The Hindu : Karnataka News : NHRC unhappy with replies to queries on Sadashiva panel report

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 08, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

NHRC unhappy with replies to queries on Sadashiva panel report

By Our Staff Reporter

The Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, N.K. Sodhi (left), and the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, A.S. Anand, arriving for the inauguration of a workshop in Bangalore on Monday on `Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.' — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE, FEB. 7. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the State Government to provide more satisfactory replies to its queries on the Justice Sadashiva Commission report on alleged atrocities committed by the Special Task Force (STF).

According to the NHRC Chairperson, A.S. Anand, former Chief Justice of India, the case is being monitored strictly.

`Not closed'

On the sidelines of a two-day national `Capacity Building Workshop on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,' at the Karnataka Judicial Academy on Crescent Road here today, Dr. Anand made it clear that the Sadashiva panel report is not pending with the NHRC. "The report has not been closed," he told presspersons.

The Sadashiva panel had looked into allegations that STF personnel from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu committed human rights violations during the long combing operation for the forest brigand Veerappan. The brigand was killed in an encounter last year.

After the panel submitted its report to the NHRC, the commission issued notices to the Governments of both the States. Many human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have called for action on the alleged atrocities and there have been complaints that the State Governments are not serious about pursuing the matter.

Human trafficking

Responding to a question on India's record on human trafficking, Dr. Anand said it is a serious problem "because India is both a recipient and a supplier of persons. The situation is made worse because of its porous borders with Bangladesh and other neighbours."

After the recent tsunami disaster of December 2004, there were complaints about girls and women being exploited. "The commission has directed all the State Governments to ensure that they are protected. We have also told the Governments to look into complaints of people going missing or (presumed) dead," he stressed.

Study

Dr. Anand said the NHRC conducted a study last year and its results are "startling... it shows protecting human rights is not a priority." Trafficking does not just mean prostitution, he said, adding that the implementation of the law against immoral trafficking "leaves much to be desired." In some cases, it lets the victims be victimised while the traffickers go free, he said.

The U.S. State Department `Trafficking in Persons Report,' June 2004 has ranked India as a `Tier-2' country, meaning it is a "country that does not fully comply but is making significant efforts to comply."

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