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UN Working Group's new report takes
note of Punjab disappearances
WSN Network
Jalandhar: The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary
Disappearances (WGEID), based in
Geneva,
Switzerland, in its latest report has incorporated many of the
allegations about mass disappearances in Punjab.
The WGEID's report also notes the alleged absence of domestic
remedies to redress disappearances that occurred in
Punjab from 1984-1995. The report further discusses the failure of
India's National
Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to redress secret mass cremations in
Punjab, despite receiving a mandate from the Supreme Court.
It may be recalled here that in November 2007, rights
organization Ensaaf presented 32 specific cases of enforced
disappearance as well as general information on disappearances,
unlawful killings, and mass cremations in
Punjab to the UN
WGEID and in its latest report the latter has incorporated many of
the allegations presented by the Ensaaf.
The report has taken note of the fact that the NHRC limited
the scope of its inquiry to secret cremations, rather than
violations of the right to life, territorially restricted its
mandate to only three crematoria, and refused to investigate
disappearances, relying instead on police admissions and ignoring
evidence from victim families.
The WGEID report has also discussed allegations of
unidentified graves of at least 940 persons in Jammu and Kashmir,
which are "believed to contain the remains of victims of unlawful
killings, enforced disappearances, [and] torture..." allegedly
executed by the Indian security forces.
In its report, the WGEID has reminded the Government that it
has an ongoing duty to "conduct thorough and impartial
investigations for as long as the fate of the victim of enforced
disappearance remains unclarified," and reiterated its request to
the Government to "comment on the information contained in the
general allegations, which may lead to the clarification of
outstanding cases."
Courtesy TOI
15
April 2009
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