CBT Family Therapy Group Therapy

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Victims need Help Human Beings

Trauma Producing Incidents

Stressful events

Victims

PTSD Conditions Depressive Disorder Anxiety Disorder Psychosomatic Disorders

Physical, Social and Psychological Rehabilitation

Survivors

After the presentation of Dr. Tulsi floor was open for the discussion and the question arises in this round table discussion was entertained by Dr. Inger Agger and Dr. Lenin. Prof S.G Sharma: I have no question these are my personal comments. 1. Firstly what we used word torture for the victim is very doubtful. Is torture physically or psychologically torture. So, we basically here we are talking about psychologically torture. After effects of the torture. We have to deal only with the psychologically torture. 2. Secondly the word testimony as healing process. Healing in India used as a very ruthless word. Healing is not a very scientific terms used in psychotherapy. Healing is a very huge and very unscientific word. So there is different culture and race people are living they wants to heal themselves from upcoming situation.

QUESTION

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PROF K.C GURNANI: How you start to use testimonial method and also what are the requirements for taking testimonial therapy? ANSWER: DR. INGER: I did testimonial model with political refugee coming from different part of world. Refugees were being tortured and live in asylum in Denmark. So, RCT at that time I was working as a clinical psychologist and used testimony mode. Refugees want to tell their story and they also wants to recall the incidence happened to them. Normally in psychotherapy we much emphasis on neutral and but in the case victim who cross human rights violation but in the case therapist must show the solidarity. That is important person working in the PVCHR are working in the community. Victim trust human rights defenders as they are working in the community. Which is the main requirement of this therapy, the person or counselor should support the victim which violates the human rights. So, this is very important victim should. Rapport between survivor and the victim and they should really support that has suffered great injustice, they have suffer wrong, which is the violation of human rights. This is very important to heel a victim. QUESTION: DR. SANJAY GUPTA: There should be few dedicated person. In that case for the small pockets if you want to channelize it to the entire place and if you want to keep Varanasi as centre so, person suffering problem will not come from Gazipur to Varanasi to tell his pain ANSWER: DR. INGER AGGER: That’s why RCT and PVCHR with joint endeavor are going to organize two training one in Varanasi and second in Ranchi (Jharkhand) so, in this workshop participants from six organizations is being trained. We hope this organization should train to other organization. We are trying to establish training of trainer model. It’s not very complicated it is for the bare foot model and it is easy to learn. QUESTION: 28

Dr. TULSI: Do the person are going to do testimonial therapy should they have some basic background to understand psychological? ANSWER: DR. SANJAY GUPTA: In India We have the join family system in the village and different group usually in the village if any people subject to torture they word the prominent people of the village how it is very expertise in healing or ventilating the person out. So, I can hear with easily absorb, they are no psychologist, social worker and stuff their. That is great injustice their. He may take out in an edited form. I am quite sure creates a model and give to the village and give the model to the village so some prominent people may take the testimony. QUESTION DR. ANIL JAISWAL: You did evaluation whether evaluation is in standardized procedure and you evaluate your self. DR. SANJAY GUPTA, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY, INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE, BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY (BHU): As you said you are not going to do the testimony of severe mental patient having suicidal tendency. So, who are person judging them whether professional psychiatrist, psychologist or a subjective judgment of a patient or people from the group? ANSWER DR LENIN: We are not taking the cases who are suffering from severe psychological illness; we deal only with the PSTD victim. We are not dealing the case who are having suicidal tendency and people who are suffering from depression. We are organizing folk school and small fears are finish in campaign. The honor ceremony depends on the wish of the survivor, some time he wants his honor ceremony in front of his family or in front of his community. No this testimony therapy is not going to be used by the psychiatry but by the Human Rights Defenders having psychological understanding.

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Open floor of round table discussion QUESTION: DR. ARVIND KUMAR GUPTA CHETNA PSYCHIATRY CENTRE AURANGABAD, VARANASI: Basically the discussion going right now conflict arises to use in the term of a medical approach. This is very positive term and resources which you did as an organization basically other organization tried not do. The problem arises who does the diagnosis and another problem is going to There may be around 3,000 adequately qualified psychiatrists and 1000 clinical psychologist in the entire country of more than a billion populations. In U.P itself there may only be less than 100 psychiatrists and 100 psychologists. The ratio of doctors is very less so, it is impossible to organize a grass root movement which is based on psychiatry. DR. SANJAY GUPTA, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY, BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY (BHU). This should be based on the consisted principal scale. He is not saying it should be based on the psychiatry scale however there are lots of quality of life scale. You can’t say we are not going into the symptoms of tortured survivor. If a person is tortured he has some physical as well as psychologically symptoms. When a person is tortured he did not came and tell you that I am tortured. He has some symptoms. Why not to penetrate this system why not to analyze. If 30

you are doing this then you have a very good pre and post model. We have a group of 25 they were having this –this type of problem and these and these now quality of life is improving after one months or three months. ANSWER: DR. INGER AGGER: Psychiatry working for RCT he has developed WHO standardized questionnaire but the questionnaire are been developed and finally are but to come down to the real standardized version. The five first questions constitute the WHO 5 which is standardized test measuring quality of life. Question 7 is classified under International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). The actual phrasing of the question was done by the RCT Health Program Manager Dr. Peter Polatin in consultation with other ICF experts and researchers. QUESTION: MRS. SANDHYA SAXENA CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST FROM LUCKOW: Person taking interview is not a fully trained person. If he says you want to say something it is ok. As he want to write in a story form and publish, if you add some thing from yourselves it will not be a pure physical analysis. ANSWER: DR. LENIN: People who are trained by Dr. Inger in the workshop will take the testimony and we will not involve a new person for taking testimony. Victim is saying his fragmented story and here it is important to adjoin the Victims own story. One person is taking the interview and other person is writing the story. Survivor edit story on the second session and he also decides whether photographs will be used in the testimony and he also decides for going into the legal advocacy. If the survivor wants to use his name X in the testimony his name will be choose by himself. In last to encourage victim we say normally police torture the people and at last we ask feedback from the victim that how he feels after sharing his story, doing the meditation.

