New York, 21th Nov 2008: Human Rights Activists in India say Torture is still rampant in India. Recently in Bihar's Navada district the police went rampant in beating a temple priest and the men in the neighborhood region. The perpetrators were no ordinary criminals but members of the police force. The Additional General of Police in Bihar Anil Sinha confirmed the rampage done by the police and a few are facing criminal charges.
Activists have always indicated that torture is not only rampant in the state of Bihar but in India. The brutality of the police in Punjab still continues. This situation is faced by all minorities in large numbers, namely the Sikhs the Dalits, the tribals and the Muslims.
Meenakshi Ganguly of Human Rights Watch rightedly says that nearly every police station in India can be held guilty of torture. India has no clear law on torture. The country signed the UN Convention on Torture in 1997, but even 10 years later, it has not ratified it. The perpetrators are emboldened by "No Action" taken by authorities as authorized by the high-commands and the victims continue living with trauma and most of the perpetrators get away. By India not ratifying the treaty, the perpetrators are emboldened, as no external body can tether them and try them.
See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7689491.stm
Gurpreet Singh
Voices For Freedom
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Thursday, January 11, 2007
The AFSPA to be discussed at UN
January 11, 2007
The AFSPA issue is likely to discussed during the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women which is convening its 37th session from January 15 to February 2, 2007. This was disclosed by an Imphal based Human Rights Alert group. According to the group the UN Committee asked India government on how Security Council Resolution 1325 is being implemented in the country and how gender perspectives are being mainstreamed in military operations in `disturbed area` and conflict areas. The Committee also asked the Indian government the details of military personnel prosecuted under the Army Act. India in its report Link below) submitted as a response contends that Indian army has an excellent track record of protecting women and civilians and that the Army has systematic education, training and sensitization in human rights are done in all ranks of Indian Army both during pre-commission and post-commission training. Adequate emphasis on gender sensitization, constitutional rights and importance of human rights is placed on all important training schools and counter terrorism/counter insurgency courses, report claimed and mentioned various actions taken up by Indian Armed forces in this regard. Further it says that since India is not in any "armed conflict" therefore Security Council Resolution 1325 relating to Women in armed conflict in not applicable to India.
What is disturbing about India's response is its committment to protect their security forces even when gross human rights have been committed. Despite evidence documented in many cases indicting the armed forces and the police, the Indian government steadfastly denies their prosecution. It is well known that in any conflict women and children are the most adversly affected. Indian government's denial of excesses also means an effective denial of respite to the aggrieved. To set the wrongs right Indian government must first admit that the armed forces and the police have been guilty of murder, rape and torture and then set in motion their prosecution according to tha law of land.
The AFSPA issue is likely to discussed during the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women which is convening its 37th session from January 15 to February 2, 2007. This was disclosed by an Imphal based Human Rights Alert group. According to the group the UN Committee asked India government on how Security Council Resolution 1325 is being implemented in the country and how gender perspectives are being mainstreamed in military operations in `disturbed area` and conflict areas. The Committee also asked the Indian government the details of military personnel prosecuted under the Army Act. India in its report Link below) submitted as a response contends that Indian army has an excellent track record of protecting women and civilians and that the Army has systematic education, training and sensitization in human rights are done in all ranks of Indian Army both during pre-commission and post-commission training. Adequate emphasis on gender sensitization, constitutional rights and importance of human rights is placed on all important training schools and counter terrorism/counter insurgency courses, report claimed and mentioned various actions taken up by Indian Armed forces in this regard. Further it says that since India is not in any "armed conflict" therefore Security Council Resolution 1325 relating to Women in armed conflict in not applicable to India.
What is disturbing about India's response is its committment to protect their security forces even when gross human rights have been committed. Despite evidence documented in many cases indicting the armed forces and the police, the Indian government steadfastly denies their prosecution. It is well known that in any conflict women and children are the most adversly affected. Indian government's denial of excesses also means an effective denial of respite to the aggrieved. To set the wrongs right Indian government must first admit that the armed forces and the police have been guilty of murder, rape and torture and then set in motion their prosecution according to tha law of land.
News Reference
http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=35774&typeid=1
India's Report
http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N05/572/16/PDF/N0557216.pdf?OpenElement
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Tuesday, January 09, 2007
The Police that needs reform
As Mr Colin Gonsalves writes in the DNA Opinion about Police ruthlessness in India. He takes up the recent Supreme Court observation in September 2006 that the police needs to be freed from the political influence in order to become more humane. These observationon are made on the findings of Government appointed committees and like most official committees these findings are biased in favor of the police. The police in India has morphed into an organization which believes it has infinitesimal powers. This can be guaged from the fact that the police in Punjab could get away with murder literally. Thousands were killed in Punjab and without any political pressure (there was no elected Government for the most part). The police in India has become like a self sustaining bureaucratic organization which has its own internal power dynamics. Not that it is not used as a political tool but it has its own agendas and the primary agenda is to keep its power dominions intact. They have their own personal armies funded by secret police funds used ostensibly for national security and without any provisions for public scrutiny. Anything that is beyond probe is more likely to feed corruption and tyranny. What the Supreme Court needs to focus on and ask the Government is to not only constitute independent investigative agencies into these surreptious activities but also to completely restructure the organization.
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Monday, December 18, 2006
Fw: Fwd: How many could be punished for killing thousands in Punjab
The seriousness with which custodial crimes need to be taken by the indian Courts ,is missing .That is the reason that the figures qouted in 2004-2005 , report of National Human Rights Commission of India raise an alarm bell on the sordid affairs in this regard. The NHRC has reported 136 deaths in Police custody and 1357 deaths in Judicial custody in that year,so you can say that EVERY DAY IN INDIA 4 PEOPLE LOOSE THEIR LIVES ,WHILE THEY ARE IN CUSTODY.
Its not only this In Punjab the police officials who even are convicted in custodial crimes and are on bail from he appellate courts ,during their pendency of appeal are posted on duty . One such officer namely Ravinder Kumar Sharma DSP is posted at Bhikhiwind ,while he has been convicted and remained behind the bars for 3 years.So in Punajab such officers are rewarded with plum postings.
Navkiran Singh.
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Friday, December 15, 2006
Death Penalty and Denial of Justice
The mass hysteria generated at the mention of national security is what the counter intelligence agencies and the Governments thrive on. Why are we not equally appaled at revelations of torture by the police officials? At the mention of a person going to gallows without having recourse to free and fair trial and without a lawyer to represent him? Why dont we ask questions as to why we dont know the whole unadulterated truth of "terrorist attacks" and of the "the encounters." All this leands to one direction, in Indian democracy information is manufactured to suit the purposes of the regimes. Regimes which have more to hide in their anti terrorist operations have no regard or sanctity for human life. They are willing to sacrifice their own citizens with the help of security agencies and intelligence agencies. It is a matter of grave concern and we need to be vigilant and work against it.
By Sudip
By Sudip
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