IHRO Reports New cases of disappearances in Punjab LUDHIANA:The International Human Rights Organization IHRO) has sent to its chapters ‘abroad four cases of disappear- ‘ances forexerting diplomatic pres- Sure on India :ostopthisextremely grave violation of international human nights law even as Punjab chief minister is bragging that there is no violation of “Sikh human rights” by the law enforc- “ing agencies in the State.” The nights organization has also flayed the remarks of State chiel minister on the reported statement by a friendly nation’s president regarding the human nights situa- tion of the Sikh people in their homeland. : IHRO Chairman D.S.Gill, Gen- eral Secretary M.S.Grewal and Administration Secretary Gurbhajan Singh Gill, in a state- ment here last week, said Chief Minister Beant Singh should first gauge himself and his: security forces before refuting the views expressed by US President Bill Clinton, If the chief minister feels confi- dent about his claim, the IHRO activists asked whether he would beable to let them know the where- abouts of Gurbachan Singh Manochahal’s mother Gurmeet Kaur, who has been in custody of the police since Sept.14,1992. Babbar Akali Dal leader Mohkam Singh’s wife, Gurnam Kaur’s whereabouts remained elusive despite the fact that a writ for habeas corpus is pending in the Supreme Coun, they said. ‘The other three cases of enforced disappearances related to Joginder Singh, Gurvinder Singh and Satbir Singh who were abducted by the police from their homes on Oct. 15,1992, September 18 & 21 last year respectively. These cases have also been sent to the newly appointed National Human Rights Commission. While appreciating the views of President Clinton on the Sikh nights issue, the THRO has advised Beant Singh and others to improye hu- man rights situation and show tol- erance instead of refuting Clinton’s views expressed by him in a letter to US Congressmen. Meanwhile, the non-party nights group, in its meeting here last week, decided to form an IHRO Sikh Coordination Committee, which will establish liaison with other Sikh groups, including Akali Dals and SGPC, and document a Sikh case for peaceful resolution of the Punjab conflict, High level probe in case of “Naked Parading” LUCKNOW:The Uttar Pradesh Government last week appointed Chairman of Board of Revenuc S- Venkataramani to probe the inci- dent in which a Harijan woman ‘was paraded naked in Dauma vil- lage of Allahabad district last month. Chief Secretary T.S.R.Subramanian told nhewspersons here that Venkataramani had been asked to look into the sequence of events, including the role of the police, the clay inthe registration of the FIR and suggest ways ofcheckingsuch incidents in future. Ini another Press conference, DGP- V.P.Kapoor and Principal Secre- tary, Home, Surendra Mohan, said DSP Rajesh Krishna and Addi- tional SP Veer BahadurSingh had been suspended as they had failed fo take any action in the incident even after a visit to the village where the women was allegedly paraded naked by some Kurmi youths, Twelve persons, includ- ing five of the cight pnme ac- cused, have been arrested, they said. In a related development, thou- sands of women took outa proces- sion in the city on Friday and staged adhama before the Collectorate in protest against the incident.
