-
CDRO Bulletin 1A Monthly Bulletin of CDROSend your reports to
([email protected])
Bi-Monthly
Bulletin For private circulation onlySuggested Contribution Rs.
15MarMarMarMarMarch 20ch 20ch 20ch 20ch 201111155555
Continued in page 2
Continued in page 2
Obituary Salute to Late Prof. Rajni KothariPeoples Union for
Democratic Rights expresses its sincere condolences on the deathof
Professor Rajni Kothari, public intellectual, civil rights activist
and institution builder.A leading intellectual, Prof. Rajni
Kotharis academic pursuits emerged from hisdemocratic commitments
and deep concern for the marginalised and deprived sectionsof
society. Prof. Kothari was not satisfied with his personal
contributions andsuccessfully demonstrated the path to being an
institution builder. He was instrumentalin setting up the Centre
for Studies of Developing Societies, Lokayan, amongst others.
As an activist he has made a valuable contribution to the civil
rights movement inIndia as General Secretary and President of the
Peoples Union for Civil Liberties(PUCL). PUDR remembers Prof.
Kothari with fond gratitude for his readiness to commitPUCL to the
joint responsibility, along with PUDR to publish Who are the
Guilty? areport on the anti-Sikh massacre in Delhi in 1984. The
decision demonstrated thecourage of conviction, and the
collaboration helped both organizations weather thestorm brought
upon them by the then ruling party Congress I, whose leaders had
beennamed by survivors to be allegedly involved in instigating
All India Convention on Black Laws in India
Imphal (Manipur), 15. 02.15.The Convention was organised by
Coordination ofDemocratic Rights Organisation (CDRO) and hostedby
Committee on Human Rights (COHR), Manipur atthe Centenary Hall of
Manipur University (MU),Canchipur, Imphal. The convention commenced
from10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and was divided in to two sessions -Inaugural
session in the morning and CDRO speakerssession in the
afternoon.
INNAGURAL SESSION:The inaugural session was graced by the
Chief
Guest Prof. H. Nandakumar Sharma, Vice Chancellor ofManipur
University, Mr. Phulindro Konsam, Chairmanof Coordination of Human
Rights (COHR), Manipurand Mr. Paramjeet Singh, activist of Peoples
Union ofDemocratic Rights and Co-ordinator of CDRO.
In this session, many local speakers from Manipurexpressed their
desire to repeal the draconian laws, inparticular the Armed Forces
Special Power Act(AFSPA), 1958, which are being promulgated
inManipur with multifaceted human rights violations ofthe peoples.
The prolonged imposition of this
draconian law, AFSPA, 1958 by the GOI clearly indicated their
perceptionand outlook on the people of North-East (NE), in
particular to the peopleof Manipur. There is stark indifferent
attitude of various IndianGovernments in power with respect to the
laws in operation in the statesof North East. The draconian laws
such TADA, POTA, etc. have beenrepealed or amended because of
public and politicians pressure whereasAFSPA, 1958 has yet to be
repealed despite intense public andinternational pressures. Even
during the talk between Apuba Lup, aconglomeration organisation in
Manipur formed
-
2 CDRO Bulletin
MARCH 2015 CONTENTSand leading mobs of rioters.
PUDR salutes the memory ofProf. Kothari and vows to keepstriving
to remain true to thedemocratic commitments his liferepresents.
Megha BahlSharmila PurkayasthaSecretaries, PUDRNew Delhi, 23rd
January 2015.
in connection with the incident of thebrutal and merciless rape
and murderof Ms. Manorama Chanu bypersonnel of 17th Assam Rifles,
theformer prime minister of India, MrManmohan Singh, had
expressedthat AFSPA, 1958 is a pure draconianlaw and assured for
its review andreplacement by a more human Act.However, despite his
deliberationsand assurances and lapses of morethan a decade time,
the AFSPAcontinues to terrorise the people ofManipur without
fulfilling any ofthose assurances.
Speech of Chief Guest, Prof.Nandakumar asserted that
everypeople, without distinction of anykind, such as race, colour,
sex,language, religion or social origin,property, birth and other
status needto be aware of basic human rightsthen only they can
legally interveneagainst any form of human rightsviolation. He
commented that peopleshould not only demand theirgrievances but
need to know theirduty also. He also highlighted thesources of
human rights violationlike scourge of War which twice inour
lifetime had brought untoldsorrow to mankind. Moreover, therole of
UN as well as otherinternational NGOs movement forthe promotion and
protection ofhuman rights in the world is alsoimportant, he
added.
In his speech as the Guest of honour, Mr. Paramjeet, Coordinator
ofCDRO, commented that the incidence of rampant human rights
violationbecause of various draconian laws has become common not
only in Manipur,but in almost all of India. Despite the differences
in the cause and reason ofhuman rights violations, the pattern and
forms of these violations are almostsimilar in nature. He also
referred to many debates where dichotomy betweendraconian laws and
basic human rights has been the subject matter whenthese draconian
laws were debated in countries like USA, UK and Canada.Even the
NHRC in India had questioned as to how the presence of
thesedraconian laws can ascertain the basic rights of citizen in a
democraticcountry. He added that places like Punjab, Haryana and
several parts ofIndia had seen the application of a range of
draconian laws, UAPA andSedition, on farmers and workers demanding
their basic rights. Using thesedraconian laws, state is trying to
push its anti people policies in the name ofdevelopment and there
are many reports which indicate rampant humanrights violation in
almost every parts of the country, he asserted. The arrestof Prof
G.N. Saibaba of Delhi University was also mentioned in this
context.He also detailed the manner in which UAPA and other
draconian laws arebeing used against common people and leaders and
activists in Kerala,
(All India Convention ...)
Salute to Late Prof. Rajni Kothari, PUDR
...............................All India Convention on Black Laws
in India, CDRO ...............Can Compensation Replace Justice,
PUDR ...........................Demand for Immediate Stringent
Action against the Discovery
of Mass Grave at the Heart of Imphal City, COMGATS
.....Condemning Undemocratic Extension of AFSPA, PUDR .........Fact
Finding Report on Alleged Murder of RTI Activist in Niali
Block of Cuttak district, Odisha, OSAA, HRF, SFJ, DHRM.Why was
Greenpeace Activist Prevented from Travelling to
London?, PUDR
............................................................Report
of the OPDR on the Discrimination against Dalits at
Gadikota Thumadigapalli in AP, OPDR
............................In Manipur but NOT in Jammu and
Kashmir, APDP (J & K) .....Oppose Death Penalty on Arif, PUDR
.....................................APDR Letter to Mamata Banerjee
to Unconditionally Release
all Political Prisoners in West Bengal, APDR (WB)
..........Demand Action against Special Cell Personnel in Liaquat
Shah
Case, PUDR
.................................................................CPDR
Condemns Cowardly Attack on Com Govind Pansare
and Mrs. Uma Pansare, CPDR (Maharashtra)
.................Release of Fact-Finding Report, War and the
Lightness of
Being Adivasi: Security Camps and Villages in
Bijapur,Chhattisgarh, PUDR
......................................................
On the Deplorable Situation Regarding Swine Flu in WestBengal,
APDR
..............................................................
Condemn the Murder of CPI Leader Govind Pansare, PUDR
...Jharkhand Council for Democratic Rights: First Annual
Conference
2015
.............................................................................
114
56
7
10
101213
14
15
17
17
1818
19
-
CDRO Bulletin 3
under the bogey of Maoism, suchas Jaison Cooper, Thushar
Sarathy,who are raising concern andstruggling against forcible
landacquisition,
Delivering his presidentialspeech, Mr. Phulindro
Konsam,expressed that CDRO is aconglomerate organisation,consisting
of 20 civil rights anddemocratic rights organisations fromdifferent
parts of India. The aim andobjective of CDRO is to jointlylaunch
democratic struggle againstany form of state repression whichare
being faced by the people underthe anti people laws in different
partsof the country. The Government ofIndia (GOI) has been
enforcing manydraconian laws and legislation whichwere enacted
during the Britishcolonial period. As these laws werebasically
British legacy, it is intendedmore to sustain British rule
andhegemony in the land, claimed to bethe largest democratic
country inworld. All these laws are inherentlyanti-people. Many
fundamentalnorms of democracy are not followedin many parts of the
country. India isa sub continent inhabited by peoplebelonging to
different races andreligion. Many draconian laws arebeing enforced
in the country andthereby openly following a policy
ofdiscrimination, repression andsubjugation in the name of law
andorder as well as in the pursuance ofdevelopmental policy and
processes.
SECOND SESSSION: CDROSPEAKERS
The second session wasmoderated by Mr. Ramkumar ofOrganisation
for Protection ofDemocratic Rights (OPDR, AP &Telengana) and
the speakersincluded Mr. Raghunath of CivilLiberty Committee
(CLC,(Telengana), Mr. Phulindro (COHR,Manipur) and Mr. Manishwar
of
Campaign for Peace & Democracy(Manipur).
Mr. Raghunath shared howseveral draconian laws in Telanganaand
Andhra Pradesh were abused totarget those who struggled for
socialemancipation, non-discriminationagainst dalits and adivasis
andwaging genuine and democraticstruggle to defend their rights,
landand forest against corporate interestand expansionism. He also
sharedhow many farmers of Telanganacommitted suicide due to
thepursuance of imperialist ledeconomic and development policiesand
due to increased conscriptionof their land by corporate
bodies.Adivasis, dalits, tribals and otherindigenous peoples who
arestruggling for their fundamental anddemocratic rights are
subjected toinhumane and degrading treatment,under draconian laws
like theUnlawful Activities Prevention Act(UAPA) and many are
subjected tounlawful and arbitrary detentionunder the National
Security Act(NSA). He condemned the lack anddenial of justice by
those armedforces and security forces and urgedupon the Government
of India torepeal all draconian laws operatingin India and urged
all strugglingcommunities to unite, extendsolidarity and to
struggle together.
