HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN KASHMIR

Seventeen civilians shot dead by Indian armed forces on a single day

2010-09-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

LIST OF 17 CIVILIANS SHOT DEAD ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2010 BY INDIAN SECURITY FORCES
1.Tariq Ahmad Ganai Tangmarg
2.Muddasir Ahmad Parry Tangmarg
3.Abddul Majid Kuzar of Tangmarg
4.Iqbal Ahmad Malik (Mohammed Iqbal Malla) Tangmarg
5.Ab. Qayoom Wani of Tangmarg
6.Afaq Ahmad Khan of Iqbal colony Tangmarg
7.Danish Ahmad Class 7 student of Cherar-i-shareef at Chrari Shareef
8.Ghulam Ahmad (Rasool) Tantary 50 of Humhama
9.Javed Ahmad Teli 24 at Humhama
10.Sheraz Ahmad (Nisar Ahmad) of Ajas Bandipora
11.Ajaz Ahmed Wagay 28, Kadalbal Pampore
12.Riyaz Ahmed Sheikh, Tengan, Pampore
13.Muzaffar Ahmed Mir, Pampore.
14.Policeman Davinder Singh Budgam (Reportedly run over by a vehicle)
15.Rafiqa at Ompora Budgam
16.Showkat Ahmad Mir of JKLF at Budgam
17. Aqib Ahmed 17, Sarnal Islamabad.

69 and counting…Season of cold blooded murders in Kashmir

2010-09-09T22:16:00.000-07:00

No respite for Kashmir as killings continue unabated
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dated September 10th, 2010

1. Tufail Ashraf Mattoo, 17, of Saida Kadal killed by police tear gas canister at Gani stadium Rajouri Kadal on June 11.

2. Muhammad Rafiq Bangroo, 24, of Dana Mazar Safa Kadal beaten by CRPF on June 12 near his residence. He succumbed to injuries on June 20.

3. Javed Ahmed Malla, 19, of Palpora Noorbagh killed by CRPF or police on June 20 at Waniyar Srinagar.

4. Aziz Malik of Chuntwari, Machill Kupwara, killed by armed forces on June 20 at Machill sector of LoC.

5. Mazloom Malik of Chuntwari Kupwara, killed by armed forces on June 20 at Machill sector of LoC.

6. Firdous Ahmed Kakroo, 16 of Niglee Sopore, Baramulla killed by CRPF on June 25 near Jamia Qadeem in Sopore.

7. Shakeel Ahmed Ganai, 24 of Lalad Sopore killed by 177 batallion of CRPF at Chankhan Sopore.

8. Bilal Ahmed Wani, 22, of Kraltaeng Sopore, killed by CRPF bullet in Kraltaeng on June 27.

9. Tajamul Bashir Bhat, 17, of Wadoora Sopore, killed by CRPF or SOG at Kapra Cinema in Sopore outside headquaters of 92 battalion of CRPF.

10. Tauqeer (Asif) Ahmed Rather, 09, of Rather Muhalla of Delina, Baramullah, killed by CRPF on June 28.

11. Ishtiyaq Ahmed Khanday, 15, of SK Colony, Islamabad, killed by police on June 29.

12. Imtiyaz Ahmed Ittoo, 17, of Watergam Dailgam Islamabad, killed by police in SK Colony Islamabad on June 29.

13. Shuja'at ul Islam, 17 of Anchidora Islamabad, killed by police at SK Colony Islamabad on June 29.

14. Muzaffar Ahmed Bhat, 17, of Gangbug, Batamaloo, body recovered from Doodh Ganga Nallah in Baramullah on June 06 alegedly arrested by CRPF on july 05 and tortured to death.

15. Fayaz Ahmed Wani, 24, of Gangbug Batamaloo, killed by CRPF or police firing at Batamaloo on July 06

16. Yasmeen Jan, 25, of Lashmanpora Danderkha, Batamaloo,killed by CRPF/police firing at her residence in Danderkhah on July 06.

17. Abrar Ahmed Khan,16 of Maisuma Bund killed alegedly by police CRPF firing at Maisuma on July 06.

18. Faizaan Ahmed Bhuhroo, 13, of Jalal Sahib Baramulla, died by drowning after SOG men were trying to arrest him on July 17.

19. Fayaz Ahmed Khanday, 23, of Binner Baramulla, killed by CRPF in Baramulla.

20. Tariq Ahmed Dar, 17 of Panzala, Rafiabad, Baramulla,killed in police custody on July 25.

21. Muhammad Ahsan Ganai, 45 of Amargarh Sopore killed by CRPF at Krankshivan Colony on July 30.

22. Showkat Ahmed Chopan, 17, of Amargarh Sopore killed at Kranshivan Colony on Juky 30.

23. Adil Ramzaan Sheikh, 13 of Pattan killed by CRPF at Pattan on july 30.

24. Nazir Ahmed Mir, 23, of Sheeri Baramulla killed by CRPF at Pattan on July 30.

25. Javid Ahmed Teli, 20, of Bungalbagh Baramulla, killed by SOG at cement bridge baramulla on July 31.

26. Mudassir Ahmed Lone, 17, of Herpora Naidkhai, Sumbal killed by CRPF/police at IRP camp in Naidkhai on July 31.

27. Nayeem Ahmed Shah, 20 of Pampore killed by CRPF at Pampore on August 01.

28. Rayees Ahmed Wani, 18 of pampore killed by CRPF at Pampore on August 01.

29. Afrooza Teli of Khrew of Pampore killed by CRPF at her residence on August 01.

30. Javed Ahmed Sheikh, 18 of Wuyen Pampore killed in blast in police station at Khrew on August 01.

31. Muhammad Amin Lone, 22 of Shalnag Khrew killed in blast in police station at Krew on August 01.

32. Basharat Ahmed Reshi, 14 of Wachi Sangam killed by police near his residence on August 02.

33. Irshad Ahmed Bhat, 17 of Reshipora, Sangam tortured and killed alegedly by CRPF and police on August 02.

34. Ashiq Hussain Bhat, 15, of Kulgam Islamabad killed by CRPF at Chawalgam on August 02.

35. Rameez Ahmed Bhat, 16, of Kulgam killed by CRPF at Kulgam on August 02.

36. Hafiz Muhammad Yaqoob Bhat, 22 of Zadoora Kakapora Pulwama killed by CRPF at Kakpora on August 02.

37. Tariq Ahmed Dar, 17 of Semthan Bijbehara wounded by CRPF on August 01 and succumbed to injuries on August 02.

38. Khursheed Ahmed War, 27, of Shumnag Kralpora Kupwara killed by CRPF at Khuzunmati bridge near Kralpora on August 02.

39. Sameer Ahmed Rah, 09 of Batamaloo Srinagar killed by CRPF at Batamaloo on August 02.

40. Mehraj ud din Lone, 23 of Barthana Qamarwai killed by CRPF at Qamarwari police station on August 03.

41. Anis Ahmed Ganai, 17, of Dangerpora Narwara killed by CRPF at Eidgah on August 03.

42. Suhail Ahmed Dar, 15, of Zainakote Srinagar killed by CRPF at Parimpora on August 03.

43. Jehangir Ahmed Bhat, 23, of Chenigam Yaripora killed by CRPF at Kulgam on August 03.

44. Riyaz Ahmed Bhat, 25 of Khrew injured by CRPF at Khrew on August succumbed to injuries on August 03.

45. Muhammad Yaqoob Bhat, 20 of Nund Reshi Colony Bemina, killed by CRPF at Bemina on August 04.

46. Muhammad Iqbal Khan, 22 of Lone Muhalla Chanapora injured by CRPF on July 30 at Chanapora succumbed to injuries on August 04.

