Kohima, April 24 (EMN): The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today impressed upon the government of Nagaland to establish, at the earliest, the State Human Rights Commission as per the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993.
Expressing dismay that many people of the state are still ignorant of their basic human rights, NHRC member Justice D Murugesan who is currently in Kohima with a five-member NHRC team from New Delhi, while talking to reporters, underscored the need to set up the mandatory state level human rights commission as well as the need to conduct intensive awareness and training on human rights to the people of Nagaland.
The visiting team organized a one-day ‘Open Hearing’ on complaints of human rights violations and other related problems and also to dispose of pending cases on related issues specific to the state on Monday at the Administrative Training Institute (ATI), Kohima.
Murugan said the state government must conduct as many training and awareness programmes possible through schools, colleges, police academy/training institute etc., while also informing that the NHRC will fund such sensitization programmes.
The NHRC member also highlighted that the health sector in the state is not being given due attention it needs. “Health issue is very important. In this part of the country, when the access to the place is difficult, then you should have sufficient hospitals, at least in the districts, sufficient doctors, paramedical staff, medicines and equipments,” Murugesan said.
On the cases that were put up for hearing during the day, he said reports from the state government were not as expected by the commission, however the former also sought time to clarify on certain issues. “The problem today is that, most of the complaints were given by one Radhakanta Tripathy, but since he was not present during the hearing, the team could not take his assistance on the report of the government nor his comments. Till such time his (the complainant’s) comments are received, we cannot simply brush aside or accept the report of the government,” he stated.
He informed that eight cases were heard, and though the number of cases may be less, he is optimistic that the visit of the team from NHRC would make a difference to the people and make them aware that there is a commission at the national level to address the grievances of the people.
The NHRC official is of the view that for most of the cases, problems are related to misunderstanding or clash or rights claimed by groups of people, mostly between tribes who are living in border areas .
Murugesan also cited the case of two habitations in Intangki National Park who were termed to be encroachers and they (a total of 56 hutments) were ultimately evicted. He said the commission was troubled that those hutments were burnt by police personnel, and therefore, it questioned that though the eviction was carried out at the behest of the High Court order, where was the right of the police to burn down all the 56 huts. He stated that there was no answer from the government and the chief secretary of the state sought time to collect the report from the concerned police and get back to the NHRC.
Justice Murugesan also said while the commission treats all complaints with seriousness, more importance is given to the complaints of violation of human rights on ‘human rights defenders’ and journalists. He mentioned that the commission takes cognisance of newspaper reports and citing a case, he said one of the cases the NHRC took up for the state of Nagaland was taking cognisance of a news item relating to the discovery of 9 dead bodies in polythene bags in 2014 and that it was a ‘suspected murder case’. After the NHRC took up the case, an ex-gratia of Rs. 1 lakh each was given to the families of the deceased and proof of their death was also concluded.
The issues that were raised during the session with senior officers of the government included health sector, access to services and proper facilities particularly for marginalized communities; to strictly implement the on National Food Security Act; Right to Education Act, particularly human rights education to school children; custodial deaths reporting, in both police and judicial levels; checking of bonded labour system by way of constituting district level vigilance committee in all the 11 districts and take appropriate actions against such cases; human trafficking, particularly child trafficking; proper implementation of the Protection of Human Rights Act by appointing nodal officer at the government level to coordinate with all the departments and communicate to the human rights commission; road connectivity; electricity; potable water; and proper and strict implementation of various welfare schemes of the central and the state governments.
Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar, responding to the emphasis laid by the NHRC for setting up of a State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), said that the state government has notified the constitution of the commission in 2016 and the process of selecting a chairperson and members of the commission is on. He also informed that the state is constructing a building to house the SHRC and the construction s expected to be completed in two years’ time.
The chief secretary also highlighted to the NHRC team on the background of the creation of Nagaland state, the problems and assets of the people of the state.
DGP Nagaland LL Doungel acknowledged the interest and initiative taken by Justice Murugesan in his efforts to come to Nagaland to let the people’s cases be heard at their convenience. He termed the occasion a landmark as the NHRC is visiting after decades. He hoped that the occasion would put into light that human rights issues will be recognised as something that takes place within the domestic violence as well and not just of police personnel violating the rights. He also hoped that with the day’s discourse, the participants would also recognise the human rights violations that are prevalent.
“Because of the resilient culture and customs of Naga people, there are many cases where disputes and aberrations are settled amicably, but we do realise that these are not small aberrations but are actually violations of human rights…. Your coming here will help in recognising those violations and in devising ways and means to address them,” Doungel said.
In a separate press statement from the Raj Bhavan, governor PB Acharya was reported as urging the state government to set up the Nagaland State Human Rights Commission at the earliest.
“The governor informed and felt that every state in the country should have a State Human Rights Commission” it stated while informed that the governor had met the Rights commission team.
