ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Karen Tse - Anti-torture activist
In too many countries, it's still normal to torture prisoners for confessions and information. Karen Tse works to end that.

Why you should listen

A former public defender, Karen Tse developed an interest in the intersection of criminal law and human rights after observing Southeast Asian refugees held in a local prison without trial, often tortured to obtain "confessions." In 1994, she moved to Cambodia to train the country's first core group of public defenders. Under the auspices of the UN, she trained judges and prosecutors, and established the first arraignment court in Cambodia.

In 2000, Tse founded International Bridges to Justice to help create systemic change in criminal justice and promote basic rights of legal representation for defendants on the ground. Her foundation complements the work of witness groups, who do the equally vital work of advocacy, reports, photographs. Tse's group helps governments build new systems that respect individual rights. In IBJ's first years, she negotiated groundbreaking measures  in judicial reform with the Chinese, Vietnamese and Cambodian governments. It now works in sixteen countries, including Rwanda, Burundi and India.

She says: "I believe it is possible to end torture in my lifetime."

More profile about the speaker
Karen Tse | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal 2011

Karen Tse: How to stop torture

Karen Tse: Como rematar coa tortura

Filmed:
599,891 views

Os presos políticos non son os únicos torturados: a meirande parte das torturas xudiciais ocorren en casos ordinarios, mesmo en sistemas legais "en funcionamento". A activista social Karen Tse móstranos como podemos e deberiamos defender e rematar co uso da tortura como procedemento rutinario.
- Anti-torture activist
In too many countries, it's still normal to torture prisoners for confessions and information. Karen Tse works to end that. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:16
In 1994, I walked into a prison in Cambodia,
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En 1994 entrei nunha prisión en Camboxa
00:20
and I met a 12-year-old boy
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e coñecín un neno de 12 anos
00:23
who had been tortured
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que fora torturado
00:25
and was denied access to counsel.
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e ao que lle denegaran o acceso a un avogado.
00:27
And as I looked into his eyes, I realized
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E ao miralo aos ollos decateime
00:29
that for the hundreds of letters I had written
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de que dos centos de cartas que tiña escrito
00:31
for political prisoners, that I would never have
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a presos políticos, nunca lle escribira
00:34
written a letter for him,
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ningunha carta para el,
00:36
because he was not a 12-year-old boy who
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porque non era un rapaz de 12 anos que
00:38
had done something important for anybody.
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fixera algo importante para alguén.
00:40
He was not a political prisoner.
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Non era un preso político.
00:42
He was a 12-year-old boy who had
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Era un neno de 12 anos que
00:44
stolen a bicycle.
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roubara unha bicicleta.
00:46
What I also realized at that point was that
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Do que tamén me decatei daquela foi que
00:48
it was not only Cambodia, but
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non só era en Camboxa, senón que
00:50
of the 113
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dos 113 países
00:52
developing countries that torture,
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en vías de desenvolvemento que torturaban,
00:54
93 of these countries have all passed laws
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93 destes países aprobaron leis
00:57
that say you have a right to a lawyer
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que outorgan o dereito a un avogado
00:59
and you have a right not to be tortured.
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e o dereito a non ser torturado.
01:02
And what I recognized was that there was an
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E decateime de que existía
01:04
incredible window of opportunity for us
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unha incrible ventá de oportunidades para todos nós
01:06
as a world community to come together
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como comunidade mundial para poder unirnos
01:09
and end torture as an investigative tool.
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e pórlle fin á tortura como método de investigación.
01:12
We often think of torture as being
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A miúdo pensamos na tortura como unha forma de
01:14
political torture or reserved for
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tortura política ou que está reservada
01:16
just the worst, but, in fact,
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tan só para os peores pero, de feito,
01:19
95 percent of torture today
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o 95 % das torturas de hoxe en día
01:21
is not for political prisoners.
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non son para presos políticos.
01:23
It is for people who are
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Son para persoas
01:25
in broken-down legal systems,
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que se atopan en sistemas xudiciais colapsados e,
01:27
and unfortunately because torture is
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por desgraza, posto que a tortura é
01:29
the cheapest form of investigation --
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a forma máis barata de investigación
01:31
it's cheaper than having a legal system,
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(é máis barato que ter un sistema xudicial,
01:33
cheaper than having a lawyer
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máis barato que ter un avogado
01:35
and early access to counsel --
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ou acceso temperán a asistencia)
01:37
it is what happens most of the time.
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é o que ocorre a maioría das veces.
01:39
I believe today that it is possible for us
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A día de hoxe coido que si é posible para nós
