WHILE the families of the victims of enforced disappearances — allegedly by the law enforcers, are mourning, the world clamours for ensuring human rights by observing the UN Human Rights Day on December 10. The human rights condition has deteriorated in the country in recent years as the government lost its control over the law enforcing agencies that prompted the forces to violate civilians’ rights. The violation of human rights such as enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, border killings, dowry related tortures, and other rights’ violations are increasing geometrically. The media, civil society, rights activists and legal aid groups have been constantly hammering at the violation of human rights which has been hampered by the government granting immunity to the Rapid Action Battalion and police, amongst other actions, but the government did not pay heed to any one. It is just showing the thumbs up to laws and rights.
The UN General Assembly proclaimed December 10 as Human Rights Day in 1950. This year’s slogan — Human Rights 365 — encompasses the idea that every day is a Human Rights Day.
As many as 250 people were abducted reportedly by law enforcers between 2007 and 2013 and at least 68 people were picked up last year alone, according to the report published by Ain O Salish Kendra. Eighty two people were abducted in the first nine months of this year. Of them, 23 were found dead, while 10 others were released later. Odhikar revealed that as many as 162 citizens were subjected to extra-judicial killings where 110 people were killed in crossfires or encounters and 38 were shot to death in the last 11 months of the year. The rights body also said the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) abducted 98 Bangladeshis, injured at least 61 and killed 33 citizens by this time. In the last 11 months at least 8752 people were injured and 181 were killed in political violence across the country. Of them, the maximum number of victims were affiliated to the opposition party and victimized by the ruling party men and law enforcers. During this time, 610 incidents of rape were reported in dailies and 237 women were harassed due to dowry related issues, according to the rights group.
Though there were numerous allegations against the law enforcers to this end, the “state” did not take any actions against them. The state may think that forced disappearances and crossfires would be effective in curbing criminal activities.
The government has to explain all incidents of enforced disappearances and killings allegedly perpetrated by men claiming to be police and RAB and members of the security forces who are involved in the incidents of enforced disappearances and killings must be brought to justice. All parties must come to a consensus to curtail violence and confrontational politics and stop ‘blame games’ when violence occurs. On top of it all, there should be a clear understanding at all levels that human rights issues are not a matter for any single day, but for all days.
