Human rights organisations in Manipur targeted by politicians for anti-corruption work

24 July 2014

INDIA: Human rights organisations targeted by politicians for anti-corruption work
ISSUES: Threats to human rights defenders; corruption; police abuse

Dear friends,

*The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Centre for Social Development and Women Action for Development – two human rights organisations based in Manipur, India – that local politicians are targeting them for exposing corruption in administration. On 12 July, a small mob gathered in front of the office of the two organisations demanding that vehicles of staff members parked out front be removed. One staff member, who tried to take a photograph of the mob, was assaulted. The elected member to the state assembly the constituency is suspected to be behind the incident.*

*CASE NARRATIVE:*

Centre for Social Development (CSD) and Women Action for Development (WAD) are two human rights organisations with head offices in Imphal, Manipur state, India. Both CSD and WAD support numerous grassroots initiatives that monitor government welfare schemes, undertake education of the marginalised and poor, and train human rights defenders to report corruption in civil administration. Both organisations work in several states of the north-eastern region of India.

Due to such activities – particularly those that promote monitoring and reporting of corruption in administration – corrupt politicians and bureaucrats in the region have tried to interrupt work undertaken by the CSD and WAD.

On the morning of 12 July 2014, around eight unknown persons gathered in front of the office of CSD and WAD. They proceeded to puncture the tyres of two vehicles parked in front of the CSD and WAD office. The vehicles belonged to the organisation and were parked by the public road, in front of the organisations' office, along with other vehicles that belong to staff members of the organisations.

Staff members at the organisations' office contacted the police stationed at Porompat Police Station, requesting immediate assistance. The police came to the spot and asked the gathered mob to leave the area.

The mob refused and soon more unidentified persons joined in. Some persons in the mob began using abusive language against the two organisations and its staff members. One person demanded that no vehicle should be parked in front of the organisation near the public road, if it belonged to the organisation, or to any of its staff members. The gathered mob also claimed that they would call for an excavator and force the vehicles away if they remained parked there.

Meanwhile Mr. Elangbam Chand Singh, Member of the state Legislative Assembly (MLA) arrived at the spot. When staff members of the two organisations requested the MLA to find an amicable solution to the problem and requested the MLA to ask the police to act against the mob, the MLA refused. Instead, the MLA produced a sketch, which he claimed to be a road development plan, and informed the staff members of CSD and WAD that a proposal is with the Public Works Department (PWD), which holds that no vehicles should be parked in front of the organisations' office. Then the MLA ordered the area, where the vehicles were parked, to be cleared.

The mob immediately started clearing the area – by pushing and removing the vehicles parked. Ms. Premila Devi, a WAD staff member tried taking a picture of the forceful removal of the vehicles. Consequently, a woman from the mob physically assaulted Premila and started abusing other women staff members with foul language. The MLA and the police did nothing to prevent this.

Both CSD and WAD believe that the MLA is behind the incident. They believe that the MLA arranged for his party cadre to form the mob and to create the incident so that the staff would find it difficult to attend office. The staff of WAD and CSD travel long distances daily, from remote villages around Imphal town, using their own two-wheelers. These personal vehicles, and the vehicles of WAD and CSD that ferry staff members from the organisations' office to fieldwork places daily, have been targeted.

Though the inability to park vehicles in front of the two organisations' office, on government land, where parking is not prohibited by law, will not seriously affect the functioning of the two organisations, it is worrying to note that serious threat to the work of civil society organisations begins with small provocations. The CSD and WAD are worried that the incident is a precursor to the persecution that will follow.

Manipur, and its capital city, is notorious for unidentified gunmen firing and killing persons. Arson and destruction of property is also a common phenomenon in the state. The CSD and WAD fear for the safety of their staff members, as well as organisation property. The CSD and WAD have filed a complaint regarding the incident on 12 July 2014 to the Officer-in-Charge at the Porompat Police Station requesting action. However, the police have failed to register a case concerning the incident.

*SUGGESTED ACTION:*

Kindly write to the authorities cited below, expressing your concern in the case. The AHRC is deeply concerned about the incident and the collusion between the local politician and corrupt bureaucrats in Manipur. The AHRC is writing to the Government of India seeking immediate intervention in this case, and to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders seeking an intervention.

To support this appeal, please click here: http://www.urgentappeals.net/support.php?ua=AHRC-UAC-106-2014

*SAMPLE LETTER:*

Dear ....................,

*INDIA: Harassment of human rights organisations CSD & WAD by local politician and his thugs must be investigated *

*Names of those at risk: *

1. Centre for Social Development (CSD), Imphal, Manipur, India;
2. Women Action for Development (WAD), Imphal, Manipur, India;
3. Ms. Premila Devi, staff member, WAD, Imphal, Manipur, India.

*Name of alleged perpetrators:*

1. Mr. Elangbam Chand Singh, MLA, Yaiskul Kendra, Imphal, Manipur, India;
2. Thugs who can be identified by staff members of CSD & WAD.

