Skip to content Skip to navigation

Killings dominate UN meet

By Babul Gogoi |

Human rights activists from the north eastern region have sought UN intervention into the allegations of fake encounters by the security forces with the help of the Arms Forces Special Powers Act.

The Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and UN (CSCHR) tabled a summary of the follow-up report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, arbitrary executions in the state at the Human Rights Council session in Geneva on Friday.

On his official visit in 2012, the SR had reported extrajudicial killings by security officers, the State Police, Armed Forces and armed groups. 

He also reported killings related to communal violence and practice affecting women rights to life as a serious problem in some areas of the country. 

His noted emerged a number of challenges of the accountability process leading to impunity in many instances. He further questioned the draconian AFSPA 1958 and apprised the UN  of the powers granted under it.

The widespread deployment of armed forces is said to have created a situation in which the exception becomes the rule. Here the use of lethal force is seen as the primary response to conflict. 

He said that the repeal of the Act will bring domestic law more in line with international standards.

He further made a number of recommendations regarding the need to reform laws, and policies to ensure the accountability of State actors for violations of the right to life, including the repeal of AFSPA.

The Supreme Court appointed a panel on 4 January in 2013 to inquire into six alleged cases of extrajudicial executions in Manipur. 

The panel addressed the larger question on the role of the police and the security forces in Manipur. 

However, much remains to be done to address and prevent extrajudicial killings and to ensure accountability. The result is that vulnerable persons, including women, marginalized communities, human rights defenders, victims and witnesses, continue to remain at risk of violence, often resulting in death.

According to the report, no independent and accountable mechanism to monitor the registration of FIRs exists. 

 

UN

Add new comment

Random Stories

ONGC hospital in Dec

18 Jul 2015 - 1:12pm | SK Hasan
ONGC will start its state-of-the-art hospital in Rajabari in December this year.This was what AASU told reporters in Nazira after a meeting with the oil major officials on Thursday.ONGC officials...

Guns fall silent; now poetic indeed

29 Dec 2014 - 12:51pm | AT News
They have spoiled the guns to spare literature. Creativity is still in them, said a few rebel turned poets as they held a session on the last days of the Guwahati Lit Fest on Monday.The former ULFA...

Iftaar party at Bara Masjid

4 Jun 2017 - 9:11pm | Shajid Khan
An iftaar party was hosted here at Tangla Bara Masjid on Sunday evening. The party organised by reputed buisinessman Safdar Khan was attended by people from all walks of life.The gathering feasted on...

AGP-BJP difference widens further

21 Nov 2017 - 3:08pm | AT News
GUWAHATI:The difference between AGP and BJP widens further as the regional party on Tuesday threatened to pull out if the BJP-led coalition government on the question of the controversial citizenship...

Other Contents by Author

Aidue, oh the Great

Guwahati: The light has gone off from the life of a political era in Assam. Congress veteran and former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is dead. The end came at 3.34 in the evening at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital where he was undergoing treatment of post COVID19 complications. He was 86 and is survived with his wife Dolley Gogoi, son Gaurav Gogoi and daughter Chandrima Gogoi who were around him as he passed away. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was the first to have paid the last respect for Gogoi. A speechless Sonowal said, “I have lost my father.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his cabinet colleagues and Chief Ministers from other states have called up Gaurav Gogoi, MP from...

Season of communal controversy: Can BJP escape the blame?

One after another reports of Departmentally Related Standing Committee on Education, 2020-2021 has put BJP and its allies in no less trouble ahead of the assembly pols.   Headed by AGP MLA from Lakhimpur, Utpal Dutta, the committee recommended the government to provincialize the Madrassa schools. That too  at a time when education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been publicly advocating the closure of the Madrassa schools from November. The committee 2021 submitted in the assembly on March 24, 2020 suggesting the government to provincialize the Arabic Colleges, Senior Madrassas, Pre Madrassas, Title Madrassa schools to accelerate literacy rate in the minority dominated...

NERAMAC helping COVID-crushed NE economy to boom

Guwahati: North East, the abode of immense resources is set to get a fresh lease of life on its economic sector. The engine of economic activities has started changing its track which was tedious over the years. Now it would be faster like never before. Entrepreneurship is going to be the stock in trade of the state’s economic activities in the time of COVID19 endemic. These are more or less of what Union minister of state for development of north eastern region (DoNER) Dr Jitendra Singh said as he was interacting with a team of officials led by Managing Director Manoj Das of North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC) accompanied by a group of farmers in...