31

In which Dr. Tulsi add three times he himself organize a refreshing course for the Human Rights Defenders how to do counseling of the victim This is a victim centric . QUESTION: DR. K.C GURNANI said that if you are taking a society there is no need of assessment or evaluation. Take a subject deal it with scientific way do the diagnosis. If you want to go for the health of a poor person who did not have venue, go to the root level we can’t say where you did not have to go for the legal remedy or where are not going to help them with a legal document for the advocacy. That a view to express their pain

Dr. Lenin presents memento to the renowed people chairing the desk and he gave thanks to the participants for marking their valuable presence in this discussion.

Dr. Lenin giving memento

32

Dr. Tulsi culminates this program by giving vote of thanks and state Lets join hands together and make a better world for future race. He especially thanks to Dr. Inger Agger  For bringing testimony therapy as therapeutic intervention for cases of psychological trauma.  Interesting part of this therapy is that it has both Western element of Anger Management, Classical Conditioning and Eastern approach of relaxation methods and Meditation.  It’s a cost effective model of psychotherapy which don’t require clinics or hospitals but, directly one can do this intervention at the doorsteps of the victim. For ex. His house, community, in a forest etc.  The economic cost of the whole approach seems to be very less than regular psychotherapy session in a clinic or hospital. Journalist and photographer both from print (Times of India, AAj, Hindustan, Danik Jagran, Amar Ujala, and Compact) and electronic media (Sahara T.V, DEN Kashi and S.TV) were present in this discussion to publish and broadcast the outcome of this program.

Annexure III •

LECTURE ON TESTIMONIAL THERAPY IN FACULTY MALVIYA CENTRE FOR PEACE AND RESEARCH (B.H.U)

On 26th September, 2008 two hours lecture on Testimonial as a psychotherapeutic tool was organized in faculty of Malviya centre for Peace and Research (MCPR), faculty of Social Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U), Varanasi.

33

Dr. Subhransu Sekhar Misra The lecture starts at 3 pm with the welcome speech by Mr. Subhransu Sekhar Mishra senior lecturer of Malviya Centre for Peace and Research. He briefly presents the curriculum Vitae of Dr. Inger Agger consultant psychologist from Copenhagen, Denmark and Dr. Lenin Director of People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) and his organization PVCHR. Nearly 60 students from different faculty gathered in theatre of faculty of Malviya Centre for Peace and Research (MCPR) to hear this new therapy. Dr, Inger presents testimonial therapy through power points presentation and Dr. Lenin presents the positive use of this therapy in the work of his organization and he also shares the success of this therapy. After presentation two ways discourse starts and lecture culminate with vote of thanks given by Head of Department History Mrs. Kutty.

34

Student carefully hearing lecture

• Honor Ceremony The honor ceremony of remaining seven survivors was organized on 5th October, 2008 at Ghasia ghetto of Raup village in Sonbhadra district. The ceremony starts with paying homage to the monument of 18 children who died due to hunger and starvation. Program starts at 11:00 am in the morning and it finish at 3:30 in the late afternoon. Ms. Shruti briefly presents the testimony therapy to the villagers and the motives behind organizing this honor ceremony. The name of honored ceremony - Kuddus Khan, in place of Hira Lal Jaiswal his grandson came to receive testimony, Kunti Devi, Chote Lal and Babundar Ghasia, Devnath and Pintu Gupta.

35

Group picture of survivor Thereafter, the testimonies of the 7survivors were read out to the public by the interviewers who took the testimonies, and the survivors were honored by giving them a flower garland, a white shawl and the testimony document.

Ceremony read out by Human Rights Defender

36

After honor ceremony happiness was seen on the face of survivor. After hearing her story from Human Rights defenders Kunti Devi eyes became wet and smile was also observe on the face of Pintu Gupta.

The testimony document is delivered to the survivor

•

On 17th October, 2008 European Union – FNSt - National Project on Preventing Torture in India organize National People’s Tribunal on Torture in Constitution Club. In this tribunal two cases were selected from PVCHR Uttar Pradesh, first Mr. Ram Chandra (torture – Illegal detention & Torture in custody) and were heard in the plenary session of this tribunal and in session III. Testimony of survivor Ram Chandra and Santosh Kumar (Ram Lal father of deceased) was taken in the workshop held in the month of May, 2008. He state that earlier he was unable to tell his entire self suffering due to fear and shame. However after honor ceremony he is feeling pride from inside and as if he receive his dignity back.

37

Mr. Ole Espersen, Legal Advisor of RCT, Denmark was also present in the felicitations with Ms. Ellen Pedersen, Deputy Head of Development Co –operation EC Delegation of India and Dr. Rene Klaff, Regional Director South Asia, Friedrich Naumann Stifung fur die Freiheit (FNSt). A book “Final Jury Report Uttar Pradesh People’s Tribunal on Torture” was published which include the psychological analysis of 73 survivors done by Dr. Inger Agger psychologist and consultant RCT. These 73 cases were heeded in People’s Tribunal on Torture held on 28-29th April in Varanasi. • Mr. Karmanya starts collecting new cases of police torture for taking new testimony. •

On 27th September, 2008 Dr. Lenin met with the Secretary General and Director General of National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi and he presents testimonial therapy and brief outcome of professional consultation.

•

On 15th October, 2008 Dr. Lenin met Director of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore for three minute and after that he discuss Manual “Giving Voice” with clinical psychologist. However they were very much interested on participation scale. Their comments on this Manual will be given after National Consultation outcome. Dr. Lenin also discuss this Manual with General Manager of south India Child Right and You (CRY) and with Ashok Mathew Director SICHREM,

• II part of Monitoring and Evaluation questionnaire of sixteen Survivors were filled by Mr. Karmanya and remaining Monitoring and Evaluation of seven survivors will be completed in the first week of November. •

Dr. Lenin was invited as a Chief Guest in Just Peace Foundation of Ms. Iron Sharmila. In that program Dr. Lenin briefly presents the 38

history of Testimonial Therapy and he kept how private pain became political. Dr. Lenin also discussed Testimonial Therapy with Mr. Montu Ahanthem Executive Director Wide Angel and his staff.