47. Shabir Ahmed Malik, 30 of Lonepora Newa Pulwama,killed by CRPF at Pulwama on August 04.

48. Ghulam Nabi Badyari, 48 of Ganpatyar, Habba Kadal, killed by CRPF at his residence on August 05.

49. Rameez Ahmed, 22, of Mundji Sopore killed by CRPF at Warpora on August 06.

50. Aisha Sheikh of Ganpatyar Habba Kadal, succumbed to sling shot injury at her residence on August 07.

51. Fida Nabi Lone, 20, of Qamarwari, injured in CRPF action at Qamarwari on August 03 and succumbed to injuries on August 08.

52. Farrukh Bukhari, 19, of Kreeri Pattan whose body was found at Kreeri on August 11 after 13 days of his disappearance.

53. Mudasir Ahmad Zargar, 16, of Trehgam Kupwara, killed in police and CRPF firing on August 13.

54. Ali Mohammad Khanday, 60, of Khanday Mohalla Pattan, killed in police and CRPF firing on August 13.

55. Arif Mir, 19, of Lagropora, Sopore killed in CRPF firing on August 13.

56. Sameer Lone, 18, of Lagropora, Sopore killed in CRPF firing on August 13.

57. Umar Ahmad Dar, 16, of Narbal killed in CRPF firing on August 14.

58. Irshad Ahmad Latoo, 35, of Anchidora, Islamabad in CRPF firing on August 14.

59. Muhammad Abbas Dhobi, 30, of Mattan succumbed to injuries sustained in police and CRPF action on August 17.

60. Milad Ahmad Dar, 8, of Kulgam succumbed to injuries sustained in CRPF firing on August 19.

61. Nazir Ahmad Wani, 24, was killed when police and paramilitary troopers allegedly fired on protestors at Bijbehara in
South Kashmir’s Islamabad district on August 20.

62. Mudasir Nazir, 18, succumbed to injuries sustained in CRPF firing at Arampora, Sopore on August 20.

63. Bilal Ahmed Shiekh, 23, succumbed to injuries at SKIMS, Soura on August 23. He was beaten ruthlessly allegedly by CRPF and Police during a protest and then shot at by a point blank range at Palhallan, Pattan.

64. Umar Qayoom Bhat, 17, of Soura succumbed to injuries at SKIMS, Soura on August 25. He was allegedly beaten by CRPF causing lung injuries to him. Locals alleged he was tortured to death.

65. On August 30, 9-year-old Irshad Ahmed Parray of South Kashmir’s Islamabad district succumbed to injuries on way to SMHS hospital, after being hit by pellet bullets.

66, 67, 68 and 69: On September 7, four people were killed in police firing at Palhallan, Pattan, which include Feroz Ahmed Malik, 17, Mudasir Ahmad Mir, 23, Noorudin Tantary, 26, and Muhamamd Ramzan Mir, 45.

Indian Home Minister admits 12 out of 59 deaths in Kashmir during two months were unprovoked

2010-08-18T04:13:00.000-07:00

Home Minister promises probe, offers talks within constitution

Courtesy Daily Rising Kashmir dated August 18th, 2010
Srinagar, Aug 17: Union Home Minister Pallaniapan Chidambaram Tuesday admitted that at least a dozen incidents of deaths, during Police action against Kashmiri protesters, were unprovoked and these deaths would be investigated shortly.

Interacting with a delegation of Kashmiri students, Chidambaram said, “our forces have been maintain possible restraint but I admit at least a dozen killings might have happened due to unprovoked firing. We shall carry out proper investigation into such incidents.”

A forty-member student delegation from Kashmir called on the home minister in his North Block chamber Tuesday evening. The delegation was led by Vice Chancellor of Islamic University, Professor Sidiq Wahid. Sources said the meeting was organized by BJP MP Tarun Vijay who was beside Chidambaram while he spoke to the Kashmiri delegation. When contacted, Professor Wahid confirmed the meeting saying, ‘We tried to create an interface between youth and government of India.”

The home minister is learned to have shared with the visiting students his thoughts on possible solutions of Kashmir but has insisted that the solution must be found out within the ambit of Indian constitution. “Constitution of India is flexible enough to accommodate any solution that would bring peace and dignity to the people of Kashmir.”

According to the participants Chidambaram has assured that the number of armed forces would be reduced in civilian areas if the protests and amount of violence comes down. “I was behind the removal of ten thousand troops from Kashmir when the violence level dropped there. I promise I will ensure reduction of troops in civilian areas.”

Killer Facts: Kashmir Cauldron - year of teenage killings

2010-07-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Kashmir Life volume 2, Issue 19, July 3rd, 2010
Despite probes and assurances of zero tolerance for human rights violations, civilian killings have continued under the NC-Congress coalition government since it took over in January 2009.

January 07, 2009: A deaf and dumb person Abdul Rashid Reshi, 45, of Pahalgam was killed in army firing near CM residence in Gupkar. Police claimed that Reshi was on reconnaissance mission for a possible Fidayeen attack. Some protests and condemnation followed the first killing of Omar Abdullah regime. Both Army and police initiated separate inquiries with zero results.

January 31, 2009: Ali Mohammad Bhat son of Ghulam Rasool of Vewan, Bandipore was allegedly killed by army in their custody. Army claimed he died of prolonged illness.

February 02, 2009: Army allegedly kills a tailor, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, 32, of Lolab Kupwara. Army claimed that Mir died in exchange of fire. Police registers case after massive protests. Police later indicted troops of 18 RR in Fayaz’s killing but no arrests were made. Fayaz is survived by wife Tahira, and four children Irfan, 9, Javaid, 8, Nida Jan, 7, and Saqib.

February 22, 2009: Army personnel at Bomai Sopore, killed two youth Mohammad Amin Tantray, 23, and Javed Ahmed Dar, 24, which triggered massive protests across the valley. Bomai residents launch a month-long agitation demanding the removal of the army camp from the area. On March 29, the army camp was removed from the area but troopers are yet to be punished.

March 06, 2009: Mohammad Shahid Ahanger is killed by the paramilitary forces at Nowhatta during a demonstration. Police register a case against the CRPF.

March 18, 2009: Ghulam Mohiuddin Malik, 33, a carpenter is killed by CRPF troopers at Pakherpora after they barge into his house. Violent protests follow.

April 19, 2009: A retired policeman Sham-ud-Din is allegedly killed during an encounter with militants at Kandi Nathnusa village in Baramulla. Protests follow.

May 07, 2009: Mohammed Sadiq is allegedly killed by army in their custody at Doda. A team headed by ADC records the statement of locals and family members. Army denies the allegation saying Sadiq was killed during crossfire.

May 12, 2009: Amina, 17 is killed reportedly in an “exchange of fire” between militants and troops in Kishtwar. Locals denounced the official version and accused the army of gunning her down. Protests follow, compensation is given by administration.

May18, 2009: A car dealer Manzoor Ahmad Beigh, 40, summoned by a special operations group (SOG) of police to the headquarter returns dead. Protests follow and an inspector of SOG is dismissed from service.

May 29, 2009: Asiya Jan, 17, and her sister-in-law Nilofer Jan, 24, are allegedly raped and killed by unknown persons. People suspect security forces. Violent protests engulf Kashmir valley injuring hundreds of people. Reluctant government confirms rape and murder on June 10 after repeated denials. Shopian opens after 47 days of strike when High Court orders arrest of police officials for their role in the episode. Many inquiries and probes followed including the last one by CBI, which pronounced that both the women died due to drowning. The CBI claimed that there was no rape and Asiya was still a virgin.

June 29, 2009: Four youths are killed by CRPF in Baramulla during demonstration to protest the alleged eve teasing of a woman by a police official on June 29. Massive demonstrations follow, hundreds are injured and curfew was clamped in Baramulla.

