Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received further details of the Nandigram massacre on 14 March 2007 (See further: UA-083-2007). The West Bengal state government confirmed 11 persons killed from one village but actual death toll is expected to be much higher up to 50. The AHRC’s local partner MASUM has information from the locality that at least 50 persons are killed in the incident and that the police and the local political party activists associated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)] are currently engaged in destroying the evidence at the site to play down the incident. There are also unconfirmed reports that the actual death toll is around 300 and that the police and the CPI (M) activists together were engaged in murdering people. All the entries to Nandigram are blocked by the state ruling party cadres and the police. We call for your urgent intervention into this matter. Please write to the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India to immediately send a fact finding team to thoroughly and independently investigate the Nandigram massacre, before most of the evidence is destroyed by the police.
UPDATED INFORMATION:
According to a local activist (name withheld for reasons of security) of Krishi Jami Uchhed Birodhi Mancha (Agrarian Land Eviction Protest Committee), at least 47 persons were killed in Nandigram; of which the majority are children and women.
The police allegedly attacked two villages of Nandoigram; Sonachura and Bhangaberia from two sides and began indiscriminate firing in early hours of 14 March 2007. At that time, the villagers made the human blockage to resist the entry of the police forces and the children and women were in front expecting that the police would not use extreme violence against the protesters. This is the main reason that most of the casualties are of children and women.
From Sonachura village alone, 11 persons were killed according to the West Bengal state government. The number of the murdered persons in Bhangaberia village is estimated much higher but it is not acknowledged by the state government thus far.
The state government maintains that 38 persons were injured in Nandigram massacre but a reliable local source says that about 70 persons with bullet injuries were already brought to Nandigram Block Primary Health Centre, which has no capacity to accommodate such a number of patients. The injured are therefore not provided proper medical treatment and the death toll may go higher due to improper and untimely medical attention. There are also unconfirmed reports coming in from West Bengal and New Delhi that the actual death toll might be around 300 and that the police as well as the CPI (M) activists were engaged in murdering persons and raping women in the villages.
It is reported that the police demolished many huts in the village. It is alleged that the police also sexually abused the female villagers.
The actual number of the killed and injured persons is expected to be much higher but it is impossible to access Nandigram for any fact-finding activities, as the cadres of the CPI (M), the ruling party of West Bengal, has blocked all entries to Nandigram with the help of the police forces and do not allow any persons from outside to enter the place. It is reported that Ms. Mamata Bandyopadhaya, the leader of Trinamul Congress party, the main opposition party of West Bengal, was also blocked by the CPI (M) cadres from entering Nandigram in the evening of the very date of incident.
It is alleged that the police have been carrying the dead bodies to unknown destinations to hide the actual number of the killed by the police firing. It is also alleged that the police buried the bodies in unknown places and even threw some bodies in the adjoining river.
Mr. Gopal Kristina Ghandi, Governor of West Bengal, issued a press statement yesterday evening in which said the incident has shivering effect on his mind and it was cold-blooded terror by the state government.
The AHRC strongly condemns the Nandigram massacre and urge the immediate and thorough inquiry into the incident. We call on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India in New Delhi to immediately send a fact finding team to Nandigram to investigate the details of the massacre and the actual number of the casualties before most of the evidence is destroyed by the police. Representatives of civil society should be included into the NHRC fact finding team to ensure the transparency.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the Chairperson of the NHRC of India and urge him to immediately form and send a fact finding team to investigate the Nandigram massacre.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dr. Justice Shivraj V Patil
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi, 110001, INDIA
chairnhrc@nic.in or patilsv@nic.in
Dear Sir,
INDIA: Please urge the National Human Rights Commission of India to immediately send its fact-finding team to inquire about Nandigram massacre
I am shocked to learn about the massacre of villagers in Nandigram in East Midnapur district, West Bengal, India on 14 March 2007. They have been protesting against the proposed land acquisition by the West Bengal state government for the past several months.
I am informed that the police party, Rapid Action Forces and Eastern Rifles attacked two villages of Nandigram; Sonachura and Bhangaberia from two sides and began indiscriminate firing in the early hours of 14 March 2007. A lot of villagers were allegedly killed and injured in the police firing. I am deeply concerned that most of the killed and injured persons are unarmed children and women, who were in front of the human shield to resist the entry of the police.