Mr. Ramkumar shared how thecurrent Andhra Pradesh Governmentis
embarking on a destructive planto acquire more than one lakh
acresof fertile agriculture land which willlead to impoverishment
and hardshipfor the peasants and small scalefarming communities of
AndhraPradesh. Increasingly draconianlaws are being applied to
those whoare opposed to neo liberal model ofdevelopment which had
led to moreinequality and poverty among themarginalized people. He
said alldemocratic countries should respect
struggling peoples call for rights,equality and justice.
Mr. Phulindro Konsam sharedhow the Government of Indiaresponded
militarily to the politicalstruggle for Right to Self-Determination
in Manipur that isguaranteed by many InternationalInstrument of
Human Rights as wellas other international Laws. How theGOI has
imposed the draconian lawslike the Armed Forces Special PowersAct
(AFSPA), 1958 which waspassed in the Parliament. AFSPA is
apredecessor of Armed Forces SpecialOrdinance, 1942 enacted
duringBritish colonial rule in India. It was ahundred percent
colonial law usedfor continuation of their colonialadministration
in India and severalother legislations that led tohorrendous human
rights violations.He stressed that Manipur hasbecome a killing
field underdraconian laws like the ArmedForces Special Powers Act,
1980. Healso said that AFSPA is muchdeadlier than any other
draconianlaws and is specifically imposed onlyon indigenous peoples
areas ofNorth-East is akin to special gift forthese indigenous
peoples. This ispart of Indias racial discriminationon North- East
people. He said theviolation of political and economicrights is
often the genesis of humanrights violation and further stressedon
the need for countries like Indiato fully abide by the
InternationalHumanitarian and Human Rightslaws, to promote
civilians in anysituation of Armed Conflict.
Mr. Manishwar in hisdeliberation stated that
democraticorganizations in Manipur need toassess the key factors
that lead toconflict and human rights violationsin Manipur. He said
Manipur haschanged due to massive influx ofcapital under Indias
neoliberalpolicies and has fostered much
-
4 CDRO Bulletin
disparity and widening of wealth among the mass. The increasing
corporateexpansionism and targeting of land and natural resources
has furtherimpoverished the people and the Indian state facilitated
such policies anddeprivation with increased militarism and
enforcement of special emergencylegislations to curtail and
suppress all democratic voices for rights andjustice.
At the end of the session, COHR thanked all the delegates and
audiencewho attended the day long programme.
Can Compensation Replace Justice?
On 18th December 2014, the Supreme Court directed the Central
Governmentto pay Rs. 10 lakh as compensation to the family of
Thangjam ChanuManorama Devi. PUDR recognizes that this is a small
step but cannot be asubstitute for actual justice. Reacting to the
SC Order, Manorama Devisyounger brother Thangjam Dorendro and
Manoramas mother, ThangjamKhumanlei stated that though the SC ruled
the incident as a stagedencounter, their demand was not for
compensation but justice.
Manorama Devi was picked up on the night of 11th July, 2004 from
herhome in Imphal by soldiers of the Assam Rifles on charges of
being amember of the banned Peoples Liberation Army. She was
tortured, rapedand subsequently killed in their custody. Following
massive protests inManipur, the State Government of Manipur ordered
a commission of inquiryinto Manorama Devis murder the very next
day. In August 2004, the AssamRifles filed a petition before the
Guwahati High Court stating that theManipur Government had no
authority to appoint a commission to inspectinto the acts of the
armed forces. Invoking Armed Forces Special PowersAct (AFSPA), the
Assam Rifles asserted that initiation of legal proceedingsagainst
personnel of the Armed Forces required the sanction of the
CentralGovernment.
On 31st August, 2010 the Guwahati High Court Division Bench
passedan order that the commission is valid and State of Manipur is
at liberty todeal with the report of the commission in accordance
of the provisions ofCommission of Inquiry Act, 1952. Again, in 2011
the Union of Indiaapproached the SC against the 2010 order. The
National Human RightsCommission (NHRC) also sought to implead
itself in the case and demandedRs. 10 lakh as compensation to be
paid by the Ministry of Defence. Now, inthe recent order dated 18th
December, 2014, the SC has agreed to hear theCentres appeal against
the 2010 Order and has directed the Union to payRs. 10 lakh as
interim compensation to Manorama Devis family within fourweeks of
the order.
This tragic incident needs to be understood in light of the
impunitywhich the Armed Forces enjoy in India. PUDR has reiterated
that crimesincluding torture and sexual violence have found
sanction with the operationof not just draconian laws like AFSPA
but sections in other acts like theArmy Act, BSF Act, CRPF Act etc.
Provisions in these Acts aid the ArmedForces and become a tool for
the Indian Government to suppress peoplesmovements. The victims of
military violence in these areas do not have
access to judicial remedies becausecriminal courts lack the
sanction toprosecute members of the ArmedForces. The Armys own
record indealing with crimes committed by itspersonnel in these
areas is appallingas well. The consequent powerrelations created by
these Acts leadto a violation of the democratic rightsof
individuals and leaves behind alegacy of sexual violence,
tortureand a culture of impunity.
It is extremely sad to note that10 years have crawled by
sinceManorama Devis murder but justicehas eluded her family
members. It isalso extremely absurd and insensitiveto think that
compensation can everreplace the true course of justice.PUDR
demands the arrest andprosecution of the Armed Forcespersonnel
responsible forManorama Devis murder. PUDRalso demands that all
provisionswhich create impunity of the ArmedForces in the country
including butnot limited to AFSPA be revoked.
Sharmila PurkayasthaMegha BahlSecretaries, PUDR
30. 12. 2014.
-
CDRO Bulletin 5
Demand for Immediate Stringent Action againstthe Discovery of
Mass Grave at the Heart of
Imphal City
I, on behalf of the committee on Mass Grave at Tombisana high
School,would like to draw your kind attention to the discovery of
Eight (8) skullsand various skeletons on 25th December 2014 while
digging up the erstwhileformer Tombisana High School premises at
the heart of Imphal city forconstruction of Ima-keithel (Womens
market).
The findings of these eight human skeletal remains and skulls
has raisedhigh suspicion, especially among the families of those
disappeared in thehands of Indian Army and paramilitary units that
the skeletal remains werethose of their missing and love ones whose
bodies were never recovered.The suspicion arose as the Tombisana
High School where it was earlieroccupied by the Border Security
Forces, Central Reserve Police Force andlatter Manipur Police for
many decades.
There is strong possibility that the skulls and skeleton remains
maybelong to those who disappeared in the hands of the security
forces.Altogether 22 cases of enforced disappearances (1980-2000)
were recordedin which the main perpetrator were CRPF, AR, J&K
Light Infantry, MadrasRegiment, Sikh Regiment, etc. An initial
expert opinion from the ManipurUniversity Anthropology Department
has also suggested that the humanremnants would have been buried
for around 17 to 40 years. This timeperiod roughly coincide with
the high period when the phenomena ofenforced disappeared was
endemic on Manipur as a part of counterinsurgency operation.
Moreover the site is only about 200 meters far fromKangla, where
the Joint Interrogation Cell in which interrogation of
suspectedinsurgents/criminals are carried out by a various security
and intelligenceagencies operating in the state of Manipur.
Therefore the bones could alsobe the most crucial and critical
evidence to establish the heinous criminalacts.
Ever since the whole of Manipur was declared a Disturbed Area
underthe Section 3 of Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958 more
than fifty yearsback in the name counter Insurgency Operation as
well as law and orderproblem that Indian army/ security forces
(SFs) are given unrestricted anduncounted power to carry out their
operations. In these areas, thefundamental rights such as the right
to life, the right to a fair trial, the rightto remedy and
reparation, the right against torture and right against
arbitrarydetention (as well as a series of economic, social and
cultural rights) havebeen consistently violated.
Behind this Act the Indian security forces committed rampant
humanrights (HR) violation like molesting, sexual harassment, rape,
involuntaryenforce disappearances, extrajudicial execution,
custodial killing for the lastmany decades. Moreover, many youths
have also been killed in fakeencounter in the name of exchange of
fire. Army and Para military that weredeployed for the protection
of dam and other governmental projects werealso committing HR
violation, targeting civilians including children andwomen.
Many different organisationshave already expressed theirconcerns
through media and alsosubmitted representations to theHonble Chief
Minister of Manipurto immediately halt the digging of theexcavation
site and to seal off thepremises from any activities ofconstruction
work unless and untilto allow persons officially to
conductscientific exhumation of the site withthe help of competent
experts in thefield but the digging still continuesunabated.
Under the intense publicpressure, the government ofManipur on 29
December, 2014decided to handover theinvestigation on skull and
skeletalrecovery to the Central Bureau (CBI)of Investigation.
However, the peopleare worried that this agency willrather serve
the interest of state andundermine justice sought by victimsof
families of the disappeared. Thepeople are also worried
ofmanipulation with the evidence andskeletal remains during
theinvestigation unless taken up in afair impartial and
transparencyprocess. The Families of theInvoluntary
DisappearedAssociation, (FIDAM) Manipurwrote to the Chief Minister
ofManipur on 27 December 2014 to halton construction work at
TombisanaHigh School to institute a fullindependence inquiry to
ascertain allfact.
