Statementofbhrpcregardingcontinuedas

OFFICE OF THE

BARAK HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION COMMITTEE Rongpur Part-iv (Near Uco Bank), Silchar - 9, Cachar (Assam)

FOR EQUALITY, A human rights organisation of the nature as is contemplated under Sec 12 (i) of the JUSTICE Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and registered under AND PEACE the Societies Registration Act, 1860. E-mail: [email protected], FAX- 03842-263592; WebPages: http://bhrpc.net.googlepages.com

Ref. No. BHRPC/

Date: 14-02-2008

Statement of BHRPC Regarding Assault on Human Rights BARAK HUMAN Rights Protection Committee (BHRPC), a human rights group working mainly in southern part of Assam known as Barak Valley, is deeply concerned over the arrest of Lachit Bordoloi, advisor to the Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS), Pradeep Gogoi, the Duliajan correspondent of NETV, Nekibur Zaman, advocate, Guwahati High Court and Suman Dutta, an employee of Air Deccan. We fear for their safety. It is disturbing that Borodoloi, Dutta and Gogoi have been remanded to 5-6 day police custody by the sub divisional judicial magistrate, Kamrup. Nekibur Zaman is in hospital with a leg injury. The police are accusing them of being involved in a plot of hijacking a flight. But long before Lachit’s arrest, it was known that the Assam government had decided to detain him. On February 9, the police had come to his house and without giving a seizure list, confiscated some CDs and his computer from his residence. BHRPC wants to remind that this is not the first time that Bordoloi has been picked up, having been arrested under TADA, while it was in operation and on other occasions. Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti, of which he is the advisor, too has also been at the receiving end of a state onslaught, with its offices being routinely ransacked, and activists threatened. It is to be noted that Bordoloi was part of the People’s Consultative Group set up in 2005 to initiate discussion between the government of India and United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). His arrest is another indication of the hard line that the government is adopting towards those who seek to occupy the middle ground. It is also yet another instance, in now linking Lachit to ULFA, of how the pernicious Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 2004 is being used to choke human rights activity. MASS has over the years been strongly opposing army atrocities, encounters, disappearances in Assam, and together with many other organisations demanding the repeal of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 (AFSPA). Coming as it does, within a few months of the arrest of Dr Binayak Sen, vice-president of PUCL, his arrest is clearly part of a concerted strategy, on the part of the state, to silence all democratic dissent and criticism of state policies, especially in conflict areas. BHRPC demands: 1. The immediate and unconditional release of Lachit Bordoloi, Pradeep Gogoi, Suman Dutta and Nekibur Zaman 2. The total repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958

OFFICE OF THE

BARAK HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION COMMITTEE Rongpur Part-iv (Near Uco Bank), Silchar - 9, Cachar (Assam)

FOR EQUALITY, A human rights organisation of the nature as is contemplated under Sec 12 (i) of the JUSTICE Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and registered under AND PEACE the Societies Registration Act, 1860. E-mail: [email protected], FAX- 03842-263592; WebPages: http://bhrpc.net.googlepages.com

Ref. No. BHRPC/

Date: 14-02-2008

 3. The repeal of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 2004, The end to any attempts by the government to muzzle the human rights of the people including the right to freedom of the Press and dissent.

Issued by   Neharul Ahmed Mazumder, Secretary General,