39

SECOND QUARTER REPORT (1st November, 08 – 31st January, 09)

40

ANNEXURE I WORKSHOP ON TESTIMONIAL THERAPY IN VARANASI Workshop on testimonial therapy was organized from 5th January, 09 to 16th January, 09 in PVCHR office Varanasi, 14 participants from four states participate in this workshop. Participants were from Voice of people (V.O.P), Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum (S.W.F), Sumitra Sansthan Hamirpur, Dalits Association for social & Human Rights Awareness (DASRA) Bihar, Dalits foundation, Sikhar Prashikshan Sansthan (S.P.S) Chunar, Public Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Madhya Pradesh, Lok Samiti, PVCHR & Uttarakhand Youth Sangathan Organization. Schedule of the workshop and pre – departure guideline with the invitation letter was sent to the participants through speed post. During workshop translator was provided for those participants who were unable to understand English language. SCHEDULE OF WORKSHOP The workshop was divided into two sessions 1). Theoretical 2). Practical WEEK ONE: THEORETICAL (ROLE PLAY) 5 Jan – 9 Jan, 09 Monday 5 January

Morning 10 -12 am

WORKSHOP ON TESTIMONIAL THERAPY

Theory

(1) Psychological trauma

Depression, PTSD, psychosocial

(2) Testimony as a psychological healing

History Existential, political exposure 41

process Meditation instruction (3) Psychosocial community work 12 -1 pm Afternoo n

Lunch

(1) Meditation 1 – 4 pm (2) Communication and active listening (roleplays) Tuesday 6 January

Morning 10 – 12 am

(1) Assessment of mental health problems: the questionnaire & M&E of interventions

Phases in community work

Assessment Interviews with victims Using questionnaire

Lunch 12 – 1 pm

Wednesda y 7 January

(1) Meditation (2) Communication and Afternoo active listening: using n the questionnaire 1- 4 pm (role plays) Morning Procedures for taking a 10 – 12 testimony: Opening am the story, session one 12– 1 pm

Steps in the manual

Lunch

Afternoo (1) Meditation n (2) Testimony exercises 1 – 4 pm (role plays): Session one Thursday

Morning

(1)Two processes of

Notes

42

8 January

10 – 12 am 12 – 1 pm

Friday 9 January

taking testimony(dialogue and writing) (2) Closing the story: Session two

Afternoo n 1 – 4 pm

Lunch

12 – 1 pm

(1) Meditation (2) Group discussion :questions and follow up on testimony procedure

(1) Meditation (2) Testimony exercises continued (role plays):Session two Morning Delivery ceremony: 10 – 12 Session three am Lunch

Afternoo n 1–4 pm

(3) Summing up

II. SECOND WEEK: PRACTICAL 12 Jan, 09 – TIME 16 Jan DURATIO N Monday

WORKSHOP ON TESTIMONIAL THERAPY

Morning

(1) Mindfulness meditation (2) Preparation meeting: Division of participants in pairs (one is interviewer and the other note-taker). Each pair will provide two sessions of testimony therapy to a survivor in the afternoon.

Afternoon

Two sessions of testimonies taken with first group of

12January

43

survivors

Tuesday

Evening

Interviewers and note-takers correct and write the testimonies

Morning

(1) Mindfulness meditation (2) Supervision and process analysis meeting: Each pair reports experiences and problems from the day before: what went well and what were the problems encountered

Afternoon

Two sessions of testimonies taken with second group of survivors

Evening

Interviewers and note-takers correct and write the testimonies

Morning

(1) Mindfulness meditation (2) Supervision and process analysis meeting: Each pair reports experiences and problems from the day before: what went well and what were the problems encountered

13 January

Wednesday 14 January

Afternoon Two sessions of testimonies taken with third group of survivors Evening Interviewers and note-takers correct and write the testimonies Thursday

Morning

15 January

(1) Mindfulness meditation (2) Supervision and process analysis meeting: Each pair reports experiences and problems from the day before: what went well and what were the problems encountered

Afternoon Two sessions of testimonies taken with fourth group of survivors Evening Interviewers and note-takers correct and write the 44

testimonies Friday

Morning

16 January

(1) Mindfulness meditation (2) Supervision and process analysis meeting: Each pair reports experiences and problems from the day before: what went well and what were the problems encountered

Afternoon Plans made for a delivery ceremony: where will it take place and how will it be done (privately, in a public space, in a community meeting?) Summing up, feed-back and closure

DETAILS OF WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS: There were 14 participants in the workshop. Below follows a summery of their personal data and professional backgrounds.

45

S. no

Name

Age Male

Femal e

Education

1

Mr. Kok Singh Tomar

45

X

High School

2

Mr. Satya Prakash Dev Pandey

23

X

P.G Diploma in Human Rights

3

Ms. Renu Singh

25

X

M.A in Social work

4

Ms. Rekha

23

X

Graduation with home

Eng Eng Eng Work goo some non d e X Human Rights defender X 4 year experience in social work and 2 year as district human rights monitor X Work as counselor in AIIMS, New Delhi & State Law Associates (SLA) X Working as

Organization PUCL Voice of People (VOP)

Savitri Bai Phule Women’s Forum (SWF)

Savitri Bai Phule Women’s Forum

science 5

Mr. Harish Chadra Sonkar Mr. Manoj Singh

32

X

32

X

7

Mr. Brij Lal

30

X

High School

8

Mr. Mahesh

25

X

Graduation (Art)

X

9

Mr.Narendra Singh

24

X

M.Com

X

10

Mr. Sushil Kumar

27

X

11

Mr. Prem

22

X

P.G X diploma in journalism Intermediat

6

Intermediat e with (Bio – group) Graduation (Art)

X X X

X

communit y worker Grass root activist

(SWF)

Human Right defender Dalit fellow working for dalit right Dalit fellow working for dalit right Activist three years experience Activist three years experience Human

Voice of people (VOP)

Lok Samiti

Dalit foundation

Dalit foundation

Sumitra Sansthan DASRA S.P.S.