I would like to remind thatGovernment of India has signed
theInternational Convention for theProtection of All Persons
fromEnforced Disappearance on 6thFebruary 2007, thereby accepting
theprinciples of the convention so thatit could be incorporated
intomunicipal laws after ratification.According to Article 24 (3)
of the saidconvention stated that each State
-
6 CDRO Bulletin
Party shall take all appropriatemeasures to search for, locate
andrelease disappeared persons and, inthe event of death, to
locate, respectand return their remains. Further theState is under
an obligation, as perArticle 23 (4) of the said Convention,that it
shall ensure a legal system thatthe victims of
enforceddisappearances have the right toobtain reparation and
prompt, fairand adequate compensation. Underthe UN Convention on
Protection ofall Persons from EnforcedDisappearances, the
Government ofIndia, Government of India is obligedto fully
investigate the discovery ofmass grave at Tombisana HighSchool to
fully ascertain theprevalence of enforceddisappearances and
genocidekillings in Manipur.
I, on behalf of the COMGATS,Manipur, therefore requested you
toforward our demands in the largerinterest of the people of
Manipur.
1. To institute a specialCommission of Inquiry, comprising
Legal Luminaries, Forensic Expert,Human Rights
Defenders,Anthropologist, etc. to investigatethe discovery of mass
grave andfurther to prosecute all those securityforces in case of
confirmation of theirinvolvement.
2. To pass an order toimmediately stop all constructionworks at
Tombisana High Schoolpremise unless and until a
systematicexcavation and scientific exhumationof the site is
conducted andcompleted.
3. To preserve and seal the Skulland Skeleton remains found
andcollected from Tombisana HighSchool, so far with full and
directinvolvement of (FIDAM)representatives.
4. Provide justice to families ofthose disappeared at the hands
ofIndian Security Forces in Manipur
5. Repeal Armed Forces SpecialPowers Act, 1958 and end all
extrajudicial execution and enforceddisappearances in Manipur
In case the Governments failure
to comply with our charter ofdemands within short period;
theCommittee will resort to all possiblemass movement in
democraticallywith the people of Manipur to fulfilour demands. In
conclusion,COMGATS would like to assert thatthe Government of
Manipur shouldassume full and sole responsibilityof any untoward
incident that mayoccur due to non fulfilment of ourdemands.
Yours sincerelyPhulindro KonsamConvenor,Committee on Mass Grave
atTombisana High School
25th January, 2015.
Note: The above text is thememorandum of the Committeeon Mass
Grave at TombisanaHigh School, submitted to theChief Minister of
Manipur, dated
Condemning Undemocratic Extension ofAFSPA
PUDR strongly condemns the extension of the Armed Forces Special
PowersAct, 1958 (AFSPA) in Assam, on January 2, 2015 under Section
3 of the Actby the Government of India. Coming in the wake of the
recent massacre ofadivasis by the National Democratic Front of
Bodoland (Songbijit) onDecember 23, 2014 in Kokrajhar, Sonitpur and
Chirang districts of Assam,this extension is a testament to the
states militarised approach to the politicalissues underlying the
carnage.
While the renewal of AFSPA is a routine exercise undertaken in
allstates where it is enforced, the Act has been used to subvert
the democraticaspirations of people and rights of individuals
through an imposition of aculture of aggression and crimes
committed by the army and paramilitaryforces. Draconian laws like
AFSPA not only provide legal immunity to thearmed forces but also
override the jurisdiction of criminal courts. Instead ofaddressing
the complex realities of these regions, the enactment andextension
of laws like AFSPA transforms political demands into law andorder
problems, solved by military operations. In the present instance,
themassacre perpetrated by the NDFB (S) was preceded by an alleged
fakeencounter of two of its cadres by the armed forces on December
21, 2014. In
retaliation the NDFB(S) massacredmore than 80 adivasis.
Subsequentlythe government deployed 50columns of army and 66
companiesof the central armed police forces.This knee jerk reaction
of thegovernment will only furthermilitarise an already
militarisedregion racked by AFSPA.
Coupled with the governmentsutter lack of political will in
solvingthe ethnic tensions plaguing theregion, PUDR strongly
condemnsthe killings of adivasis and urges theNDFB (S) leadership
to takeresponsibility for its retaliatory andreprehensible actions.
According toa recent news report on the deathtoll, it is stated
that of the 80 bodiesfound so far, more than 40 are thoseof
children, women or men above 60years. Besides, the carnage,
likeprevious ones, has led to widespread
-
CDRO Bulletin 7
IntroductionRight to Information Act (RTI) activists are
vulnerable Human RightsDefenders (HRDs) in India. Unlike other
HRDs, a majority of the RTIactivists are not part of an
organisation; they often act alone, moved byanger at corruption and
other illegal activities. The Right to InformationAct, 2005
provides inadequate protection to whistle blowers. Many
RTIActivists, been harassed and even murdered for seeking
information topromote transparency and accountability in the
working of every publicauthority in India. Many face assaults on a
regular basis. People seekinginformation from their Gram Panchayat
and the local administration alsoface social ostracism. A few
activists who sought information under RTIrelated to MGNREGA scams,
were killed. Many threats and attacks(including murder) go
unreported by the media some times.
On 1.2.15, Sambad, a leading Odia daily newspaper made news
coverageabout murder of an RTI Activist Sri Krupasindhu Sahu, aged
40 of Nachhingavillage under Krushnaprasad Panchayat of Niali Block
of Cuttack district.Being perturbed and disturbed over the news, it
was thought of to visit thearea immediately to ascertain the fact
and the circumstances that led to themurder of an RTI user, role of
the police administration etc. It needs to be
mentioned here that last month on28.12.14, Sri Ganesh Chandra
Panda,RTI Activist of Berhampur wasmurdered by unidentified
hooligansin the early morning when he was onmorning walk.
Accordingly a four-member team of Human RightsActivists, Sri Pradip
Pradhan, StateConvener, Odisha SoochanaAdhikar Abhijan, Sri Manoj
Jena,chairperson, Human Rights Front,Bijayalaxmi Routray,
Member,Society for Fast Justice,Bhubaneswar and Sri Srikant
Pakal,District Human Rights Defender,Human Rights Front,Cuttack
visitedthe spot, enquired into the incidentand held discussion with
thebereaved family members ofdeceased Krupasidhu Sahu ,
Police,villagers, political people, etc.
Prelude to martyrdom- a nexus ofCriminals, Police and people
ofRuling political party
Sri Krupasindhu Sahoo, aged 40is a farmer and earns his
livelihoodby cultivating his 5 acres of land. Hewas survived by his
mother, wife andtwo children. At first, the Teammembers visited his
house andinteracted with his wife Smt. GitanjaliSahu about the
incident. His nieceGitanjali Sahoo also elaboratedchronologically
the event that hadled to the murder of Sri Sahoo. Theexcerpts of
the discussion are asfollows.
On 26.1.15, Sri Sahoo had goneto village market in the evening
anddid not return back. His wife gotdisturbed finding his delay to
returnto home and made repeated calls tohis mobile which was
foundswitched off. On 27. 1.15, the familymembers made fervent
attempts tolocate him and searched manyplaces, but it went in vain.
But hisvehicle was found deserted nearMahaveer temple of the
village.Finding the vehicle, the family
internal displacement of the adivasipopulation who fled their
homesfollowing the massacre.
The history of this violence bythe state and militant groups is
partand parcel of the fractured processesof agreements that
governments inpower have made with certain armedgroups, leaving
other groupsdiscontented. In Assam thesettlement signed between
theGovernment and the Bodo LiberationTigers in 2003, created the
BodolandTerritorial Autonomous Districts(BTAD). However, in the
process theGovernment not only failed to winover other armed
factions but alsocreated a situation of skewedrepresentation of the
majority non-Bodos in the Bodo Territorial Council(BTC). Thus
resentment betweenboth the Bodo and non Bodocommunities has not
died but onlyincreased. The killing of 8 Bodocivilians by adivasi
mobs after theincident on December 23, 2014 bears
witness to the fragile and strainedrelationship between the
Bodos andnon-Bodos.
In this environment where thestate continues to play its part
inintensifying ethnic divisions, theAFSPA nurtures militancy
bycreating an environment of terror andfear which have engulfed
differentethnic groups in a cycle ofvengeance. PUDR demands
theimmediate repeal of AFSPA. PUDRdemands that militants groups
likeNDFB(S) respect the fundamentalright to life of civilians in
armedconflict areas. Further, we alsodemand that the
Governmentacknowledge that the Decembercarnage is a part of a
warring politicalproblem and engage with it throughdemocratic
methods.
Sharmila PurkayasthaMegha BahlSecretaries, PUDR6th January
2015.
Fact Finding Reporton Alleged Murder of RTI Activist in
Niali
Block of Cuttak district, Odisha
-
8 CDRO Bulletin
members suspected that someunusual incident might have
takenplace. So, on 28.1.15, Smt. GitanjaliSahu received two mobile
calls indifferent times ( at 8 AM and 7 PM)from an unknown person (
M- 95839-83871) who demanded 30 lakhrupees and 3 kg gold to get
releaseof his husband who has beenkidnapped and kept in
anunidentified place. She expressedhelplessness and requested
torelease her husband. Then, she filedan FIR in Niali Police
station at 3 PMto find out the whereabouts of herhusband. On 31st
January the Policelocated the spot i.e., river bed ofTanla river
where his dead body wasfound buried. The police teamrecovered the
body and sent toS.C.B. Medical for Post Mortem. ThePolice also
arrested Pratap Jena,nephew, sister and mother of theaccused Kartik
Pani, the primeaccused of same village who hadreturned from jail
after 7 yearsrigorous imprisonment on a murdercases. He was found
absconding.
