At least six candidates are rumored to be under consideration for the position left vacant by Michele Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women.

Rebeca Grynspan is considered a strong contender and possibly the front runner for the post. Grynspan is the former Vice President of Costa Rica and currently serves as an Associate Administrator at UNDP. An elections official at the Costa Rican permanent mission in New York stated to Global Memo that the Latin American and Caribbean region is eager to keep the post.

Lakshmi Puri is the current Acting Executive Director, stepping in shortly after Bachelet’s resignation. A source with a leading U.S. human rights group however suggests that few women’s rights groups see her as preferred successor to Bachelet. In December, her husband, Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, wrapped up his presence on the UN Security Council as India’s 2-year term on the body concluded. What impact his influence will have his wife’s candidacy and the selection is of particular interest.

Radhika Coomaraswamy, the former special advisor to the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict, is looked upon more favorably by women’s groups, according to the same source. She had been under consideration in 2010. From Sri Lanka, she is currently a visiting scholar at New York University’s Center for Constitutional Transitions. (more…)

The Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), while seeking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention in expediting the ‘ Indo-Naga‘ peace talks, also demanded the release of all Naga “political prisoners”.

In a memorandum submitted to Singh on Monday, the NPMHR said the ‘Indo-Naga’ ceasefire and peace talks have been in process since 1997. The Naga people have been waiting patiently for a solution that will end the cycle of violence and bloodshed that took place before the started of the peace talks, the memo said. “However, almost 16 years since the ceasefire, no end or honorable solution is in sight,” the memo added.

The memo said the “Indian state forces” and their various agencies were functioning with total impunity, which is against the spirit of the ceasefire in which Indian representatives and Naga leaders are collectively working towards an honorable solution for all concerned.

The NPMHR added that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had on September 27, 2010, “illegally” arrested Ningkhan Anthony Shimray, head of “foreign affairs” of the NSCN (IM) from the Kathmandu international airport on the allegation that he was to procure arms to wage war against India. Shimray was on his way to New Delhi on the invitation of the NSCN-IM leadership to participate in the ‘Indo-Naga’ peace talks, which was scheduled to be held on September 29, 2010 in New Delhi, the memo said.

The NIA and other agencies have, in many other instances, arrested and attempted to apprehend important senior Naga leaders, even going to the extent of summoning such leaders to the NIA office.

“The attempt to isolate and segregate the leaders, who represent the aspirations of the Naga people for peace, forces us to question whether New Delhi has any sincere intent to arrive at any solution with the Nagas,” the NPMHR said.

“We urge you and your office to expedite the peace process. Further, we urge that political prisoners like Ningkhan Anthony Shimray be released immediately in the greater interest of peace and respect for rights and dignity,” the memo said.

Source: The Times of India 13/5/2013: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Rights-body-urges-PM-to-free-Naga-political-prisoners/articleshow/20036301.cms

The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, who was on an official visit to India from March 19 to 30 last year, has presented his findings in a report and proposed recommendations to ensure better protection of the right to life in India.

The Special Rapporteur, Christof Heyns, has expressed serious concern over the alarming level of extrajudicial executions in India.

The report specially mentions the excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators in Indian-control Kashmir, fake encounters by government forces, unmarked mass graves, and unbridled powers given to security forces in the region.

(more…)

Dr. Gyan Basnet

With one-fifth of the world’s population, the countries of South Asia face formidable challenges resulting from poverty, underdevelopment, and conflict within and among themselves. Their low levels of production, unemployment, and population pressures are not helped by historic exploitation and other adverse legacies. In an historical, cultural, physical and linguistic sense, South Asia is an integrated region, but any commonality across nations has been made impossible by deep-rooted divisions and animosities across the whole region. The latter is hugely polarized, and it has to grapple with gross violations of human rights. Consequently, governments in the region lack the effective initiative and political commitment needed to meet their obligations to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights and fundamental freedoms. Internal conflicts, civil strife, poverty and so-called state anti-terror legislation and measures have resulted in violations of the civil liberties of the people. (more…)

Human rights of the prisoners should be respected and protected by the governments.

By TCN News,

Hyderabad: Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC) has condemned the brutal attacks on prisoners in India and Pakistan jails. In a statement CLMC General Secretary, Lateef Mohammed Khan said, “It is a matter of deep concern that both the countries are not respecting the prisoners’ rights and not providing security to them and both the countries committed grave violation of human rights of prisoners in their respective jails.”
Quoting the Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” – CLMC added that it is “clear violation” of the UDHR.

