(Executive Director of HRA Babloo Loitongbam delivering the vote of thanks of the meeting)
The Indian agency E-Paonet reports in some detail on the visit by a UN Special Rapporteur to India. Let’s start by acknowledging India’s willingness to accept the Rapporteur (unlike other countries such as Eritrea I just reported on today)!
The Rapporteur in question is Rashida Manjoo the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its Causes and Consequences who held a consultative meeting with representatives of civil society organizations, women human rights defenders, victims and other advocates working on violence against women at Classic Hotel, on 28 April. As many as forty separate depositions were made during the meeting, the largest one during her current 10-day long official mission to India from April 22 to May 1. After hearing all the depositions, Rashida observed that it was not her mandate to comment on the depositions made before her, but assured that her report and recommendations would be based on facts and they would be placed on the table of the forthcoming session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which is scheduled to take place June this year at Geneva for necessary actions. Furthermore, she said that her opinions and conclusions as an independent expert were hers alone that these would not be changed or shaped by any influence whether from government or any others. The Rapporteur is expected to hold a national press conference at New Delhi on May 1. The consultative meeting at the Hotel Classic was attended by over 200 delegates and family members of women victims of violence from all over the North East region and West Bengal. Representatives of International organizations and National NGOs such as International Committee on the Red Cross ICRC and Child Rights and You CRY were also present. ….Among the deponents was the mother of the late Thangjam Monorama. Breaking into tears during her testimony, she appealed for justice for her daughter, who was brutally tortured and raped by personnel of the Indian paramilitary force, Assam Rifles, before she was killed and her dead body abandoned in a field. Hearing the heart breaking testimony, the UN Special Rapporteur openly wept with Thangjam Monorama’s mother. The report contains a lot more detail and is a good example of how fact finding by UN Rapporteurs should be conducted.
via UN Spl Rapportuer Rashida Manjoo weeps with Manoramas mother : 29th apr13 ~ E-Pao! Headlines.
Related articles
- UN Rapporteur holds consultation with NGOs (assamtribune.com)
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
Leave a Reply