Birangona: Bearing Witness in War and 'Peace'

Uncovering the truth from a shroud of erroneous national consciousness is a prerequisite for a nation's reconciliation with its own past. When the wall of silence that surrounds abuses of women's human rights breaks down with testimonies and evidence, how do we then translate emotions and passions into practical actions? This chapter addresses this query by focusing on the vulnerability of women survivors of the 1971 war whose needs both the state and the civil society have failed to address in a meaningful and responsive way.