Imphal: The Civil Society Coalition for Human Rights in Manipur and the United Nations (CSCHR) welcomed the Central Government’s support of the recommendation by the United States of America to “prosecute those responsible for human rights violations”.Â
The support was stated in paragraph no. 151.14 of the final report of the 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of India (UN document no. A-HRC-52-11-add1-AV-India-E) adopted by the UN Human Rights Council on March 27, 2023, in Geneva, said Joy Chingakham, Co-Convenor.
CSCHR said it hopes that, in compliance with this commitment, the Union Home Ministry will soon grant prosecution sanction to all the personnel of the armed forces of the Union where the CBI/SIT had already submitted triable evidence of committing extra-judicial executions as per the investigation conducted under the direction of the Supreme Court of India in EEVFAM v/s Uol, Writ Petition (Criminal) 129 of 2012.
CSHCR also thanked the countries that recommended repeal/review/withdrawal of the draconian AFSPA. This is a long-standing demand of the people of Manipur, and many key governments, including Canada, Germany, Serbia, Switzerland, the UK, etc., have made similar recommendations in the previous three cycles of the UPR. India took note and did not support the recommendation. The much-hyped propaganda that the law and order situation in the North East region has improved considerably and that AFSPA will eventually be removed from the region has no resonance at the UN, it was stated.
It noted with concern that the government did not support the recommendation of Paraguay to ratify the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (ILO Convention 169). India also noted the recommendation to ratify the conventions and protocols relating to the status of refugees and statelessness by several countries.
CSCHR also endorsed the recommendation of Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Thomas H. Andrew that “India give UNHCR unfettered access to refugees and asylum seekers throughout the country, including in Mizoram and Manipur State.”
As in previous cycles, CSCHR submitted stakeholder reports to the 4th cycle of the UPR in March 2022. Two representatives were present at the UPR Working Group session in November 2022 and one during the adoption session in March 2023 in Geneva.