01:41
as a world community, if we make a decision,
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como comunidade mundial, se tomamos esa decisión,
01:44
to come together and end torture
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unirnos e rematar coa tortura
01:46
as an investigative tool in our lifetime,
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como método de investigación durante a nosa vida,
01:49
but it will require three things.
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pero isto requirirá de tres cousas.
01:51
First is the training, empowerment,
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Primeiro vén a formación, a atribución de poder
01:54
and connection of defenders worldwide.
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e a conexión de defensores a escala mundial.
01:57
The second is insuring that there is
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A segunda é garantir que existe
02:00
systematic early access to counsel.
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un acceso temperán e sistemático á asistencia.
02:03
And the third is commitment.
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E a terceira é o compromiso.
02:06
So in the year 2000,
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Por iso no ano 2000,
02:08
I began to wonder,
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comecei a preguntarme,
02:11
what if we came together?
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e se nos unimos?
02:14
Could we do something
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Poderiamos facer algo
02:16
for these 93 countries?
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por eses 93 países?
02:18
And I founded International Bridges to Justice
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E fundei a International Bridges to Justice
02:20
which has a specific mission of
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que ten como misión específica
02:22
ending torture as an investigative tool
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a de rematar coa tortura como método de investigación
02:25
and implementing due process rights
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e poñer en práctica os debidos dereitos procesuais
02:27
in the 93 countries by placing trained lawyers
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nestes 93 países, situando a avogados cualificados
02:30
at an early stage in police stations
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nunha fase inicial en comisarías
02:32
and in courtrooms.
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e en tribunais.
02:34
My first experiences, though, did come
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Porén, as miñas primeiras experiencias viñeron
02:36
from Cambodia, and at the time I remember
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de Camboxa e das lembranzas
02:39
first coming to Cambodia and there were,
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da miña primeira visita a Camboxa, cando había,
02:41
in 1994, still less than
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en 1994, aínda menos de
02:43
10 attorneys in the country because
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10 avogados no país
02:45
the Khmer Rouge had killed them all.
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porque o Khmer Vermello matáraos a todos.
02:47
And even 20 years later, there was only
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E mesmo 20 anos despois, tan só había
02:49
10 lawyers in the country, so consequently
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10 avogados no país e, polo tanto,
02:51
you'd walk into a prison and
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ao entrares nunha prisión
02:53
not only would you meet 12-year-old boys,
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non só te atopabas cun rapaz de 12 anos,
02:55
you'd meet women and you'd say,
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senón que te atopabas con mulleres tamén
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"Why are you here?" Women would say,
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e o preguntarlles "Por que estades aquí?", elas respondían:
02:59
"Well I've been here for 10 years because
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"Pois levamos aquí dende fai 10 anos porque
03:01
my husband committed a crime, but they can't find him."
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o meu marido cometeu un delito pero non o poden atopar".
03:03
So it's just a place where there was no rule of law.
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É un lugar onde non existía o estado de dereito.
03:06
The first group of defenders came together
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O primeiro grupo de defensores xuntouse
03:08
and I still remember, as I was training, I said,
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e aínda me lembro, mentres me formaba, que preguntei:
03:10
"Okay, what do you do for an investigation?"
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"Ben, que facedes para investigar?".
03:12
And there was silence in the class, and finally
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E a sala quedárase en silencio e, finalmente,
03:14
one woman stood up, [inaudible name],
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unha muller levantouse, [nome inaudible],
03:16
and she said "Khrew," which means "teacher."
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e dixo "Khrew" que significa "mestre".
03:19
She said, "I have defended more than
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E dixo: "Teño defendido máis dun cento
03:22
a hundred people, and I've never had to do
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de persoas e endexamais tiven que facer
03:25
any investigation,
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ningunha investigación,
03:27
because they all come with confessions."
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porque todos veñen con confesións".
03:29
And we talked about, as a class, the fact that
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E falamos, como clase, do feito que
03:32
number one, the confessions
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primeiro, as confesións
03:34
might not be reliable, but number two,
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talvez non son fiables e, segundo,
03:36
we did not want to encourage the police
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non queriamos animar á policía
03:38
to keep doing this, especially
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a que seguise facendo isto, sobre todo
03:40
