Debate Competition on Human Rights

To encourage the personnel of the Central Police Organizations to uphold human dignity and respect humanitarian law, and to create a better awareness among them of human rights, the Commission organized a debate on the subject "There is no conflict between respect for human rights and combating terrorism" for personnel of the CPOs on 5 March 2001. It has been holding such debates on various issues relating to human rights, annually, since 1996. Twenty-eight participants form the Assam Rifles, BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBP, NSG and RPF participated in the competition and were judged by a Committee of Judges headed by Shri Sudarshan Agarwal, Member, NHRC.

The Commission has instituted a running trophy for this event. The CRPF team won the trophy this year, for the second consecutive time. In the individual prizes category, Constable Mahila Babli Khanam and Constable Mahila Meena Saini from CRPF got the first and third prizes and Mr. Sharad Gupta, Sub Inspector got the second prize in the Hindi section. In the English section Mr. Sandeep Malick, Assistant Commandant won the first prize, Ms. S. Kurup, Assistant Commandant got the second and Mr. Anand Vijay, ASC (Prob) got the third prize.

An important function of the National Human Rights Commission is to create human rights awareness and spread human rights literacy throughout the country. Section 12(h) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 provides that NHRC shall "spread human rights literacy amongst various sections of society and promote awareness of the safeguards available for the protection of these rights through publications, the media, seminars and other available means".

In this endeavour the Commission considers that human rights education as well as the sensitization of the police, paramilitary forces and armed forces is of paramount importance. The Commission receives a number of allegations of violations of human rights by the security forces and some of these are not without substance. It is the view of the Commission that, with an increase in awareness covering human rights among security personnel, it will be possible to ensure that they discharge their responsibilities effectively and efficiently while adhering to the observance of human rights.

Expressing his appreciation of the spirited debate, the Chairperson, Justice J.S.Verma, said that in a system governed by law, no institution, which was a part of the state machinery, could act contrary to law. The State existed for the people of the country, and anything that militated against the interest of the people could not be justified. All conduct should thus be regulated by the provisions of law. He said that Article 21 of the Constitution, which guaranteed life and liberty, could not be suspended or abrogated even when an emergency had been declared. Though terrorism could not be justified, it must be combated but only in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and within the confines of law. He said that force could only be used under special circumstances and these were determined by law. There could thus be no conflict between respect for human rights and the combating of terrorism.

The DG (I) of the Commission, Shri Y.N. Srivastava, said that terrorists were highly motivated, technically very advanced and totally professional. This was the kind of terrorism that the security forces had to deal with. But a State could not function in the manner of terrorists in a civilized society governed by law. The security forces therefore could not take the law into their own hands.