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Frontier of Human Rights
 Mukundan
C Menon, India's prominent human rights activist, media personnel, architect of
Confederation of Human Rights Organisations, the torch bearer of the fight
against communalism and fascism in the country, passed away on 12-12-2005 at
Trivandrum ,Kerala where he was admitted a week ago following complications
caused by a cardiac arrest. His absence leaves us much poorer. Let's hope that
others will carry on the torch that he lit and bore ...
Mr. Mukundan C Menon, Secretary General of Confederation of Human Rights
Organizations (CHRO) and Executive Editor of Thejas News Daily, died today,
8.45 A.M at KIMS hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. He was 57. He was a relentless
advocate for securing the freedom of those struggling for their dignity and
basic human rights. Hundreds of people including many human rights activists and
social leaders from all communities came to pay condolences to the bereaved
family. Mr. Mukundan C Menon would be best remembered for the role he played as
a free media journalist. Menon who wrote against hindutva fascism have been
accused of being terrorist sympathizer by sangh parivar dominated media. Menon
was a leading human rights activist for over 35 years and helped to found a
number of India's national non-governmental human rights organizations. He was
jailed during the infamous emergency period. As a human rights activist, Menon
presented the cases of numerous political prisoners and sought justice in many
high-profile cases including of Mr. Abdul Nasar Maudani. He vigorously condemned
the responsibility of the security forces in human rights violations and the
high level of impunity which benefits those responsible for human rights
violations.
A native of Thrissur, he had been at the vanguard of an apolitical human rights
movement in the State ever since he came here from Delhi in 1993.
He was working as a freelance journalist in Delhi in 1969-70 when the Naxal
movement was at its height. Shocked by the State repression let loose in its
wake, he teamed up with a few other social activists and trade unionists to form
the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) and started a public
awareness campaign. He had been Delhi State secretary of the PUCL, which was
instrumental in paving way for the 1979 Supreme Court directive that the death
penalty be awarded only in the rarest of rare cases. He was elected secretary of
the Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (CHRO), an umbrella organisation
of human rights groups, in 1997. His association with NDF, Kerala is a vital
one. Since his introduction to Manitham, a Human Rights organisation from Tamil
Nadu, he acts as
one of the leading advisors and supports in several area. Manitham respects his contributions to society.
Mr. Menon’s bravery was not only confined to criticizing the acts of hindutva
fascism. He was one of the few who spoke out openly for fair media practices in
order to defend human rights violation. National Development leader, Prof. P.
Koya today expressed his organization's condolences to the family of Menon. NDF
collaborates closely with CHRO, and had strong personal ties to Mukundan C Menon.
“ Menon was a human rights activist without peer in our country. His optimism,
energy, and creativity are legendary, and the sophistication and integrity he
brought to the work of monitoring will be greatly missed by his friends and
colleagues in our country. Menon’s death is a loss to the human rights movement
everywhere, especially to human rights activists and victims of abuses in India,
where his work brought hope and life to thousands of people. His ability to
translate information about human rights violations into concrete political
change was extraordinarily motivating, and set a standard for all to follow. He
will remain a legend in the minds and hearts of the people of India who fought
for truth and justice. He was an activist very much in touch with the ordinary
people, thus gaining their support. Menon's life will remain an inspiration to
the human rights movement in our country.” Prof. Koya said.
He had recently taken charge as the executive editor of the forthcoming daily,
Tejas, promoted by the National Development Front [NDF]. Starting off as a
stringer in Hyderabad of Kerala-based Mathrubhoomi newspaper, Menon had been
drawn to the ultra Left movement there and human rights campaigns. He had won
several awards.
Staff of Thejas daily expressed their personal appreciation for Menon’s
inspiration, and their deepest condolences to his wife, and his many friends.
Menon led a quite but defiant struggle under very difficult circumstances. Even
in weak health and with threats to his life, he personally took part in various
training sessions of the soon launching Thejas Daily. Menon was a brilliant
organiser and leader. He leaves behind a legacy of activism in the most
difficult of circumstances and an active movement of people to continue the
monumental tasks he initiated. " In this sad moment, we cannot do better than to
pledge to continue the struggle initiated by Menon until complete and real
justice is attained for the cause for which he fought" , a senior journalist of
Thejas daily said.
Mr Mukundan C Menon was a regular contributor to The Milli Gazette. MG editor,
Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan said in a message to his family and friends: "We are
shocked to know of the untimely demise of our friend Mr Mukundan C Menon. He was
a great fighter for human and civil rights in this country. His death is a great
loss for all freedom-loving people of India. May his soul rest in peace and may
people like us enjoy even a fraction of the courage and commitment he
demonstrated in the face of tyranny, human rights violations and hate. We are
with you in this hour of mourning and loss. We pray for his soul to rest in
peace and continue to guide us."
[THE END]
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