PUCL Press Statement on Detention of Himanshu in Chhattisgarh

The PUCL condemns the detention of Himanshu of Vanvasi Chetna Ashram (VCA), Dantewada and PUCL State Executive member of the Chhattisgarh at Kanker Police Station today 3rd January, 2010. This detention has been made on the eve of the Public Hearing that was being organised by VCA on the atrocities being committed by police and security forces in that area. According to the VCA the detention of Himanshu at this stage is to clearly sabotage the hearing.

Himanshu’s detention follows a series of harassment that he and his organisation have been subjected to which include

• Demolition of his ashram outside Dantewda,
• Arrest of Sukhnath on 1st August, ’09 and of Kopa Kunjam on 10th December, ’09, both senior activists of VCA , under chhattisgharh Special Public Security Act, 2005, who were trying to implement the SC orders of implementing the Internally displaced people.
• Preventing Himanshu from taking out a padyatra through the villages of Dantewada district, in December, ‘09
• Intimidation by the police and salwa judum activists to harass women’s groups who were prevented from reaching Dantewada on 15 December, ’09.
• Illegal Detention and intimidation of the 5 women who were fighting their own cases of rape by salwa judum members. They were forcibly made to sign papers by SPOs and Police when they were illegally detained after 15 December, ’09 for 5 days at Dronpal Police Station, that they were not wanting to pursue their cases
• Intimidation by the administration of the landlord who rented the house to Himanshu following which he is being forced to vacate the premises.
• Preventing Himanshu and VCa from even booking rooms at the local Dharmashala including forcing one owner to return the money of rooms he had booked for VCA.

Today too he was trying to escort Shambhu to Raipur, a victim of operation green hunt who sustained bullet injuries in her leg and had to get to Delhi for treatment. She was prevented by the Police from undertaking the travel so Himanshu with others boarded the vehicle and were detained at Kanker, Jagdalpur. PUCL demands that the Chhattisgarh State Government release Himanshu and Kopa and Sukhnath immediately along with ending all harassment of Himanshu Kumar and other members of the VCA who have a right to exercise their democratic rights.

PUCL demands that the State Government implement the SC orders of rehabilitation of internally displaced people which was the main work of Himanshu and the VCA which the local administration and the Government did not like. PUCL also demands Stopping of all operations like green hunt and others that are responsible for human rights violations and letting activists and media to freely move in the areas.

Prabhakar Sinha (President)

Pushkar Raj (General Secretary)
—  Office: 270A, Patpar Ganj, , Mayur Vihar I, Delhi-110091
 ph. 22750014
 098106-56100
 www.pucl.org