47

Kumar

e (Bio -group) Graduation (Art)

12

Mr. Lakhan Chilwal

32

X

13

Mr. Satish

35

X

M.A Social work

14

Mr. Manoj Kumar Pandey

31

X

Graduate in X Law

X X

rights defender Human rights defender Three year experience as activist Working as advocacy coordinato r

PVCHR & Uttarakhand youth Sangathan S.P.S PVCHR

{The age of the participant’s range from 22 to 45. 12 of them were male and 2 of them were female. 5 of the participants had an MA degree (in social work, human rights, journalism and commerce); 5 had a BA (Law, sociology and home science); 3 had only an intermediate school education with Biology stream and two had only High School education. 8 understood English, and 4 spoke it well. 2 did not understand any English.}

48

FIRST WEEK (THEROTICAL AND ROLE PLAY) (I) DAY ONE (a) MORNING SESSION: INTRODUCTION THERAPY:

OF

PARTICIPANTS

AND

TESTIMONIAL

The workshop start with the formal introduction of the participants and Dr. Lenin introduced Ms. Inger Agger and briefly enrich them about testimonial therapy in India. DR. LENIN explains why PVCHR accept this therapy: Normally we do advocacy of police torture victim i.e. Meta –Legal and legal and only support victim in the medication and strike, however we did not provide psychological support. If survivor is more serious or showing lots of psychological symptoms will be referred to psychiatry. Torture is happening every where, torture is an abnormal incidence in the context of the normal life of the human being. If abnormal incidence happened it will adversely affect life of survivor. He briefly explained the impact testimony therapy in the case of Kaju, Jaswant and Ram Prasad Bharti.

Dr. Lenin explaining participants

MS. INGER AGGER explain about the Testimony, history of testimonial method, Traumatic stress, Traumatic stress symptoms, Type of stressor, and psychosocial community work. She states some of you might have already taken the story of the survivor for the legal and you know how to take legal testimony. In the month of May manual “Giving Voice” Using Testimony as a Brief Therapy Intervention in Psychosocial Community Work for Survivors of Torture and Organized Violence for community workers and Human Rights defenders in India. If you will not share pain and anxiety it will create stress. It is important to share your pain and agony otherwise you will be in stress. Survivor feel hesitate. In the next week you will hear lots of traumatic stories. We will try to psychologically heal survivor with the testimonial therapy. (b) AFTERNOON SESSION: MEDITATION & COMMUNICATION EXERCISE: ACTIVE LISTENING After lunch Ms. Inger Agger briefly explained about meditation and its instruction, first day Ms. Inger Agger gave the instruction it was decided to change the role of instructor day by day.

Participants doing mindful meditation

50

ACTIVE LISTENING THROUGH ROLE PLAY After meditation the participants learn principle of active listening through role play. The participants were divided into the pair of two one was interviewer and other was note taker. Each pair will use the rules of communication and active listening to describe the trauma (10 minutes each) and take 5 minutes each to tell one another about an experience you have strong emotions about and secondly they will evaluate how the person asking the questions felt and how the person telling the story felt. In other groups of two, let each person talk about 5 minutes to tell something about him/herself. The listener should use the techniques of active listening given below:  - Open questions  - Repetition of small phrases  - Summaries of facts and feelings She also state that participants for Non-verbal behaviour that is:  Look at the person with sufficient but not excessive eye contact  Feel the interest in the other person  Show in the posture of your body that you are interested in the other person Participants will evaluate the trauma stories and identify some of the reactions mentioned

Participation doing role play in the pair of two

51

Participants were asked to image /create some traumatic story or share his/her own trauma and role changed after ten minutes. Participants share their feeling after role play DR. LENIN EXPLAIN •

• • • • •

Male Interviewer should not have too much eye contact with female survivor. Male interviewers not to lean towards the female survivor. Always use open question while taking the question. Don’t try to immediately ask question related to trauma. Torture is done to make survivor silent, so let the survivor speak his/her trauma. Interviewer should be calm and respect the feeling of the survivor.

(II) SECOND DAY (a) MORNING SESSION

On the second day Ms. Inger Agger briefly explained about the procedure of taking testimony and also explain about filling of the questionnaire and Dr. Lenin explained this M&E questionnaire in Hindi to the participants and they were also directed how to fill the questionnaire:The part I and II of the monitoring and evaluation questionnaire will be filled in the session one i.e. Opening the story • The III and IV part in the second session i.e. closing the story and • Follow up of the survivor i.e. C part will be done one month after the delivery ceremony. •

Participants did role play with the same pair as were on the first day and they fill I and II part of the Monitoring and Evaluation questionnaire. AFTERNOON SESSION (b) MEDITATION & COMMUNICATION THROUGH ROLE PLAY Again afternoon session start with the meditation and again participants starts continuing communication exercise with the III and IV part of the questionnaire. 52

Participants filling M&E questionnaire in role play

PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED: • Few participants were finding difficulty in numbering the participation scale • Three participants were finding difficulty in differentiating between Primary Victim and Secondary Victim and filling in relation with the survivors. • Two participants only mention the name of Interviewer and not of the note taker. (III) THIRD DAY (a) MORNING SESSION PROCUDURE FOR TESTIMONY, SESSION ONE AND GUIDLINE FOR WRITING GOOD TESTIMONY MS. INGER AGGER explained the healing element of testimonial therapy, when testimony is needed, who will take the testimony and the duration of the session will be from 90 – 120 minutes. She also suggested participants not to take the testimony in referral are not advised if: 53

 The survivor suffers from severe depression or other psychotic symptoms. In this case, the survivor should be referred to a psychiatrist;  If the survivor is active in a self-healing process of political or human rights activism;  If the survivor is not motivated for therapy.  A staff member with a medical, psychological or social work background should evaluate referrals for testimony therapy and pass the referrals on to trained community workers or human rights defenders. QUALITIES OF WRITING GOOD TESTIMONY Dr. Lenin explains the participant guideline for writing a good testimony as prior to this workshop gaps in writing skill was identified. He appeal (a) Format for Writing of final Soft testimony 1. Details of Victim: from ME Questionnaires 2. Alleged perpetrators: from ME Questionnaires 3. Date & Place of incident: From ME Questionnaires 4. Testimony: Story about the crime and trauma (session 1 and 2) (b) Testimony should include • When and what happened to him/her in full details? • Who did it (Please give the details)? • What is the impact of torture on survivors’ life and family? • Emphasis on details description of TOV and trauma. • Details of step taken by survivors and responses (impunity mapping). (c) Focus on Human Rights Violation in both processes •

Concentrate on the Human Rights violations which happened to the survivor. Incorporate mental & physical pain of the survivor.

