Speaker by Various Artists

Read Post

Speaker: Torture in the neighbourhood - We cannot look away

8 Responses

  • AndrewLong,

    Good post John. It sets the context nicely for the video - which is abhorrent.

    Dunedin, New Zealand • Since Oct 2011 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    Sorry this is off-topic, but why is the text for posts on PA all in italics ? Or is it just my computer ?

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    must be just you, Grant

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Sacha,

    Outside of Grant's issues-
    I NEVER view/download this kind of crap (I spent too many years on the IDP tribunal to ever risk more of my brain being corrupted)
    BUT-if that shows brutlisation of Fijian prisoners- why should we be surprised?
    Fiji had(has?) one of the most brutal set of societies in the South Pacific - and, in my experience, one of the most hospitable-
    one up/one down-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Marcus Turner,

    Could somebody please translate what's being said in this video? I'd like to try and understand the apparently incomprehensible.

    Since Nov 2006 • 212 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    What would Garth McVicar and Michael Laws et al think of this? Too soft on the journalists?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Scott A, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Indeed. As I read John's superb post I reacted with passion, fully agreeing with the call that this is why we can't ignore what is happing in our part of the world, because the breach of one person's rights is a breach of all of our rights.

    But then my heart sank as I realised that people I know, people I love, people I work with, people I socialise with would read the exact same story and go "the scabby thief got what he deserved."

    The wilds of Kingston, We… • Since May 2009 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    It's awful. Thank you for posting this - I haven't watched it, and will not, but I've seen videos of police and military brutality towards captured suspects (often accused of serious crimes), and it turns me. I don't want to see these things unless I have to.

    It also shows us why we should set very firm limits on the application of force by police - because violence of any kind is not the role of the police, and because the capacity for escalation is rapid. Boots quickly hit heads, and batons hit bodies, and where such conduct is normalised.

    Someone I know was subject to prolonged and intense pain holds by NZ police after an arbitrary detention (he was not charged with anything, there was no conceivable reason), and while there was strong video evidence, did not go forward with the issue. In the absence of an independent police complaints authority, he felt the act would be fruitless. Where there is no independent press, a breakdown of the rule of law, and no independent judiciary, the outcomes are much worse again.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

Post your response…

Please sign in using your Public Address credentials…

Login

You may also create an account or retrieve your password.