ACHR PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi: Asian Centre for Human Rights today condemned the expulsion of the humanitarian organization, Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF), Doctors Without Borders, from Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh as a “counter-productive” measure that can only help the Naxalites.

 “The Medicine Sans Frontiers, a Nobel Prize winner, maintains absolute neutrality in providing humanitarian assistance in armed conflict situations. It provides health care services in the areas where the State government of Chhattisharh can not reach out effectively.” – stated Mr Suhas Chakma, Director of Asian Centre for Human Rights.

“It is shame that the District Collector of Dantewada throws out an internationally renowned humanitarian organisation that has been awarded the prestigious Indira Gandhi Award for International Understanding by the government of India. The expulsion of MSF is another incident of the governments' failure to acknowledge that Naxalism breeds in the first place because of their failure to provide basic services including the health services.” – further stated Mr Chakma.

MSF is the only humanitarian organisation which withdrew its programme from the refugee camps in Rwanda as the camps were housing many of the war criminals. It has consistently taken a principled and neutral approach. 

Stating that the expulsion of MSF will only further accentuates the suffering of the people and increase the support of the Naxalites, Asian Centre for Human Rights called upon the State government of Chhattisgarh and the government of India to revoke the order and invite the MSF to provide humanitarian services.

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