Rights body finds violations in Silchar detention camp

SILCHAR: The Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has expressed its concern over human rights violations in the Silchar detention camp, which is housed inside the Silchar Central Jail.

A three-member AHRC team, which visited the Silchar detention camp on Sunday, said they found during their visit that both inmates of the detention camp and the inmates of the Silchar Central Jail have been living in the same place, which they said is a “gross violation” of human rights.

Talking to media at the Silchar circuit house, T Vaiphei, chairman of AHRC, said that detainees of the detention camp and jail inmates are not the same and should not be treated in the same way. He also added that under-trials and convicts have been lodged together inside the jail.

“We have found that there is no separate jail manual in the Silchar Central Jail and the case is the same for the Silchar detention camp. They should have been treated separately. This is sad that the inmates of detention camp are being treated in line with those jail inmates. We will ask the authorities to look into the matter,” said Vaiphei.

NK Bora and DK Saikia were the two other members of the commission who were part of the visiting three-member team.

Sources said there are 78 detainees in the Silchar detention camp at present. They include self-claimed Bangladeshis who have been sent to the camp through judicial processes and some others who have been declared as foreigners by the tribunals.

Speaking about their three-day visit across jails of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi, the AHRC members said the jails they visited were found to be in abysmal conditions and “not at all up to the standards.” They said the jails are in need of an immediate facelift and that the commission shall speak to higher authorities on the matter.

“We could see that there are no separate jail manuals for convicts, suspected doubtful citizens and under-trial prisoners. Suspected doubtful citizens and under-trial prisoners cannot be kept along with the convicts,” the AHRC team said.

Speaking on the Karimganj district jail, they said, “The building is outdated and calls for immediate reconstruction. We were told that land allotment procedure is already under way. The situation must improve.”

Speaking about cases dealt with by the AHRC, Vaiphei said, “Among cases that come to the commission, nearly 50% are from Barak Valley. Most cases are lodged against police torture, extortions and medical negligence, which is a serious violation of the human rights. Not only violation of the rights of Indian citizens, the commission also has the authority to speak against the breach of rights of foreigners who are citizens of other nations.”