vol. 2 No. 2
New Delhi 20 January - 5 February 1987
Rupee!iTwo
Ex-Judges Establish Human Rights Tribunal Concern Over Undemocratic Laws, Violations by State Gazelle News Service path breaking event took place on 10th January, 1987 when the Indian Peoples Human Rights Commloolon was inaugurated at New Delhi's Press Club. Five of the Commission 's founding members were present on the occasion : Prof. A.R. Desai, Prof. Ramila Thapar, Mr. V.M. Tar· kunde and Mr Bhagwan Dass. The other members of the Commission are Mr. Asghar Ali Engineer, Mr. Shyam Benegal, Mr. Om Puri, Mr Samar Sen and Mahasweta Devi .
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The first act uf the Co mmis· sian has been to set up the Indian People" Human Rights Tribunal, consisting of forme r judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts. The Commis· sion will receive petitions and complaints conceming violation of human right s by the State, cnnduct preliminary investiga· tion and Ihen forward them to the Tribunal. The Tribunal, a high powered non·govemment body, will include: V.R. Krishna Iyer, fomler judge of the Supreme Court (Chair· man of the Tribunali P.S. Poti, former Chief .Justice, Gujarat High Court, T.V . Mehta, former Chief Justice, Himachal Pradesh High Court, BJ. Dewan, former Chief Justice, Andhra Pradesh High Court, Shanna Sarkar, fo r· mer judge of Calcutta High Court, Hanhar Mohapatra, for· mer judge of Orissa High CoU/1, Jyotinnoy Nag, fornler judge of Calculla High Cou rt, D.P. Desai. former judge of Gujarat High Court, and CJ.R. Paul fanner judge of Madras High Ccurt.
'Ibe iIrol issue thaI the Tribunal will take up will be the legalily of the police liring at ArwaI In BU.ar on the 19th of April, 1986. A large number of landless and poor peasants were ldIIed In the I1ring but the BIhar State Govemment
has 80 far not ordered a judi· cial enquiry Into the Incident. Sri P.S. Poti, Sri T.U. Mehta and Sri Shann. Sarkar will inquire Into this IncidenL The dates of the sittings will be
announced in due course. Expanse of Government Lawlessness In his inaugural remarks, Prof. AR. Desai explained that the commission had been fanned in response to the "growing expanse of government lawlessness" Mr. V.M. Tarkunde point· ed out that when human rights were violated by the State itself, there was no body or investiga t· ing agen cy to go in to such via· lations. "As people begin to understand and demand their rights, Sta te te rrorism was bound to grow", warned th e form er judge of th e Bombay High Court . Prof. Romila Tltapar of Jawa· har Lal Nehru University said that in a democracy it was t:!ssential to have watchdog in5titutions just as it was important to buil d up a moral authority in • the larger public interest. Also see story on p age 14.
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Mail Censorship The President Bnd the PM. A mBtter 01 returning censored /ettere. Look out for B Special Report In the next Issue
Cease Fire, Hold Talks, Restore Politics Khalistan Not The Issue Unique Delhi Dialogue on Punjab Gazelle News Service hi le the goveT11ment in Delhi contin ues to gape vacan tly at Punjab, and the Punjab government itself persists with playi ng a suppuca· tory role vis-a-vis the centre, a group of citizens in Delhi went ahead with organising a break· through round table dialogue on the crisis in the troubled state. The round table meeting held on Thursday January 15 at the India International Cen tre was spearheaded by Dr. I.K. Gujral of the Punjab Group.
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The meeting la full report of which is carried on page 8·91 was one of the most unique to be held since the Punjab ctisis went into flames with the anny assault on the Golden Temple in June 1984. Its uniqueness lay in the fact that it was able to get
individuals and groups from a broad spectrum of viewpoints to sit around the same table for
a full day to excbange views without being uncontrollably in· tolerant of one another's point of view.
Wide Range A wide range of opinion from the Congress·\ to the Damadami Taksal was represented at the round table, which included members of the CPI, CPM, Janata, BJP, the Uni ted Akali Dal, both factions of the Akali Dal. re tired senior civi l servants, retired police and mil · itary officers, serving editors of
major newspapers, academics and members of leading civil liberties organisations. Unanimous Call Inder Gulrlll: S"","'lIl1dlng II break through dllliogue.
The meeting gave a unanim· ous call for a cease fire or moratorium to the government
and a ll groups involved in via· le nt incidents in Punjab. It also called for a restoration of the stalled political dialogue in the Punjab during the proposed 3 mo nt h moralOrium from Republic Day onwards. All the participants at the meeting agreed that it was not only possible, but also desirable, for political talks to be initiated with all parties and groups concerned wi th the crisis, barring those based across the international border. As regards the question of secession, the overwhelming opinion around the table was that to a large extent the 'demand ' for Khallstan was more cry of anger and allenation than a general desire for political seperation from the • rest of the counlly.