US report cites serious problems on India's rights front

Washington, Mar 7 (UNI) A Bush administration report cites "numerous serious problems" on India's human rights front, including extrajudicial killings of persons in custody, disappearances, torture and rape by police and security forces.

The US State Department's annual report on human rights, released yesterday, however, notes that the government of India "generally" respected the rights of its citizens.

At the same time, it says "the lack of accountability permeated the government and security forces, creating an atmosphere in which human rights violations often went unpunished." "Although the country has numerous laws protecting human rights," itpoints out, "enforcement was lax and convictions were rare. Poor prison conditions, lengthy pretrial detention without charge, and prolonged detentions while undergoing trial remained significant problems." The US document says security force officials who committed human rights abuses generally enjoyed de facto impunity, although there were investigations into individual abuse cases as well as punishment of some perpetrators by the court system.

Corruption was endemic in the government and police forces, and the government made little attempt to combat the problem, except for a few instances highlighted by the media.

It says the government continued to apply restrictions to the travel and activities of visiting experts and scholars. "Attacks against religious minorities and the promulgation of antireligious conversion laws were concerns," it says.

The report says "domestic violence and abuses against women such as dowry-related deaths, honor crimes, female infanticide and foeticide, and trafficking in persons remained significant problems. Exploitation of indentured, bonded, and child labour were ongoing problems." It says separatist guerrillas and terrorists in Kashmir, the northeast, and the Naxalite belt committed numerous serious abuses, including killing armed forces personnel, police, government officials, judges, and civilians.

Insurgents also engaged in widespread torture, rape, and other forms of violence, including beheadings, kidnapping, and extortion.

On the international front, the report, criticises Russia for new restrictions on non-governmental organisations, and says NGO laws in neighboring Belarus make it difficult for foreign relief organisations to operate.

UNI