India
02.07.01
Urgent Interventions
India: Police fire at Adivasi demonstrators, killing three
Case IND 020701
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in India.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Indian Centre for Human Rights and the Law, a member of OMCT network, that the police have fired at an assembly of Adivasis (tribal people) in the village of Puntamba, Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra, on June 25th, 2001, killing three people and injuring around 37 others.
According to the information received, Pradip Dushing (36), Indubai Manjre (45), and another woman, whose identity is currently unknown, were shot and killed by police officials during a demonstration of tribal people outside the police outpost in the village of Puntamba. The tribal demonstrators were demanding the re-arrest of Babasaheb Chavan (36), the district’s local youth congress leader, who had been charged with molesting a tribal girl earlier this month. Mr. Chavan had been released on bail two days after his arrest. The demonstrators were protesting against this situation, claiming that he should have been charged with attempted rape, which would have incurred a harsher sentence.
According to the information received, the police claim that the demonstrators became violent and began attacking them with axes and other sharp weapons, leading to 17 policemen being wounded. Reports suggest that this is not however the case, and that the police began firing at the assembled tribal demonstrators with the intention of killing members of an organisation who are promoting land rights for the tribal people. Infact, Mr. Dushing and Mr. Manjre were both leaders of this organisation, and investigations conducted at the scene indicate that the police chased the demonstrators around 100 metres before shooting Mr. Dushing. It would seem that the police are trying to use the demonstration as a cover for an operation to murder members of the land rights organisation. Eye-witnesses have claimed that the two activists seemed to be being targeted by sub-inspector Govind Mali and the head of the village, Mr. Mauch, against whom Mr. Dushing had previously lodged several complaints, due to the officials having threatened them on behalf of landlords, in the ongoing land rights conflict. The two officials were unavailable for comment.
According to the information received, 15 other tribal demonstrators, including three women, have been arrested following the incident at the police station, and are reportedly being falsely accused of attacking the police and conspiring to set the police station on fire, under Section 360 of the IPC and Arms Act. It is thought that many of the demonstrators that were injured during the incident are too scared to seek medical assistance, as they fear they may too be arrested.
OMCT is gravely concerned about the physical and psychological of the demonstrators who were arbitrarily arrested and detained, as well as those injured during the demonstration. Furthermore, OMCT is gravely concerned at the police’s use of disproportionate force against the tribal people, and more specifically its apparent killing of two land rights activists.
Action Requested
Please write to the Indian authorities urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned injured and detained persons;
ii. order their immediate release of those detained in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. intervene with the appropriate authorities in order to secure that the adequate medical assistance is provided as a matter of urgency those who were injured, while ensuring that they are not arrested during this process;
iv. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
v. guarantee adequate reparation to all victims and their families;
vi. guarantee respect for the economic, social and cultural rights of the Adivasis;
vii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· H.E. President K.R. Narayanan, Office of the President, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi 110 004, INDIA Fax: 91-11-301 7290 / 7824
· H.E. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India, South Block, Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India-110 011 Fax: 91-11-3019545 / 91-11-3016857 indun@undp.org
· Mr L.K. Advani, Home Minister of India, South Block, New Dehli 110001, India, fax: +91 11 3015750
· Justice A. N. Varma, Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission, Sardar Patel Bhavan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi 11001, India. Fax: 91-11-334 0016
Geneva, July 2nd, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in India.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Indian Centre for Human Rights and the Law, a member of OMCT network, that the police have fired at an assembly of Adivasis (tribal people) in the village of Puntamba, Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra, on June 25th, 2001, killing three people and injuring around 37 others.
According to the information received, Pradip Dushing (36), Indubai Manjre (45), and another woman, whose identity is currently unknown, were shot and killed by police officials during a demonstration of tribal people outside the police outpost in the village of Puntamba. The tribal demonstrators were demanding the re-arrest of Babasaheb Chavan (36), the district’s local youth congress leader, who had been charged with molesting a tribal girl earlier this month. Mr. Chavan had been released on bail two days after his arrest. The demonstrators were protesting against this situation, claiming that he should have been charged with attempted rape, which would have incurred a harsher sentence.
According to the information received, the police claim that the demonstrators became violent and began attacking them with axes and other sharp weapons, leading to 17 policemen being wounded. Reports suggest that this is not however the case, and that the police began firing at the assembled tribal demonstrators with the intention of killing members of an organisation who are promoting land rights for the tribal people. Infact, Mr. Dushing and Mr. Manjre were both leaders of this organisation, and investigations conducted at the scene indicate that the police chased the demonstrators around 100 metres before shooting Mr. Dushing. It would seem that the police are trying to use the demonstration as a cover for an operation to murder members of the land rights organisation. Eye-witnesses have claimed that the two activists seemed to be being targeted by sub-inspector Govind Mali and the head of the village, Mr. Mauch, against whom Mr. Dushing had previously lodged several complaints, due to the officials having threatened them on behalf of landlords, in the ongoing land rights conflict. The two officials were unavailable for comment.
According to the information received, 15 other tribal demonstrators, including three women, have been arrested following the incident at the police station, and are reportedly being falsely accused of attacking the police and conspiring to set the police station on fire, under Section 360 of the IPC and Arms Act. It is thought that many of the demonstrators that were injured during the incident are too scared to seek medical assistance, as they fear they may too be arrested.
OMCT is gravely concerned about the physical and psychological of the demonstrators who were arbitrarily arrested and detained, as well as those injured during the demonstration. Furthermore, OMCT is gravely concerned at the police’s use of disproportionate force against the tribal people, and more specifically its apparent killing of two land rights activists.
Action Requested
Please write to the Indian authorities urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned injured and detained persons;
ii. order their immediate release of those detained in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. intervene with the appropriate authorities in order to secure that the adequate medical assistance is provided as a matter of urgency those who were injured, while ensuring that they are not arrested during this process;
iv. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
v. guarantee adequate reparation to all victims and their families;
vi. guarantee respect for the economic, social and cultural rights of the Adivasis;
vii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· H.E. President K.R. Narayanan, Office of the President, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi 110 004, INDIA Fax: 91-11-301 7290 / 7824
· H.E. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India, South Block, Raisina Hill, New Delhi, India-110 011 Fax: 91-11-3019545 / 91-11-3016857 indun@undp.org
· Mr L.K. Advani, Home Minister of India, South Block, New Dehli 110001, India, fax: +91 11 3015750
· Justice A. N. Varma, Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission, Sardar Patel Bhavan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi 11001, India. Fax: 91-11-334 0016
Geneva, July 2nd, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.