•

Consolidation of fragmented story in the chronological order.

54

(d) Language Testimony should be written in plain, concise, grammatically and correct language by the interviewer in Hindi.  Avoid flowery language, slang, etc.  Use simple words instead of complex ones: don’t make the reader rush for a dictionary.  Do not repeat yourself  Always write testimony in first person (I form) (e) Checklist  Before writing the “Soft” testimony interviewer will be sure that he passes through the various measures and themes which are essential for writing a good testimony.  Make sure that testimony is written in the chronological order, is clear

and makes sense. They are carefully edited and approved  The interviewer must take interest in what he/she is writing, and take care to go over the document before submitting it.  Errors of spelling, grammar and sentence construction must be corrected. If necessary, an external editor should review and edit the document before it is submitted. ROLE PLAY Dr. Lenin, Mr. Upendra and Mr. Manoj Kumar Pandey (Adv) did role play for making participants more clear how to take testimony.

55

{Story: Interviewer (Dr. Lenin) and Note taker (Mr. Manoj Kumar

Pandey) went to survivor name Kaju (Mr. Upendra) house for taking testimony. Survivor was involved in the fake case of murder and severely tortured by the police in the custody. Now the police is giving threat to him. He was not willing to give testimony as he afraid police will again create problem to him, however after psycho – education he trust on them}. AFTERNOON SESSION: In the role play participants were divided into group of three, one interviewer, one note taker and one Survivor. The survivors were given 5 minutes to study the pain and trauma and they were also directed not to look the story while giving testimony. Roles were exchanged and every participant played the role of Interviewer, Note taker and Survivors. After role play the participant shared the essence of the testimony.

(IV) FOURTH DAY (a) MORNING SESSION SESSION TWO: CLOSING THE STORY

56

Ms. Inger Agger explained in the second session, one of the therapists starts the session by reading the written testimony to the survivor in a loud voice so that the survivor may hear and ensure that his or her story has been given voice. The survivor is asked to correct the story or add any additional details that may have been missed; Again on second day Dr. Lenin, Mr. Upendra and Mr. Manoj Kumar Pandey did role play of the second session.

Note taker reading story to the survivor {Role Play: Note taker (Mr. Manoj) read the story to the survivor named Kaju (Mr. Upendra) he make few correction and in second session he more openly inform his trauma. Interviewer asked about the feeling of the survivor, he said he is feeling very much relief from inside} SECOND SESSION: Role Play: Again participants sit in the group of three: One interviewer, one notetaker and one survivor as they were sitting on the first day. Note taker 57

start reading testimony in the loud voice and begin taking a testimony (session two: closing the story, including reading the story to the survivor)  After 20 minutes change roles  After 20 change role After role play participants gave few suggestions for the further use of testimony, which is given below: • For himself • Legal support • For publication and broadcasting • Urgent Appeal • Prevention • Meeting group • Public • Street Play and theater • (V) FIFTH DAY (a) MORNING SESSION: DELIVERY CEREMONY

Ms. Inger Agger explained the motive of organizing delivery ceremony and Ms. Shabana Khan showed and explained the slide of delivery ceremony organized in front of District Head Quarter, Varanasi and other in Ghasia ghetto of Raup Village in Sonbhadra Distrct. (b)AFTERNOON SESSION: ROLE PLAY In the second session Mr. Upendra and Ms. Shabana Khan demonstrate two type of delivery (honor) ceremony one in front of district head quarter and second itself in the survivor community. Reading testimony, honoring survivor by shawl and flower garland, how the survivor feels when he when he is honored by the respected person.

58

Survivor honored by the political leader FEED BACK GIVEN BY THE PARTICIPANTS: • • •

• • • • •

Testimony therapy is good process to heal the survivor of torture and organized violence (TOV). It is new and good therapy for working in area of Human rights. Listening, writing and again reading testimony in front of survivor and giving honor, which is helpful in retaining survivor back again in the society. Lawyer accepts pain and agony which can be used in justice process. Due to torture survivor loss his self respect in the society so, this is good therapy to retain his dignity. Its helps to uncensorship the voice of survivor the private pain into public campaign. It help survivor to rehabilitate back in the society so, survivor interact with his family, group and community. Due to elimination of fear and Phobia and gaining of the confidence are going to become a reason for the less withdrawal of the cases.

SECOND WEEK: PRACTICAL The group of two one note takers and the other interviewer is every day interchanged on the performance of the participants. While taking testimony participants were being monitored. In four days i.e. 12th January, 09 to 15th January, 09 29 testimonies were taken by the participants, due to excess 59

survivor and qualitative input by existing trained people other participants Ms. Shruti, Ms. Saba Iqbal and Mr. Daya Shanker Patel (from May workshop) were called for taking testimony. THE TWENTY-NINE SURVIVORS WHO GAVE THEIR TESTIMONIES The 29 survivors who gave their testimonies were known to PVCHR. Most of them had all previously given legal testimonies for use in court cases against the perpetrators. Most of them were selected out of a group of approximately 80 clients of PVCHR because they had shown evidence of psychological distress. 21/29 were male, and 9/29 were female, 4 belonged to the upper castes, while 17 belonged to the “backward” castes and 8 to the “scheduled” castes. 29/29 were Hindus. There were 17 primary victims, and 6 secondary victims. PRELIMINARY CONCLUSIONS BASED ON INITIAL EVALUATION OF THE M&E The survivors who gave their testimony in Varanasi workshop were mostly primary victims of torture i.e. 18/29. The perpetrators were almost always the police and the influential people. The participants ranged in age from 19 to 65 and were predominantly illiterate and few get their schooling up to secondary and others four receive their education up to graduation and Post graduation. All of the survivors were Hindu, and most of them were belonging to lower caste of society. Most of them work as a lower occupational levels and other are engage in family business and in service, and do not consider themselves as political activists. Entire survivors were psychologically tortured and 17 were physically tortured.

