The Human Rights Actions Network http://www.derechos.org/human-rights/action.html Khalsa Human Rights INDIAN SUPREME COURT VERIFIES REPORTS OF ILLEGAL CREMATIONS ----------------------------------------------------------- ON JULY 22, THE INDIAN SUPREME COURT FOUND THAT ALMOST 1,000 BODIES TAGGED "UNIDENTIFIED" BY POLICE HAD BEEN SECRETLY DISPOSED OF IN THE INDIAN STATE OF PUNJAB DURING 1990-1995. JUSTICE KULDIP SINGH AND JUSTICE SAGHIR AHMED STATED THAT ON THE BASIS OF MATERIAL COLLECTED DURING THE CBI INQUIRY IT HAD FOUND THAT A TOTAL OF 984 BODIES HAD BEEN ILLEGALLY CREMATED BY THE PUNJAB POLICE. THEY EXPRESSED "HORROR AND SHOCK" AT THESE REVELATIONAS AND DESCRIBED THE INCIDENT AS "WORSE THAN A GENOCIDE." THE CBI WILL SUBMIT ITS FINAL REPORT TO THE SC ON OCTOBER 7, 1996, OVER A YEAR SINCE THE ABDUCTION OF JASWANT SINGH KHALRA ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1996. JASWANT SINGH KHALRA (BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL): -------------------------------------------------------------- ON JULY 30, 1996, THE CBI PRESENTED ITS REPORT TO THE SUPREME COURT INTO THE ABDUCTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST AND GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS WING OF THE AKALI DAL, JASWANT SINGH KHALRA. THE REPORT FOUND NINE POLICE OFFICIALS AS HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN THE ABDUCTION. THE SUPREME COURT HAS DIRECTED THAT THE NINE MEN FACE TRIAL FOR THE ABDUCTION, THAT FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS BE CARRIED OUT TO ASCERTAIN THE FATE OF JASWANT SINGH KHALRA AND THAT KEY WITNESSES BE OFFERED PROTECTION DURING THE INVESTIGATIONS. THE FATE OF JASWANT SINGH KHALRA REMAINS UNKNOWN. PLEASE SEND APPEALS WELCOMING THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SUPREME COURT AND EXPRESSING CONCERN THAT INVESTIGATIONS ARE PROMPTLY CONCLUDED AND THAT THE NINE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE ABDUCTION OF JASWANT SINGH KHALRA ARE PROMPTLY TRIED. APPEALS TO: INDRAJIT GUPTA MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS MINISTRY FOR HOME AFFAIRS NORTH BLOCK NEW DELHI 110 O01 FAXES: 00 91 11 301 9817 ATTENTION HOME MINISTER HARCHARAN SINGH BRAR CHIEF MINISTER OF PUNJAB OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MINISTER RAJ BHAVAN CHANDIGARH PUNJAB INDIA FAXES: 00 91 172 540 936 (IN THE UK) COPIES TO: HIS EXCELLENCY DR. L.M. SINGHVI HIGH COMMISSIONER OF INDIA INDIA HOUSE ALDWYCH LONDON WC2B 4NA FAXES: 0171 836 4331 I.K.GUJRAL MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTRY FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SOUTH BLOCK NEW DELHI 110 001 INDIA FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT JANINE AT KHALSA HUMAN RIGHTS ---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- Khalsa Human Rights, 9 Holy Bones, Leicester LE1 4LJ, UK tel/fax: +44 116 2624264 email: KhalsaHR@dial.pipex.com home page: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ev90495 ------------------------------------------------------------- Khalsa Human Rights, 9 Holy Bones, Leicester LE1 4LJ, UK tel/fax: +44 116 2624264 email: KhalsaHR@dial.pipex.com home page: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ev90495