Corruption

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has once again received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation working in West Bengal, concerning the brutality practiced by the Border Security Force (BSF) against civilians living along the Indo-Bangladesh border. In this instance, the BSF was in fact assisting the cross-border smuggling gang of which […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has once again received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation working in West Bengal, concerning the case of 14-year-old girl, who was trafficked from her village on 18 April 2011. The victim was subsequently rescued, but in the meanwhile she was raped several times. The father […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation working in West Bengal, concerning the case of 15-year-old girl, who was trafficked to Bangalore from the Indo-Bangladesh border. In this unfortunate case, the victim girl from Padmapukur village, was first married to one Mr. Abdulla Mondal son […]

In what appears to be an ‘absolutely normal’ practice in India, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state, Ms Mayawati, has declared, that one of her ministers, accused of having raped a girl, is not guilty. The chief minister also declared, that there would be no investigation against the minister. The incident of rape of […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has once again received information from MASUM, a human rights organisation working in West Bengal, concerning the case of 13-year-old girl, who was trafficked from the Indo-Bangladesh border area by a gang of criminals. It is reported that the police is refusing to take any sensible action […]

At 5 pm Indian standard time today (14 October), the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Ms Mayawati, will inaugurate a park in Noida, that Mayawati claims is a Dalit memorial to symbolise Dalit liberation and power in India. Noida is close to New Delhi, the national capital. It is reported that the park, constructed at […]

(Hong Kong, October 14, 2011) This report is entitled the Alternative report to the committee against torture in connection with the third periodic report of Sri Lanka. The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC), Hong Kong, REDRESS Trust London, Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), Denmark and Action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la torture (ACAT France) […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received the information that the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) program aiming to ensuring food security of the poor in Gaibandha district failed to reach the actual beneficiary. Out of 13 villages in Monohorpur Union, Palasbari sub-district, 1,000 families from seven villages only are on the list […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has once again received information from Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) concerning the case of threats to a human rights defender Mr Kanai Mondal, since he dared to help a victim of torture, Mr Mahadeb Mondal.  It is reported that the on 30 August 2011, the Camp […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) concerning the case of threats to a human rights defender Mr Faizuddin Biswas, since he dared to complain against a gang of smugglers to the local police. The incident happened on 26 August 2011 at about 2.30 pm. Biswas […]

(This is the text of a presentation at A Consultation on Peace and Security in Asia and Ecumenical Responses held on August 1-6, 2011, organized by WCC and CCA) As a start we may try to reflect on some of the concerns expressed by the participants of this meeting who have spoken so far. One […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to introduce you to the latest report released by State Advisor (Madhya Pradesh) to the Supreme Court Commissioner on the Sardar Sarovar Dam Project affected villages in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh. The report is titled: Valley of food insecurity and chronic hunger : Field status of government programmes […]

Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the 30 villagers engaged in road construction from February 2011 onward under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) did not receive their full wages in March. All testified that the Post Master deducted certain amounts from two months wages in […]

There is surely nothing wrong in demanding an end to the reign of corruption. And yet, for many in India it seems to amount to being “as good as undermining the Constitution”, or resembling “a process to destabilise the establishment”. The religious elite in the country claim that “fasting demanding an end to corruption is a sin, since […]

Given the primacy of combating corruption to breathe life into the concept of democracy, the anti-corruption movement in India is indeed the country’s second movement for freedom. Given the magnitude of the problem, the complex and interlinked inroads corruption has made into all aspects of life in the country, it is not mere lack of […]

Dear friends,  The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information concerning yet another case of coldblooded murder committed by the Border Security Force (BSF) operating along the Indo-Bangladesh border. MASUM, AHRC’s partner organisation in West Bengal informs that the BSF shot Mr. Alamgir Seikh at a close range, after the BSF apprehended him by […]

For a government, when its law enforcement agencies are accused of housing criminals in uniform, it is an embarrassment, to the say the least. When the accusation, that the state police have become a roost for criminals, is made by a superior court, it must carry certain credence. That the court makes such worrying observation, […]

Dear friends,  The Minahasa district police in North Sulawesi charged Stanly Handry Ering, the whistleblower in a corruption case, with defamation. Ph E A Tuerah, Rector of the University of Negeri Manado (UNIMA) reported Stanly to the Minahasa district police for defaming him as an alleged corrupt person. Rector Tuerah and his subordinates tried to […]

The long struggle of a female worker has drawn the attention of both the local and international community. Ms. Kim Jin-suk, a member of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has been occupying the cabin of Crane No. 85, which is 35 metres high, in the shipyard of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction (HHIC) […]

Basil Fernando In my earlier short essay titled Replacing investigations with gossip, I tried to point to the absence of outrage against forced disappearances in Sri Lanka, which I ended by saying that there must be some cultural for such an attitude. In this second short essay I venture to look into what that cultural root […]