Tura, July 13: The Garo Students Union (GSU) today castigated National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for remaining silent on various rights violation in Meghalaya’s Garo hills.
In last two months, a series of human rights violations has taken place in Garo hills, including assault on 12 girls in Tura, death of two under trial prisoner at Chokpot and Tura, cold blooded murder of a 35-year-old woman in front of her four minor children and husband by Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) and stabbing of two auto rickshaw drivers, among others.
“Why is NHRC negligent in their duties regarding gross human rights violation in Garo hills? Is it because Garo hills is far away from New Delhi or do they consider violation of human rights in Garo hills too small a matter?”, asked GSU president Tengsak G. Momin.
He also questioned as to why the NHRC has not been responding to various cases, which has been taken up by the commission.
Quoting a statement of the Special Rapporteur for the Northeastern states Anil Pradhan, who said that the commission has not directed him to inquire into the human rights violations in Garo hills, Momin said, “His statement (Anil Pradhan) suggests that the NHRC is not serious about the issues in Garo hills. What is the use of keeping Pradhan as a special Rapporteur in the region, if he is not being able to take up the cases?”
In a statement to a local English daily Pradhan had said, “I can take up the task only when any direction comes from NHRC”
“Why is NHRC always silent, when government maintains that the commission will look into the matter? Is it an exercise to clam the people, who are working conditionally with a purpose of the ruling government?”
Asking the NHRC to be sensitive towards the issues and problems of the region, Momin said, “It looks like that the NHRC wants to sit idle in their chair, consolidating their position and draw government salaries”.
Demanding an immediate probe into Balsan Marak and Witson Sangma’s custodial death, Momin said, “NHRC can’t afford to remain silent at any cost. The law and order situation is in shambles in Garo hills”.
Balsan, an under trial prisoner, had died in a government hospital on May 20 and Witson on May 28. They have also asked NHRC to look into the fake encounter of Washington Marak of Williamnagar, for which the commission had asked the state government to compensate. (SP News)