as it was now against the law.
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porque agora ía en contra da lei.
03:42
And it took a lot of courage for these
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E estes defensores tiveron que armarse de valor
03:44
defenders to decide that they would
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para decidir que comezarían
03:46
begin to stand up and support each other
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a defender e apoiarse entre eles
03:48
in implementing these laws.
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para poder poñer en práctica estas leis.
03:51
And I still remember the first cases where
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E aínda me lembro dos primeiros casos onde
03:53
they came, all 25 together, she would
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viñeron, os 25 xuntos,
03:55
stand up, and they were in the back, and
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ela de pé e o resto detrás,
03:57
they would support her, and the judges kept
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e eles apoiábana, mentres os xuíces seguían dicindo:
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saying, "No, no, no, no, we're going to do things
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"Non, non, non, non, imos a facer as cousas
04:01
the exact same way we've been doing them."
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da mesma maneira na que se levan feito ata o de agora".
04:03
But one day the perfect case came, and it
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Pero un día apareceu o caso perfecto.
04:05
was a woman who was a vegetable seller,
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Era unha muller que vendía verduras e que
04:07
she was sitting outside of a house.
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estaba sentada fóra dunha casa.
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She said she actually saw the person
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Ela afirmou que en realidade vira á persoa
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run out who she thinks stole
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saír correndo e cría que roubara
04:14
whatever the jewelry was, but the police
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as xoias en cuestión, pero a policía chegou,
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came, they got her, there was nothing on her.
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e collérona, pero ela non tiña nada enriba.
04:18
She was pregnant at the time. She had
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Por aquel entón ela estaba embarazada.
04:20
cigarette burns on her. She'd miscarried.
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Tiña queimaduras de cigarros. Tivera un aborto.
04:22
And when they brought her case
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E cando se levou o seu caso
04:24
to the judge, for the first time he stood up
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ante un xuíz, por primeira vez este parouse
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and he said, "Yes, there's no evidence
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e dixo: "Si, non existen probas
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except for your torture confession
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excepto pola confesión baixo tortura
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and you will be released."
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e polo tanto será posta en liberdade".
04:32
And the defenders began to take cases
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E os defensores comezaron a levar casos
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over and over again and
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unha e outra vez e
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you will see, they have step by step began
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como veredes, pouco a pouco foron comezando
04:39
to change the course of history in Cambodia.
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a cambiar o curso da historia de Camboxa.
04:42
But Cambodia is not alone.
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Pero Camboxa non está soa.
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I used to think, well is it Cambodia?
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Adoitaba pensar: entón é só en Camboxa?
04:46
Or is it other countries?
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Ou tamén ocorre noutros países?
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But it is in so many countries.
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Pero ocorre en tantos países…
04:51
In Burundi I walked into a prison and it wasn't
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En Burundi entrei nunha prisión e non había
04:53
a 12-year-old boy, it was an 8-year-old boy
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un rapaz de 12 anos, senón un neno de 8 anos
04:56
for stealing a mobile phone.
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que roubara un teléfono móbil.
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Or a woman, I picked up her baby,
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Ou unha muller, collín en brazos ao seu bebé,
05:00
really cute baby, I said "Your baby is so cute."
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un bebé moi fermoso, e dixen: "O teu bebé é tan lindo!".
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It wasn't a baby, she was three.
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Pero non era un bebé, a nena tiña tres anos.
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And she said "Yeah, but she's why I'm here,"
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E ela díxome: "Si, pero estou aquí por ela",
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because she was accused of stealing
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xa que estaba acusada de roubar
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two diapers and an iron for her baby and
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dous cueiros e un ferro de pasar para o seu bebé
05:11
still had been in prison.
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e aínda así estaba en prisión.
05:13
And when I walked up to the prison director,
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E cando fun xunto do director da prisión,
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I said, "You've got to let her out.
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díxenlle: "Tes que deixala en liberdade.
