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

INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Mizoram
The Myanmarese refugees who faced
large-scale refoulement in 2003 constantly
live under fear. The order of the National
Human Rights Commission of 25 October
2004 pertaining to the complaint of the
Asian Centre for Human Rights against the
refoulement of the Myanmarese refugees
has failed to stop the refoulement.
Non-state organisations especially the
Young Mizo Association, Mizo Zirlai Pawl
and Mizo Students Union have been
instrumental for the refoulement of the
Myannmarese refugees. These non-State
organisations continued to take law into
their hands with regard to the “outsiders” -
those who have allegedly entered
Mizoram without valid Inner Line Permits
(ILP) or continued to live after the expiry
of the ILP.
Ethnic minorities continue to be
discriminated and demand for Union
Territory (UT) by the Lai, Mara and
Chakma UT Demand Committee surfaced.
On 19 March 2004, the ruling MNF
members turned down a private member
bill on Right to Information and
Transparency in Public Procurement Bill. 2
Though Mizoram government has
made significant progress for codification
of customary laws, women continued to
suffer from traditional justice system.
There has been increase of trafficking of
women. 3
II. Atrocities by security forces
There have been reports of human
rights violations in Mizoram.
On 13 July 2004, 16-year-old
176
Lalmuanpuia s/o C. Vanlalvena (vide GR
No. 170/04,) was physically assaulted by
Superintendent of Police for refusing to
confess. He was slapped repeatedly that
caused bleeding from the ears. The
Superintendent of Police justified it by
stating that the accused did not answer his
questions properly and had stared at the
Champhai District Magistrate. The victim
was referred to ENT specialist at Aizawl
hospital, from Civil Hospital of
Champhai. 4
On the night of 24 October 2004, a 20year-old
Mizo girl was allegedly assaulted
and raped by two jawans of the Counter
Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School
(CIJWS) at Vairengte village in Kolasib
district. The YMA and Mizo Hmeichhe
Insuikhawm Pawl alleged that the jawans
waylaid the girl who was returning from a
church service in the United Penticostal
Church, Vairengte, along with two youth.
After threatening and physically assaulting
the two boys, the army jawans raped the
girl. The army jawans also allegedly
snatched and threw away the Bible she
was carrying. 5 Although the authorities of
the CIJWS denied the charge of rape, 6 later
on, a jawan of the school was dismissed
from service and another reprimanded for
molesting the Mizo girl. A defence press
release in Kolkata on 1 December 2004
stated: “Two soldiers, attached to the
Counter-insurgency and Jungle Warfare
School at Vairengte, Mizoram, were
identified as having committed the
offence. While one has been dismissed
from service, the other has been severely