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Videos of Conferences on Human Rights

I am somewhat frequently asked to speak in Conferences on Human Rights and more concretely on the situation of such rights in the context of the Basque Country, where I live.

Here you can see two examples of this, taped in video:

Basque Country and victims policies and peace. Future perspectives. Conference at the University of the Basque Country, December 2012.

Symposium on Reconciliation and Historical Memory by the Town Council of Elgoibar: “Towards a collective and inclusive memory of victims in Basque society”.

One of the main problems in the post-political violence era in the Basque Country is the correct application of the Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law, as adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 60/147 of 16 December 2005. These basic principles and guidelines are cristal clear in terms of what is to be done with all such victims: there is to be Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non Discrimination.

Victims should be treated with humanity and respect for their dignity and human rights, and appropriate measures should be taken to ensure their safety, physical and psychological well-being and privacy, as well as those of their families. The State should ensure that its domestic laws, to the extent possible, provide that a victim who has suffered violence or trauma should benefit from special consideration and care to avoid his or her re-traumatization in the course of legal and administrative procedures designed to provide justice and reparation.

Remedies for gross violations of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law include the victim’s right to the following as provided for under international law:

(a) Equal and effective access to justice;

(b) Adequate, effective and prompt reparation for harm suffered;

(c) Access to relevant information concerning violations and reparation mechanisms.

Not all victims in the Basque Country have benefitted from these measures, as I explain in the above videos. And this is a violation of these basic principles and guidelines, because these principles and guidelines are also very clear in this aspect: “The application and interpretation of these Basic Principles and Guidelines must be consistent with international human rights law and international humanitarian law and be without any discrimination of any kind or on any ground, without exception”.