AITPN Impact: India's Home Secretary Summoned
On 25 June 2002, AITPN had filed a complainant with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India pertaining to the death of Rathajoy Reang, an indigenous person, as a result of torture in the custody of the Assam Rifles – a para-military group. A First Information Report No. 71/2003 was registered. After more than six years, on 20th August 2008, the NHRC directed the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India to expedite the consideration of granting sanction for prosecution of Major S. S. Dhanda and Nursing Assistant A.K. Sahu who were found guilty of killing Mr Reang after an investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department of the State Government of Tripura. The Home Ministry refused to give sanction. Therefore, the NHRC summoned the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India to appear in person on 4th February 2009 if the decision on the matter of sanction was not communicated to the Commission, on or before 28th January, 2009. AITPN awaits further action of the NHRC on the issue.
In another case with regard to the torture of Mr Hemanta Kumar Ningombam, a reporter on 18 January 2003, NHRC issued notice under section 18(a)(i) of Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 to Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur on 20 October 2008 as to why compensation be not recommended to be awarded to Mr Kumar. Earlier on 13 March 2003, the government of Manipur informed that five Indian Reserve Battallion personnel were suspended for the torture.
Displaced Children Have Rights Too - National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, October 2008
In its latest issue of the newsletter, infocus, India's National Commission for Protection of Child Rights makes appropriate recommendations to improve the conditions of the internally displaced children including the indigenous Brus sheltered in Tripura State of India. The NCPCR visited the camps of indigenous Bru Internally Displaced Persons in Tripura State of India on 8-9 September 2008 following a complaint of AITPN on 17 June 2008 against the non-inclusion of 7,204 Bru children since 2003.
UPR and Indigenous Peoples of Asia
AITPN has been in the forefront of making Asian indigenous peoples' submissions for inclusion into the 10 page stakeholders' summary prepared by the OHCHR. AITPN in association with a number of indigenous organisations made the stakeholders' submission on Malaysia and Bangladesh which are scheduled to be examined at the forthcoming fourth session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council (2 - 13 February 2009).
Bangladesh: "We want the lands, not the indigenous peoples",
1 September 2008
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