Smt. Gitanjali Sahu also sharedwith the team that 3 months
back,her husband had submitted RTIapplication to the office of
theDistrict Agriculture officer, Cuttackseeking information about
details offund spent for SRI cultivation underBGREI and beneficiary
list of BlockDemonstration of HYV paddy inKrushnaprasad Gram
Panhayat ofNiali Block. This informationsupplied by the PIO exposed
hugecorruption and misappropriation offund by the beneficiaries who
havetaken lakhs of rupees by making falsebill in connivance with
Agricultureofficials and the SANSKAR, an NGOwhich has been given
the project tomonitor the same. Armed with theinformation,
Krupasindhu lodgedcomplaint to the authority seekingan enquiry into
corruption andrecovery of fund. This enraged the
beneficiaries of the misappropriationof fund who made several
attemptsto attack him and threatened him tomurder. But he remained
undeterredin his mission. His wife in her FIRfiled in the police
station hasmentioned the name of these peoplewho have threatened
him of direconsequence several times. Thoseare Trilochan Pani,
Sanjay Bhoi, AjaySethi, Rupan Behera, who are thepolitical cadres
of Biju Janata Dal,the ruling political party in the state.During
interaction, Gitanjali Sahusaid that it was a pre-plannedpolitical
murder with the support ofSri Satyabrata Lenka, Inspector-In-Charge
of Niali Police station. Shealso said that the culprits should
bearrested immediately and seriouspunishment should be given to
thepeople involved in the murder of herhusband. She also requested
theteam to arrange support for theeducation of her sons.
The Team also visited the spoti.e., the house of the prime
accusedwhere Krupasindhu was allegedlymurdered. This house was
founddeserted. The villagers said thatwhen the prime accused Kartik
Paniwas jailed on murder case sevenyears back, his mother and
sister leftthe place and stayed in other places.The villagers also
said that the primeaccused who is still absconding wasfound
accompanying SriKrupasindhu in the market in theevening on 26.1.15.
He might havemurdered him on the same day. Ashe is a hard-core
criminal, he mighthave been given supari by thepowerful people to
kill Krupasindhu,which needs to be enquired by theinvestigating
agency.
The Team visited the NialiPolice station to meet Sri
SatyabrataLenka, Inspector-In-Charge. But SriNrusingha Charan
Swain, SDPOwho has been given theresponsibility to investigate into
the
matter said that the IIC had beenasked by SP, Cuttack to go on
leave.Swain had just joined on 31. 01. 2015 in his place. During
interactionabout the murder case ofKrupasindhu Bhoi. Sri
Swainapprised the team that his wife hadfiled an FIR and following
it thepolice has registered the case underIPC 364 on 28.1.15 and
startedinvestigation. The Police haveidentified Sri Kartik Pani as
mainaccused, who is absconding andarrested his nephew Pratap
Jena,mother and sister after mobile phonetracking. The police team
hasrecovered the decomposed bodywith help of Pratap Jena who
hadhelped carrying the dead body to theriver bed and sent for Post
Mortem.The SDPO also said to start full-fledged investigation from
2nd Feb.He also said that there was no doubtof a pre-planned
murder. On queryabout whether any powerful peopleare involved in
this murder, he saidthat it could not be ruled out.
On the way back toBhubaneswar, the team came acrossthe dead body
in a decorated vehiclewith flower along the roadside of Nialimarket
and gathering of hundreds ofpeople. The Team halted and met SriRabi
Mallik, ex-MLA of this area anddiscussed about the murder. He
saidhis use of RTI has exposedmisappropriation of BGREI fund bythe
powerful people who haveconspired to murder him inconnivance of the
police of NialiPolice station. Sri Satyabrata Lenka,the IIC is also
involved in this murder.
Findings of the Team1. The Team is of the view that
RTI stands as a factor behind thispre-planned cold-blooded
murder ofSri Krupasindhu sahu. His use ofRTI has brought to lime
light thehuge corruption and irregularities inBGREI fund sanctioned
for
-
CDRO Bulletin 9
development of agriculture in thisBlock by the influential and
powerfulpolitical people. This expose enragedthese people and
created enmity withKrupasindhu. Apprehendingenquiry into this scam
and recoveryof fund from them, they gotpsychologically disturbed to
savetheir image. They also threatened himseveral times to attack
and murderedhim as reported by Gitanjali Sahu. Itis presumed that
these peoplewhose name has been figured in FIRmight have engaged
Kartik Pani bypaying Supari to murderKrupasindhu. The police has
neitherinterrogated these people nor madeany arrest till date. The
Team is ofthe view that as these people aremembers of Biju Janata
Dal, theRuling political party of the state,the police had not
dared to take anyaction against them.
2. Though FIR was filed on28.1.15, the Inspector-In-Charge
didnot take the case seriously. It maybe that the police have acted
at thebehest of the politically powerfulpeople of this area. It is
alsopresumed that this is deep-rootedconspiracy hatched between
thepeople involved in misappropriationof BGREI fund and the police
whichled to the murder of Krupasindhu bya dreaded criminal. The
pre-plannedstrategy in connivance with thepolice provided golden
opportunityto the criminals to murder him. Ahigh-level enquiry can
unearth thetruth. In the absence of properinvestigation, the
criminals alsodared to murder him without any fearand absconded.
Many informationcan be obtained, if the all records ofmobile no.
(M-9437005800,9438547901, 9178620095) ofInspector-In-charge are
beinginvestigated.
3. After spot verification, theTeam has reached at the
conclusion
that as it was planned murder, it hadtaken place on 26th Jan,
the first dayof his missing.
4. In fact, his family has beenruined, as he was the only
earningmember of the family. The familyrequires financial support
for theirsurvival and the higher education ofhis sons.
5. The whole episode revolvesaround the exposure of
themisappropriation of BGREI fundthrough RTI by Krupasindhu.
Therole of the agriculture officials andthe NGO SANSKAR behind
murdercannot be ruled out. Apprehendingarrest and recovery of fund
whichhas been misappropriated by thebeneficiaries in collusion
withAgriculture officials, they might havejoined hands in the
murder. Theremust be a high-level enquiry into themisappropriation
of BGREI fund inthis Block.
Concerns to be addressed1. The Police should arrest
immediately the prime accusedKartik Pani and other
conspiratorsbehind the murder of KrupasindhuSahu, as per FIR of
Gitanjali Sahu,and take exemplary action againstthem, so that they
will bediscouraged from taking anyvindictive action against the
familymembers of the deceased in future.
2. The state Govt. should ordera high-level independent inquiry
intothe circumstances leading to themurder of the RTI Activist
SriKrupasindhu Sahuu and the role ofSri Satyabrata Lenka, IIC and
theparty members of Biju Janata Dal asper the FIR of Gitanjali Sahu
andproduce the report within 15 days.
3. The State Govt. shouldentrust State Vigilance to enquireinto
huge corruption andirregularities in BGREI fund in NialiBlock. The
legal action should be
taken against officials of AgriculturalDept., the NGO SANSKAR
and theinfluential beneficiaries who havemisappropriated fund by
filling falsebill.
4. This is the second case ofmurder of RTI Activist in
Odisha.From these cases, it has been foundthat due to police
inaction orconnivance of local police withcriminal has led to the
murder of RTIActivists. The local police hasneither investigated
into theallegation nor provided security toRTI Activists. Thats why
the life ofRTI Activists is found veryvulnerable. So the State
Govt. shouldopen a Desk in the office of DirectorGeneral of Police
as well as all policestations of the State especially forRTI and
Human Rights Activists toreceive the complaints of attacks
andthreats against them and to takeprompt action against the
accused.
5. The State Govt. shouldprovide adequate financial supportfor
survival of the family membersand education of children
ofKrupasindhu Sahu, who attainedmartyrdom in course of his
crusadeagainst corruption through the useof RTI.
Fact-finding Team Members:Pradip Pradhan, State convener,
Odisha Soochana AdhikarAbhijan
Manoj Jena, Chairperson, HumanRights Front (HRF)
Bijayalaxmi Routray, Member,Society for Fast Justice
Srikant Pakal, DHRM, HRF, Cuttack
1st February, 2015.
-
10 CDRO Bulletin
Why was Greenpeace Activist Preventedfrom Travelling to
London?
PUDR condemns the Union Government for preventing Ms. Priya
Pillai ofGreenpeace (India) from travelling to London. Greenpeace
came underscrutiny because of its support to Mahan Sangharsh
Samiti, a grassrootsorganisation challenging coal mining license
for Mahan Coal Ltd, a jointventure of Essar and Hindalco (Aditya
Birla group). What is ominous is thatthe Home Ministry has
purportedly stated that there is no rule which allowsrestraining a
citizen from travelling abroad (because) he/she would expressviews
in conflict with governments policies. (TOI, 13/01/2015)]. So if
thisis the case who ordered the lookout circular, and at whose
behest? Theseare questions which remain unanswered. If, as the news
reports suggest,that the lookout circular was issued by the
Intelligence Bureau (IB) whichhas no executive authority to issue
them, or by the Foreigners division ofMinistry of Home Affairs
(MHA) without the knowledge of the HomeSecretary then, this action
against Ms. Pillai who had a valid visa showshow arbitrariness has
come to define the working of agencies and divisionsof MHA, tasked
with internal security.
Starting with the IBs report in June 2014, on foreign funded
NGOs, areport which was begun under UPA II, reached new heights of
fiction whenthe IB damned foreign funded organisations like
Greenpeace as well as non-funded organisations such as PUCL and
accused them of crimes againstthe State, namely activities inimical
to Indias economic interests. The IBreport has since then come in
handy for corporate houses fighting legalbattles against peoples
struggles and social activists resisting these projectson sound
environmental and livelihood concerns. And to damn them on thebasis
of IBs report which has no evidentiary value is, in fact, meant
totarget all kinds of support for peoples resistance. The IBs
argument thateconomic growth was being stalled due to malafide
activities of NGOs may
be music to ears of corporate houses,who, ironically, are the
biggestculprits as they violate laws throughtheir forced and forged
gram sabharesolutions for their projects.
