By Jordan Gamble
Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Torture survivors and advocates implored Congress June 25 to investigate allegations of military torture of war prisoners, saying that the U.S. must be an example for other countries in respect for human rights.

American-born Ursuline Sister Dianna Ortiz was tortured in Guatemala in 1989; she helped found the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition in 1998. She was one of the three survivors who testified about problems they see with the U.S. government response to torture allegations.

“The journey of survivors, our journey, has not been made any easier by the disturbing possibility that the Obama administration may believe that it has made an adequate response to human rights abuse of the Bush era,” Sister Ortiz said.

The problem is compounded, she said, because government officials often turn to attorneys and academics as the “torture experts,” and not survivors.

“The voices of survivors are vital to confronting the issue of torture. Sadly, members of Congress, both in the House and the Senate, have been reluctant to hear our voices,” she said.

“And there is this question about ‘how do you define torture?’ There’s been very few articles, or even discussions, about the psychological impact of torture. I think we are the experts when it comes to that: how it has an impact, not only on our lives, but on the lives of our families, communities, and society as a whole,” Sister Ortiz explained.

“We know torture from the inside out. We could be a valuable resource to help,” said Demissie Abebe, current director of the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition.

The panel also criticized treatment of refugees who come to the United States after fleeing from torture and abuse in other countries. Abebe was tortured in Ethiopia in 1999 and came to the United States in 2005, only to see other torture survivors deported back to the places of their persecution, he said.

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