July 09, 2009: Amina Masoodi, a BA final year student is killed inside her house during the night intervening July 08 and 09 by a Territorial Army man at Dolipora Trehgam. After massive protests police arrest the accused trooper Ashiq Hussain of 160 Territorial Army.

October 02, 2009: Irfan Ahmad, 11, son of Ghulam Rasool Lone of Drangbal is killed after police fire teargas to disperse people protesting the continued detention of Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Irfan died when a tear gas shell hit him in the head. Massive demonstrations erupt for four days in Baramulla.

October 26, 2009: Sajad Ahmad Lone, 24, of Ganapore village was killed by Army troopers. Army claimed that Lone tried to attack them with an axe. Massive protests followed as people accused army of arresting, torturing and killing Sajad in custody. Deputy Commissioner Kupwara ordered a magisterial inquiry. The inquiry report was never made public. Army too ordered an internal inquiry.

January 08, 2010: Inayat Khan, 16, of Dalgate was killed in CRPF firing at Budshah Chowk, while he was returning home after attending computer classes at Kukerbazaar. Widespread protests followed the first such death of 2010. Ex-gratia relief was offered to victim’s family but no inquiry or punishment to CRPF followed. Inayat was an 11th standard student.

January 24, 2010: Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, 35, of Kalumpora Pulwama was killed during an encounter between militants and troops. Mir was allegedly used as a human shield during the encounter by 44 Rashtriya Rifles Shadimarg Camp and SOG Pulwama. Massive protests followed the killing. Police say they are looking into the matter.

January 31, 2010: Wamiq Farooq, 13, a student of class seven and a resident of Rainawari was killed when a teargas shell fired by police hits him on his head. Massive protests followed and police claimed to have suspended the accused Assistant Sub-Inspector. Later the police changed the version and described Wamiq as a stone pelter. Wamiq’s parents have approached the court.

February 05, 2010: Zahid Farooq, 16, of Nishat is killed when a BSF party without any provocation confronts two teenagers and fires at one of them at Kralsangri Brain. After initial denial, BSF later admitted of killing and handed over two of its accused personnel Commandant RK Birdi and constable Lakhvinder to police. BSF is seeking transfer of case to its Court. Zahid was the only son among three siblings.

April 13, 2010: Zubair Ahmad Bhat, 17, was allegedly drowned forcibly by a CRPF party who were chasing a group of stone pelters. Witnensses said Zubair and his friends were resting on the banks of Jhelum at Jamia Qadeem, Sopore and CRPF used batons and stones to force them to jump in Jhelum. Zubair, a class 11 student, unable to swim was drowned. Boatmen trying to save him were met with teargas. Police described it an accident. Zubair’s elder brother, Ehsan-ul-Haq had been killed by troopers in 2006.

April 13, 2010: Army claimed to have killed oldest militant aged 65 in an encounter in Pahaldaji village in Handwara. A Lolab family identified the ‘aged militant’ as their father Habibullah, who was a beggar. Army modified its claim by saying that he might have been used as a guide or a human shield. Police registered a murder case against army and started a probe.

April 24, 2010: Troops of Rashtriya Rifles 53 Bn opened fire during an ambush near Chewan village in Kellar area of Shopian killing one civilian Ghulam Ahmed Kalas alias Khuda Bakhsh along with two of his horses carrying timber. Massive protests followed in which people for the first time torched two army vehicles. Police registered a murder case against Army. The deceased was father of eight.

April 29, 2010: Army kills three civilians Muhammad Shafi, Shehzad Ahmad and Riyaz Ahmad of Rafiabad in a fake encounter in Machhil and pass them off as militants. The incident came to light when the families of the three missing persons identified the three as their missing kin through pictures and their clothes. Protests follow and bodies were exhumed. Police registers a case and arrests three, including a trooper of Territorial Army. Some army personnel including a Major are identified as accused, but have not been arrested.

June 11, 2010: Tufail Ahmad Matoo, 17, was killed when police aimed a teargas shell at his head at Rajouri Kadal. His skull was broken and brain splattered allover the place causing an instant death.
Police first denied its role even blamed the people who removed Tufail to hospital. Autopsy confirmed the use of firearm as cause of his death. An inquiry has been ordered. Tufail was the lone child of his parents.

June 19, 2010: In the protests following Tufail’s killing, CRPF troopers caught hold of 24-year-old handicraft artisan Mohammed Rafiq Bangroo of Dana Mazaar. He was ruthlessly beaten with gun butts and batons smashing his head. The critically injured Bangroo was taken to SKIMS hospital where he went into coma and ultimately died on June 19, 2010. Massive protests followed. No inquiry is ordered.

June 20, 2010: Two porters Aziz Malik and Mazloom Malik from village Chuntwari in Machil are killed at LOC. Army puts the blame on firing from across the LOC by Pakistan army. Families accuse army of killing them in cold blood. Autopsy revealed the deceased were shot from close range strengthening the doubts of a staged killing. Police says it is inquiring into the matter.

June 20, 2010: Javid Ahmad Malla 17, a relative of Rafiq Bangroo was killed when CRPF opened fire at protestors during Bangroo’s funeral procession. He died on the spot. Forced to discontinue his studies due to poverty Javid was working in a bag manufacturing unit to support his parents. The chief minister directed Divisional Commissioner to probe the killing and report in one week, but at the same time termed the mob which was fired upon as suicidal as they tried to torch a CRPF bunker.

June 25, 2010: CRPF personnel fired on people who were demanding bodies of two militants killed during an encounter. Two youths Shakeel Ahmad Ganai, 24, and Firdous Ahmad Khan, 20, were killed sending entire Sopore up in protest. Government ordered a judicial inquiry headed by the chairman of State Human Rights Commission, Justice Bashir-ud-Din.

June 27, 2010: CRPF fired on a small group of protesters who were demanding punishment against troopers for killing the two civilians. Bilal Ahmed Wani 23, who was watching the small protest, was hit by a bullet. He was declared brought dead at the hospital. Bilal was a daily-wager in PHE department and had four sisters. The panicky government accused CRPF of being a loose cannon and described the firing as unwarranted saying the protest of 20 odd youth could have been dealt with more humanely.

June 28, 2010: In its continuing killing spree CRPF fired on a protest march in Delina Baramulla killing a nine year old Tufail Ahmad Rather on the spot.
Another youth Tajamul Bashir Bhat, 21, was killed in CRPF firing near Kapra theatre in Sopore. A first year student of Degree College Sopur, Tajamul worked as a part time labourer too.

June 29, 2010: Ishtiyaq Ahmad Khanday, 15, Shujaat-ul-Islam, 18, and Imtiyaz Ahmad Itoo, 18, were killed in Anantnag when police and CRPF caught hold of them after chasing the protestors. They were allegedly shot inside residential compounds.
Ishtiyaq and Shujaat-ul-Islam were students and Imtiyaz was working as a helper with a baker. Ishtiyaq was a lone son of his parents. Government orders a magisterial inquiry into the incident. The probe will be headed by Additional District Magistrate Ghulam Muhammad Dar.