PUDR condemns the actionagainst Ms. Pillai as it is part of
thegrowing attacks on activists andmovements which are at the
forefrontin resisting regressive laws andprovisions pertaining to
peoplesaccess to and control over resourcesas well to those
concerning workersrights. PUDR appeals to the publicto be alert to
such illegal andunconstitutional activities ofagencies/divisions of
MHA whichseeks to silence dissent in favour ofcorporate led
economic growth,which, ironically seeks toattract foreign capital
investments,something which is both contestedand resisted by
Adivasis andpeasantry across the country.
Sharmila PurkayasthaMegha BahlSecretaries, PUDR14 Jan uary
2015.
Report of the OPDR on the Discriminationagainst Dalits at
Gadikota Thumadigapalli in
APOPDR- AP & TS came to know about some troubles and
difficulties of theDalits at Gadikota Thumadigapalli. Gadikota
Thumadigapalli is a small villagein Veeraballi mandal, Kadapa
District (A.P). This village had a Judge JusticeC.V. Nagarjuna
Reddy who has been working in the High Court of AndhraPradesh &
Telangana. Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy has a brother by thename
Pavan Kumar Reddy who is the public prosecutor & AGP at
theRayachoty for more than a decade. Justice Nagarjuna Reddy and 50
familiesof Dalits (Schedule Caste) were living in Yedapalli
(attached Thumadigapalli)which is a tiny habitat for Dalits that is
attached to the main village.
A State level finding team consisting OPDR and other
organizationsvisited the village for investigation. It was found
that, about 5 years ago, asmall irrigation project of 0.75 TMC
Capacity known as Nuthikona Projectwas built in the lands of Dalit
farmers and others. Land were taken for thispurpose. However, no
compensation has been paid till date to the land
owners. About two meters of earthhave been excavated from 30
acresof agriculture lands belonging to theDalits near the dam. It
was arbitrarilydone for the construction of a bundwithout the
consent of the Dalits.
As per the project plan theproject contractor should
beextracting soil from KomitivaniCheruvu which is 14 k.m far
awayfrom the Nuthikona Project, for theconstruction of the project
Bund.However, in order to avoid thetransportation cost, and
takingadvantage of the innocence ofDalits the highhanded man
PavanKumar Reddy had indulged inarbitrary extraction of soil (about
2meters depth) from the 30 acres oflands that belongs to the
Dalits. Due
-
CDRO Bulletin 11
to extraction of soil the aforesaid 30acres of agriculture land
thatbelonged to Dalit farmers havebecome unfit for cultivation.
OneSivaiah who owned 80 Mango plantsnear the Nuthikona Project had
neveragreed to allow extraction of soilfrom his land. But the said
PavanKumar Reddy used forces againstthe will of Sivaiah. Sivaiah
lodged acomplaint against Pavan KumarReddy to the District
collector of theKadapa District. However, there wasno positive
response. As result ofthe extraction of soil the 80 mangotrees of
Sivaiah had withered away.It appears from the comments of thepeople
that the sub-contractor of thedam was a close associate of
PavanKumar Reddy. Kumar Reddy hadreceived Rs 30,00,000/-( thirty
lacks)from the sub-contractor to ensureextraction of land from the
Dalitlands.
As mentioned Pavan KumarReddy is younger brother of JusticeC.V.
Nagarjuna Reddy. A cart trackleading to the lands of Dalits,
whichnow have been covered under theNuthikona Project have
beenoccupied by Pavan Kumar Reddy. Aniron gate has been erected
causingmuch obstructions to the movementof the Dalit farmers. Dalit
farmers
could not enter their lands withoutthe permission of Pavan
KumarReddy. It was further informed thatone Gadi Nagamma a widow
Dalitfarmer had an acre of land adjacentto Pavan Kumar Reddys land.
PavanKumar Reddy had constructed astone wall across the cart
trackleading to Gadi Nagammas land.Gadi Nagamma has been denied
theright to pass through the wayleading to her land.
We have also came to know thatmaterials allotted under
microirrigation project to Dalit was notgiven to the Dalit farmers.
The dripirrigation materials are in the handsof Pavan kumar Reddy,
who uses thematerials absolutely for his 80 acres
of mango orchard, and 20 acres ofbanana arcade. The
MGNREGprogramme works were taken up inthe fields of Pavan Kumar
Reddy forabout 6 months by 40 labourers/workers. The labourers were
paid amere symbolic wage of Rs 20/- onlyper day.
It was also discovered that aSchedule Tribe couple had workedas
farm-servants in the mangoorchard of one Dharma Reddy, whowas a
relative of Pavan KumarReddy. The mango orchard wasfenced with
electrification. A persondied due to electric shock at
theelectrified fencing. The dead bodywas buried secretly in order
to coverup the incident. However, the newsof the dead was leaked
out in thevillage. The dead body was dug out.However, Pavan Kumar
Reddyintervened into the matter and a casewas registered against
the saidservants instead of Dharma Reddywho had electrified the
fencing. Thevictims made complaints againstDharma Reddy. However
the localofficials did not initiate any actionagainst him.
The fact finding team visitedthe aforesaid village on 7th
December,2014 and made an enquiry about thematter. The team had
visited theplaces and organized a press meet at
(Iron Gate Erected by Pavan Reddy)
(Trees Withered Due to Extraction of Land)
-
12 CDRO Bulletin
Rayachoty, Kadapa District. OPDRalong with other
organizationspublished ten thousand pamphletswith 16 photos about
the
(OPDR Leaders Submitting Report to the SC & ST
Commission)
discrimination of Dalits. Those werecirculated to all the bar
associationsand the public in AP & TS. A reportwas also
submitted to the SC & ST
and HRC Commissions of A.P.The OPDR State president
M.Srinivasulu, T. S Secretary Mr.Narasimha Reddy, StateCommittee
members Mr.Ramakrishna, T. Eswar and MRPSLeader Ramanjineyulu, SC
& STRights committee Rayalaseema,and Leader Tataiah met with
theSC & ST Commission of AP,Hyderabad on 5th January 2015and
submitted the report. The SC& ST Commission of AP issuednotices
to the Chief Secretary ofAP, Social Welfare Commission,District
Collector and SP, KadapaDistrict for explanation.
R. RamkumarSecretary, A.POrganization for the Protection of
Democratic Rights, AP & TS1st February, 2015.
In Manipur but NOT in Jammu and KashmirContrasting treatment of
unmarked graves
issueOn 25 December 2014, eight skulls and a number of skeletons
were found ata High School premise in Manipur that had earlier
housed the BorderSecurity Forces, Central Reserve Police Forces and
the Manipuri police.Within four days the Government of Manipur
directed for an investigationby the Central Bureau of
Investigations [CBI]. Civil Society groups inManipur have raised a
series of demands, including that a SpecialCommission of Inquiry
must replace the CBI, as it is an agency with
littlecredibility.
The recent discovery of unmarked/mass graves in Manipur, and
theconsequent government reaction, is another illustration of the
violence ofthe Indian State, and the manner in which human rights
violations of Jammuand Kashmir have been treated by the government.
While the people ofManipur will undoubtedly continue their struggle
against the Indian State,and the recent appointment of CBI is not
an acceptance of their fundamentaldemands, the contrast in which
the issue of unmarked/mass graves havebeen dealt with in Jammu and
Kashmir is telling.
In Jammu and Kashmir:1. APDP highlighted the issue of
unmarked/mass graves in two
successive reports in 2008 and 2009
2. In July 2008, theEuropean Parliament in aresolution urged
Government ofIndia to hold an investigationinto unmarked/mass
graves inJammu and Kashmir and theEuropean Commission wascalled
upon to offer financial andtechnical assistance toGovernment of
India
3. In September 2011, APDPsubmitted a complaint before theJammu
and Kashmir StateHuman Rights Commission[SHRC] on 3844
unmarkedgraves in Poonch and RajouriDistricts
4. In October 2011, SHRCconfirmed that there were 2156unmarked
graves in threedistricts of North Kashmir andmade recommendations
to thegovernment that comprehensiveforensic examinations
including
-
CDRO Bulletin 13
Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid [DNA]tests be done, compensatory
justicebe given, prosecutions carried outand an independent
dulyrepresentative structured body beconstituted to enquire into
the issueof graves and disappeared persons
But, the government response was:1. Chief Minister Omar
Abdullah,
in September 2011, said that familieswould need to indicate in
whichgraveyard their relatives may beburied, and following this
thegovernment would do the needful
2. On 13 August 2012, theGovernment of Jammu and Kashmir,Home
Department, responded to theSHRC October decision bydismissing most
of therecommendations, repeating thestatement of the Chief Minister
andplacing the burden on the families ofdisappeared, alleging
thatinvestigation of graves would causelaw and order problems, and
statingthat the government did not have theresources to carry out
therecommendations on DNA tests. Inaddition, activists raising the
issuewere said to be acting on the behestof forces inimical to the
State/Country.
3. The APDP complaint onunmarked graves in Poonch andRajouri
remains pending at the SHRCwith no action
APDP has to date documented7000+ graves and an estimated8000+
enforced disappearances inJammu and Kashmir. Thegovernment will not
investigategraves or disappearances itself, andit will not allow
internationalorganizations to assist. The ICRCthat is based in
Jammu and Kashmirand has the capacity to assist is
under a strict agreement with thegovernment that it will
restrict itselfto only areas agreed upon by thegovernment.
Unmarked/mass graves an international humanitarian issue is clearly
not of concern to thegovernment. In contrast, as reportedin the
Indian media in 2013, the IndianState is willing to carry out
DNAprofiling of all its soldiers.