NGO urge government against pursuing unsustainable extractive industries

The Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur would like to express our concern with the ongoing oil spill and fire at the oil drilling site of the Oil India Limited (OIL) at Baghjan Village in Assam since 27 May 2020. OIL officials failed to control the oil spill as of 10 June 2020. The oil Blowout, or uncontrolled spillage of oil and gas at the oil drilling site has led to displacement of more than 3000 community members in Baghjan Village and surrounding areas and contaminated much of the Maguri-Motapung wetland, part of the eco-sensitive zone of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. The oil spill has had an adverse effect on biodiversity of the two eco-sensitive zone.  The Dibru...

Legislators named in delimitation panel

Stages are set for delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in the state before the 2021 assembly polls. State Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami has set up a panel of legislators to be inducted in the delimitation committee. In an official notification, Goswami named Golaghat MLA Mrinal  Saikia from BJP, Kamalakhya Dey Purikayastha from Congress, Ramendra Narayan Kalita from AGP, Rabiram Brahma from BPF and Hafiz Bashir Ahmed from AIUDF as the members to be inducted in the delimitation panel. In fact, the process was initiated in 2009 when UPA was in power, and Assam along with a few other northeastern states were left out of the exercise after both...

CAB likely to strike down BJP’s prospect

BJP and its ruling coalition partners would have to pay heavy price in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls if what the experts dealing with the north eastern affairs say are any indication. Veteran journalist Sanjoy Hazarika said the escalating anger might adversely impact the BJP's voter base in the region. Excerpts from the interview with Sanjoy Hazarika, journalist author, and currently Director of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. AT: How would you justify the seismic wave of protests in the entire north east against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016? Sanjoy Hazarika: What is there to justify: this is public anger at the Centre for not listening to the concerns of people in the...

Here comes Rongdwip Troupe to hit the land of Bohag

GUWAHATI: Jadu Deka can’t waste even an hour these days. Same it is in the cases of Jitu, Lakheswar, Pranab, Bitupan et al since Rongali Bihu is on the threshold. Only a couple of hours is left. With traditional Assamese Dhul on their shoulders they are busy with the preparation of huchori performance to mark the most vaunted spring festival commencing from Saturday. Achyut, the holder of the buffalo horn pipe is all set to mesmerize the onlookers in the nook and corner of the state in the Bihu Huchori performance in the house yards, shopping mall yards. Munna is well prepared with his flute like Dulu with his traditional cymbals to add huge value in the performance. Christened as...

Assam immigration echoes in UN

The vexed illegal migrants issue in Assam has reached the United Nations when the Prabajan Virodhi Manch has screened an eye opening documentary at the ongoing UNHRC summit in Geneva on Thursday. Produced by the organization entitled Assam: The Silent Genocide, the documentary has highlighted the impact of the unabeted influx of the Bangladeshi nationals from across the border. The border influx, according to the documentary, has upset the delicate demography of state and if these are allowed to go unchecked, the indigenous lot would be alien in their own home.For the last couple of months, the organization led by noted lawyer Upamanyu Hazarika has been demanding immediate deportation of...

UN attention on NE farmers

The brimful worries of north eastern region’s farming community seem to have struck UN attention when B Thomas from Liberation, a London-based human rights organization addressed the 34th session of UN Human Rights Council for the princely north eastern state on the issue of Right to Food in Geneva on Thursday.He said the enforcement of the Armed Forces Special Power Act 1958 has been affecting the farmers who keep producing food the feed the millions of the people in the state and abroad. But, he said, 97 farmers were killed during army’s counter insurgency operation against ULFA rebels under the draconian law.He said farmers were killed after ruthless torture and hectors of cropland were...

Food poisoning strikes UN attention

Geneva March 10: Food poisoning is now a global phenomenon. But India has reasons to be worried where the country has been witnessing a series of incidents at regular intervals. Foods in the country is far from being fresh and healthy where pesticides and chemical fertilizers are used to boost the production. These are more or less of what a representative from India said at the ongoing UN Human Rights Conference in Geneva on Thursday. In his speech, Pankaj Jyoti Hazarika, who represented Prahar, a non governmental organization said Assam is one of the state where these incidents have been hitting media headlines. “In the promotion of health and prevention of disease the role of...