2010:YEAR OF TEENAGE KILLINGS BY CRPF

2010-06-28T23:10:00.000-07:00

2010: YEAR OF TEENAGE KILLINGS
Out Of 12, 9 Fell To CRPF Bullets
Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dated June 29th, 2010 by ARIF SHAFI WANI
Srinagar, June 28: In a dangerous pattern, 12 persons, mostly teenagers, were killed since January this year in disproportionate use of force mainly by paramilitary CRPF troopers while maintaining “law and order.”
Out of 12, the CRPF have killed 9 persons in indiscriminate firing while quelling protests. Two teenagers died after being hit by teargas canisters fired by police while another was killed in firing by the Border Security Force personnel. Incidentally, June turned out to be bloodiest with 8 killings registered till now.
While the State Government has asked New Delhi to reign in the CRPF troopers operating in the Valley, there is no end to the killings with two of them taking place today.
The killing spree this year started on January 8 with the death of 16-year old Inayat Khan of Dalgate in unprovoked firing by CRPF at Budshah Chowk. The killing had evoked widespread protests across the city. The Government responded by just expressing sorrow over the killing and extending monetary relief to the affected family.
On January 31, Wamiq Farooq, 13, of Rainawari was killed after a teargas shell fired by police hit his head. After massive protests for days together, Police claimed to have suspended the Assistant Sub-Inspector. However, when Wamiq’s family demanded action against the accused, police even denied them the FIR copy. The hapless family got the FIR copy on intervention of the Court. The family was shocked when the police described Wamiq as a ‘miscreant.’ The case is going on in the Court.
As the Valley was yet to recover from Wamiq’s killing, Zahid Farooq, 16, of Nishat was killed when BSF personnel opened unprovoked firing on him at Kralsangri. Incidentally, the BSF had initially denied their involvement in the incident. It was only after the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took up the issue with the Home Minister P. Chidambaram that the BSF extended cooperation in the investigation.
For the first time in the past two years, the BSF admitted that its personnel including a Commandant RK Birdi and constable Lakhvinder were involved in the incident and handed them over to police. The duo is facing trial. However the BSF has filed an application seeking transfer of case to its Court.
A week later, 17 year old Zubair Ahmad Bhat was killed when CRPF while dispersing the protesters, allegedly forced him to jump in a river and continued to pelt stones on him till he breathed his last. Police closed the case terming it as a case of drowning.
Since past 17 days, eight persons were killed. On June 11, 17 year-old Tufail Ahmad Matoo was killed after a teargas canister fired by police hit his head at Rajouri Kadal. Police had earlier maintained that it had not fired a single bullet or tear smoke shell in the area on the fateful day.
However Tufail’s autopsy report confirmed that he was killed by a teargas shell which had damaged his brain and skull. Police ordered an inquiry into the killing but its findings are yet to be made public. Tufail’s father, Muhammad Ashraf, has accused the government of failing to arrest the accused despite their identification.
To protest against Tufail’s killing, hundreds of people took to streets in Old City. While dispersing the protesters, the troopers of CRPF caught hold of a pedestrian, Muhammad Rafique Bangroo, 24, thrashing him severely. After battling for life for a week, Bangroo breathed his last at SKIMS.
On June 20, the day of Bangroo’s funeral, the troopers opened indiscriminate fire on the protesters who had allegedly attacked a bunker at Noorbagh. In the incident, Bangroo’s relative, Javid Ahmad Malla, died due to bullet injuries on the spot.
Malla’s killing triggered violent protests across the city forcing the authorities to clamp curfew for four days. CM Omar Abdullah responded by directing the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Naseema Lanker, to probe the killing and submit a report within a week. However the report is yet to be made public.
On June 25, two youth Shakeel Ahmad Ganai, 24, and Firdous Ahmad Kakroo, 20, were killed when CRPF troopers fired upon a procession demanding bodies of two militants killed in Sopur. The Government has ordered a judicial inquiry headed by the chairperson of State Human Rights Commission, Justice Bashir-ud-Din. The terms of reference for the Judicial Commission include ‘to ascertain the causes of death of the two youth, to determine the persons responsible for these deaths and fix responsibility for use of excessive force, if any.’
Following violent protests against the killing, the authorities imposed curfew in Sopur and its adjoining areas. However, on June 27 evening, a small group of protesters defied the restrictions demanding stern punishment against the accused troopers. The troopers fired on the protesters killing Bilal Ahmed Wani, 23, of Kralte Sopur.
Registering his protest against Bilal’s killing, the Law Minister and senior National Conference leader, Ali Muhammad Sagar, during a press conference accused the CRPF of defying CM’s orders and killing civilians.
Sagar described the firing by CRPF as unwarranted, saying some 20 youth had gathered in Sopur town and there was no justification to open fire on them.
Not taking lessons from the previous killings or the State’s Government’s snub, the CRPF troopers continued with their killing spree killing a youth and a nine year old boy during protests on Monday.
Tufail Ahmed Rather, 9, was killed when CRPF opened fire on protesters at Delina Varmul Monday afternoon. Twenty-one year old Tajamul Bashir Bhat died in a similar way in Sopur.

INNOCENT KILLINGS IN STAGED ENCOUNTERS:
On January 24, massive protests rocked south Kashmir against the killing of a native, Mushtaq Ahmad Mir of Kalmpora village. The locals accused the Army and Special Operations Group of using the deceased as a human shield during an encounter.
On February 13, Army claimed to have killed “oldest” militant in Pahaldagi village in Handwara in north Kashmir. However the deceased turned out to be a beggar. Police registered a murder case against Army and exhumed the body for identification.
On April 24, Army killed Ghulam Muhammad Kalas, when he along with two horses was returning home from nearby forests after collecting timber. In its defense, Army said it presumed the deceased as a militant as he did not stop despite warnings. After protests, police registered a murder case against Army. The deceased was father of eight children.
On April 29, three civilians of Rafiabad identified as Muhammad Shafi, Shehzad Ahmad and Riyaz Ahmad were killed in a fake encounter by Army in Machil and labeled as militants. After exhumation and identification of the bodies, the three persons including a trooper of Territorial Army were arrested. Though police identified the main accused Major, however he is yet to be arrested.

SRINAGAR ON BOIL AGAIN OVER TEENAGERG'S KILLING

2010-06-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

Protests Against Tufail’s Killing Continue Amid Undeclared Curfew
Courtesty: Daily Greater Kashmir dated June 14th, 2010 by GOWHAR BHAT
Srinagar, June 13: Srinagar observed a complete shutdown amidst undeclared curfew in old city for the second consecutive day Sunday against the killing of 17-year old Tufail Ahmed Matoo in police action in Rajouri Kadal on Friday. Youth defied restrictions at many places and fought pitched battles with police and paramilitary CRPF troopers. In the day-long clashes at least 15 persons were wounded.
Authorities imposed undeclared curfew in the volatile old city areas falling under police stations Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, Maharajgunj and Safa Kadal. Despite restrictions and heavy deployment of police, youth took to the streets in several parts of the old city and staged pro-freedom demonstrations.
Police resorted to baton charge and fired numerous tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters who offered stiff resistance and retaliated with stones triggering clashes that continued till late in the evening.
Uptown areas, including the city centre, Lal Chowk, observed a complete shutdown while protests erupted in Bemina, Tengpora, Batamaloo, and other civil line areas.
Youth protested the killing and barricaded the roads by placing boulders and burning tyres. At several junctions in Bemina and Batamaloo, police tried to chase away protesters but they repeatedly regrouped and pelted stones on policemen.
Meanwhile the condition of SafaKadal youth, Muhammad Rafiq Bangroo, who was allegedly beaten by paramilitary CRPF troopers near his residence on Saturday, continued to be critical.
“His condition is certainly not improving. We are going to operate on him today,” doctors attending him told Greater Kashmir.
Bangroo, they said, had sustained severe head injuries and had multiple contusions in his brain.
The city roads wore a deserted look. Shops and business establishments remained closed while traffic was off the roads.
CRPF men go berserk
Residents of several city areas on Sunday accused paramilitary CRPF troopers of going berserk and beating up civilians without any provocation.
“At Rainawari, police and CRPF men roughed up a group of youth who were playing on a roadside, injuring three of them,” witnesses said.
Residents from Nawa Kadal, Safa Kadal and Batamaloo localities alleged that CRPF men beat them up without any provocation. “They also pelted stones on residential houses and smashed window panes,” residents of Tarabal told Greater Kashmir over phone.
The troopers also damaged cars and buses parked on the roadsides in the area.
The inhabitants of Rainawari and Saidakadal said that police and CRPF were not allowing them come out of their homes.
Witnesses said police barred friends and relatives from visiting the family of Tufail at Saidakadal

