IMPHAL, May 24
Community Network for Empowerment CoNE and Users Society for Effective Response (USER) Manipur have condemned International Human Rights Organisation 'for taking up inspection visits in privately run drug de-addiction centres defying all existing norms amid the COVID-19 crisis.
In a joint statement, the two bodies claimed that the said organisation is neither an organisation/institution constituted by an act of Indian Parliament or any others Legislative Assemblies like Manipur Human Rights Commission/National Human Rights Commission nor United Nations agencies like UNDP, UNICEF etc.
Stating that International Human Rights Organisation has no mandate or any authority under law to carry out any investigation or inspection to the drug addiction and alcoholism Treatment Centres, it added that the very act of conducting inspection by the said organisation at various centre against the will of the rehabilitation centres owner itself is a violation of the right to privacy of individuals guaranteed by the Constitution of India and also an offence of trespass under Indian Penal Code.
A petition has been filed in this regard to the Manipur Human Rights Commission following which the commission in its proceeding dated May 19 has directed to prevent any unauthorised visit to addiction centres in view of COVID-19 pandemic, said the two bodies and maintained that a copy of instruction was also sent the Director General of Police, Manipur asking him to take necessary action and report compliance to the Commission by May 27, 2020.
However, defying the instruction of the Commission, the said team still continued to carry out the inspection, it alleged.
Further claiming that the organisation acquired permission from the Inspector General of Police (Ops) which also provides security cover to their team during the visit, CoNE and USER Manipur appealed to the Director-General of Police (DGP), Manipur not to encourage any application received from any unauthorised organisations for security arrangements in visiting rehabilitation centres especially during this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
A complaint letter against the organisation in this regard has also been submitted to the DGP, Manipur by CoNE and USER Manipur, they said.