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A judge would let her out."
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Un xuíz deixaríaa libre".
05:19
And he said, "Okay, we can talk about it,
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E el respondeume: "Vale, podemos falalo,
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but look at my prison. Eighty percent
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pero mira a miña prisión.
05:23
of the two thousand people here
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O 80 % dos dous milleiros de persoas aquí
05:25
are without a lawyer. What can we do?"
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están sen avogados. Que podemos facer nós?"
05:27
So lawyers began to courageously
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E entón os avogados comezaron a xuntarse
05:29
stand up together to organize a system
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para organizar un sistema
05:32
where they can take cases.
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onde puidesen levar os casos.
05:34
But we realized that it's not only the training
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E decatámonos que non só era a formación
05:36
of the lawyers, but the connection
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dos avogados, senón a conexión
05:38
of the lawyers that makes a difference.
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dos avogados a que marcaba a diferenza.
05:40
For example, in Cambodia, it was that
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Por exemplo, en Camboxa, o que pasou foi que
05:42
[inaudible name] did not go alone
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[nome inaudible] non foi soa
05:44
but she had 24 lawyers with her
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senón que tiña a 24 avogados con ela
05:46
who stood up together. And in the same way,
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que se uniran. E da mesma maneira,
05:48
in China, they always tell me,
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na China, sempre me contan que
05:50
"It's like a fresh wind in the desert
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"É coma un vento fresco no deserto
05:52
when we can come together."
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cando podemos reunirnos".
05:54
Or in Zimbabwe, where I remember Innocent,
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Ou en Cimbabue, onde me lembro de Innocent,
05:56
after coming out of a prison where everybody
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despois de saír dunha prisión onde todo o mundo
05:58
stood up and said, "I've been here
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se ergueu e dixo: "Levo aquí dende fai
06:00
for one year, eight years, 12 years
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un ano, oito anos, doce anos
06:02
without a lawyer,"
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sen un avogado",
06:04
he came and we had a training together
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e viu e formámonos xuntos.
06:06
and he said, "I have heard it said" --
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Díxome: "Oín dicir…"
06:09
because he had heard people mumbling
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(porque escoitara a xente murmurar
06:11
and grumbling -- "I have heard it said that
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e laiarse) "oín dicir que
06:13
we cannot help to create justice
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non podemos axudar a crear xustiza
06:16
because we do not have the resources."
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xa que non dispoñemos dos recursos".
06:18
And then he said, "But I want you to know
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E despois matizou: "Pero quero que saibas
06:20
that the lack of resources
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que a falta de recursos
06:23
is never an excuse for injustice."
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nunca foi escusa para a inxustiza".
06:25
And with that, he successfully
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E con isto organizou
06:27
organized 68 lawyers who have been
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con éxito a 68 avogados que levan collendo
06:30
systematically taking the cases.
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os casos de maneira sistemática.
06:32
The key that we see, though, is training
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Así e todo, a solución que atopamos foi a formación
06:35
and then early access.
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e logo, o acceso temperán.
06:37
I was recently in Egypt, and was inspired
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Fai pouco que estiven en Exipto e decidín
06:39
to meet with another group of lawyers,
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reunirme con outro grupo de avogados.
06:41
and what they told me is that they said,
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O que me contaron foi que eles dicían:
06:43
"Hey, look, we don't have police
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"Mira, agora non temos policía
06:45
on the streets now. The police are
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nas rúas. A policía é
06:47
one of the main reasons why we had
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unha das principais razóns polas que tivemos
06:49
the revolution. They were torturing everybody
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a revolución. Torturaban a todo o mundo
06:51
all the time."
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a todas horas".
06:53
And I said, "But there's been tens of millions
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E eu díxenlles: "Pero aquí investíronse decenas
06:55
of dollars that have recently gone in
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de millóns de dólares recentemente no
06:57
to the development of the legal system here.
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desenvolvemento do sistema xudicial.
06:59
What's going on?"
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Que está ocorrendo entón?"
07:01
I met with one of the development agencies,
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Reuninme cunha das axencias de desenvolvemento
07:04
and they were training prosecutors
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e estaban a formar fiscais
07:06
and judges, which is the normal bias,
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e xuíces, que resulta ser a tendencia normal,
07:08
as opposed to defenders.
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no canto de defensores.