Flashback Chota Bazar- June 11th, 1991: 32 civilians massacred by Indian security forces

2010-06-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

Syed Mansoor-Chota Bazaar massacre
that shook Valley 18 years ago
Courtesy: Daily Kashmir Times dated June 11th, 2009 by Asifa Amin Koul
SRINAGAR, Jun 10: The memories of "Syed Mansoor-Chota Bazaar mayhem" perpetrated by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel 18 years ago still causes a deep stir inside the hearts of the scores of bereaved families whose kiths and kins were killed in the "blood-curdling" incident.
It was Tuesday evening of June 11, 1991-when a nine-member CRPF posse came charging from their camp at Syed Mansoor Bridge towards the Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar around 6:15 pm and opened indiscriminate firing with their automatic weapons all the way upto the densely populated downtown area of Srinagar, Chota Bazaar.
The indiscriminate firing by the security personnel took a massive toll of 32 lives of innocent civilians. Around 22 persons were also critically injured in the incident. The bullets hit shopkeepers, passerby, a 75-year old woman and a child. However, the official reports confirmed killings of 18 civilians and six injured persons.
It is believed that the reprehensible act was a catharsis to "avenge" the killing of a CRPF jawan namely Abdul Majid of Azamgarh by some unidentified militants on the same fateful day at Zainakadal Srinagar at about 3 PM. However, there was no confirmation of the killing of the CRPF jawan by the officials. (The Kashmir Times, dated June 12, 1991)
This was perhaps the most tragic incident of its kind since May 21, 1990 when mourners carrying the body of the assassinated Mirwaiz Farooq, Awami Action Committee founder-leader and father of Hurriyat Conference (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, were fired upon near Islamia College Srinagar, allegedly on a fire provocation by the militants, leaving 70 unarmed civilians dead.
Eyewitnesses of the horrendous incident said that while forcing their way into the provision store in front of the hospital, the CRPF jawans dragged people out and opened fire on them. One of the victims included a doctor of the opthomology department of SMHS hospital Srinagar who was shot in his throat despite pleading for his life while showing his identity card to the CRPF troops.
An employee of the medical college and an eyewitness to the incident had this to say: "Our store keeper Ghulam Mohammad was dragged out and shot on the road. I locked myself in the bathroom and saved my life. Besides three shots, I heard Ghulam Mohammad's cry." (The Kashmir Times, June 13, 1991)
The security forces, according to the eye witnesses, stopped four auto-rickshaws near National School, Karan Nagar Srinagar and killed their drivers as well as passengers who included 75-year old wife of one Ghulam Hussan Khan of Chota Bazaar and brothers, Mohammed Syed Baihaqi and Meerak Baihaqi.
This was unfortunately the second bereavement in seven months for the Baihaqi family of Zaldagar Srinagar as Sayeed Ahmad Baihaqi, the grand son of Mohammad Syed Baihaqi, 80, was killed outside his house by security forces on November 1, 1990 following an attack on the latter by unidentified militants.
The security personnel then entered a mechanical workshop opposite National School, Karan Nagar and killed the workshop owner, Abdul Rashid. Three employees of the workshop also fell to the bullets.
While recollecting the 18-year old tragic incident, a junior mechanic at the workshop who shares a deep anguish of the terrible mayhem, said, "Three CRPF men entered our shop and shouted 'Bhoon Daalo Sab Ko' (Kill them all!). Ignoring my master's pleas, they started firing. I saw my master dying in a pool of blood in front of me". I saw my master dying in a pool of blood in front of me... The CRPF men went out of the shop but returned a few moments later, shouting 'Koi Bacha To Nahien Hai?' (If anybody is alive?)," adding that more than 10 dead bodies were lying in pool of blood outside the shop.
According to the reports published in The Kashmir Times next day, the entire area from where 17 bodies were picked and brought to the police control room by 8 pm bore blood stains. At the police control room where the dead bodies were brought, over 1000 grieving persons gathered to ascertain the identity of the deceased. Slogans were raised against the authorities of the control room who had mounted guard against the bereaved people looking for their deceased relatives.
Whereas the then intelligence chief, Amar Kapoor and other senior officials who visited the spot were unable to explain the sequence of events, the then Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, A L Khan, while admitting that all those killed were civilians told the Kashmir Times on the fateful day that a criminal case had been registered against the CRPF under Section 302 with the Karan Nagar police.
However, according to the then divisional commissioner, C Phounsong, security forces retaliated when they came under severe fire from the militants.
A day after the incident, the state government claimed to have ordered Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe into the Chota Bazaar firing and registered criminal cases in this connection to ensure a "fair and just inquiry." The official spokesman had further claimed that the security forces involved in the uncontrolled firing had been taken off from the duty. A separate commission headed by ex-chief justice, Mufti Jallal-ud-din was also appointed to inquire into the causes and circumstances leading to the Syed Mansoor-Chota Bazaar incident.
As a routine, the state government announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs one lakh each to the next of the kin of those killed at Syed Mansoor-Chota Bazaar. As a mark of protest against the tragic incident, shops, banks, government and semi-government establishments remained closed in the areas not coming under the purview of curfew. Transport services also remained off the roads in the entire Kashmir valley in view of the strike called by a militant outfit group, Al-Umar Mujahideen.
To pay obeisance to the deceased, hundreds of people visited the "massacre site" during the curfew relaxation period next day to the incident and placed flowers at spots from where the dead bodies of innocent persons were picked up. People from the nearby localities served food and water to the grieving visitors.
While talking to The Kashmir Times, Shakeel Bhakshi, a separatist leader opined that unless the perpetrators of the incidents like Syed-Mansoor-Chota Bazaar are not dealt with on the "war criminal" procedure, such incidents would continue to occur time and again.

75-95% people in Kashmir valley want Independence from India: King's College London Survey Report

2010-05-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

Just 2% of people in J&K want to join Pak: Survey
Courtesy: Times of India dated May 28, 2010,
NEW DELHI: For those who still think a plebiscite will tilt the status of Kashmir and that most Kashmiris yearn to wave the Pakistani green, there are now numbers for the first time to contradict these claims.

A survey carried out across both Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, that its author claims is the first ever of its kind, shows that only 2% of the respondents on the Indian side favour joining Pakistan and most such views were confined to Srinagar and Budgam districts. In six of the districts surveyed late last year by researchers from the London-based thinktank Chatham House, not a single person favoured annexation with Pakistan, a notion that remains the bedrock for the hardline separate campaign in Kashmir.

However, the study by Robert Bradrock, a scholar from London's Kings College, that involved interviewing 3,774 people in both parts of Kashmir in September-October 2009 showed that 44% of people on the Pakistani side favoured independence, compared to 43% in Indian Kashmir.

Bradrock says in the 37-page report on the survey that this would put an end for all times to come to the plebiscite route as a possible way to resolve Kashmir, since the only two options envisaged under the UN resolutions proposing plebiscite in 1948/49 were for the whole of Kashmir to join either India or Pakistan; azadi was not an option. But in the Valley, the mood for azadi still remained strong, with 75%-95% respondents favouring that as a final resolution.

The poll showed no support either for joint sovereignty or for maintaining status quo. However, more than 58% of those surveyed were prepared to accept the Line of Control as a permanent border if it could be liberalized for greater people-to-people contact and trade. Only 8% voted against making the LoC a permanent boundary, with the highest level of opposition in Anantnag district, the report said.

Few people in Kashmir, compared to many more in PoK, believed that violence was likely to resolve the Kashmir issue.

In J&K, only 20% thought that militant violence would help solve the problem, compared to nearly 40% who thought it was coming in the way of a resolution. In PoK, 37% of those surveyed held the view that violence was a possible route to resolution.

