SHILLONG: The Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya has petitioned the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes over the killing of two persons by army personnel at Kharkutta, North Garo Hills on November 25.
In a memorandum to the chairperson of National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Dr Rameshwar Oraon, John F Kharshiing, Chairman, The Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya and Spokesperson, Federation of Khasi States said that the killing of the two men was violation of tribal rights by Rongjuli’s Gorkha Regiment at Rajasimla, Kharkutta outpost, North Garo Hills district.
Seeking the intervention of the commission into the November 25 incident in Garo Hills, Kharshiing said that the incident is a clear violation of Article 50 under the Geneva Convention 1949, including additional protocols of 1977 and 2005 of which India is also a signatory. According to Article 50 of the 1949 Geneva Convention I, Article 51 of the 1949 Geneva Convention II, Article 130 of the 1949 Geneva Convention III and Article 147 of the 1949 Geneva Convention IV, “willful killing” is a grave breach of these instruments, he added.
He further said that the preliminary reports suggest that after shooting, the victim’s bodies were left at the same spot and it was the police who shifted the two bodies to Kharkutta PHC.
The council urged the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to take up this matter of serious atrocity committed on the Scheduled Tribes by the concerned security personnel .
