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NHRC
intervenes on Chin refugees
The
National Human Rights Commission directed the Ministry of Home Affairs
and the Chief Secretary of the State Government of Mizoram to submit
reply in four weeks pursuant to a complaint filed by Asian Centre
for Human Rights (ACHR) on the forcible repatriation of the Chin
refugees by the Young Mizo Association following the rape of a Mizo
girl on July 17 2003 by a Mizo immigrant from Myanmar.
In
its complaint ACHR stated, while the police must punish the rapist,
the YMA has no jurisdiction or legal power to award collective punishment
to all the Chin refugees. "The unlawful actions by such private
groups in the North East have become a menace and the State governments
often abdicate their responsibilities to private organisations.
Such actions by private bodies are without any basis and have no
sanction in law and is not in accordance with the procedure established
by law under Article 21 of the Constitution." - stated Mr Suhas
Chakma, Director of Asian Centre for Human Rights.
The
ACHR requested to halt refoulement of the Chin refugees, to initiate
appropriate action against those individuals or organisations who
were responsible for forcible repatriation of the Chin refugees
under relevant provisions of Indian Penal Code and Criminal Procedure
Code and to create a separate division within the NHRC to deal with
the refugee problems in India, among others.
In
a fresh complaint today, the ACHR sought NHRC's intervention for
protection of large number of refugees who have since returned to
Mizoram after being forcibly sent back. The refugees returned to
escape from atrocities being perpetrated by the Burmese military
personnel. A large number of returnee refugees sheltered at Bambuk
refugee camps under Saiha district near Indo-Myanmar border are
women and child. There are no facilities for drinking water, sanitation
and health care. The area is ridden by malaria. "Due to the
fear of being forcibly sent back to the Chin State of Burma, many
refugees have taken shelter in the jungles. There is serious risk
to the lives of the refugee children" - stated Mr Chakma.
The
ACHR urged the NHRC to upheld the principle of equality and non-discrimination.
It urged the NHRC to direct the Central government to provide assistance
at per with the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.[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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