‘Need for Transitional Justice is Acute in India’

New Delhi: In view of the widespread abuse of draconian provisions in the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in certain “disturbed” areas, there is an acute need for “transitional justice” in India, argues a professor at the O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) in Sonipat, Haryana. “Whether transitional justice should happen alongside AFSPA or only once AFSPA is repealed/withdrawn is an ongoing debate, but definitely the need for transitional justice is acute in the country,” Y.S.R. Murthy, Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights Studies, Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), told IANS in an email interview.

In a transitional justice framework — which complements criminal prosecutions through a series of non-judicial processes — the focus, while being on victims, is also on healing and reconciliation. Earlier in December, The Centre for Human Rights Studies and the Centre for the Study of Knowledge Systems of JGLS organized a consultation on “Potential Transitional Justice Framework for Manipur”. At the centre of the discussion was an investigation into as many as 1,528 alleged cases of extra-judicial killings in the troubled northeastern state.

Underlining the importance of transitional justice in India, the professor said that gross human rights violations, both by security forces and armed groups, create a situation where effective transition to lasting peace becomes difficult. “Further, India has signed important international conventions against torture and enforced disappearances, but it has still not ratified them.

This has huge ramifications for enjoyment of human rights in ‘disturbed areas’ such as Manipur and Kashmir,” Murthy said. Widespread dialogue done in good faith with active participation of the government is a critical prerequisite for bringing in any transitional justice framework into action. (IANS)

Also Read: National News