International bodies denounced India’s refusal to repeal AFSPA

IMPHAL | Sept 27

Many international organisations including Amnesty International, International Commission of Jurist, FORUM-ASIA, WGHR, etc., strongly denounced government of India’s continued refusal to accept the recommendation for the repeal/review of AFSPA.

Manipur based Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights (CSCHR) said that during the session for the adoption of the outcome document on India’s 3rd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to improve its human rights situation, on September 21, the government of India formally accepted 152 recommendations out of the 250 recommendations given by 112 member states of the United Nations.

According to a release a delegation of CSCHR attended the 36th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). During the session for the adoption of the outcome document on India’s 3rd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to improve its human rights situation, on 21st September 2017, government of India formally accepted 152 recommendations out of the 250 recommendations given by 112 member states of the United Nations.

The remaining 98 recommendations were simply noted. However, most of the human rights issues critical to the situation in Manipur including the repeal/review of AFSPA, ratification of Convention on Protection of All Persons Against Enforced Disappearances (CED), moratorium on death penalty, ratification of the Rome Statute on International Criminal Court, etc., are only noted without indicating a follow up plan and not accepted, it said.

CSCHR strongly deplores India’s refusal to repeal AFSPA, 1958 despite persistent recommendations from the UN and international community. In the first cycle of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2008 Germany, UK and Canada made recommendation regarding AFSPA, it maintained.

Similarly in the second cycle in 2012, Switzerland, France and Slovakia made similar recommendations. In this third cycle too government of Switzerland and Pakistan raised the issue, the release said, adding but in all the three cycles India has persistently refused to accept the recommendation.

CSCHR also condemns the failure of India to ratify the Convention against Torture (CAT) despite its signing the treaty 20 years ago in 1997 and strongly urges government of India to urgently ratify CAT by adopting an Act of Parliament for the prevention of torture that is consistent with the provisions of CAT, it added.

Further the release continued in the side event entitled “UPR Outcome Document”, held on  September 21 in the Palais des Nations, Jiten Yumnam of CSCHR stated “The continued enforcement of AFSPA, 1958 mean the unleashing of more inhumanity, extreme forms of violations, genocidal practices and a culture of impunity, targeting the most marginalized communities and national minorities”.

Babloo Loitongbam of WGHR/CSCHR, who moderated the event, questioned the true meaning of India repeatedly accepting a recommendation to ratify the Convention Against Torture, which was accepted by the government of Inida in the first, second and third UPR, while taking no meaningful action at all, it said.

Renu Takhellambam of EEVFAM drew the attention of the UN Human Rights Council on the issue of extrajudicial executions and AFSPA, added the release.