UN attention on NE farmers
Geneva, March 10, 2017
The brimful worries of north eastern region’s farming community seem to have struck UN attention when Mr B Thomas from Liberation, a London-based human rights organization, addressed the 34th session of UN Human Rights Council for the princely north eastern state on the issue of Right to Food in Geneva on Thursday.
He said the enforcement of the Armed Forces Special Power Act 1958 has been affecting the farmers who keep producing food the feed the millions of the people in the state and abroad. But, he said, 97 farmers were killed during army’s counter insurgency operation against ULFA rebels under the draconian law.
He said farmers were killed after ruthless torture and hectors of cropland were damaged in the army operation. Same it is in the case of Manipur where in 2009, an army crackdown at Lokatak Lake disallowed 3052 fishing folks from earning the livelihood.
“People were starving due to the military operation without declaring war in Manipur under AFSPA. There are operation name with military code name Somtal Somtal-II, Operation Blue Bird, Operation Stingier etc. We have several cases. Many villagers are restricted to go to their paddy filed by the Amy check points in Manipur. If require we can submit the detail report to the Council,” he said.
He urged the global platform of the Human Right Council and Special Rapporteur to communicate to the authorities to stop on the harassment farming lots.
Babul Gogoi
in Geneva, UN Human Rights Council
* This Press Release was sent to e-pao.net by Babul Gogoi who can be contacted at bgogoi(AT)gmail(DOT)com
This Press Release was posted on March 11 2017
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