60

PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED WHILE TAKING TESTIMONY • Few Participants were feeling less confident as interviewer. • Interviewer feels difficulty in controlling survivor as he/she was non -focused (telling fragmented story). • Survivors were very quick and interviewer feel to problem in controlling and Note taker feels problem in writing. • Survivor was repeating same incidence for several times. • Survivors was very much result oriented • Survivor due to social shame does not want to share his/her trauma. POSITIVE • Interviewer tried to control survivor • Emotion came out and survivor feel relief • Survivors were feeling calm and confident FEED BACK GIVEN BY SURVIVOR AFTER TESTIMONIAL THERPAY • • • • • •

Never uncensorship himself Feeling relief after sharing his trauma Focusing on trauma Pain and agony Unheard Patience

SURVIVOR DESIRE FOR HONOR CEREMONY In front of district head quarter, tehsil or S.D.M court Between the community Through street play Folk School • Many testimony and honoring by respected • People’s Tribunal and hearing • From where survivor was arrested by police • • • •

LIST OF THE SURVIVORS S. no 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Name

Address

Age

Education

Hindu

U.C

Ved Prakash Sharma Nagendra Bahadur Singh Jilajeet Gupta Devendra Kumar Singh Shiv Shanker Rameshwar Ram Sunder Nandu Zalim Mushar

Sonbhadra

48

High school

Y

Y

Sonbhadra

53

Intermediate

Y

Y

Sonbhadra

31

Tution

Y

Sonbhadra

39

Intermediate

Y

Sonbhadra

47

Secondary

Y

Sonbhadra Sonbhadra Sonbhadra Varanasi

35 48 35 50

Primary Primary Primary illiterate

Y Y Y Y

Rajendra Vanwasi Phula Devi Lallan

Varanasi

22

illiterate

Varanasi Varanasi

45 42

Illiterate Secondary

Backward Schedule Male caste Y

Female Occupation P.V Govt. job

Y

Y

Farmer

Y

Mistry

Y

Farmer

Y

Farmer

Y

Y

Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y

Y

Y

Y

Y Y

Y

Y

Labour Farmer Carpenter Driver, Animal husbandry Seasonal labour House wife Skilled labour

Y Y Y Y Y Y

Y

S V Y (father)

Y Y (Uncle)

Y Y (Wife) Y

13 14 15 16

Indral Raj Nath Chote Lal Bal Govind

Varanasi Varanasi Varanasi Varanasi

23 68 50 38

Intermediate Illiterate Illiterate Secondary

Y Y Y Y

17 18

Mamta Chirauji Devi Gulabi Kalawati Shikha Dudnath Pal Ratan Deep Anupama Mohan Seth Kuldeep Jaiswal Satyam Maurya Bhageran Mahto Shyam Sunder Total

Varanasi Varanasi

41 45

B.A Illiterate

Y Y

Varanasi Varanasi Varanasi Varanasi Varanasi Varanasi Varanasi Varanasi

35 50 32 45 36 40 65 23

Illiterate Illiterate B.A Illiterate L.L.B BAMS, MD illiterate Primary

Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y

Varanasi

19

Secondary

Varanasi

48

Varanasi

29

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Y Y Y Y

Y Y Y Y

Student Farmer Farmer Farmer

Y Y Y (Uncle) Y

Y

Y Y

Teacher House wife

Y (wife) Y (wife)

Y Y

Y Y Y

Y (wife) Y (wife) Y (wife)

Y

Y Y

Y Y

Labour Housewife Teacher Labour Advocate Teacher Business Business

Y

Y

Y

N.A

Primary

Y

Y

Y

Business

Y

Secondary

Y

Y

Farmer

Y

Y Y Y

Y Y Y

Y

Y Y Y (sister) Y Y Y (brother)

P.V – Primary Victim S.V – Secondary Victim U.C – Upper cast

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ANNEXURE - II I. ADVOCACY OF THE CASES (a) YOU –TUBE:  The video footage of Dr. Amar Deep Gupta and his brother

Adv. Ratan Gupta while brutally beaten by the police is viewed by 1,753 people and 90 people view the video footage of Dr. Amardeep while giving his testimony.  The video footage of Dudnath Pal is viewed by 252 people. (b) WEB NEWS: MYNEWS:  Testimony of Dr. Amardeep was published on the face to

face column of www.mynews.in and till now 1212 view the article “Being innocent I was tortured by the U.P police”. This is top most ranking article published by PVCHR. http:// www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=13411#.  We did quick testimony of survivor Mr. Dudhnath Pal for

the immediate intervention his daughter Namita Pal Martyrs due to hunger and malnutrition. The article The Uttar Pradesh: Family Striving for Basic Amenities http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=11758 Uttar Pradesh: A minor girl sacrifices her life due to negligence of administration http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx? storyid=12431.On 10th December, 08 Human rights activist lit candle to pay homage to Martyrs Namita Pal. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong based organization release hunger alert http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/3065/ and update http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/3086/

(c) NEWS PAPER •

On 10th December, 08 i.e. on human right day Amar Ujala and i –next Hindi newspaper published on the front page of the paper

the story of martyr Namita Pal and Ratan Deep including other cases of PVCHR. These come as a major story of police torture.

II. INTERVENTION’S •

The online petition by email in the case of Dr. Amardeep Gupta was sent to office of Director General of Police at [email protected]. On 20th November, 08 SP/AD UPPCC respond Thank you for writing to us. Your complaint has been send to IG complaint cell of DGP UP at 1 Tilak Marg Lucknow for further action. Your are requested to wait for reply or contact IG Complaint cell directly at control room tel no 0522-2208596. Your interaction is extremely valuable to us. Again on 12th December, 08 UPPCC send the enquiry report that the enquiry report of SSP Varanasi has arrived to us that states that Addl SP Rajeev Malhotra conducted an enquiry take statements of all concerned officials along with Magistrates, CO, SO and complainant. During enquiry it comes to light that on the fateful day an anti encroachment drive was on. The person given ample time to collect all the material of clinic. The drive was on the orders of High court under a writ. The persons there created ruckus and pelted stones towards police in which CO was badly hurt. After this Doctor and others arrested. Police in order to control mob took action in which few persons get hurt. CO was instructed to use patience during such operations. No further action is required. Above is the summery of enquiry report given to us. On 21st January, 09 letter was sent to Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh to set up an independent enquiry and to take action against the responsible police men.