APDP, families of disappearedand the people of Jammu andKashmir
are once again remindedthat the Indian State will not
allowinvestigations or justice. Thereforeon one hand India seeks to
be apermanent member of the UnitedNations Security Council, but on
theother hand, refuses to evenacknowledge human rightsviolations
and basic principles ofinternational law and justice. It isonly an
internationally monitored,independent and impartial
commission/body that can unearththe truth behind the issue
ofunmarked/mass graves in Jammuand Kashmir. The urgency for
thisdemand to be met increases everyday as the buried evidence
ofgraves continues to be destroyed bythe State, and numerous sites
ofviolence from interrogation centersto military camps to
governmentbuildings contain unmarkedgraves that continue to
beuninvestigated and remain in thepossession and control of the
Stateand its forces.
TahiraSpokespersonAssociation of Parents of
Disappeared Persons (Jammuand Kashmir)
4 February 2015.
Oppose Death Penalty on Arif
PUDR notes with extreme concern the imminent hanging of Mohd.
Arif @Mohd. Ashfaq, a Pakistani national for the 22nd December 2000
attack onthe Red Fort in which three army personnel of 7th
battalion of the RajputanaRifles lost their lives. Mohd. Arif was
arrested on 25th December 2000 alongwith his wife Rehmana. In
October 2005 he was sentenced to death by thetrial court for waging
war against the state and conspiracy to commit murder.This sentence
was upheld by the Delhi High Court in September 2007. Eventhough
the Supreme Court (SC) upheld the death penalty in 2011, later
inApril 2014 the SC stayed his death penalty on grounds of 13 years
spentbehind bars.
In the same year a petition filed by death row convicts,
including Mohd.Arif, on hearing review petition of death row
convicts in open courts, wasgranted by the SC. But Arif s petition
was dismissed on the ground that hiscurative petition had already
been rejected. In December 2014, a reviewpetition challenging the
above judgment with respect to Arif was filed (DiaryNo. 40122 of
2014).
There is a strong indication that the evidence and witnesses
presentedby the Delhi Police have been concocted against Mohd. Arif
and all theother six accused. Four accused were acquitted by the
trial court. All theother convicted had to serve their sentence
losing their freedoms for yearsfor a crime in which their
involvement was not established beyondreasonable doubt. PUDR
conducted a fact finding and published a report(An Unfair Verdict:
A Critique of the Red Fort Attack Judgment [See- http:/
-
14 CDRO Bulletin
APDR letter to Mamata Banerjeeto Unconditionally release all
political prisonersin West Bengal and steps against abuse of
crimi-nal laws against Chhtradhar Mahato by the state
Police.
Kolkata: February 13, 2015, Saturday.To,Srimati Mamata
BanerjeeHonble Chief Minister of West BengalNabanna, Howrah- 711
102
Subject: APDR demands: Unconditionally release all
politicalprisoners in West Bengal and steps against abuse of
criminallaws against Chhtradhar Mahato by the state Police.
Honble Madam,APDR appealed (on January 30, 2015) to you (Mamata
Banerjee, Chief
Minister of West Bengal) to consider once again the question
ofunconditional release of political prisoners languishing in WBCHs
as agesture of political good-will and to encourage the spirit of
democracy andhuman rights on the part of your government. Probably
your unwrittenreply to that appeal came from the fact of wrapping
Chhtradhar Mahato inone more old case in Jhargram Adalat on 12th
February (last Wednesday)to defer his release on bail. This is done
in a situation when Chhtradhar(arrested on 26th September, 2009)
got bails in 37 cases out of 38; only one inUAPA case was awaiting.
This abuse of discretionary powers of the police
/pudr.org/?q=content /unfa i
r-verdict-critique-red-fort-judgment])in 2006 exposing the flaws
andcontradictions in the prosecutionscase and highlighting the
grave actof injustice done to Mohd. Arif. Thetrial court itself
agreed that the casewas built on circumstantial evidenceand there
was no direct evidenceagainst any of the accused. Yetdespite the
chain of evidence, beingfragmentary and doubtful, the trialcourt
did not hesitate to award thedeath penalty.
PUDRs fact finding revealedcontradictions in evidence
presentedby the prosecution. For example, apiece of a slip of paper
establishingArif s presence at the Red Fortduring the attack comes
underscrutiny due to the contradictorystatement given by the
prosecutionwitnesses about its recovery.Another piece of evidence,
a letterin Urdu, allegedly written by Arif inMarch 2000 to Babar
Mohsin,acknowledging Mohsins assistancewas recovered from a canvas
bagattached to Mohsins motorcycle. Itseems highly unlikely that
such asecret letter would be kept in sucha casual manner, by a
dreaded andtrained LeT terrorist.
Also Arif s statement aboutbeing forced to write a number
ofletters in custody was completelyignored by the judge. The
validityof the translation of this letter comesunder doubt as it
was done by apasser-by whose identity remainsmysterious. The
miraculousrecovery of the weapons used in theattack, three days
after the area wasthoroughly searched by police andsniffer dogs is
indicative of the witchhunt against Mohd. Arif. Moreimportantly
Arif s statement u/s 313CrPC brings the highly secretiveRAW
(Research and Analysis Wing)into the picture. Arif s
statementclaiming to be an agent of RAW is
lent credibility by his connectionwith Nain Singh, a Senior
FieldAssistant in the Cabinet Secretariat.Nain Singh had
givenaccommodation to Arif while he wasin Delhi. This link between
an allegedLeT terrorist and a RAW agentposes many questions which
wereside-lined during the investigationand trial.
There are innumerableloopholes evident in theprosecutions case
against Mohd.Arif. But instead of addressing thesecontradictions,
by acceptingprosecutions flawed narrative andflimsy evidence
reveals aneagerness to sacrifice justice at thealtar of
chauvinistic nationalism. Infact the blatant dismissal
ofallegations of torture against Arif, bythe court, points to a
prejudice
towards an individual belonging toan enemy state.
What is evident in Arif s case isa case of subversion of
justice.Keeping this in mind PUDR demandsthat Arif s death penalty
beimmediately commuted. We alsodemand that a proper investigationbe
conducted against the officialsinvolved in making up false
casesagainst Arif and other co-accused.Arif s case strengthens
PUDRsperception of death penalty as anextremely flawed,
irreversiblepunishment, targeting vulnerableindividuals. Thus we
also demandthe abolition of death penalty.
Sharmila PurkayasthaMegha BahlSecretaries, PUDR25 January
2015.
-
CDRO Bulletin 15
in the existing criminal lawsunambiguously reflects
yourgovernments old intentions tosuppress political opposition not
byway of justified democratic meansbut by way of misuse of
politicalpower out of vengeance. Such lowlypolice vindictiveness
should stop.
The justification of UAPAcases in WB against alleged Maoistsmay
be gauged from the fact ofcomplete acquittal of 7 allegedMaoist
accused in UAPA fromKanthi Adalat on 31st January thisyear due to
the proved falsity ofpolice accusations. Fate of UAPACases against
others includingChhatradhar is expected to be thesame. So, newly
booking Chhtradharin an old case is sought after fiveyears? This is
the question we wouldlike to put before you.
Youre expected to change(paribartan) this age-old
vindictivetraditions of our countrys police
system and practice. But, you did thevery opposite like all
other stategovernments, particularly BJP-ledgovernment of
Chhattisgarh of MrRaman Singh. This also exemplifiesyour secret
fear of backlash from theModi government at the Centre. TheBJP as a
party and as a governmentfollows the policy of suppressing
itsopponents everywhere at everylevel by all means, fair or foul
nomatter. Are you going to follow it? Ifnot, please think and do
otherwisein the interest of democracy, justiceand human rights. Let
all politicalprisoners be unconditionally freedunder your
initiative. APDR willwelcome it. Thanks.
Sd/-Dhiraj SenguptaGeneral Secretary.Association for Protection
ofDemocratic Rights
Demand Action against Special Cell Personnelin Liaquat Shah
Case
The recent chargesheet filed by the National Investigation
Agency (NIA)absolving former Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Syed
Liaquat Shah, of allcharges, has yet again exposed the Special Cell
of the Delhi Police forplanting false evidence and for framing
Shah. Shah had been arrested bythe Delhi Police on March 20, 2013
on grounds that he intended to launcha fidayeen or suicide attack
in Delhi. A recovery of a cache of arms,ammunition and explosives
from a guest house near Jama Masjid (whereallegedly Shah was
planning to visit) was presented as evidence. He hadbeen charged
under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 (UAPA)and
sections of the IPC including waging war against the State. The
Centreordered for an impartial probe by the NIA in the matter as
there wereconflicting positions emerging from the Delhi Police and
the J&K Police. Itwas stated by J&K Police that Liaquat
Shah was returning to Kashmir inorder to surrender under J&Ks
rehabilitation policy. The NIA has nowfound that these arms were in
fact placed there by Sabir Khan Pathan, aninformer of the Special
Cell working under the express orders of the SpecialCell
officials.
While the chargesheet names several officers and personnel of
theSpecial Cell such as DCP Sanjeev Yadav, Inspectors Sanjay Dutt
and RahulKumar, and Head Constables Manish, Mohd. Iqbal Dar and
Gulvir Singh as
being involved, the NIA in its reportto the Ministry of Home Af
fairs(MHA) in January 2015 demandeddepartmental inquiry against all
butthe name of the DCP has beendropped. Moreover, though namesof
police officers involved have beenmentioned in the chargesheet
forbeing in touch with the informerSabir Khan Pathan on 20-21
March2013, only the informer has beennamed as the main accused. The
NIAhas also failed to indict the seniorofficials including the
policecommissioner who had all insistedthat they had evidence
againstShah. It is vital that commandresponsibility be established
in suchcases rather than letting the higherofficials escape
punishment.Additionally, the NIA has also notexplained where from
did the cacheof arms and explosives recoveredfrom the guest house
actuallyemerge. In response, the MHA hadsaid that it would take
tough actionagainst the officials if required.Reacting to this, the
Delhi Police hasnow called upon the IntelligenceBureau (IB) and the
MHA arguingthat any action would have ademoralising impact on the
officersinvolved in counter-terroroperations. A senior police
officialhas also reportedly said that it is abonafide case of
mistaken identityand not of any wrong or malafideintent and
whatever they did wasdone in the best interest of
nationalsecurity.