IHRO Reports New cases of disappearances in Punjab LUDHIANA:The International Human Rights Organization IHRO) has sent to its chapters ‘abroad four cases of disappear- ‘ances forexerting diplomatic pres- Sure on India :ostopthisextremely grave violation of international human nights law even as Punjab chief minister is bragging that there is no violation of “Sikh human rights” by the law enforc- “ing agencies in the State.” The nights organization has also flayed the remarks of State chiel minister on the reported statement by a friendly nation’s president regarding the human nights situa- tion of the Sikh people in their homeland. : IHRO Chairman D.S.Gill, Gen- eral Secretary M.S.Grewal and Administration Secretary Gurbhajan Singh Gill, in a state- ment here last week, said Chief Minister Beant Singh should first gauge himself and his: security forces before refuting the views expressed by US President Bill Clinton, If the chief minister feels confi- dent about his claim, the IHRO activists asked whether he would beable to let them know the where- abouts of Gurbachan Singh Manochahal’s mother Gurmeet Kaur, who has been in custody of the police since Sept.14,1992. Babbar Akali Dal leader Mohkam Singh’s wife, Gurnam Kaur’s whereabouts remained elusive despite the fact that a writ for habeas corpus is pending in the Supreme Coun, they said. ‘The other three cases of enforced disappearances related to Joginder Singh, Gurvinder Singh and Satbir Singh who were abducted by the police from their homes on Oct. 15,1992, September 18 & 21 last year respectively. These cases have also been sent to the newly appointed National Human Rights Commission. While appreciating the views of President Clinton on the Sikh nights issue, the THRO has advised Beant Singh and others to improye hu- man rights situation and show tol- erance instead of refuting Clinton’s views expressed by him in a letter to US Congressmen. Meanwhile, the non-party nights group, in its meeting here last week, decided to form an IHRO Sikh Coordination Committee, which will establish liaison with other Sikh groups, including Akali Dals and SGPC, and document a Sikh case for peaceful resolution of the Punjab conflict, High level probe in case of “Naked Parading” LUCKNOW:The Uttar Pradesh Government last week appointed Chairman of Board of Revenuc S- Venkataramani to probe the inci- dent in which a Harijan woman ‘was paraded naked in Dauma vil- lage of Allahabad district last month. Chief Secretary T.S.R.Subramanian told nhewspersons here that Venkataramani had been asked to look into the sequence of events, including the role of the police, the clay inthe registration of the FIR and suggest ways ofcheckingsuch incidents in future. Ini another Press conference, DGP- V.P.Kapoor and Principal Secre- tary, Home, Surendra Mohan, said DSP Rajesh Krishna and Addi- tional SP Veer BahadurSingh had been suspended as they had failed fo take any action in the incident even after a visit to the village where the women was allegedly paraded naked by some Kurmi youths, Twelve persons, includ- ing five of the cight pnme ac- cused, have been arrested, they said. In a related development, thou- sands of women took outa proces- sion in the city on Friday and staged adhama before the Collectorate in protest against the incident.
The International Human Rights Organization fears that Parag Kumar Das Editor of “Boodhbar an. Assamese newsweekly and human rights activist may be arrested by the Assam police under TADA at any time. We strongly condemn the raid search and ransacking of the office of Boodhbar and the resignation of a Case against its editor under TADA last week by the Assam polices.
The newly appointed secretary of IHRO Coordination Committee on Assam (CCA) Parag Kumar Das who also is the convener of a local human rights group Manav Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) has been booked in a case (No 395/93) under sections 3 & 4 of the TADA (P) Act and asked not to leave Guwahati by the city police on Dec.23 last.
The IHRO describes the police action as a part of the brutal campaign launched against journalists and human rights activists in the state Mr.Das has been marked by Assam Government for exposing to the outside world the state repression let loose on Assam activists and their front leaders who are Struggling for their right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter.
The immediate “provocation” it Seems was that the MASS under the degas of Mr.Ajit Bhuyan (Chairman IHRO-CCA and editor Sadin another Assamese weekly) and Das had successfully held a convention on Human Rights at the state headquarters on Dec.10 which was attended by many national and international human rights leaders. They had also participated in a rally against Slate repression banned under section 144 CrPC a day earlier near Kalaigaon in Bodo area and got arrested thus exposing the so called democratic face of the state government.
The IHRO censures the Assam government for the attack on freedom of the Press. The state government had earlier detained Messrs Das and Bhuyan under TADA and NSA on one pretext or the other just to throttle the voice Of the Press and Human Rights movement in the North East.
The IHRO therefore calls upon the world governments the UN Secretary-General Amnesty International Asia Watch and other human rights groups to immediately take up the matter and do the needful to ward off the onslaught on the Assamese weekly and its editor.
We also appeal to foreign missions in Delhi to use their diplomatic pressure on the Government of India to see reason and cancel the case under TADA registered against the editor and human rights activist Mr.Das (Office & Residence Boodhbar Govt Press Road Bamunimaidam Guwahati781021 Assam India. Tel: 0361550301).
