ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-056-2010
<http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/support.php?ua=UAC-056-2010> 30 April 2010 ------------------------------------------------------ INDIA: A shopkeeper is illegally arrested and executed by Manipur security forces ISSUES: Extra-judicial execution; arbitrary arrest; murder; impunity ------------------------------------------------------ Dear friends, *The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about another 'encounter' killing by Manipur security personnel that bears all the signs of being an extrajudicial execution. The man was abducted, unarmed, in front of his family, his house was searched and his were valuables stolen, although the incident report claimed that a gun battle took place involving him. Rather than open an investigation the Chief Minister of Manipur offered the family money and a job. The body, when delivered to the family, had fifteen bullet holes. It was dressed in an combat without holes.* *CASE DETAILS:* Mr. Fazeruddin owned a shop selling second hand clothes in Chekon, Imphal and was married with four children. On 21 January 2010 at around 8pm he and his wife Memcha were at home when they heard knocks at the front door. Before they could open it armed security personnel wearing camouflage uniforms broke down the door. They blew out the candle and blindfolded the couple, gagging Memcha's mouth with piece of cloth to stop her from shouting. The soldiers searched the house and broke a cupboard, taking Rs.25000, a pair of gold earrings worth Rs. 40,000 and a mobile handset. The officers then dragged Fazeruddin out of the house and drove away. At around 11pm the same security personnel returned to the house and started to dismantle a wall. Memcha and her children ran to a neighbouring house, which she says was then locked from the outside by the security personnel. She heard gunshots, and the men left. The next morning Memcha reports finding dried blood in her courtyard near the gate. She and her sister Nure visited the Assam Rifles (AR) camp at Kwakta to ask for her husband's release. The officers denied any report of his arrest, but they took away her mobile phone and began to make calls to any recent incoming numbers. The two women took back the phone and left. Memcha asked for the help of local village head Ms. Pishak. After some time the leader received a call from Moirang Police Station telling her that Fazeruddin had been killed. Police claimed that he had been shot in an encounter with troops from the 33 Assam Rifles in Kwakta Khuman (under Moirang jurisdiction), and that they had found arms and ammunition on his body. In a meeting set up by community members the Chief Minister assured Memcha that as a favour he would give her family Rs.1,00,000 and find a suitable job for one of Fazeruddin's relatives. He did not offer to ensure that the matter was investigated. When the family members received Fazeruddin's body they found it riddled with 15 bullet wounds. It was dressed in combat dress that was completely free of bullet holes, indicating that evidence had been tampered with. *BACKGROUND INFORMATION:* The AHRC has documented various cases from the Indian State of Manipur in which security personnel have illegally arrested and executed civilians and then claimed they had been killed in armed 'encounter' and killed in self defence. The trend remains unaddressed by the authorities in the promise. Please see recent cases, among them UAC-063-2009<http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2009/3183/>: *Two persons killed by the Assam Rifles in Manipur* and UAC-041-2010<http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2010/3413/>: *An 18-year-old boy is abducted and murdered in Manipur * Among such cases evidence has been commonly and obviously tampered with and threats against witnesses allowed to go unpunished, while those suspected of perpetrating the crimes have rarely been subject to a credible investigation according to criminal procedure. Instead victims' families are dissuaded and warned not to take their case further. Please see Witness to murder by the Assam Rifles under threat in Manipur<http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2009/3166/>for a clear illustration of the issue, and the impunity that allows it to continue unchecked. ------------------------------------------------------ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an 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.