It should be noted that this isnot the first time that the
Special Cellis being indicted by anotherinvestigative agency. In
2008, in thecase of State v. Maurif Qamar andMd. Irshad Ali, the
Central Bureauof Investigation (CBI) had submitteda closure report
in the court of theAdditional Session Judge in which
-
16 CDRO Bulletin
it was clearly mentioned that the twoaccused (who were special
cellinformers earlier) were innocent andfalsely implicated as
dreadedterrorists in the case by the SpecialCell which had
fabricated and plantedevidence. The CBI had alsorecommended that
legal action betaken against the officials involved.Again, it need
not be reminded thatit was the Special Cell which wasinvolved in
the Batla Houseencounter case which has beenwidely criticized as a
staged one.
PUDRs findings in the past alsoshow that the Special Cell has
beena habitual offender when it comesto faking encounters or in
acts ofplanting evidence or falselyimplicating people and
routinelysubverting justice in a number ofimportant investigations
it hasundertaken. However, in the absenceof any independent
investigation,these crimes by Special Cellpersonnel have not been
notbrought to light, unlike as in theLiaquat Shahs case has
been.
A few instances would showthis long lineage of crimes by
theSpecial Cell. The case against Mohd.Arif, accused in the Red
Fort attackcase in the year 2000, for instance,rests mainly on the
supposedrecovery by Special Cell officialM.C. Sharma and his team,
of a slipof paper bearing a mobile numberwhich belonged to the
accused.Despite contradictory statements incourt by different
Special Cellofficers about the timing of their socalled recovery,
this evidence wasused to charge Arif with the crimeand award him
the death sentence.He is presently awaiting executionin this
case.
Even in the 2001 ParliamentAttack case, the case hinged on
theSpecial Cells investigation on these
kinds of alleged recovery of slipsof paper with phone numbers,
mobilephones and sim cards from the dead(terrorists). These were
then used toimplicate a number of people whowere arrested, tried
and, in one case,later executed. Doubts about theauthenticity of
sim cards andallegations that they had beencloned and call records
altered wereraised at the time. The fact that theinvestigation
methods of the SpecialCell were a combination of
extractingconfessions and recovery ofevidence was criticized
andsuspicion that this evidence wasplanted and doctored were raised
atthe time.
Another case in point was thepicking up and killing of Rafiq,
aresident of Sikandrabad, UttarPradesh in August 2003 as a
dreadedterrorist in the so called MilleniumPark encounter. In this
case also,which was investigated in detail in2004 by PUCL and PUDR
(See:
http://www.pudr.org/?q=content/close-encounter-report-police-shoot-outs-delhi),
there were no independenteye witnesses and recovery ofdetonators
and money was shownon the basis of which Rafiqsbrothers were also
charged underserious offences. In October 2003,the Special Cell
came under cloud forits role in the Ansal Plaza encounterwhen an
eyewitness came forwardto expose the cold blooded killing.
The Special Cell of the DelhiPolice has enjoyed impunity
despiteits consistent violation of rights andsubversion of justice
because of theprotection given to it by draconiananti-terror laws
like the erstwhilePOTA and, especially, the presentUAPA. While S.
58 had been addedto POTA, allowing punishment formalicious action
by the police underthis law after large scale institution
of false cases by the police underanti-terror laws, the UAPA
hasexcluded this clause cementing theimpunity of police and
protecting theSpecial status of the police evenwhen they commit
heinous crimes.
Finally, as is indicated in theabove mentioned cases,
violationshave been fearlessly committed byState personnel in the
name ofnational security and fightingterrorism. These labels help
absolveofficials from any kind ofaccountability even while the
crimescommitted are serious in nature,involving fabrication of
evidenceand false implication of personssometimes also leading the
accusedonto the death row.
PUDR demands that the guiltypersonnel of the Special
Cell,including commanding officials, beimmediately charged,
prosecutedand punished in the Liaquat Shahsfalse arrest case, and
not be shieldedby laws like the UAPA despitecommitting grave
crimes. PUDR alsodemands that action be taken againsthigher
officials of the Delhi Policewho defended the Special Cell
andsupported the evidence againstShah.
Megha BahlSharmila PurkayasthaSecretaries, PUDR
13 February 2015.
-
CDRO Bulletin 17
CPDR Condemns Cowardly Attack on ComGovind Pansare and Mrs. Uma
Pansare
We are deeply shocked by the news this morning that some
unknownassailants fired upon a senior communist leader Govind
Pansare and hiswife, Mrs. Uma Pansare near their residence in
Kolhapur. They were ontheir usual morning walk when reportedly
bike-borne assailants fired fivegunshots at the couple. Three
bullets hit Com. Pansare and one his wife.People found them in a
pool of blood, when they were rushed to a privatehospital. The
assailants had fled the scene after the incident.
This is an exact repeat of the murder of Narendra Dabholkar in
Pune on20 August 2013. Despite nationwide public outcry over his
heinous murder,the Maharashtra Police could not apprehend the
culprits.
Com Govind Pansare is a face of progressive opinion in
Maharashtrafor the last several decades. He had been in forefront
in several peoplesstruggle, the latest being the agitation against
the toll. He was outspokencritique of the increasing communalism in
politics and anti-people policiesof the government and has written
popular books to educate masses. Hisbook on Shivaji, countering a
communal portrayal of Shivaji had run inseveral editions.
There is growing lawlessness in Maharashtra by the casteist
andcommunalist elements. The present Hindutva dispensation in power
inMaharashtra clearly appears to have emboldened them to go berserk
killing
Release of Fact-Finding Report, War and theLightness of Being
Adivasi: Security Camps
and Villages in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh
Between December 26th and 31st 2014, a PUDR fact-finding team
visited 9villages of Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh to ascertain
reports of arrests,intimidation and harassment, including sexual
abuse by security forces whoare stationed there to fight the
Maoists. Predominantly Adivasi villages, theresidents of Basaguda,
Kottaguda, Pusbaka, Lingagiri, Rajpeta, Timmapur,Kottagudem,
Korsaguda and Sarkeguda, narrated the daily acts of violenceand
violations committed by armed personnel residing in security
camps.Apart from documenting the continuance of area domination by
the securityforces, the report draws particular attention to:
1. The large number of permanent warrants issued against
thepopulace, of which a significant number is declared as
absconders. Arough estimate indicates that as many as 15-35,000
people live under thethreat and fear of these warrants in Bijapur
alone.
2. The lawless conduct of the armed personnel and Special
PoliceOfficers (SPOs) who routinely raid, beat, loot, detain and
compel the Adivasivillagers to perform begar (free labour) at the
security camps. Instances ofsexual torture were also noted.
3. The impossibility of lodging FIRs against the security forces
asagainst the rising number of arrests of villagers who languish in
jails.
4. The intensification of armed presence on account of increased
roadbuilding activity by the army for securing supply lines to the
camps. Roads
people who are critical of them. Theywant to terrorize
progressiveMaharashtra by such cowardly acts.Sadly they do not
understand thatthey are strengthening the resolveof millionsof
Maharashtrians to defeat them.
We pray Com Pansare and hiswife get well soon to their
activepublic life.
We demand the Maharashtragovernment to apprehend themurderers
soon and dispel theapprehension in peoples mind thatit is
sheltering them.
Dr Anand TeltumbdeGeneral SecretaryCommittee for the Protection
of
Democratic Rights, Maharashtra
16th February 2015.
are opened only after road openingexercises by the forces
followed byroutine interception of passengersat frequent
check-posts and roadbarriers.
5. The further harassment facedby villagers during travel on
accountof armed personnel in civilian busesplying between Bijapur
andBasaguda. In flagrant disregard ofinternational covenants, the
securityforces deliberately regardpassengers as human
shieldsagainst possible encounters.
6. The impact of camps on theliving conditions of the
Adivasivillagers which have been severelyaffected. The decrease in
agriculturalactivity is a definite consequence ofharassment as is
the fall in familyincome and wages. Besides poorhealth facilities,
the existing schoolsystem which utilized local villagehelpers is
being intentionallyreplaced by ashram schools whichaim to wrench
the Adivasi childrenfrom their homes and villageenvironment.
(Continued in page 20)
-
18 CDRO Bulletin
On the Deplorable Situation Regarding SwineFlu in West
Bengal
The deplorable situation regarding Swine Flu spread (in WB)
brings to theforefront your failure to deal with the threat. You
know what an inhuman incident(leading to death of a swine-flu
suspect old patient) occurred at BellviewMultispeciality Hospital
(!). Yet, you didnt proceed to investigate the incidentand book the
said Hospital for its illegal, unethical and inhuman practices.
Fourhospitals have been reported to be show-caused by you;
surprisingly Bellviewwas exempted. Why? What message do you like to
give the worried citizens ofWB?
The manner in which swine-flu suspects are denied proper
examination,care and treatment shows as if no legal codifications
in the field of clinicalestablishment and medical practice and
health administration practically do atall exist to be cared and
feared in WB. WB has witnessed the same failure incase of Dengue,
Encephalitis and Malaria and child-deaths breakouts on thepart of
your department. Isnt it a matter of shame that ignorance of
swine-flutreatment protocols is still there among doctors and
health care units? KolkataCorporation is still inactive and callous
and it seemed you failed to activate it toresist the current spread
of swine-flu and to arrange for providing supportivemedical care
and services.