It is a matter of deep concern that both the countries have not taken any steps towards prison reforms and still following the same colonial methods where the jail inmates are treated as animals, CLMC added. The same condition is prevailing in Indian and Pakistani prisons. (more…)

NHRC Issues Notice to Chief Secretary and DGP Maharashtra

Protests Held In Hyderabad and Chennai in Support of Andolan

Women at the Forefront of the Struggle Against Buildershahi in Mumbai

Medha Patkar’s Health Deteriorates but Stable on 6^th Day of Indefinite Fast

April 9, 2013, Mumbai : Responding to various complaints from across the country on the issue of demolitions and ongoing indefinite fast by Medha Patkar and Madhuri Shivkar, National Human Rights Commission issued notices to the Chief Secretary and DGP Maharashtra calling for their response on the issues within two weeks.

Today was the 6th day of Indefinite Fast by Medha Patkar at Golibar, Mumbai. Despite growing signs of weakness and deteriorating health like vomiting, body ache, back ache, she refused check up by Government doctors. Madhuri Shivkar, who joined her on April 6^th, is normal and in good spirits. Anand Patwardhan, Film Maker; Chandrashekhar, Architect, Suniti S R, NAPM visited the site today and extended their solidarity to the Andolan. Justice (Retd) Rajender Sachar, also lent his support to the struggle and spoke to the Chief Minister’s Office and urged them to start the process of dialogue, for something which is extremely genuine. Many people from the basti are joining the relay fast every day. This is not the story of Golibar only; Slum dwellers from various slums in Mumbai are coming and joining the fast at Golibar. (more…)

Today, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council gave a strong response to the increasing trend of curtailing – when not criminalizing – the activities of human rights defenders by limiting their right to access funding, especially when they come from foreign countries. The Council adopted by consensus an unprecedented resolution, introduced by Norway and co-sponsored by 62 States, affirming that “no law should criminalise or de-legitimise activities in defence of human rights on account of the origin of funding”.

“This is a strong signal of support sent by the United Nations to the defenders around the world who are prevented from funding their activities, de-legitimised and often criminalised for their human rights work”, declared Souhayr Belhassen, FIDH President.

“We welcome the adoption of this important resolution, through which the UN Human Rights Council is calling for stronger protection for those actors for change and the guarantors of a free society”, said Gerald Staberock, OMCT Secretary General. “States have the responsibility to abide by the resolution and ensure that human rights NGOs are enabled to access funding, as such restrictions clearly aim at silencing them”, he added. (more…)

A 24-year-old youth was killed when CRPF personnel returning from the hospital after donating blood for their wounded colleagues in Wednesday morning’s fidayeen attack fired at a crowd of protesters in Saidpora area here, said the police.

Altaf Hussain died on spot as a crowd of protesters demanding the return of Afzal Guru’s body ran into the CRPF vehicle, the police said. When angry people began pelting stones, the CRPF personnel fired at the crowd which resulted in the death of Altaf Hussain, son of Abdul Ahad Wani of Saidpora. Doctors at SKIMS said the boy was brought dead with a bullet wound in the chest.

The youth’s death led to a fresh wave of protest with thousands of people from the old city taking to the streets with Altaf’s body. The anger of protesters led the National Conference to condemn the killing, with a senior party leader describing Altaf’s death as “murder without provocation” and demanded an inquiry. (more…)

Irom Sharmila has not eaten a meal in 12 years. The 40-year-old has been on a hunger strike – and force fed through a tube by authorities – to protest against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

She was charged by a Delhi court today with attempted suicide. Appearing in court with her nose tube in place, she pleaded not guilty.

“I love life. I do not want to take my life, but I want justice and peace,” she said in court, which she attended after flying in from Manipur over the weekend.

Dubbed the “Iron Lady” by her supporters, Sharmila has become a rallying point for those demanding the repeal of AFSPA.  It gives troops in conflict areas the right to shoot to kill suspected rebels without fear of possible prosecution and to arrest suspected militants without a warrant. Women’s rights activists have said the law allows troops to rape women without fear of arrest or punishment. (more…)

In a major breakthrough, Bangladesh and India yesterday inked Extradition Treaty to hand over the convicted and criminals hiding in each other’s countries.

Click here to see Full Text of the Treaty
Click here to see Revised Travel Agreement signed in 2013

The deal, however, excluded the political asylum seekers, accused of political crimes and the offenders awarded with less than one year’s jail term.

According to the agreement, those who are charged with murder, culpable homicide and other serious crimes would come under the purview of the deal.

Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and his Indian counterpart Sushilkumar Sambhaji Rao Shinde signed the agreement at the end of their bilateral talks. The dialogue also yielded a revised travel arrangement, through which Dhaka and Delhi have eased their visa regimes under several conditions. (more…)