*Date of incident:* 12 July 2012

*Place of incident:* Imphal, Manipur, India

I am writing to express concern regarding a case of threat against two human rights organisations working in the north-eastern states of India. The two organisations, Centre for Social Development (CSD) and Women Action for Development (WAD) have their head offices in Imphal, Manipur state, India. The facts of the case, provided to me are as follows:

Centre for Social Development (CSD) and Women Action for Development (WAD) are two human rights organisations with head offices in Imphal, Manipur state, India. Both CSD and WAD support numerous grassroots initiatives that monitor government welfare schemes, undertake education of the marginalised and poor, and train human rights defenders to report corruption in civil administration. Both organisations work in several states of the north-eastern region of India.

Due to such activities – particularly those that promote monitoring and reporting of corruption in administration – corrupt politicians and bureaucrats in the region have tried to interrupt work undertaken by the CSD and WAD.

On the morning of 12 July 2014, around eight unknown persons gathered in front of the office of CSD and WAD. They proceeded to puncture the tyres of two vehicles parked in front of the CSD and WAD office. The vehicles belonged to the organisation and were parked by the public road, in front of the organisations' office, along with other vehicles that belong to staff members of the organisations.

Staff members at the organisations' office contacted the police stationed at Porompat Police Station, requesting immediate assistance. The police came to the spot and asked the gathered mob to leave the area.

The mob refused and soon more unidentified persons joined in. Some persons in the mob began using abusive language against the two organisations and its staff members. One person demanded that no vehicle should be parked in front of the organisation near the public road, if it belonged to the organisation, or to any of its staff members. The gathered mob also claimed that they would call for an excavator and force the vehicles away if they remained parked there.

Meanwhile Mr. Elangbam Chand Singh, Member of the state Legislative Assembly (MLA) arrived at the spot. When staff members of the two organisations requested the MLA to find an amicable solution to the problem and requested the MLA to ask the police to act against the mob, the MLA refused. Instead, the MLA produced a sketch, which he claimed to be a road development plan, and informed the staff members of CSD and WAD that a proposal is with the Public Works Department (PWD), which holds that no vehicles should be parked in front of the organisations' office. Then the MLA ordered the area, where the vehicles were parked, to be cleared.

The mob immediately started clearing the area – by pushing and removing the vehicles parked. Ms. Premila Devi, a WAD staff member tried taking a picture of the forceful removal of the vehicles. Consequently, a woman from the mob physically assaulted Premila and started abusing other women staff members with foul language. The MLA and the police did nothing to prevent this.

Both CSD and WAD believe that the MLA is behind the incident. They believe that the MLA arranged for his party cadre to form the mob and to create the incident so that the staff would find it difficult to attend office. The staff of WAD and CSD travel long distances daily, from remote villages around Imphal town, using their own two-wheelers. These personal vehicles, and the vehicles of WAD and CSD that ferry staff members from the organisations' office to fieldwork places daily, have been targeted.

Though the inability to park vehicles in front of the two organisations' office, on government land, where parking is not prohibited by law, will not seriously affect the functioning of the two organisations, it is worrying to note that serious threat to the work of civil society organisations begins with small provocations. The CSD and WAD are worried that the incident is a precursor to the persecution that will follow.

Manipur, and its capital city, is notorious for unidentified gunmen firing and killing persons. Arson and destruction of property is also a common phenomenon in the state. The CSD and WAD fear for the safety of their staff members, as well as organisation property. The CSD and WAD have filed a complaint regarding the incident on 12 July 2014 to the Officer-in-Charge at the Porompat Police Station requesting action. However, the police have failed to register a case concerning the incident.

I therefore urge you:

1. That the Porompat police register a case based on the complaint filed by CSD & WAD;

2. That the police record the statements of the witnesses, and the injured in the case, Ms. Permila;

3. That the police provide protection to the staff members of CSD and WAD should there be any further threat to the functioning of the two organisations;

4. That the police investigate the role of the MLA, Mr. Chand Singh, in the entire episode;

5. And, that a copy of the investigation report be filed at the Magistrate's Court, Imphal, so the CSD and WAD may follow-up the same through legal actions.

Yours Sincerely,

----------------

*PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:*

1. Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi 110001
INDIA
Fax: + 91 11 2338 4863
Email: [email protected]

2. Mr. Okram Ibobi Singh
Chief Minister of Manipur
New Secretariat Building
Bapupara, Imphal 795001, Manipur
INDIA
Fax + 91 385 2451398
Email: [email protected]

3. Mr. Vinod Kumar Duggal
Governor of Manipur
Raj Bhawan, Imphal 795001
INDIA
Fax: +913852441812
Email: [email protected]

4. Mr. Shahid Ahmad
DGP Manipur
Babupara, Imphal 795001
INDIA
Fax: +91 385 2451 100
Email: [email protected]

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission ([email protected]) Unit 1 & 2, 12/F.,
Hopeful Factory Centre,
10-16 Wo Shing Street Fotan,
New Territories Hongkong S.A.R.
Tel: +(852) 2698-6339 Fax: +(852) 2698-6367
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