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NHRC
urged to intervene against torture and arrest of Burmese refugees
The
Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) in a complaint to the National
Human Rights Commission urged intervene against the re-arrest of
over 100 Burmese refugees today morning from the office of the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in New Delhi, torture of
80 Burmese refugees on the night of 12 November 2003 and continued
detention of 24 Burmese refugees.
About
500 Burmese asylum seekers comprising of approximately 50 children
and 200 women have been holding peaceful demonstration in front
of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) in New Delhi for the last 25 days. They have been protesting
against maltreatment by UNHCR, inadequate subsistence allowance,
lack of guarantees against refoulement and denial of basic health
care assistance. The UNHCR recently cut subsistence allowance of
Rs 1400 by 30 to 60%.
In
its complaint ACHR alleged that the Delhi Police used disproportionate
force. The legs and hands of many refugees including three girls
were broken in the unprovoked lathicharge. The Delhi Police personnel
arrested 24 refugees who were seriously injured on the charges of
rioting.
The
ACHR stated that between 20 July 2003 and 19 August 2003, about
5210 Myanmarese asylum seekers including women and children were
forcibly repatriated to Myanmar by the Young Mizo Association in
acquiescence of the Mizoram government.
ACHR
urged the NHRC to order an inquiry by the investigation wing of
the NHRC and prosecute the police personnel who were responsible
for torture of the refugees including children, direct the government
of India to immediately release all the refugees who are being detained
at Lodhi Road Police station, to drop all the charges of rioting
against 24 refugees and release them unconditionally and not to
repatriate any Burmese asylum seeker without determining the threat
to their life and security by the NHRC. The ACHR also made similar
complaint to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation
of human rights in Burma and Special Rapporteur Against Torture.[END]
For
more information please call Director of Asian Centre for Human
Rights in New Delhi, India at +91-11-25503624 or 25620583
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