South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) yesterday condemned and expressed its deep concern on the rise of incidents of enforced disappearances and secret killings in the country.

In a press statement SAHR said enforced disappearance and subsequent killings of the victims is the worst form of violation of human rights.

The international rights body termed it frustrating that the government fails to give acceptable explanations when witnesses and victims’ family members pointed their fingers at the law enforcement agencies.

Urging the government to take immediate steps to recover the disappeared persons, SAHR said it would be a complete anachronism in democracy if the perpetrators are law enforcers or hired killers or any other impersonating gangs.

It also urged the government to accede to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances.

If the law enforcers take law into their own hands or fail to rein in gangs doing it, the state’s authority is also laid open to question, SAHR said.

Source: The Daily Star (http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=215330) – 23/12/2011