That both the state legislative elections in 2008 and the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 had helped bring about a change in mindsets was seen in the increasingly high turnouts that Kashmir has posted in recent years.

The survey too demonstrated that trend, with more than half the respondents saying the elections had improved chances for peace.

"The results aren't surprising at all. I feel they re-emphasize the need to look beyond traditional positions and evaluate the contours of a solution grounded in today's realities," said Sajjad Lone, a former ally of the Hurriyat who unsuccessfully contested the 2009 election.

Peoples Democratic Party chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar said the azadi aspirations must be factored into any solution.

"It can't be wished away and has to be configured into the future strategy on Kashmir. We've always been pleading to provide an alternative to the azadi sentiment."

Three youth killed in fake encounter by Army in Baramulla

2010-05-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Kashmir Times dated May 28th, 2010 by SHABIR IBN YUSUF
SRINAGAR, May 27: Army has allegedly killed three boys of Nadihal Baramulla in fake encounter at LoC in Machil sector of Kupwara on April 30. Police has arrested two government gunmen but army has denied to comment on the incident.
Three boys identified as Shazad Ahmad Khan, Riyaz Ahmad Lone and Muhammad Shafi Lone of Nadihal Baramulla went missing from their homes on April 27. The family members of the trio searched for them but were unable to trace them. They approached police and police registered a missing report on May 10 in the police station Panzala.
The residents of Nadihal held protest demonstrations and SP Sopore Altaf Khan assured them fast and fair investigation into the case of missing of three boys and the residents called off their protests.
Police sources said the family members of the missing youth in their statement to police said Bashir Ahmad Lone a government gunman turned SPO, now working for army, is involved in the disappearance of three boys. Sources added that police interrogated Bashir and he identified the dreaded government gunman Fayaz Ikhwani alias Gazi of Tujjar Sharief Sopore.
Police sources said that the government gunmen confessed that on April 26 they gave Rs 5,000 each to three boys and asked them to come next day for more money. Sources added when the trio approached the government gunmen Bashir and Fayaz the next day, the latter took them along and since then they are missing. Police sources said that the call record of Fayaz Ikhwani confirms that he was in Thayen area of Kalroos when the trio was killed in Machil and the bodies were brought to Kalroos.
SP Sopore Altaf Khan said that they are investigating the matter and have registered a case in this regard. He, however, said they have picked up some people for questioning. He said divulging any details at this juncture will hamper the investigations. “We have registered a case and have brought some people for questioning,” said SP Sopore. “It is immature to conclude whether they are involved in it or not. It will get confirmed after the investigations are complete,” Altaf Khan added.
It is pertinent to mention that Machil encounter in which army claimed that they killed three militants but recovered five AK 47 rifles. Sources in the police, however, maintained that there was possibility of this being a “fake” encounter. The three missing boys, it is believed, may have been handed over by the two Ikhwanis to the army who killed them in what came to be publicized as Machil encounter about a month ago.
On April 30 Srinagar based PRO defence in a statement said that the “ troopers on noticing some movement on the LoC in the wee hours today challenged some militants and asked them to surrender but they opened fire and in the retaliatory action three militants were killed. The operation was still on,” the statement said.
The statement added that three AK 47 rifles were recovered, besides other ammunition. “On checking their belongings, two more AK rifles and a pistol were recovered besides other items. Their identity is yet to be ascertained. Probably they tried to use the bad weather conditions to sneak in. But alert troops foiled the attempt,” read the statement on that day.
PRO defence in Srinagar however denied commenting on the matter. “No comments,” he said.

SHRC’s Annual report-2008-09: 9 custodial deaths, 43 missing, 6 rapes

2010-04-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Kashmir Times dated April 2nd, 2010 by Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Apr 1: State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) instituted 404 cases of human rights violation which included 6 rapes, 43 disappearances and 9 custodial deaths during the last financial year 2008-09 in Jammu and Kashmir.
The figures clearly indicate continuance of rights violations despite promises and pledges of “zero tolerance” by both centre and the state. More shocking is the fact that cases of custodial disappearance and killings are still being reported to SHRC when successive governments in Jammu and Kashmir as also the union home ministry have been vehemently boasting of having improved the human rights atmosphere in the state.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, like his predecessor Ghulam Nabi Azad, has been on record having stated that custodial disappearance and killings have become thing of past. However, a voluminous annual statement of SHRC for year 2008-09 tabled by Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather in the legislative assembly today contradicts both statements of respective Chief Ministers and the CAG report.
Apart from giving detailed account of what happened here and who did what, annual report reflects the helplessness of state government in plugging rights violations by both central and state agencies. From ground zero in Kashmir valley which witnesses some kind of security action and harassment on routine basis, SHRC instituted 235 cases of rights violation during 2008-09 in Kashmir division.
Not surprising, the cases instituted included 3 cases of rape, 6 of Custodial Death and 43 of disappearance. Of the 3 cases of rape, 1 was instituted in Srinagar and 2 in Baramulla while 6 custodial deaths were recorded from Srinagar (1), Kupwara (1), Baramulla (1), Anantnag (2) and Shopian (1). With 12 disappearances, Kupwara recorded highest number during the year followed by 7 in Pulwama, 5 in Budgam, 4 each in Srinagar and Baramulla, 3 each in Anantnag, Kulgam and Ganderbal alongwith 2 in Bandipora.
No case of disappearance was reported from district Shopian. Similarly, 164 cases of rights violation were instituted by SHRC during 2008-09 in Jammu division. Of this, among other cases of violation, 3 cases of rape were registered with 2 in Poonch and 1 in Doda. 3 custodial deaths were reported with 2 in Poonch and 1 in Doda. Of the 6 cases of disappearance, 5 are from Poonch and 1 from Rajouri.
Figures may be inconsequential but are significant since they contradict government claims. Commission disposed off 698 cases from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009 which included 269 cases of Kashmir division, 423 of Jammu division, 1 from Ladakh and 5 from outside the state. Among other cases, SHRC disposed off 22 cases of custodial death and 38 of disappearance during the year 2008-09 in Kashmir valley.
On similar lines, it made recommendations in 2 cases of rape both from Doda, 19 cases of custodial death and 16 of disappearance in Jammu region. One case of custodial death reported from Ladakh was also disposed off. 5 cases instituted by state subjects from outside the state which included one of custodial death were also disposed off.
It is notable to mention here that of the 404 cases of rights violation instituted in 2008-09, 71 are of relief and 54 of harassment, thus constituting highest number (124) among all categories of violations. On disposal side of the 698 cases, highest number was again of cases reported for alleged harassment (96) and issues related to relief disbursement (209).

Troops raped 51 Kashmiri women in 6 yrs: J&K Police

2010-04-02T01:40:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir News dated April 2nd, 2010
Jammu, April 01: Police on Thursday said troops had allegedly raped 51 women in Jammu and Kashmir in six years between November 2002 and July 2008.
A police spokesman in a statement said 38 rape cases allegedly by troops were reported from November 2002 to October 2005. “From November 2005 to 10 July 2008, 13 rape cases allegedly by troops were reported.”
The spokesman said that from 11 July 2008 to 4 January 2009 only one rape case allegedly by troops was reported. “During the period from 5 January 2009 to 23 February 2010 no rape case by troops was reported.”
The police spokesman said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had mentioned in the Legislative Assembly that 11 cases of rape allegedly by troops were reported between October 1996 and October 2002, thus taking the number of raped by troops between October 1996 to July 2008 to 62.
The spokesman said that the written reply to Assembly Question No 260 which pertained to troops tabled by A R Veeri in the Legislative Assembly, it was mentioned in the reply of the Home Department that “no rape case was reported from 1st January 2009 to 1st March 2010. This information furnished pertains to allegation of rape cases reported against troops”.
The police spokesman said the Comptroller and Auditor General report had shown 53 rape cases in three months between January 2009 and March 2009. “These figures pertain to rape cases registered in entire State during this period. The figure pertains to normal crime. No rape case is reported against troops during this period.”

