Famous quote by Arundhati Roy

"Torture has been privatized now, so you have obviously the whole scandal in America about the abuse of prisoners and the fact that, army people might be made to pay a price, but who are the privatized torturers accountable too?"

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Arundhati Roy's quote raises a vital issue concerning the privatization of abuse and the ambiguity surrounding responsibility in such scenarios. The essence of Roy's assertion depends on the complicated interplay in between governmental authority, military operations, and personal entities contracted to perform jobs generally under state province. By highlighting the "privatization" of torture, Roy mentions the engagement of private military contractors and entities in activities that may consist of interrogation and detention practices which, when carried out by state actors, are subject to legal and ethical requirements.

The reference to the "scandal in America about the abuse of prisoners" likely points to historic circumstances such as the Abu Ghraib scandal, where detainees were abused by military personnel and specialists. In such circumstances, military personnel are subject to military law and can be held responsible through court-martial or other legal structures. However, Roy challenges us to consider the responsibility structures-- or the lack thereof-- that govern private entities associated with comparable acts. These professionals might run outside the province of military jurisdiction and, depending on the legal frameworks they are running within, they might not be held to the same strict requirements or oversight.

Roy's use of the term "privatized torturers" suggests a systemic concern where profit-driven intentions can eclipse ethical considerations, raising concerns about oversight and responsibility. By questioning who these private people or entities are liable to, Roy sheds light on the potential spaces within legal and moral accountability that can occur when military and security operations are contracted out. This prompts a wider discourse on the ethical ramifications of outsourcing sensitive and possibly rights-infringing jobs to personal companies, and it calls for a reevaluation of policies making sure these entities are held to account to prevent abuses and safeguard human rights. In essence, Roy's quote is an indictment of systems that permit such outsourcing to occur without adequate systems to ensure justice and accountability.

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India Flag This quote is from Arundhati Roy somewhere between November 24, 1961 and today. He/she was a famous Novelist from India. The author also have 11 other quotes.
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