KHELEN THOKCHOM
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| Members of the National Human Rights Commission meet representatives of rights groups in Imphal on Friday. Telegraph picture |
Imphal, Oct. 25: The National Human Rights
Commission today asked the Manipur government to pay Rs 32 lakh in
compensation to the next of kin of seven people killed in alleged fake
encounters between 2008 and 2012.
Before leaving Imphal today, the
commission members recommended payment of Rs 2 lakh to the relatives of
one victim and 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the other six victims.
“We have also issued notices to the state
government to show cause why monetary relief should not be recommended
for the next of kin of those killed in nine (other) cases, in which
prima facie evidence suggests human rights have been violated,”
commission member Cyriac Joseph said.
The commission gave the Manipur government
four to six weeks’ time to comply with its earlier recommendations that
include initiating CBI inquiries into the functioning of Churachandpur
district hospital and the development activities in and around Loktak
lake.
Joseph said the commission closed three
cases of alleged fake encounters after the state government paid
compensation to the relatives of the victims and another case was closed
after the state government gave a government job to the widow of a
victim killed by the police.
Yesterday, the commission members held two
simultaneous sittings at a hotel here and heard 46 cases of alleged
fake encounter killings. They spoke to both family members of those
killed and state government officials, including police officers. Today,
they met government authorities and representatives of NGOs before
making their recommendations.
Joseph and and another member of the
commission, S.C. Sinha, said they did not recommend prosecution of those
involved in the killings because there was no inquiry report to prove
that the victims were killed in fake encounters. “We recommend
compensation because we are convinced about violation of human rights,”
Joseph said.
Commission members who met Irom Sharmila
on Wednesday said the rights body would take up a suo motu case with
regard to the state government’s restrictions on visitors seeking to
meet Sharmila.
Joseph said the restriction on visitors
was a “gross violation” of human rights and the commission hoped the
Manipur government would take note of the panel’s concern.
“When we go back we will study the
findings and make recommendations for specific issues concerning human
rights. We urge the state government to comply with the recommendations
and directives of the commission. We hope the state government will
respond positively,” Joseph said.
While urging the state government to
follow the recommendations, rights activist Babloo Loitongbam said NGOs
would monitor the state’s response to the commission’s recommendations.
He also urged the commission to play a role in fulfilling Sharmila’s demand to repeal the army act.
sympathetic ear
• On Wednesday, the National Human Rights Commission met Irom Sharmila for the
first time since she began her indefinite fast in November 2000 demanding the repeal
of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958
first time since she began her indefinite fast in November 2000 demanding the repeal
of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958
• Rights groups of the Northeast have also been calling for the repeal of the army act. A petition is pending in Supreme Court
• Two petitions seeking setting up of a
special investigation team to probe 1528 cases of alleged fake encounter
killings in Manipur between 1978 and 2012 also pending in Supreme Court
• The National Human Rights Commission took up 46 complaints of human rights violation during its Imphal visit this time
• The rights panel is unhappy with the Manipur government for its delay in complying with its
recommendations
recommendations
