NEW DELHI, 2 Jul: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the deputy commissioner of Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh to submit its action taken report (ATR) on the complaint filed by the Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) over alleged “harassment and false prosecution of the Chakmas’ human rights defenders of Dharmapur village by the Miao ADC,” by 8 August, and said that the NHRC would otherwise “be constrained to invoke its coercive power under Section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, calling for personal appearance.”
The NHRC took cognisance of the CDFI’s complaint on 4 March this year and sought the ATR from the Changlang DC within four weeks. “No response was submitted by the DC. On 6 May, the NHRC once again directed the DC to submit the ATR but the DC has failed to submit it till date,” the CDFI said.
The CDFI in its complaint dated 11 February, 2022, alleged “false prosecution of the Chakma human rights defenders, namely, Kantimoni Chakma, Shanti Mohan Chakma, Sukra Chakma, Sunil Chakma, Sumar Jiban Chakma and Himanta Chakma, of Dharmapur village in Miao circle of Changlang district by the ADC who, vide order dated 10 February, 2022, initiated proceedings under Section 188 CrPC for violations
of Section 144 CrPC and removing the pillars erected between Dharmapur and Neoton village on 8 February, 2022 by deploying a huge contingent of security forces.”
