Guwahati: NHRC holds camp sitting, 56 cases of human rights violations in Northeast heard

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India today concluded its two-day camp sitting that was held on November 16 and 17 at Guwahati which was organized to hear the pending cases of human rights violations in eight Northeastern States. lt also focused on spreading awareness amongst the officials of State Governments, its parastatal organizations and NGOs. The Camp Sitting was presided over by the Chairperson Justice Arun Mishra, Members, Dr. D.M. Mulay and Rajiv Jain; Bharat Lal, Secretary General, Surajit Dey, Registrar (Law) and senior officers also attended the camp sitting.

While, inaugurating the camp sitting on 16*h November, 2023, the Chairperson said that the Commission has a wide-ranging mandate for the promotion and protection of human rights in diverse areas and the Commission's camp sitting in the concerned States is a unique concept aimed at reaching out to the doorsteps of the victims of human rights violations.

The Commission heard about 55 cases in the presence of concerned officers of the North Eastern States and the complainants. These, inter alia, included, alleged arbitrary and unlawful division/partition of the lands of the Chakmas at Anandapur-I and Anandapur-ll, Brajapur, Bodhiasatta-ll villages in District Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh; alleged rape of a 16-year old tribal girl by a non-tribal person in the area of Kokrajhar town, PS- Kokrajhar, District- Kokrajhar, Assam; death of 57 persons, injuries to 18 and missing of 04 persons due to negligence of the North East Frontier Railways while executing a project entailing construction of tunnels and railway tracks to connect Jiribam with lmphal; poor condition of District Hospital at Churachandpur, Manipur, due to non-availability of basic facilities; complaints regarding incidences of violence in the State of Manipur; alleged failure on part of the State of Arunachal Pradesh to pay compensation to108 Chakma and Hajong families of the Changlang District,  who have been affected by "Construction of 132KV T/L from Namsai to Miao" project despite direction/sanction of the Central Government to pay for the lands acquired and other damages caused to assets during the construction of the tower/pillar of that project; erosion of two backward Tribal Buddhists villages under the Margherita Sub-Division, District-Tinsukia, Assam from the Burl Dihing River. With the intervention of the Commission, compensation of Rs.355.5 lakhs, states have either paid or in the process of paying the same.

The Commission also held meeting with the Chief Secretaries and DGPs of the Northeastern States and asked the officers to submit action taken reports on various Advisories issued by the Commission on various issues such as Mental Health, Police Encounter, Bonded Labour, Right to Food & Safety, CSAM, Truck Drivers, Ocular Trauma, Prevention of Suicide in judicial and Police custody, manual scavenging and others etc. The officers were directed to ensure timely submission of reports in cases pending before the Commission and in particular the compliance reports wherein the Commission makes a recommendation in cases of alleged and proven cases of violation of human rights of individuals. The Commission also stressed upon the State Governments to provide infrastructure to SHRCs and fill up the vacant posts on priority for smooth functioning of State Human Rights Commission.

After hearing the cases, the Commission interacted with the NGOs/HRDs which was attended by their representatives. They raised a gamut of issues related to human rights violations. The Commission appreciated the work being done by the NGOs and Human Rights Defenders in the Northeastern States and encouraged them to continue to do so without fear or favour. The interaction concluded with the observation that the continued partnership of the NGOs, HRDs with the National Human Rights Commission will go a long way in strengthening the human rights regime in the country. They were informed that they can file complaints of human rights violations through hrcnet.me.in.