During the past two weeks I have had the privilege of working with Buyi Mbambo and training police on the implementation of the new Child Justice Act. It was bound to be a controversial course after a minor was alleged to have murdered right wing political leader Eugene Terre'Blanche, the first test case for new legislation. Interesting times indeed!

The process of turning the new Child Justice Act into regulations, instructions and standing orders to guide policing is well under way but there are still some interesting questions and gaps. Although our training focusses on development, family dynamics, techniques for working with children and adolescents and so forth, police officials are rightly concerned with the details of what exactly is required of them in different situations under the Act.

One member of our team commented on how difficult it is to give police officials on the ground messages about human rights, protecting people's dignity, and mentoring young people, when the political leadership is driving the use of hard force and changing the ranking system back to that of the military. Police members on the ground are rightly asking, "What do you want? Human rights and a police service, or a hardline approach, a police force?" While these are not totally incompatible, we do need a consistent message about how we as a country want to be policed?

New information technologies offer important opportunities to human rights activists concerned about torture and trauma. I have added a new permanent link to the front page of the site entitled "Human Rights Blogs I read". There are currently three blogs listed on the page, and I will be adding more in the coming weeks.

In particular have a look at the the interesting blog of the Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture in Cape Town which is edited by Margaret Green.