Colonel-rank official to monitor rights violation

The army has designated officers of the rank of colonel at its various operational headquarters to monitor and follow up reports of human rights violations by its personnel.

The officers have been posted at Army Headquarters, Command Headquarters, Corps Headquarters, Counter-insurgency Headquarters and Divisional Headquarters after National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson Justice A S Anand met Army Chief General N C Vij and discussed alleged violations of human rights by men in uniform.

The Army Chief said human rights figured 'very high' in the army's operational matrix and it remains committed to do 'everything possible' to further improve its track record in this field.

He informed Justice Anand that the army is taking cognizance of alleged rights violation reported not only by the NHRC but also other sources, including media reports, according to an NHRC release.

Vij said 131 army personnel of various ranks had been punished for rights violations of whom 15 were dismissed from service.

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In Jammu and Kashmir, there is a 'perceptible decline' in rights violations since 2002. While an average of 81 cases were reported every year between 1990-1999, only 16 were reported in 2003 and four so far this year, he said.

Recently, the Union Home Ministry had said that NHRC is entitled to recommend interim compensation to victims of alleged rights abuses by members of armed forces.