March 1, 1990 Zakura massacre

2010-03-01T23:50:00.000-08:00

20 years of wait for justice; victims’ kin hope turns into despair
Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dated March 2nd, 2010 by PARVAIZ RESHIFLASHBACK
Zakura, Mar 1: Exactly 20 years back on March 1, 1990, 26 unarmed demonstrators who were to submit a memorandum to United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) were killed and hundreds wounded by troops at the crossing here.
The troops aimed at the protesters to halt the uprising.
For the relatives of those who were massacred, 20 years wait for justice seems to be turning into despair with no signs of government taking cognizance of it.
“The massacre took place at around 12, leaving 26 dead on the spot and hundreds wounded,” said a local on the condition of anonymity.
He said the demonstrators were carrying green flags with many of them with shrouds and marching towards the Srinagar raising pro-freedom slogans when the massacre took place.
He claimed troops resorted to indiscriminate firing for around two hours.
“Scores of the people belonging to Telbal, Batpora, Alusteng, Danihama, Chaterhama and adjoining areas of the Pheak region were proceeding towards Srinagar via Batpora crossing road when army in three vehicles came in the opposite direction and opened fire here at the Zakura crossing, killing 26 and hundreds wounded,” said an eyewitness.
“A day after massacre, an FIR was lodged in the police chowki Zakura (now a police station) by the then DySP Nigeen, Muhammad Abass but no action was taken against the accused army men,” said the locals.
The attempts by this reporter to get an FIR copy proved futile as police officials at the police station Zakura, said the police station was a police chowki and the FIR details were not be available.

The scars of Kunan-Poshpora live on

2010-02-23T20:18:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt Feb., 24th, 2010 by Shahjahan Afzal(Kunan-Poshpora) Kupwara, Feb 23: From a distance Shah Begum (name changed) looks like any other inconsolable survivor of Kashmir turmoil. But when one approaches her and tries to talk to her, the pain within her simply erupts.

The pain of a trauma that was unleashed by the drunken troopers of Rajput Rifles exactly 19 years ago on village Kunan-Poshpora, 114 km north of Srinagar and some 10 km from Kupwara district headquarters.

Shah is seated on the verandah of her house, combing the hairs of her handicapped daughter, who is said to have lost her limb after she jumped from the first floor of the old house to save her chastity from the clenches of drunken troopers on that fateful night, the night intervening February 23-24, 1991.

When approached, she unfolds the trauma to yet another woman, this time round a social worker accompanying this reporter.

“First it was Nas…, then Jan… and finally it was the turn of Sha…,” Shah begins but stops shifts to hysterical screams.

Already in the autumn of her life, Shah (70) would easily qualify as one of the worst-hit survivors of the ghastly incident that has shaken the psyche of not just Kunan-Poshpora but all Kashmiris for almost two decades now.

Dozens of women reported that they were gangraped by the troops that night. “The government has shelved the case after ordering an inquiry, which rather bruised the character of the victims,” says Ishaq, a local.

Nineteen years after the gory incident, no one seems willing to reopen the old wounds, this elderly survivor being the only exception. Shah, then 52, told the lady social worker that she resisted "them" till her worn-out muscles gave way. “I resisted them for nearly 15 minutes,” she told the visitor. Shah, according to her relatives, isolated herself for a long time after the incident. She preferred to stay away from hordes of visiting journalists during her self-imposed confinement in a dingy room of her shabby house. She is now in her 70s but still eager to see "the rapists behind the bars".

Another victim, who is scared of looking into the mirror eversince the incident, remained mum. According to villagers, she loses her nerves the moment a mirror comes in sight.

Apart from the trauma, the people of the area face problems on all fronts, including social, economic, development and also on educational front. This, the villagers say, mocks at the tall claims of government and the NGOs of raising lots of funds for the "overall upliftment" of the tragedy survivors here, thereby misleading the international community.

Most of the people are still residing here in ordinary houses, with most of the local youth working as labourers or doing other menial jobs.

Kunan-Poshpora village is flood-prone and each year the whole area is inundated by the swollen Nallah Kahmil, flowing alongside the village. Villagers accuse that no measures have been taken by the government or any other agency to help the affected.

The only Middle school here has not been upgraded since and local children have to tread miles to attend their high and higher secondary classes. This is said to be the main factor responsible for the educational backwardness of the people here.

People are still reluctant to send their wards outside the village, fearing social stigma and a scare of another 1991-like tragedy.

Nineteen years hence, whenever journalists and social activists frequent the Kunan-Poshpora hamlet to assess the present situation, an eerie silence greets them. People are out on their usual assignments, not uttering a word and afraid of speaking openly. Perhaps disappointed by one and all, they now feel it better to bury the scars of the tragedy deep in their hearts.

But Farooq Ahmad, a senior citizen, expresses surprise over the "silence" maintained by the human rights agencies in India. He terms the silence of these agencies as "biased and criminal" and urges immediate reopening of the case.

Says a local youth, "I was thrice interrogated by troops for raising voice against the incident." According to Bashir A Chogly, a local social worker, “Some usual hue and cry was made but no serious efforts were made to gauge the severity of the insulting incident.”

Salt To Injury

The mass rape had evoked strong resentment, sparking massive protests and condemnations for weeks together from different corners of the world and Kashmir, in particular. Public anger forced the government to register a case and order a probe. But the case was hushed up.

On the request of Indian army, the probe held by then Chairman Press Council of India, bailed out the troops and sprinkled "salt on the wounds" of Kashmiris by instead castigating the character of the victims.

The report, said to have been compiled in some army camp in Pattan area of Kashmir, threw to winds the final report of then Deputy Commissioner Kupwara S M Yasin, who visited the village on March 7, 1991 to investigate. In his report, Yasin stated that the soldiers "behaved like wild beasts ... gang raped 23 ladies, without any consideration of age, married, unmarried, pregnancy etc…."

Kunanposhpora mass rape victims remember ordeal

2010-02-23T09:27:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dated February 23rd, 2010 by Umar Maqbool
Kupwara, Feb 22: Nineteen years after, the victims of mass rape by troopers in Kunanposhpora village of district Kupwara are struggling to come to terms with life.
It was on intervening night of Feb 23 and 24 in 1991, when drunk troopers of 4 Raj Rifles C/O 68 Brigade entered the Kunanposhpora village and raped 42 women and girls.
Residents told Greater Kashmir that on fateful night troopers cordoned off the village and ordered the men to come out of their houses for parade and searches.
“They entered into houses and asked us to come out. We heard the screams of women and tried to save their chastity but we were ruthlessly beaten by troopers. It was only the next morning that they left the village not before they forced villagers to give them NOC,” said a villager Fayaz Ahmed.
The victims wept while narrating the ordeal of the fateful night when troopers tarnished their honour.
“I was in my home that time. Seven to eight troopers broke the door and forced their way in. They tore off my clothes. They continued to rape me one by one throughout the night. I cried but nobody listened. The soldiers gagged my mouth and I fell unconscious,” says Nazima (name changed).
Another victim Sara (name changed) was nine months pregnant when troopers raped her. “I was raped by seven to eight soldiers throughout night. My mother tried to save my honour but she was thrown out of window. They also kicked my stomach which resulted in giving birth to a baby with fractured arm,” she adds.
“The armed forces had turned violent and behaved like beasts. I feel ashamed to put in black and white the kind of atrocities and their magnitude brought to my notice,” the then District Magistrate Kupwara wrote to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir.
After the shocking incident, an FIR was lodged in police station Trehgam bearing number R-1/1387/88 under RPC 376-452-342, but till date no charge sheet has been presented.
But 19 years down the line, the victims are living a miserable life, facing social stigma. “Lives of our womenfolk have been ruined. Their husbands left them and many of them have psychiatric disorders,” village elders said.

