Asian rights body to visit communal-hit areas in Mizoram

New Delhi, Nov.27 (ANI): The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) today accepted the offer of the Mizoram Home Minister Pu R. Lalzirliana to visit Mizoram from 4 to 11 December 2009 or any other dates convenient to the State government.

In a press held in Aizawl on 22 November 2009 in response to the press statement of the ACHR on the recent attacks on the Bru minorities, Home Minister Lalzirliana stated "ACHR representatives are most welcome to come to Mizoram and see the facts and ground realities by themselves."

In a letter to the Home Minister of Mizoram, the ACHR welcomed the invitation as a positive step and expressed its intention to visit the State should "the government of Mizoram make necessary arrangement for adequate safety and security for the Fact Finding Team".

ACHR stated that "In order to ensure "absolute independence, impartiality and objectivity", it has constituted a team of five member Fact Finding Team chaired by Miloon Kothari, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing. Other members include Suhas Chakma, Director of ACHR; Ms Dashalene Karbetang, Advocate and Human Rights Activist, Meghalaya; Nava Thakuria, eminent journalist and General Secretary of Guwahati Press Club, Assam; and Mr Bamang Tago, Chairman of Arunachal Citizens Rights.

"The Investigation Team has representation from most North Eastern States and headed by a former United Nations expert from India. The members are well known in the field of human rights both in the North East region and the world." - further stated ACHR.

The Fact Finding Team shall visit the affected areas and meet all sections, including those involved in relief and rehabilitation, interview all the communities, representative of the civil society groups, including the MZP and YMA and the officials of the government of Mizoram as well as those who recently fled to Tripura. (ANI)