E/CN.4/1992/17 page 105 hopes that the reports of the above-mentioned Committee for the Prevention of Torture which have been published will help the Commission to obtain a better insight into the functioning of such a mechanism in order to enable it to take a decision on the important proposal before it. In this context it may be pointed out that in both reports, the Committee stressed the importance of the regular inspection of places of detention by independent national bodies or agencies carrying out a function complementary to its own task. The Committee is obviously of the opinion that a system of visits on a national and international basis will have a highly prophylactic effect on the occurrence of torture. 288. In spite of all the successes which have been achieved in the fight against torture - the convention concluded, the mechanisms established, the codes of conduct and the principles adopted - torture continues apace. The world can no longer avoid the conclusion that while successes have been registered at the international level, only failures can be recorded at the national level. The most vital question before us, therefore, is: how do we bridge this seemingly unbridgeable gap between international success and national failure? For if we do not, the schizoid contrast between the external and the internal behaviour of States threatens to discredit the verbally endorsed campaign against torture. How do we transform the paper formulae into rules of conduct which are endorsed in the minds of men? The Special Rapporteur feels that this can only be achieved if all levels of society recognize their own responsibility in this respect and act accordingly. Governments should realize that they cannot leave the fight against torture to the treaty-based bodies and the mechanisms established for that specific purpose, but that they should vigorously support that fight within their own competence by continuously holding accountable Governments which allow torture to take place within their borders. They can do so by exerting diplomatic pressure, and by other means at their disposal. 289. At the internal level, Governments should scrupulously translate into national guarantees the international standards they have approved. Through education and training programmes, they should famililiarize their law enforcement personnel with the rules they are expected to apply. 290. Other branches of the State - legislative or judiciary - should take their own responsibility and become aware of the role they can play in the protection of human rights. 291. Professional organizations should ban each and every member of their profession who has discredited and dishonoured it by participating in or facilitating the use of torture. 292. Human rights organizations should expose acts of torture and arouse public opinion about laxity of the authorities in taking action to suppress and prevent torture. 293. Only by the concerted and sustained action of all strata of society can the evil of torture be successfully fought and overcome. The prospect of the World Conference on Human Rights, to be held in 1993 in Berlin, should inspire all of us with new vigour in our efforts to eradicate this most malicious assault on human dignity.