Shillong, Nov 11: The organization Youth Forum for Protection Human Right (YFPHR) from Manipur strongly condemned the attacked to the environment defenders Smti Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma, the organization alleged that must be the handiwork of the coal mafia.
The organization from Manipur learn that Smti Agnes Kharshiing and her colleagues was brutally attacked by some of the illegal coal carriers truck drivers while they were tracking the route of illegal coal filled trucks and taking photograph of it at Tuber Sehshrieh area, East Jaintia Hills District Meghalaya.
The Continuous brutal attacked to the Human Rights Defender and Environment Defender is an action to supress the voice of the people not to expose the real facts of illegal activities being carried out by the Mafias which is highly suspected to be in nexus and protected by the state to achieve their vested interest.
Mentioned may be made that on the 2nd of January, 2018, Manipur based NGO’s FCRA registration was suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs (FCRA Wing) under a mere suspicion of opposing the Uranium mining at the South West Khasi Hill, Coal Mining and Limestone Mining in East Jaintia Hills.
We therefore, urge to the government of Meghalaya immediately to, form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter to arrest the culprits who are involved in the attack and the mastermind behind the attack at the earliest.
Uphold the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, 1999 and respect the rights of the Human Rights Defender and Environment Defenders.
Establish strict monitoring team to stop the Coal Mining as per the direction made by the NGT.
Lastly, we would like to draw the kind attention of the people that beside the NGT banned the mining of coal in the East Jaintia Hills, “who is allowing and protecting the coal Mafias to operate and mine the coal in the East Jaintia Hills is highly questionable”. Said Mr KH Phajaton president in the press statement sent today.