07:10
And they showed me a manual which
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Mostráronme tamén un manual que
07:12
actually was an excellent manual.
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de feito era excelente.
07:14
I said, "I'm gonna copy this."
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E díxenlles: "Vou copialo".
07:16
It had everything in it. Lawyers can come
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Tíña todo nel. Os avogados poden vir
07:18
at the police station. It was perfect.
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á comisaría de policía. Era perfecto.
07:20
Prosecutors were perfectly trained.
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Os fiscais estaban perfectamente formados.
07:22
But I said to them, "I just have one question,
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Pero díxenlles: "Só teño unha pregunta.
07:24
which is, by the time that everybody got to
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Antes de que todos chegaran
07:26
the prosecutor's office, what had happened to them?"
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á oficina do fiscal, que pasaba con eles mentres?"
07:28
And after a pause, they said,
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E tras unha pausa, respondían:
07:30
"They had been tortured."
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"Torturábanos".
07:32
So the pieces are,
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E polo tanto as pezas clave son
07:34
not only the training of the lawyers, but
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non só a formación dos avogados, senón
07:36
us finding a way to systematically implement
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atopar unha maneira para pór en práctica sistematicamente
07:39
early access to counsel, because they are
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o acceso temperán á asistencia, porque eles son
07:42
the safeguard in the system
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a garantía no sistema
07:44
for people who are being tortured.
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para a xente que está a ser torturada.
07:47
And as I tell you this, I'm also aware of the
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E mentres vos conto isto, tamén son consciente
07:49
fact that it sounds like, "Oh, okay, it sounds
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de que soa como un "Si, claro, parece
07:51
like we could do it, but can we really do it?"
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como se se puidese facer, pero podémolo facer en realidade?"
07:54
Because it sounds big.
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Porque parece algo enorme.
07:56
And there are many reasons why I believe it's possible.
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E son moitas as razóns polas que creo que si é posible.
07:59
The first reason is the people on the ground
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A primeira delas é que as persoas sobre o terreo
08:02
who find ways of creating miracles
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atopan maneiras de crear milagres
08:05
because of their commitment.
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grazas ao seu compromiso.
08:07
It's not only Innocent, who I told you about
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E non só é Innocent, de quen vos falei
08:10
in Zimbabwe, but defenders all over the world
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en Cimbabue, senón tamén defensores por todo o mundo
08:13
who are looking for these pieces.
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que están a buscar ditas pezas clave.
08:16
We have a program called JusticeMakers,
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Temos un programa chamado JusticeMakers,
08:19
and we realized there are people that are
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e decatámonos de que había xente afouta
08:21
courageous and want to do things, but
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e que quería axudar,
08:23
how can we support them?
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pero como podiamos apoialos?
08:25
So it's an online contest where it's only
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Tan só é un concurso en liña onde se poden gañar
08:27
five thousand dollars if you come up with
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cinco mil dólares se se che ocorre
08:29
and innovative way of implementing justice.
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algunha idea innovadora de poñer en práctica a xustiza.
08:31
And there are 30 JusticeMakers
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E existen 30 JusticeMakers
08:33
throughout the world, from Sri Lanka
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en todo o mundo, dende Sri Lanka
08:35
to Swaziland to the DRC, who with
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ata Swazilandia ou a República Democrática do Congo,
08:38
five thousand dollars do amazing things,
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que con cinco mil dólares fan cousas incribles,
08:41
through SMS programs,
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mediante programas por SMS,
08:43
through paralegal programs,
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programas paralegais
08:45
through whatever they can do.
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e calquera maneira que atopan.
08:47
And it's not only these JusticeMakers,
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E non só existen estes JusticeMakers,
08:51
but people we courageously see
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senón que tamén hai xente valente
08:53
figure out who their networks are
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que comprende cales son os seus contactos
08:56
and how they can move it forward.
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e como poden avanzar con eles.
08:58
So in China, for instance, great laws
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Por exemplo, na China promulgáronse leis
09:00
came out where it says police cannot
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que impedían que os policías puidesen
09:03
torture people or they will be punished.
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torturar á xente xa que serían castigados.
09:06
And I was sitting side by side with one of our
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E mentres estaba sentada
09:09
very courageous lawyers, and said,
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xunto a un dos nosos valentes avogados, díxenlle:
09:12
"How can we get this out? How can we
