NATIONAL SEMINAR ON ENCOUNTER KILLINGS HELD ON MUMBAI 26 JUNE 2007
Mumbai, June 26: The different communities living in India should join hands together to counter the state terrorism in order to bring dignity of life to each and every individual.
The unholy alliance between the politicians in power, police and the media should be exposed with the concerted efforts of one and all whether one is affected or not directly or indirectly. Media has played a major role to project Naxalites as anti-nationals and Muslims as terrorists. The Muslims are being targeted in fake encounter killings in the name of terrorism while earlier Dalits and other have-nots were shot down in the name of Naxalites.
The above thoughts were expressed in more or less in unison by different speakers at the National seminar on fake ‘Encounter Killings’ organized by National Confederation of Human Rights Organizations, (NCHRO), here today in association with the Amnesty International India on the Anti-Torture Day at Marathi Patrakar Sangh Hall. Prior to the seminar an inter-action session was held in the morning at the same venue.
The speakers stressed the need to develop a database of encounter killings in order to follow the cases to their ultimate conclusions of bringing the accused to be booked under the law. This would give some solace to the relatives of the encounter killings, they added. Dr. Arshi said police encounter began in early 70s. Previously it was area specific but now it is spreading all over India. Over 10,000 people are missing in Kashmir, while 2500 missing in Punjab. He said that psychological operations are also going on in India to widen and divide between Hindus and Muslims. He named six police encounters specialist only in Bombay. He expressed fear that state level parties are now in alliance state party leadership. Dr. Arshi sad that growing dominance of anti-Muslim political parties in power is posing threat to Muslims to be victims of police encounter. He said that all fake encounters should be investigated and the accused be punished.
The new national committee of NCHRO also formed on the occasion which is as follows:
President: Justice Hosbet Suresh (Mumbai), Vice Presidents: Dr. John Dayal & Dr Shams-ul-Islam (both New Delhi), Prof. Babayya (Bangalore), Dr. Abraham Mathai (Mumbai); Secretary General: Adv. K.P. Mohammed Shareef (Kerala); Secretary: Ms Gouri Lankesh (Bangalore), G. Subramanian (Chennai), Dr. Abdul Salam (Kerala); Treasurer: Justice (Retd.) Co Chenna Basappa, (Mangalore).The Executive Committee members are: Prof. Ramesh (Karnataka), Pervez Bari (Bhopal), E.M. Abdurahman (Kerala), Dr. Mehboob Shariff (Karnataka), Adv Suresh (Andhra Pradesh), Lateef Mohammed Khan (Hyderabad), Abdul Hafiz Gandhi & Prof. Arshi Khan (both Aligarh), Pattabirama Somayaji (Karnataka), K.M. Shareef (Karnataka), Adv. Sunder Rajan P. (Tamilnadu), A.M.M. Shafi (Karnataka) and Adv. Sultan, (Tamilnadu)
A resolution against the encounter killings was adopted.