 After that Dudhnath Pal received one lakhs rupees (Rs 100,000/) from Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh, he was allotted land and residence was allotted to him under India Awas Scheme. He had been given Job Card under NREGA. Red card (Antoyadaya card) 65

had been issued to him. His daughter Soni was given financial assistance from Ms Parul Sharma of Sweden to continue her study. We did complete testimony of Dudnath Pal in the workshop. •

Testimonial therapy is also used with the survivors of organized violence. We are giving assistance to provide the survivors, legal assistance and also giving advice from time to time. In this context we took testimony of Ms. Anjani Devi survivor of domestic violence. She has been tortured from her husband and in-laws for last 15 years. However monitoring & evaluation questionnaire was not filled by the interviewer and note taker as they were taking the quick testimony. We are going to use this testimony to struggle against Domestic Violence.

•

Mr. Amirulla and his father Siddiqueulla was bonded labour for more than ten years. With the initiative of Dr. Lenin member of district Vigilance Committee on bonded labour under Bonded labour (abolition) Act 1976, both were released on 23rd November, 2008 by the order of ADM (Administration) Varanasi. Letter was sent to District Magistrate for the rehabilitation after release on the order no. 13052 – 56 and 13057-61. Mr. Amirullah and his father Mr. Sidhiqueulla will receive 20 – 20 thousand Rupees each for their rehabilitation. PVCHR had helped in opening their bank account to facilitate them in receiving their compensation amount. We did testimony of Mr. Amirulla and now he felt relief after sharing the trauma.

• Case of Ram Prasad Bharti is placed in the report of special representative of General Secretary of UN on Human Rights defenders. •

Mr. Kaju alias Kariya resident of Bagwanala under jurisdiction Jaitpura in Varanasi district. Kaju is charged under section 3 (1) of Uttar Pradesh Control of Goondas Act, 1970 and on 7th February, 2009 is fixed for producing the evidence and statement. We are going to submit the testimony of Kaju as supportive evidence in front of Additional District Magistrate Court (Law and Order).

• On the testimony of Paru alias Paras UPPCC respond kind wait for the enquiry officers reaches to you for the statement from the

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DGPs office endorsement. It will take some time. We as webmaster send your information to the complaint cell. •

In the midnight of 28th & 29th January, 09 at about 1:30 am, the police men entered inside the house of the Dharkar community situated on the road side at the Hukulganj area of Varanasi district. They started to beat and threatened those people with the naked revolver. At last the police men had ruined their hut and lit fire to vacate that place. As soon as the information came into the knowledge of PVCHR the activist of PVCHR immediately went to the place of occurrence at 4 am and reported to both print and electronic media. Very quickly the attention was given from lot of people. One activist of PVCHR has gone to take the quick testimony of the victims and provided him psychological and moral support to the victims, which leads into the people’s protest at District Head Quarter of Varanasi by the survivors. In this contest the PVCHR requested to issue the urgent appeal to AHRC and AHRC agreed to issue the urgent appeal very shortly. IBN7 did the live telecast the incidence and the protest and this news was also placed in Hindi newspaper.

•

On 30th January, 09 at 12:30 PVCHR did press conference on the torture done by the police with the people of Dharkar community in hotel Kamesh Hut. The news was covered both by the print (both English & Hindi) and electronic media (Hamar T.V) a regional channel.

Annexure III •

On 25th January, 09 Dr. Lenin talk about torture and organized violence and testimonial therapy in a live program Prayas 93.5 SFM broadcast from 12 P.M to 2 P.M with famous radio jockey Mr. Shudahshu known as Pappu Banarsi. The program was broadcasted in seven districts of Utter Pradesh known as Mirzapur, Varanasi, Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Allahabad, Sant Ravidas Nager (Bhadohi) and Jaunpur.

•

A ceremony to honor eight survivors of police torture will be held on Feb 16, at Raup Village, in U.P., India. The survivors had given their testimony on violation of human rights, with the joint endeavor of Varanasi’s People's Vigilance Committee on Human 67

Rights and Denmark’s Rehabilitation and Research Center for Torture Victim. The ceremony will be preceded at 10:30 a.m. by inauguration of Sushil Tripathi School and Community Center by Mr. Satyajeet Thakur I.A.S commissioner Mirzapur, Ms. Helma Ritsher (Chair, Indo-German Society Remscheid, Germany) and Prof. Deepak Malik Banaras Hindu University. Ghasia ghetto of Raup village is icon of police torture and its consequences. After the police torture 18 children of Ghasia tribe died due to hunger and malnutrition, PVCHR and community started to fight back against it. Due to intervention of National Human Rights Commission, New Delhi and Supreme Court commissioner on Right to Food a lot of changes have taken place. Now-a-days there is no hunger and malnutrition death. This invitation is being published in ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNAL HARMONY IN ASIA (ACHA) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndiaPakistanPeaceDay www.asiapeace.org & www.indiapakistanpeace.org and also in www.facebook.com and blogspot of PVCHR. • Naureen Shah Leonard H. Sandler Fellow from Asia Division, Human Rights Watch interviewed 10 survivors who already gave their testimony. She stated that the survivors were chronologically telling their self suffering.

