http://covert.co.in/appu.htm
special report | Appu Esthose Suresh NHRC whitewashes Salwa Judum atrocities *New Delhi:* Two Government reports, two different assessments. The National Human Rights Commission has given a clean chit to the controversial Salwa Judum and in the process, discounted the findings of another Government statutory body, the National Commission for the Protection of Rights of the Child [NCPRC]. The NHRC has also contradicted itself in its own report. The Commission claims that it did not find the SJ guilty of intimidating and punishing anyone suspected of being a Naxalite. However, it later observes, "The growth of Salwa Judum at times encountered resistance on the part of some tribals due to sympathies with the Naxalites. Thus, there were some instances when Salwa Judum activists beat up and forced the people to join them in rallies and processions." Again, the Commission in another segment finds: "The enquiry team also came across a few instances where, despite families having shifted to their villages, able-bodied males are compulsorily asked by SJ leaders to come and sleep in the camp. This is done to keep them away from the influences of the Naxalites and to maintain the strength of number in SJ." Testimonies recorded by the NCPRC corroborate these facts, while they also cite specific instances of killings and rapes. Its report reads, "The public hearing held in Charla [Khammam district in Andhra Pradesh] was attended by 200 Internally Displaced Peoples and the team heard the testimony of over 35 people. Every testimony included a narrative of extreme violence committed against them by Naxalites, Salwa Judum and Security Forces. Many people shared accounts of family members being killed and women raped by the Salwa Judum." After another public hearing in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh, the report notes, "There were numerous accounts of family members being killed for resisting the Salwa Judum." Yet, interestingly, in its report NHRC claims it did not find SJ indulging in coercion and violent intimidation. After the NCPRC team visited two camps in Dantewada district it found that "The diet of the camp residents was very limited, potentially resulting in malnutrition." Their team also found the basic amenities grossly inadequate. On the other hand, the NHRC team found the overall conditions in the temporary relief camps satisfactory. Shanta Sinha, Chairperson, NCPRC told * Covert*, "We stand by our report." The NHRC also seemed eager to look past the rape charges. "The team did not come across any cases of rape which could be substantiated" it said, in a clear bid to exonerate the accused SJ volunteers, special police officers and security men of all charges. The NHRC team investigated only two incidents and visited the wrong villages. Instead of visiting Polmpalli in Usur Thana, as mentioned in the petition, the team investigated a village of the same name in Drompal Thana. It is of little wonder then that it could not substantiate the charges. Shanta Sinha, who came across the allegations of rape and sexual violence during public hearings, clarified, "There were harrowing stories of violence by Naxalites, Salwa Judum and the security forces. We found these to be genuine and included them in our report." At Charla public hearing, Nirali of Lingagiri village, Dantewada [names were changed by the commission, for obvious reasons] testified, "Salwa Judum would visit our villages and ask us to go to the police stations. The Salwa Judum members were people of other villages who would come together and harass us. No one from our village joined the Salwa Judum. The police came with guns and killed two members of my family and raped my niece." Shanta Sinha added, "Why would I disbelieve a mother who walked through the forest for two days to give testimony about violence on her family? Why would she lie?" Sridevi Panikkar, an activist who has recorded the testimonies of rape victims for independent fact-finding teams, alleges, "Instead of following special standards of investigation for rape charges in a conflict area, the NHRC has not complied with even the elementary rules of investigation." Statements by villagers alleging killings by Naxalites were taken into cognisance by the NHRC, irrespective of whether their bodies were found and cases registered. However, testimonies of internally displaced people living in Andhra Pradesh alleging crimes by SJ on them and their families did not hold the same legitimacy for the Commission. This has raised apprehensions among the petitioners about a fair investigation. Nandini Sunder, an academic and petitioner, told *Covert*, "It seems the investigation went by the police versions even though the police was also accused" -- Bobby Kunhu http://community.eldis.org/myshkin/Blog/ --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