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"E como poderemos espallalo? Como poderemos
09:14
make sure that this is implemented?
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asegurarnos de que isto se porá en práctica?
09:16
This is fantastic." And he said to me,
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Isto é fantástico". E el contestoume:
09:18
"Well, do you have money?" And I said,
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"Ti tes cartos?" E respondín:
09:20
"No." And he said, "That's okay,
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"Non". E el díxome: "Está ben,
09:22
we can still figure it out."
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aínda así atoparemos a maneira".
09:24
And on December 4, he organized
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E o 4 de decembro organizou
09:26
three thousand members
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a tres mil membros
09:28
of the Youth Communist League,
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da Unión da Xuventude Comunista,
09:30
from 14 of the top law schools,
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de 14 das mellores escolas de dereito,
09:32
who organized themselves, developed
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que se organizaron eles mesmos e elaboraron
09:34
posters with the new laws, and went
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pósters coas novas leis e foron
09:36
to the police stations and began what he says
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ás comisarías de policía e comezaron cunha
09:38
is a non-violent legal revolution
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revolución legal non violenta, segundo dicía el,
09:41
to protect citizen rights.
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para protexer os dereitos dos cidadáns.
09:44
So I talked about the fact that we need
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Xa falei do feito que precisamos
09:46
to train and support defenders.
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formar e apoiar aos defensores.
09:48
We need to systematically implement
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Necesitamos pór en práctica de forma sistemática
09:50
early access to counsel.
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o acceso temperán á asistencia.
09:52
But the third and most important thing is that
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Pero o terceiro e último punto, o máis importante,
09:54
we make a commitment to this.
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é que nos comprometamos con isto.
09:56
And people often say to me, "You know,
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E normalmente a xente dime: "Pois isto
09:58
this is great, but it's wildly idealistic.
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está moi ben, pero é demasiado idealista.
10:00
Never going to happen."
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Xamais ocorrerá".
10:02
And the reason that I think that
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E o motivo polo que considero que
10:04
those words are interesting is because
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esta opinión é interesante é porque
10:06
those were the same kinds of words
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esa foi exactamente a mesma opinión
10:08
that were used for people who decided
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que se empregou para as persoas que se decidiron
10:10
they would end slavery, or end apartheid.
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a rematar coa escravitude ou o apartheid.
10:12
It began with a small group of people
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Comezou cun pequeno grupo de persoas
10:14
who decided they would commit.
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que decidiron implicarse.
10:16
Now, there's one of our favorite poems
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Un dos nosos poemas favoritos
10:18
from the defenders, which they share
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dos defensores, que eles comparten
10:20
from each other, is:
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entre si mesmos, é:
10:22
"Take courage friends, the road is often long,
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"Fai falla valor, amigos, o camiño acostuma ser longo,
10:24
the path is never clear,
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a ruta nunca é clara,
10:26
and the stakes are very high,
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e hai moito en xogo,
10:28
but deep down, you are not alone."
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pero no fondo, non estades sos".
10:30
And I believe that if we can come together
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E estou segura de que se podemos unirnos
10:33
as a world community to support not only
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como unha comunidade mundial para apoiar non só
10:35
defenders, but also everyone in the system
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aos defensores, senón tamén a todo o mundo no sistema
10:38
who is looking towards it,
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que estea intentando acadalo,
10:40
we can end torture as an investigative tool.
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poderemos rematar coa tortura como método de investigación.
10:43
I end always, because I'm sure the questions are --
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E sempre remato, porque sei que a pregunta será
10:45
and I'd be happy to talk to you
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(e será un pracer falar con vós nalgún momento)
10:47
at any point -- "But what can I really do?"
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"Pero que podo facer eu realmente?"
10:49
Well, I would say this. First of all,
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Pois en primeiro lugar diríavos
10:51
you know what you can do. But second of all,
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que xa sabedes o que podedes facer. E en segundo lugar,
10:53
I would leave you with the story of Vishna,
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deixaríavos coa historia de Vishna,
10:55
who actually was my inspiration
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que de feito foi a miña inspiración
10:58
for starting International Bridges to Justice.
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para fundar a International Bridges to Justice.
11:00
Vishna was a 4-year-old boy when I met him
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Vishna era un neno de catro anos cando o coñecín.
11:03
who was born in a Cambodian prison
