Justice Shri M N Venkatachaliah
Chairman, national Human Rights Commission
Sardar Patel Bhawan
Parliament Street
New Delhi – 110 00 1

Dear Justice Venkatachaliah ,

I am writing once again to fervently appeal to the National Human Rights Commission to urgently seek the Supreme Court's intervention to ensure the participation of the 50,000 internally displaced Reangs in the forthcoming Mizoram Assembly Elections on 25 November 1998 . Since the Assembly Elections are only 10 days away, I shall be grateful if the NHRC could kindly consider to intervene in the matter.

AITPN would like to thank the National Human Rights Commission for issuing directions to the Union Home Secretary and Chief Secretary of Mizoram (Case No. 11/16/98 -99) to submit requisite information on or before 17 November 1998 on the issue. However, the Union Home Ministry, the State Government of Mizoram and the Election Commission of India have apparently yet not taken any decision on the issue even after the NHRC 's directions. The Chief Secretary of Mizoram Mr. Lafakzuala stated on 7 November 1998 that “as the repatriation of the Reangs could not be settled, they would not be able to exercise their voting rights on 25 November Assembly polls ”. As I stated in my letter of 10 November 1998 , even the Chief Minister Mr. Lathanhawla termed the Reangs as “foreigners”, thereby ruling out any possibility of participation of the Reangs in the Assembly Elections. This despite the fact that more than 15,000 internally displaced Reangs are already registered in the electoral rolls and a large number of them could not be enlisted in the electoral rolls as they fled to Tripura.

The right to vote does not fully address the issue. Even if the Union Home Ministry, State Government of Mizoram and the Election Commission of India do allow the Reangs to cast their votes, the fundamental question remains about the right to be elected. And the interested Reang candidates could not file their nominations.

If the Union Home Ministry, State Government of Mizoram and Election Commission of India do not postpone the elections, the NHRC should approach the Supreme Court to ensure that the Mizoram Assembly Elections are postponed and Reangs could exercise both the right to vote and the right to be elected. This is to ensure equality before law and to prevent human rights abuses in the future. As I have stated in my letter of 10 November 1998 , the denial of the right to be elected and right to vote to the Reang displaced persons would set a bad precedence as it would encourage dominant ethnic groups in the North East to drive the minority communities out of their areas to ensure that minority communities can not elect their representatives. Given numerous demands for separate states or Autonomous Councils and numerous ethnic conflicts across the North Eastern region, there be more such conflicts, abuses and displacement if the Mizoram Assembly elections are held without the participation of the Reangs. As one of the NHRC 's aims is to prevent abuses and uphold the rule of law, the NHRC should seek the Supreme Court interventions in the matter.

With respectful regards,

Yours sincerely

Suhas Chakma
Director  

Encl.: a. a.