Democracy

INDIA: An invitation, murder, and democracy

Article | India | 05-03-2013

When a business school invites persons to attend one of its functions, that too expecting the person to deliver nothing less than the keynote address, it must be taking into account many factors. Elementary is the invitee’s credentials, and in the background of the sponsors, who contribute to organise the event. It appears that the […]

INDIA: Manipur, a backtracked promise

A court in Manipur yesterday has ordered the detention of Ms. Irom Sharmila Chanu, better known as the iron lady of Manipur. Detention is nothing new to this woman, most humble yet so bold, that she has so far successfully challenged the iron fist of the senselessness Indian state and its Manipuri counterpart, the Government […]

INDIA: Immediately stop evicting and threatening the floating huts-dwellers of Loktak Lake

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur regarding continued eviction of floating hut dwellers and destruction of their floating huts at Loktak Lake by the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) of the Government of Manipur and Manipur Police on 23 February 2013. Worryingly, the assault […]

PHILIPPINES: Vendors face forced eviction and food insecurity

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Defend Job Philippines about an eviction notice served on the vendors of Luneta Park (also called Rizal Park) in Manila. The proposed eviction will not merely leave the vendors jobless but also jeopardize their food security. It would also render many of them […]

INDIA: The great thamasha

Bijo Francis* Overcoming initial reluctance, the Maharashtra state police have finally registered a case in the infamous Bhandara rape and murder incident. This is a case, not much discussed in India, other than for sparse reporting in a few Indian dailies, of the rape murder of three sisters, all minors. Missing of three miserable village […]

INDONESIA: Allegation on physical threat towards journalists in Padang should be seriously investigated

Brig. Gen. Pol. Wahyu Indra Pramugari Chief of West Sumatera Regional Police Jl. Sudirman No. 55 Padang, Sumatera Barat 25231 INDONESIA info@sumbar.polri.go.id Phone: +62 751 33416 Fax: +62 751 33416 Dear Mr. Pramugari, The AHRC is writing to make enquiries regarding a physical threat directed against seven journalists by a civilian on 13 February 2013. […]

PAKISTAN: Persecution of Ahmadis during the month of January 2013

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from Nazarat Umoor Ama. Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ————- A joint swoop on an Ahmadi printing press in Lahore by a team of mullas and the police: The Punjab Police raided a printing press Black Arrows, owned […]

SRI LANKA: In Memory of Fr. Tissa Balasuriya

Every associate of Fr. Tissa will undoubtedly have his/her lasting and loving memories of him. My association of him has left in me a memory of him as a spiritual guide and campaigner of social justice. One of the earliest was his talk delivered on the theme “Crisis in the Priesthood” to us as then […]

PAKISTAN: Country’s war against Human Rights Watch

“A pack of lies” is Pakistan army’s favorite defensive phrase whenever it is blamed for committing human rights abuses or covertly sponsoring Islamic extremist organizations. On December 13, 2012, the Pakistan army described an Amnesty International report, The Hands of Cruelty, as “a pack of lies” when the London-based international human rights watchdog exposed the involvement […]

INDIA: Immediately stop the brutal police assault on peaceful protesters opposing POSCO project in Odisha

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti about brutal police assault on villagers who were peacefully protesting against forcible acquisition of their lands. The 12 platoon strong mobilisation that culminated in the assault started around midnight and the police finally entered the village around 4 in […]

PAKISTAN: Government must ensure the safe recovery of four abducted human rights defenders

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the abduction of four human rights defenders in broad daylight by persons said to be from an outlawed religious organization. The unknown armed persons abducted six workers of a NGO including, two lady workers. However, after some time they threw the two women out of the vehicle and […]

AHRC-STM-031-2013

This statement was written based on the information given by daughter of the person concerned. The daughter sought our help by calling us several times. Now, the family has no interest in the matter, so we remove it from the web. We, however, stand by the authenticity of the publication based on the source mentioned […]

INDIA: Ensure punishment to the rapists of a minor girl in Manipur

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from North East Support Centre and Helpline that a 17-year-old girl belonging to the scheduled caste was abducted, drugged and raped in Manipur. We have also learnt that, though a police First Information Report is registered in the case, there has been no further […]

SOUTH KOREA: Grant project and call for nomination of Gwangju prize for human rights 2013

1) Grant for Democracy and Human Rights Projects in Overseas 2013 For details, please click here. Introduction to the Grant for Democracy and Human Rights Projects in Overseas 2013 The Grant for Democracy and Human Rights Projects in Overseas (GDHRPO) 2013 supports work that contributes to promoting democracy and human rights and to building international solidarity. […]

INDIA: Stop witch-hunting Human Rights Defenders

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received very disturbing information from Barwani, Madhya Pradesh regarding the administration’s continuing witch hunt against human rights defender Ms Madhuri Krishnaswami of the Jagrat Dalit Adivasi Sangthan. In the most recent attack, the District Magistrate has written a letter to the Divisional Commissioner that found its […]

INDIA: Promise of a republic yet to be realised

Statement | India | 25-01-2013

Before the world, along with Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said Al Said as chief guest, and presided over by the President of India, Honourable Pranab Mukherjee, India will celebrate its Republic Day tomorrow. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) congratulates India and the people of this great nation on the 64th year of constituting […]

BANGLADESH: Destitution pushes several single elderly women into starvation

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information about several elderly single women being pushed into starvation in the Ghorabandha village of the Gaibandha district of Rangpur division. Most of these destitute women have been widowed for decades with no family to bank upon and have been forced into begging to ensure […]

SRI LANKA: A government without a bureaucracy

The systems of government in Asian countries may broadly be described under the following categories: Democratic – the government structure is based on the liberal democratic structure, and the bureaucracy functions with basic laws and rules that are in conformity with this structure; Militaristic – where the basic structure is based on military command and […]

SRI LANKA: A crisis of the state

The parliament in Sri Lanka, in defiance of the judgement of the Court of Appeal which was based on the interpretation of law provided by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, yesterday (January 10), started a debate on the impeachment of the Chief Justice. A vote on the impeachment will be taken at the end […]

SRI LANKA: 10th JANUARY marks the darkest hour of democracy

Lawyers Collective Press Release 9th January 2012 Ignoring the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judgments, Parliament will debate the Impeachment against the Chief Justice tomorrow – Thursday 10th January. The Executive and Parliament have jointly decided to proceed with the impeachment, notwithstanding the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal determination holding it to be […]