APDR strongly protest the view that as the situation of
swine-flu spread inWB is not so much so as in Rajastha, Gujarat or
MP, there is anything to beworried here in WB. We think this view
is calculatedly being propagated tocover up the fact of poor
medical facilitates along with inadequate number ofhealth workers
capable of handling IDs and short-supply of necessary drugsto
combat Swine-flu threat in WB. We may ask how much you are prepared
tofight the impending threat of Ebola virus disease (EVD). Wasnt
Swine-fluexpected in WB from 2009? Yet, health department remained
oblivious in spiteof fully knowing that West Bengal has poor system
of prevention, care andtreatment of IDs.
In the circumstances now worrying our state, APDR demands:
* Investigate the gross humanrights violation incident at
BellviewHospital mentioned above.
* Strong and exemplary actionagainst that Hospital with all
thosewho dared to refuse admit Swine flupatients.
* Legal and administrative actionagainst the doctor/staff
responsiblefor the incident as permissible withinyour
jurisdiction.
* Financially compensate thefamily of the deceased.
* Strong and rapid action tocheck Swine flu outbreak and
toprovide adequate care and treatmentpatients attacked by it.
* Open public helpline.
Dhiraj SenguptaGeneral SecretaryAssociation for Protection
of
Democratic Rights
Note: The text is the document ofthe APDR Deputation to
ThePrincipal Secretary (Health) SriMalay Kumar De, IAS,
SasthyaBhavan, GN-29, Sector-V, SaltLake, Kolkata - 700 091, dated
26February, 2015.
Condemn the Murder of CPI LeaderGovind Pansare
PUDR expresses its condemnation and grief at the death of
respected socialactivist and CPI leader, 82 year old Govind Pansare
on 20 February 2015 asa result of the murderous attack on him and
his wife Uma Pansare by guncarrying assailants in Kolhapur four
days earlier. Govind Pansare had beenactively and intensely
involved in a wide range of social and politicalstruggles
throughout his life. He was an AITUC leader and set up the
ShramikPratishthan, through which he organised cultural programmes
to challengeboth the religio-cultural right and powerful vested
economic interests. Healso organized Com. Annabhau Sathe Sahitya
Sammelans to invoke literary,cultural traditions of resistance
against caste, class, patriarchy and religion,and wrote popular
books including the one on Shivaji, debunking mythsbuilt by the
cultural nationalists around the Maratha ruler. He had recentlybeen
leading a strong and successful campaign against the setting up
of
several toll booths across Kolhapurimposing toll taxes on
citizens forusing roads.
As an active member ofAndhashraddha Nirmulan Samitiled by the
late Dr. NarendraDabholkar, he had also beencampaigning against
superstitiouspractices and exploitation of peopleunder the guise of
religion byfundamentalist, obscurantist forces.The shocking
similarity between themurder of Dr. Dabholkar in Pune inAugust 2013
by gunmen while hewas on his morning walk and that ofGovind Pansare
has been remarkedupon in the press it needs to beremembered that
eighteen months
-
CDRO Bulletin 19
after Dabholkars murder none of theculprits have been caught.
Identicalmethods were used to murder RTIactivist Satish Shetty in
Talegaon,Maharashtra in January 2010 wherehe had been campaigning
againstland-grab by IRB InfrastructureDevelopers. Incidentally this
is thecompany that runs the toll boothsthat Pansare was protesting
against.Over five years after Satish Shettysmurder, those
responsible have notbeen identified, and a closure reportwas filed
in the case in August 2014.However, on the morning Com.Pansare was
attacked, the CBIclaimed it would reopen SatishShettys murder case
in the light of
new evidence it claimed it haddiscovered.
In all cases, delay in justice notonly amounts to its denial but
alsoto a stimulus to commit more suchcrimes. It is particularly
urgent topunish the criminal forces as thesemurders are violently
trying tosilence the voices of those fightingfor rights, for
reason, againstcommunal forces and socialinjustices. Delay in
justice hereamounts to impunity for the forcesGovind Pansare and
the othersfought against and is thus utterlyfatal for democratic
rights. WhetherGovind Pansare was murdered byHindu fundamentalist,
communal
groups whom he challenged or thecompanies whose profits
wereaffected by his committed activism,or by a conspiracy of the
two, PUDRdemands that all those guilty of hismurder should be
identified, chargedand prosecuted without any furtherdelay. PUDR
hails the efforts ofGovind Pansare, Dr. Dabholkar andSatish Shetty
in the struggle againstvested and anti-people forces andgiving real
meaning to democracy.
Sharmila PurkayasthaMegha BahlSecretaries, PUDR
23 February 2015.
Jharkhand Council for Democratic RightsFirst Annual Conference
2015
Amidst the changing forms of state repression in Jharkhand, the
challengesto the human rights have also taken new forms. In this
context, a democraticrights group was formed in October 2014 in
Ranchi by a collective ofconcerned citizens.
JCDR was formed on 5 October 2014. According to its
Constitution,JCDR has resolved towards the protection and
upliftment of democraticrights. To achieve this objective, JCDR has
resolved to the use of democraticand non violent means. It has also
resolved to not give in to any political,economic, organisational
or any other forms of discrimination. The grouphas resolved to
undertake activities like spreading awareness, conductingpublic
meetings, and also attempt for judicial intervention.
In view of this, Jharkhand Council for Democratic Rights (JCDR)
heldits first annual conference on 1st March 2015 at Ranchi,
Jharkhand. It wasbased on the theme: State Repression and
Challenges to Human Rights.
It was attended by representatives of organisations like
Associationfor Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), West Bengal,
and PeoplesUnion for Democratic Rights (PUDR), Delhi. APDR and PUDR
like JCDR areassociated with Coordination of Democratic Rights
Organisations (CDRO).The programme was also attended by local
regional organisations, and localactivists from different areas of
Jharkhand. Some victims and survivors ofrepression were also
present.
Participants expressed their solidarity towards the initiative.
They sharedinstances of repression that are being faced in their
respective areas ofwork. Friends from Bokaro and Garhwa districts
shared the ongoing problemsof displacement, militarisation, fake
surrenders and arrests. Concerns wereraised about the Ordinance to
amend the Right to Fair Compensation andTransparency in Land
Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LAAR)Act, 2013 that
has been introduced by the ruling government at the Centre
in December 2014. Concerns werealso raised about the
growinginstances of communal polarisation.Need was expressed to
unite againstrepression. It was also expressedthat there is a need
to reach out tomore people even beyond existingcircles. Experiences
of howorganisations work democraticallywere also shared. Songs and
poemsof resistance were performed insolidarity.
Towards the end of theconference, a resolution was takenby all
present to work towards thefollowing issues: (a) Special team tobe
formed to work towards therelease of persons falsely arrestedand /
or surrendered in the name ofnaxalism and / or terrorism. The
teamwill also prepare a list of suchinnocent prisoners, some of
whomhave spent years in jail and attemptto get them released, (b)
Struggleagainst Ordinance to the LAAR Act2013, (c) Investigations
and suitableintervention in the issue ofdisplacement of people in
Bokaroand Garhwa, (d) Interventionthrough judiciary where
required.
-
20 CDRO Bulletin
(CDRO Fact Finding at Tengnoupal Village in Chandel District,
Manipur, 14 Feb. 2015)
JANUARY 2015 CONTENTSA Historic Slum Dwellers Rally at
Bhubaneswar by United
Forum of Slum Dwellers (Basti Basinda Nka MilitMancha), Campaign
Odisha .....................................
Buddhist Dalit Family Murdered in Cold-blood,
PoliceInvestigation Dissatisfactory, None Arrested After 9
Days,Feroze Mithiborwala
................................................
Justice not Compensation, PUDR
........................................Indian Army, Union of India
and Government of Jammu and
Kashmir on the Same Side: 1991 Kunan Poshpora MassRape and
Torture Case, JKCCS, KPVC and SGJKP.
When T-shirts Become Seditious,
PUDR...........................One Sparrow Does Not Herald a
Spring, PUDR. ..............Please Call SP Sukma (CG), SHO Kukanar
to Register FIR
of Police Brutality against Villagers,Jagdalpur Legal Aid Group.
.....................................
Why Halla Gulla Over Lakhvis Bail?, N.D. Pancholi. ......Call
for Support to the Contract Workers Movement Under
the Banner of ECL (Asansol- Durgapur) Thika SramikAdhikar Union,
ECL (Asansol-Durgapur) ThikaSramik Adhikar Union.
............................................
Strangulating Democratic Dissent, PUDR.
.........................A Plea for Surendra Koli on the Verge of
Execution, AIADPC.
.................................................................Surinder
Kolis hanging will imply a Judicial Acceptance of
Torture Confession, JTSA.
...........................................
7. The intensity of the presentsituation is comparable to and
acontinuance of the Salwa Judumactivitieseviction and
massdisplacement of villagers between2005 and 2009. The present
brutalityhas only underlined the earliermisery of displacement
andattempted rehabilitation which thevillagers were compelled to
undergo.
8. Despite recurrent incidencesof bomb explosions and targeting
ofthe roads by the Maoists, thevillagers fear the security camps
asit is the armed personnel who punishand brutalize them.
9. In tandem with periodicmassacres, the daily harassment ispart
of the dual strategy of theStates war in the region.
10. The intention behind thepresent military initiative is
tocleanse the area for redoubled miningactivity. The effort is
directedtowards eroding the Adivasi will inresisting the State and
in compellingthem to be receptive towards officialovertures.
Peoples Union for DemocraticRights
18th February, 2015.
(Release of Fact-Finding ...)