Benjamin Gilman: “this important measure addresses a critical area of our efforts to combat human rights abuses and treatment of those…”

“this important measure addresses a critical area of our efforts to combat human rights abuses and treatment of those individuals who have suffered the effects of torture at the hands of governments as a means of destroying dissent and opposition, and I commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for introducing this bill and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) for his support of this measure. This resolution rightly recognizes the importance of treating victims of torture in order to try to combat the long-term devastating effects that torture has had on the physical and psychological well-being of those who have undergone this pernicious form of abuse. Regrettably, torture has been an extremely effective method to suppress political dissidents, and for those governments which lack the legitimacy of democratic institutions to justify their power, torture has provided a bulwark against popular opposition. It has been pointed out that for political leaders of undemocratic societies, torture has been useful because it aimed at the destruction of the personality to rob those individuals who would actively involve themselves in opposition to oppression of the self-confidence and other characteristics that produce leadership.”