• Pre – arrangement for Ranchi workshop On 23rd December, 08 Dr. Lenin and Ms. Shirin Shabana Khan went to Ranchi for making arrangement of Ranchi workshop from 23rd February, 09 to 6 March, 09. In Ranchi they met with the various organizations like Jan Madhyam, CREJ, Manthan, Lok Swar and many other Human Rights activist. Dr. Lenin briefly introduced Testimonial therapy and they had given warm welcome. Logistics and fooding arrangement for the participants is done in Human Potential Development Centre (HPDC), Bahu Bazar, Ranchi. Invitation to the participants from Wide Angel -Manipur, Forum for Fact68

finding Documentation and Advocacy - Chattisgarh and Mr. Chandranath Dani, Orissa and Mr. Venu Gopal from Hyderabad were sent through email and participants start confirming their participation by sending their resume. Representative from CRY will also participate in this workshop. •

On the eve of 60th anniversary of human rights day i.e. 10 December, 08 Laureates of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award have conveyed their massages to the world. On the occasion Gwangju Laureates Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi in his message shared the case of Dr. Amardeep Gupta. http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=13691#. After looking the video footage May18 foundation put the article Human Rights: Myth and reality http://eng. 518.org/eng/html/main.html? act=dtl&TM18MF=05020000&idx=419&page=1and view by 135 people

•

On 28th November, 08, eve of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Mr. Karmanya Kumar introduced testimonial therapy in an informal Civil Society Cocktail organized by Netherlands embassy in New Delhi.

•

On 29th December, 08 Core team members discuss for the further extension of RCT project. Regarding training, publication, Legal and social follow up of testimony, fellows, model block against TOV, Comparative study and staffing in this project.

•

Manual “Giving Voice” had been translated in Hindi by Mr. Dhananjay and it was edited by Ms. Shruti and Mr. Upendra. The Manual is being published. Manual is also published on the blogspot of PVCHR. The Hindi translation of the manual can be downloaded from http://www.pdfcoke.com/doc/9836584/GivingVoice

•

South Korean interns Mr. Taewook Kang translated the testimony of Dr. Amardeep Gupta in Korean and also picture of Amardeep on http://dalits.tistory.com/

69

•

Dr. Lenin gave petition to Mr. Rahul Gandhi Member of Parliament (M.P) for the ratification of United Nation Convention against Torture (UNCAT) http://frankhoffmann.blogspot.com/2008/11/video-von-lenin.html

•

PARTICIPATION IN PARTNERS MEET: Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi and Ms. Inger Agger presented “Testimony as advocacy and healing” Psychosocial intervention in context of torture and organized violence in Intervention from without Brief therapies on 1st December, 08 in the partners meet. •

PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL REHABILITATION CONFERENCE: Mr. Peter Polatin and Ms. Inger Agger presented “Testimonial therapy a brief intervention to improve well being in victims of Torture and Organized Violence (TOV) in free communication on 3rd December, 08

•

Article is published in Danish language in the RCT news letter written by A.F Heidi Koch Tokle, Web editor/science writer

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Annexure IV Resignation of Mr. Karmanya Kumar

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ANNEXURE V

PAPER CLIPPING

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73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

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Annexure V

LIST OF THE PARTICIPANTS PRESENTS IN ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION S. no Name 1 Dr. Abha Verma

Address Dr. Abha Verma C/o S.K Verma Shastri Marg Goleghar Gorakhpur

2

Garima Gupta

Dr. Rakesh Pandey Department of psychology Banaras Hindu University

3

Desh Ratan

11, Nindhyavasini Nagar Orderly Bazar, Varanasi – 221002 [email protected]

4

Sandhya Saxena

Chetna Institute Sector C Aliganj [email protected]

5

Shyam Lal

6

Y.A.K.S Joseph

Deva Centre B -21/100 Bind Bhawan Kamachha Varanasi Integrated Institute of Rehabilitation for the disabled C- 3 Subhas Nager, Albatiya road Agra [email protected]

7 8

Dr. T.S Sharma Dr. Lenin

Deva centre, Varanasi SA 4/2 A, Daulatpur, Varanasi- 221002

83

[email protected] 9

Saba Iqbal

People’s Watch U.P S-6 25/26 Police line crossing Varanasi [email protected]

10 11 12

Dr. Inger Agger Dr. R.G Sharma Raj Kumar

RCT, Denmark 88, Saket Nager Varanasi People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights SA 4/2 A Daulatpur, Varanasi [email protected]

13

Anup Srivastava

People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights SA 4/2 A Daulatpur, Varanasi [email protected]

14 15 16

Daya Shanker Patel

17

Dr. Sanjay Gupta

People’s watch –U.P (NPPT) B-21/100 Kamachha Varanasi Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya Varanasi Head of Department Department of psychiatry, IMS Banaras Hindu University

18

Karmanya Kumar

People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights SA 4/2 A Daulatpur, Varanasi [email protected]

19

Dr. Arvind K. Gupta

Chetna Psychiatry centre Aurangabad, Varanasi [email protected]

20

Dr. P.C Shukla

21

Dr. Nilima Srivastava

Professor of special education Faculty of education Kamachha Varanasi Maa saraswati balika Mahavidyalaya Chandpur Varanasi

Dr. Madhuri Agrawal

84

22

Subhas Chandra Rai

St. Atulanand Convent school Varanasi Village Bibipur Azamgarh Contact no. +919450820100 People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights SA 4/2 A Daulatpur, Varanasi

23

Keshri Narayen Singh

24

Anupam

25

Siddique Hasan

26 27

Shruti Upendra Kumar

28

Dr. A.K Jaiswal

Department of psychology T.D college Jaunpur [email protected]

29

Khalid S. Mohd

30

Frauke Hollerbach

118 Nakhas Kohna Allahabad -3 Weyertal 20, 50937 Koln Germany [email protected]

31

Taewook Kang

South Korea, Gwanju city [email protected]

32

Dr. Ajay Tiwari

Sankat Mochan, Varanasi [email protected]

33

Shirin Shabana Khan

PVCHR [email protected] [email protected]

34 35

Mobin Ram Narayen

36

Dr. Gajendra Singh

Lohta, Varanasi Deva Centre B-21/100 Bind Bhawan Kamachha Varanasi 5, Karyalaya Bhawan

Convener Bunkar Dastakar Adhikar Manch PVCHR/SWF People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights SA 4/2 A Daulatpur, Varanasi

85

Durgakund Varanasi- 5 SOS children’s village Chaubeypur, Varanasi [email protected]

37

Madhurima Singh

38 39 40

Dr. K.C Gurnani Adarsh Ajay Singh

Agra Department of psychology PVCHR [email protected]

41

Jai Kumar Mishra

PVCHR

86