tatement by the NHRC on Lalgarh
SNew Delhi 22nd June 2009
The National Human Rights Commission has seen with great concern reports that the security forces now deployed in and around Lalgarh in West Bengal have used local residents as human shields or have forced them to look for mines and improvised explosive devices. The Commission expects that the security and police personnel deployed by the Central or the State Government will act only to protect the lives and the human rights of the residents of the area, and will not do anything to put these in jeopardy. The Commission expects that, in the ongoing operations, the security and police forces, and officials of the government will not act, or order actions, in contravention of law and the norms of human rights by which they are bound. If they do, the Commission will recommend appropriate action against them.
At the same time, the Commission appeals to the groups against which the government has been forced to deploy its forces to lay down their arms, and not, through their unlawful actions, put the lives and the livelihoods of the local residents at risk.
The National Human Rights Commission has seen with great concern reports that the security forces now deployed in and around Lalgarh in West Bengal have used local residents as human shields or have forced them to look for mines and improvised explosive devices. The Commission expects that the security and police personnel deployed by the Central or the State Government will act only to protect the lives and the human rights of the residents of the area, and will not do anything to put these in jeopardy. The Commission expects that, in the ongoing operations, the security and police forces, and officials of the government will not act, or order actions, in contravention of law and the norms of human rights by which they are bound. If they do, the Commission will recommend appropriate action against them.
At the same time, the Commission appeals to the groups against which the government has been forced to deploy its forces to lay down their arms, and not, through their unlawful actions, put the lives and the livelihoods of the local residents at risk.