December 1, 2001	Saturday	Ramazan 15, 1422

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NEW DELHI, Nov 30: India should strengthen its “weak criminal justice system” rather than enact a controversial new anti-terror law that endangers human rights standards, Amnesty International said on Friday.

“The perceived heightened threat to security and law and order ... must be seen as an opportunity to further strengthen the criminal justice system rather than enact a new draconian law like Poto (Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance),” the human rights organization said in a statement.

“Amnesty International India is concerned that a weak criminal justice system of armed with draconian laws is only likely to end up victimizing the socially and politically marginalized.”

Last month, the Indian cabinet approved Poto, which seeks to curb funding to suspected terrorist groups, confiscate their property and intercept communication between terrorists.

It needs to be passed by both houses of parliament or it will lapse on Dec 21.

The legislation has been opposed by the Congress and communist parties and some allies of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s ruling BJP, who apprehend its misuse against the press and political opponents.

Under the ordinance, any person “knowingly possessing information relating to offences under the ordinance” and keeping it from the authorities would be penalized under the provisions of the law.

Amnesty said “ratification of Poto by parliament would be a setback to the protection and promotion of civil liberties and human rights in general”.

Noting recent statements by some ministers labelling those opposed to Poto as “anti-national”, the London-based group said the ordinance could render “vulnerable sections of society and their political struggles susceptible to criminalization and state repression”.

In Srinagar, a police official said the anti-terrorism ordinance has already been invoked in nearly a dozen cases.

Former Indian environment minister Saif-u-Din Soz, a Kashmiri, called imposition of Poto “tragic and deplorable”.

“There was no need of such a law in (held) Kashmir,” he said, “as anti-terrorism laws already exist in the (occupied) state to deal with the situation.”

“I apprehend a spurt in human rights violations in Kashmir and elsewhere,” Soz said.

LAW APPROVED: Despite nationwide controversy, puppet government of occupied Jammu and Kashmir has approved enforcement of Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO) in the state but has decided to return a property sealed under its provisions earlier this week after investigation, says a report from Jammu.

A decision to this effect was taken at a cabinet meeting on Thursday evening presided over by Farooq Abdullah, Chief Secretary Ashok Jaitly said on Friday.—AFP/APP