Corruption

INDIA: Government burning homes of 1332 families in Manipur

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from human rights groups in Manipur concerning the state government’s forced eviction of families living on Loktak Lake since 15 November 2011. The state police has used brute force to chase people away from their homes, including burning nearly 200 huts. Government security agencies […]

INDIA: Armed robbery by police and security agencies in West Bengal

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation working in West Bengal, concerning the case of armed robbery by the state police and the security agencies operating in the state on the pretext of anti-Naxalite operations. It is reported that a team of armed police officers […]

INDIA: 13-year-old tribal girl raped by the headmaster of her school in Orissa

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the reliable human rights groups concerning the case of rape, by the headmaster of a tribal school of one of his students, a tribal girl, studying class four. The incident happened at Sunabeda KBK Sevashram School on the night of 15 October 2011. […]

INDIA: West Bengal state police refuses to help a family to rescue a kidnapped girl

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has once again received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation working in West Bengal, concerning the kidnapping of a girl, allegedly for child trafficking and enforced prostitution. The parents of the girl when approached the Swarupnagar Police Station of North 24 Parganas, it is reported that […]

INDIA: BSF strikes again, this time, knifing a person

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has once again received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation working in West Bengal, concerning the brutality practiced by the Border Security Force (BSF) against civilians living along the Indo-Bangladesh border. In this instance, the BSF was in fact assisting the cross-border smuggling gang of which […]

INDIA: Baduria police in West Bengal protecting child traffickers

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has once again received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation working in West Bengal, concerning the case of 14-year-old girl, who was trafficked from her village on 18 April 2011. The victim was subsequently rescued, but in the meanwhile she was raped several times. The father […]

INDIA: West Bengal police suspected to be protecting child traffickers

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation working in West Bengal, concerning the case of 15-year-old girl, who was trafficked to Bangalore from the Indo-Bangladesh border. In this unfortunate case, the victim girl from Padmapukur village, was first married to one Mr. Abdulla Mondal son […]

INDIA: Mayawati, the Supreme Court of Uttar Pradesh

In what appears to be an ‘absolutely normal’ practice in India, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state, Ms Mayawati, has declared, that one of her ministers, accused of having raped a girl, is not guilty. The chief minister also declared, that there would be no investigation against the minister. The incident of rape of […]

INDIA: West Bengal police refuse to help victim of child trafficking

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has once again received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation working in West Bengal, concerning the case of 13-year-old girl, who was trafficked from the Indo-Bangladesh border area by a gang of criminals. It is reported that the police is refusing to take any sensible action […]

INDIA: 685-crore Dalit park, a Bokkasan style monstrosity

Statement | India | 14-10-2011

At 5 pm Indian standard time today (14 October), the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Ms Mayawati, will inaugurate a park in Noida, that Mayawati claims is a Dalit memorial to symbolise Dalit liberation and power in India. Noida is close to New Delhi, the national capital. It is reported that the park, constructed at […]

SRI LANKA: The link to the alternative report to the CAT Committee by four international human rights organisations

(Hong Kong, October 14, 2011) This report is entitled the Alternative report to the committee against torture in connection with the third periodic report of Sri Lanka. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), Hong Kong, REDRESS Trust London, Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), Denmark and Action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la torture (ACAT France) […]

BANGLADESH: Government food subsidy fails to reach the poor due to corruption

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received the information that the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) program aiming to ensuring food security of the poor in Gaibandha district failed to reach the actual beneficiary. Out of 13 villages in Monohorpur Union, Palasbari sub-district, 1,000 families from seven villages only are on the list […]

INDIA: Yet another human rights defender at risk in West Bengal

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has once again received information from Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) concerning the case of threats to a human rights defender Mr Kanai Mondal, since he dared to help a victim of torture, Mr Mahadeb Mondal.  It is reported that the on 30 August 2011, the Camp […]

INDIA: West Bengal police attempting to cover-up crime, colluding with local smugglers

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) concerning the case of threats to a human rights defender Mr Faizuddin Biswas, since he dared to complain against a gang of smugglers to the local police. The incident happened on 26 August 2011 at about 2.30 pm. Biswas […]

Human Rights and Democratic Governance

(This is the text of a presentation at A Consultation on Peace and Security in Asia and Ecumenical Responses held on August 1-6, 2011, organized by WCC and CCA) As a start we may try to reflect on some of the concerns expressed by the participants of this meeting who have spoken so far. One […]

INDIA: Report on Sardar Sarovar Dam Project affected villages in Alirajpur district, Madhya Pradesh released

Statement | India | 01-09-2011

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to introduce you to the latest report released by State Advisor (Madhya Pradesh) to the Supreme Court Commissioner on the Sardar Sarovar Dam Project affected villages in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh. The report is titled: Valley of food insecurity and chronic hunger : Field status of government programmes […]

INDIA: Post Master misappropriates wages of villagers in Orissa

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the 30 villagers engaged in road construction from February 2011 onward under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) did not receive their full wages in March. All testified that the Post Master deducted certain amounts from two months wages in […]

INDIA: Who has the right to judge?

Statement | India | 24-08-2011

There is surely nothing wrong in demanding an end to the reign of corruption. And yet, for many in India it seems to amount to being “as good as undermining the Constitution”, or resembling “a process to destabilise the establishment”. The religious elite in the country claim that “fasting demanding an end to corruption is a sin, since […]

INDIA: What will follow the law?

Statement | India | 22-08-2011

Given the primacy of combating corruption to breathe life into the concept of democracy, the anti-corruption movement in India is indeed the country’s second movement for freedom. Given the magnitude of the problem, the complex and interlinked inroads corruption has made into all aspects of life in the country, it is not mere lack of […]

INDIA: Once again the BSF murder an innocent person in West Bengal and denies responsibility

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information concerning yet another case of coldblooded murder committed by the Border Security Force (BSF) operating along the Indo-Bangladesh border. MASUM, AHRC’s partner organisation in West Bengal informs that the BSF shot Mr. Alamgir Seikh at a close range, after the BSF apprehended him by […]