Shillong, Dec 16: The Meghalaya Peoples’ Human Rights Council (MPHRC) today participated in the Public Hearing organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), New Delhi, at Shillong. While taking part in the discussions the MPHRC has put forward the following specific recommendations:
The NHRC should recognize the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) which was adopted in the year 2007 by the UN General Assembly and for which India was one of the UN Member States who voted in favour.
The NHRC should request the Govt. of India to recognize and include the Khasi and Garo languages under the 8th Schedule of the Constitution since one of the provision of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) stresses on the right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures.
The NHRC must urge the Govt. of India to revoke the implementation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from North East India. Though Meghalaya is already out from the purview of the Act, however we are extremely concerned that AFSA gives armed forces the power to use force or even open fire after giving due warning if they feel a person is in contravention of the law.
The NHRC must strongly urge the Govt of India to ratify the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT) and to table the Draft Prevention Bill in the Parliament so that once it become an Act it will prevent all kind of police atrocities and other form of torture with the four walls of the Police Stations.