According to the West Bengal state government, 11 persons were killed from Sonachura village. However, the number of the killed persons in Bhangaberia village was not ascertained at all. I worry that the actual number of the killed might be much higher. I am informed that according to one activist attached to Krishi Jami Uchhed Birodhi Mancha (Agrarian Land Eviction Protest Committee) leading the villagers protests at least 47 persons were killed in Nandigram. I am also informed that there are unconfirmed reports coming in from West Bengal and New Delhi that the actual death toll might be around 300 and that the police as well as the CPI (M) activists were engaged in murdering persons and raping women in the villages.
I am also informed that about 70 persons with bullet injuries were brought to Nandigram Block Primary Health Centre, while the state government claims only 38 persons were injured in the incident. The injured are therefore not getting proper medical treatment and the death toll may be high due to improper and untimely medical attention. I am also informed that the political party activists attached to the CPI (M) along with the local police has quarantined the area preventing access to media and other activists to the place and also allegedly involved in cleaning up the evidence.
Considering the urgency of the matter, I strongly request your Commission to immediately send a fact finding team to Nandigram to investigate the details of the massacre and the actual number of the casualties before most of the evidence is destroyed by the police and the CPI (M).
I want to draw you attention that no detailed information of the massacre is available at the moment as the cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the ruling party of West Bengal, has blocked all entries to Nandigram with the help of the police forces and do not allow any persons outside to enter the villages.
I am also worried that if the NHRC does not respond to this incident in time, most of the evidence of the massacre would be destroyed by the police and state government. I am informed that the police have been allegedly carrying the dead bodies to unknown places to hide the actual number of the killed and are allegedly burying the bodies in unknown places and has even tried disposing threw some bodies into the adjoining river.
I also request that representatives of civil society to be included into the NHRC fact finding team to ensure the transparency of the fact finding mission. Please take appropriate actions to ensure that the injured victims can receive proper medical treatment.
I look for your immediate intervention into this matter.
Sincerely yours
——————
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTER TO:
Dr. Justice Shivraj V Patil
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi, 110001, INDIA
chairnhrc@nic.in or patilsv@nic.in
SEND A COPY OF YOUR LETTER TO:
1. Mr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister’s Office
Room number 152, South Block
New Delhi
INDIA
Fax: +91 11 23016857
Email: pmosb@pmo.nic.in
2. Mr. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
Chief Minister/ Minister of Home Department
Government of West Bengal
Writer’s Building
Kolkata – 700 001
West Bengal
INDIA
Fax: +91 33 2214 5480/ 2214 1341
3. The Chief Justice of India
Through the Office of the Registrar General
Supreme Court of India
1 Tilak Marg, New Delhi
INDIA
Fax: +91 11 23383792
Email: supremecourt@nic.in
4. Mr. Somnath Chatterjee
Honorable Speaker Lok Sabha
20, Akbar Road, New Delhi 110011
Fax: + 91 11 23016212
Email: speakerloksabha@sansad.nic.in
5. Mr. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
The Chairman Rajya Sabha
6, Maulana Azad Road, New Delhi 110011
INDIA
Fax: + 91 11 23011207
Email: vpindia@sansad.nic.in
6. Chief Secretary
Government of West Bengal
Writers’ Buildings, Kolkata – 700001
West Bengal
INDIA
Fax: +91 33 22144328
7. Home Secretary
Government of West Bengal
Writers’ Buildings, Kolkata – 700001
West Bengal
INDIA
Fax: +91 33 22143001
Email: sechome@wb.gov.in
8. Mr. Miloon Kothari
Special Rapporteur on adequate housing
Attn: Ms. Cecilia Moller
Room 4-066/010
UNOG-OHCHR
CH-1211, Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9265
Fax: +41 22 917 9010 (ATTENTION: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ADEQUATE HOUSING)
9. Mr. Philip Alston
Special Rapporteur on Extra-judicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions
Attn: Lydie Ventre
Room 3-016
c/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9155
Fax: +41 22 917 9006 (ATTN: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR EXECUTIONS)
10. Mr. Jean Zeigler
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
c/o Mr. Carlos Villan Duran
Room 4-066, OHCHR, Palais Wilson,
Rue des Paquis 52, Geneva
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9300
Fax: +41 22 9179010
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ahrchk@ahrchk.org)
