Editorial
AI Report 2012
Take it seriously
THE Amnesty International (AI) report on the country's human rights situation for the year 2012 is out. It is surprising to see how constant the highlighted issues have been, and equally, how constant government inaction has been in ameliorating the situation. What has been repetitive is the denial by the government after every such report is published. Never has there been an acknowledgment that this is a concern for us.
According to the report there have been 30 extrajudicial deaths in the hands of the law enforcers and ten forced disappearances apart from widespread torture by the agencies. The state has been also wanting in guaranteeing the safety of the minorities and the rights of indigenous people. Women and girls continue to suffer torture and violence, in some instances in the hands of the police.
That a government that had promised rule of law, and zero tolerance for custodial deaths, in its election manifesto, should not only fail to stop the police excesses, but go out of the way to defend them, or deny their complicity in these, is abhorrent. Equally unacceptable is a situation where a particular community suffers from fear stemming from the perception that the government is incapable of ensuring their safety.
We know what the reaction of the government is likely to be. In fact the report starts with the comment of the PM made in January 2012 that that no human rights violations had been committed in the country. Denial of reality will not do. We demand action.
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