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Nacera nunha prisión camboxana
11:05
in Kandal Province. But because he was
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na provincia de Kandal. Pero como nacera
11:08
born in the prison, everybody loved him,
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na prisión, todos lle tiñan moito aprecio,
11:10
including the guards, so he was the only one
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mesmo os gardas, polo que era o único
11:12
who was allowed to come
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que podía entrar
11:14
in and out of the bars.
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e saír de entre as reixas.
11:16
So, you know, there's bars. And by the time
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E claro, como sabedes, hai reixas. E para cando
11:18
that Vishna was getting bigger,
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Vishna comezou a medrar,
11:20
which means what gets bigger? Your head gets bigger.
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que é o que tamén medra? A cabeza.
11:22
So he would come to the first bar,
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O que facía era pasar pola primeira reixa,
11:24
the second bar and then the third bar,
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e pola segunda e logo pola terceira,
11:26
and then really slowly move his head
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e despois, moi de vagar, movía a cabeza
11:28
so he could fit through, and come back,
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para poder pasala a través e volvía:
11:30
third, second, first. And he would
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dende a terceira ata a primeira.
11:32
grab my pinkie, because what he wanted
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E collíame o dedo maimiño,
11:34
to do every day is he wanted to go visit.
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porque o que el quería facer a diario era ir visitar.
11:36
You know, he never quite made it to
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Por suposto, nunca conseguía visitar
11:38
all of them every day, but he wanted to visit
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a todo o mundo a diario, pero si quería visitar
11:40
all 156 prisoners. And I would lift him,
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a todos os 156 presos. E ao collelo,
11:42
and he would put his fingers through.
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el pasaba os seus dedos a través.
11:44
Or if they were dark cells, it was like iron
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Ou se as celas estaban escuras, era como
11:46
corrugated, and he would put his fingers through.
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ferro ondulado e pasaba os seus dedos a través.
11:48
And most of the prisoners said that he was
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E a meirande parte dos presos afirmaban
11:50
their greatest joy and their sunshine, and they
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que era a súa maior ledicia e o seu sol e que sempre
11:52
looked forward to him. And I was like,
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o agardaban ansiosos. E eu pensaba:
11:54
here's Vishna. He's a 4-year-old boy.
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aquí está Vishna. Un neno de catros anos.
11:56
He was born in a prison with almost nothing,
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Naceu nunha prisión sen case nada,
11:58
no material goods, but he had a sense of
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sen bens materiais, pero cun sentido
12:00
his own heroic journey, which I believe
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da súa propia viaxe heroica, que na miña opinión
12:02
we are all born into. He said,
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todos nacemos nunha. E contoume:
12:04
"Probably I can't do everything.
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"Seguramente non poderei facelo todo.
12:06
But I'm one. I can do something.
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Pero son unha persoa. Podo facer algo.
12:08
And I will do the one thing that I can do."
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E farei a única cousa que podo facer".
12:10
So I thank you for having the prophetic
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E por iso vos agradezo por ter a imaxinación
12:12
imagination to imagine the shaping
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profética para imaxinar a formación
12:15
of a new world with us together,
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dun novo mundo con todos nós xuntos
12:17
and invite you into this journey with us.
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e convídovos a facer este viaxe connosco.
12:19
Thank you.
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Grazas.
12:21
(Applause)
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(Aplauso)
12:29
Thank you.
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Grazas.
12:31
(Applause)
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(Aplauso)
12:33
Thank you.
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Grazas.
12:35
(Applause)
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(Aplauso)
Translated by Andrés Trigo
Reviewed by Raquel Uzal

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Karen Tse - Anti-torture activist
In too many countries, it's still normal to torture prisoners for confessions and information. Karen Tse works to end that.

Why you should listen

A former public defender, Karen Tse developed an interest in the intersection of criminal law and human rights after observing Southeast Asian refugees held in a local prison without trial, often tortured to obtain "confessions." In 1994, she moved to Cambodia to train the country's first core group of public defenders. Under the auspices of the UN, she trained judges and prosecutors, and established the first arraignment court in Cambodia.

In 2000, Tse founded International Bridges to Justice to help create systemic change in criminal justice and promote basic rights of legal representation for defendants on the ground. Her foundation complements the work of witness groups, who do the equally vital work of advocacy, reports, photographs. Tse's group helps governments build new systems that respect individual rights. In IBJ's first years, she negotiated groundbreaking measures  in judicial reform with the Chinese, Vietnamese and Cambodian governments. It now works in sixteen countries, including Rwanda, Burundi and India.

She says: "I believe it is possible to end torture in my lifetime."

More profile about the speaker
Karen Tse | Speaker | TED.com