annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights

INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Manipur
killed by the Assam Rifles;
- Judicial enquiry into the death of N
Sanjita of Ucharthol who
committed suicide on 4 October
2003 by consuming poison, just a
few hours after she was subjected to
“frisking” by Army personnel
stationed at the Jiribam railway
station; and
- Killing of AS Somatai by personnel
of Imphal East commandos on 1
December 2004 night along the
Heingang-Sangakpham road.
V. Manipur State Human Rights
Commission
On 27 June 1998, State government of
Manipur established the State Human
Rights Commission. However, the
Manipur State Human Rights Commission
(MSHRC) exists only on paper due to lack
of members, resources and contempt of the
State government.
After the formation of MSHRC, the
State government of Manipur appointed
three members. Justice S N Bhargava who
was also serving as the Chairman of the
State Human Rights Commission of
Assam was appointed as the Chairperson
of the MSHRC. During his entire tenure,
Justice Bhargava reportedly visited
Manipur twice only.
To deal with the absence of Justice
Bhargava, an Acting Chairman among the
three members was appointed. The
members of the State Human Rights
Commission also developed the rules of
procedures which provided that on legal
matters, at least two members must give
their assent.
On 3 September 2003, Justice W A
Shishak was appointed as the Chairman of
the Manipur State Human Rights
Commission. When the Director of Asian
Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) met
Justice Shishak on 23 August 2004 in
Imphal, Justice Shishak was not paid any
salary since his appointment. He was
maintaining himself with his pension as
former Chief Justice of Chattisgarh High
Court. Apart from a letter appointing him
as the Chairman, Justice Shishak did not
receive any further communications. For
two months, Justice Shishak had been
seeking an appointment with Chief
Minister Ibobi Singh but without any luck.
The term of the other three members
expired on 8 December 2003. At the end of
2004, not a single member was appointed.
As the rules developed by former members
of the MSHRC require assent of two
members on legal matters, Justice Shishak
cannot take any decision. He has been
postponing all the complaints, hoping that
the State government would soon appoint
the other members.
The Manipur State Human Rights
Commission never had any Secretary
General since its formation. A Deputy
Secretary of the Law Ministry has been
serving as the head of the administration of
the MSHRC. He shuttles between the Law
Ministry and the State Human Rights
Commission and reportedly spends only
about 20% of his time with the State
Human Rights Commission. The Manipur
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