Flashback February 21st, 2009: Bomai shuts on youths' killings

2010-02-22T04:39:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dated February 22nd, 2010 by Asem Mohiuddin/Mir Tariq
Sopore, Feb 21: As Bomai observed complete shutdown on Sunday to commemorate the death anniversary of two youth killed by troopers on February 21 last year, the family members and relatives of the slain youth have demanded action against the men in uniform, who were indicted by the government probe for killing the civilians.

On February 21, 2009, two youth Javed Ahmad Dar and Mohammad Amin Tantray hailing from Muslimpir Sopore were shot dead by army personnel at Bomai without any provocation. Another youth was seriously injured in the troopers firing. An FIR number 73/09 under section number RPC 302, dated 21-2-2009 stands registered against 22 RR in police station Sopore.

The locals formed Bomai Coordination Committee and pressed for action against the troopers involved in killing of Tantray and Dar and shifting of army camp from the area. Caving to the public press, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah ordered a magisterial probe while army initiated a court of inquiry. On March 24, 2009, the government shifted army’s infamous Rajinder Post from the area to Wadoora.

“After the two youth were killed by troops, the government had assured us that prompt action would be taken against the guilty troopers. Unfortunately, the government has not kept its promise and nothing has happened,” said Mohammad Ismail, father of one of the victims, with tears rolling down his cheeks.

He said troopers involved in the killing have been identified but no action taken against them so far. “Two army men and an SOG personal have been found involved in opening indiscriminate and unprovoked firing on the youth on the fateful day. The same has been found by the government team that probed the incident. The investigations were led by then Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Baseer Ahmad Khan,” he said.

Sources said that the inquiry reported forwarded by the inquiry team to Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and union home minister had clearly indicted the troopers for killing the youth.

Ismail urged the chief minister Omar Abdullah to restart probe into the incident and punish the guilty troopers. “The government should arrest the troopers involved in the killings. The guilty men should be punished severely so that such incidents don’t recur in future,” he said, adding, “The Chief minister should fulfill his promise of acting tough against the erring troopers”.

Sopore Bar association President, Mohammad Maqbool Mir said they will approach the court if government delays deliverance of justice and fails to take action against the guilty troopers.

The Bomai area observed complete shutdown on Sunday to commemorate the death anniversary of two youth killed in troopers firing. All the shops and business establishments in the area remained closed. People in hundreds visited the graveyard, where the two are buried and prayed for peace to the departed soul.

Hundreds of people with banners and placards gathered in front of Jamia Masjid on the call of Bomai Coordination Committee (BCC).

“We gathered here to remind CM about his promises. Though the camp was relocated but the killers are yet to be punished,” said BCC President Hakeem-Ul-Rehman

He said that instead of punishing killers, police charge sheeted 65 people of the village for taking part in protest demonstrations.

He demanded Nishat-like prompt probe into the incident and severe punishment to the killers of the youth.

“We agitated peacefully, held demonstrations and sit-ins consistently. Our peaceful agitation forced government to relocate the camp from the area. But unfortunately the government is not daring to punish the army men found involved in the killing,” Hakeem said.

He accused government of betraying the Bomai people. “We have not given up our demands and will continue to agitate peacefully till the guilty troopers are punished,” he said.

“We observed the shutdown today to remind the government of the killings. We will wait for government response till Tuesday and chalk future strategy afterwards,” added Hakeem

27 Kashmiris killed by armymen for observing shutdown on Jan 26

2010-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

Flashback: January 27th, 1993
Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dated January 27th, 2009 by Shahid Rafiq
Kupwara, Jan 26: The residents of this border district have a reason to observe shutdown on January 26.
It was on January 27, 1993 that 27 civilians fell to indiscriminate firing by the troops.
According to eye-witnesses, troops gunned down the people in Kupwara town for observing shutdown on Republic Day.
The survivors alleged that killing was to punish the people for observing shutdown on January 26.
They disclosed that a patrolling party of Punjab regiment had warned the shopkeepers on the eve of January 26 of dire consequences if they observed strike and didn’t celebrate the Republic Day.
“As the shopkeepers opened their shops on January 27, the troops opened fire from all directions killing 27 people. After the gruesome massacre, they asked us to assemble in the ground and undergo an identification parade,” said a survivor.
He said that no one was allowed to lift the bodies and take the injured to the hospital.
“A boy died in front of his father, who begged the troops to allow him to take his son to the hospital. But they didn’t pay heed to his pleas,” he revealed.
After the incident, police registered a case FIR No- 19/94 under sections 302, 307 dated 27-1-94 in police station Kupwara.
The FIR reads: “in a criminal assault, the jawans of 31 medium regiment who were on ROP (road opening duty) led by field officer S Bakhshi gunned down scores of people in indiscriminate firing in Kupwara market and its vicinity without any provocation.”
After 17 years of registration of FIR, justice to bring perpetrators of the massacre to book eludes the kin of the victims.
On Tuesday, this town observed a complete shutdown today and held a commemorative meeting at Regipora martyrs’ graveyard where people in large number prayed for peace to the departed souls.
“We demand that the case should be reopened and killers be punished,” said those who attended the meeting.
“We are waiting for the day when killers would be punished,” said Tariq Khan, one of the survivors.
MLA Kupwara Mir Saif-ullah paid his homage to the civilians martyred.
“I will seek a report from district development commissioner Kupwara about the steps of relief and rehabilitation of the sufferers of Kupwara massacre,” he told Greater Kashmir.
“I will take up the matter with top police officials and seek from them the status of the Kupwara massacre case. The perpetrators of should be brought to book,” he said.

32 bullets, he took 'em all, to shield others from unrelenting guns of Indian armymen

2010-01-21T05:04:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dated January 21st, 2009 by Baba Umar
Srinagar, Jan 20: It was the morning of January 21, 1990. The sun came up without much sparkle but it shone on young Rauf’s face for the last time. For, by noon, he was lying on the ground in his favourite blue jacket and green shoes, his body pierced by a hail of troopers’ bullets.

And, two decades later, his family and those who saw him getting killed along with 52 other peaceful protesters in Kashmir’s first massacre since the armed rebellion broke out in 1989 against the Indian rule, try to look back on the event that gave birth to a generation of angry youngmen. A violent uprising and a separatist sentiment never seen before in Kashmir.

On that fateful morning, Abdur Rauf Wani (24) and his father G A Wani, a government employee, watched from the window a huge but peaceful procession passing through Maharaja Bazar, trigerred by the news of molestation of women in the old city, strict curfews and restrictions.

It was also just a day after New Delhi appointed Jagmohan as J-K Governor in a bid to control mass protests by Kashmiris.
In the street below, men in thousands raised their fists, with slogans ‘Hum Kya Chahte... Azadi’ (We Want Freedom) renting the air. Nothing unusual, as people had grown used to these reminders. But Rauf, unable to contain the surge of emotions within, turned to his father and what followed was a little "more unusual".

“Bauji, this’ll be now begairti (disgrace), should we not join now,” Zulehama Banday, Rauf’s older sister recalls his brother’s conversation with dad.
The senior Wani looked back, waited for a moment and then nodded his head. “Should I go,” Rauf again insisted. “Yes,” his father replied.

Zulehama says it was the first time that the family had okayed Rouf's request to join the peaceful protests. Rauf was soon away, smashing a flower vase in hurry. He stumbled but got up immediately. He performed ablutions, fixed the shoe laces, adjusted his jeans and slid both arms in the blue jacket that he had slung on his right shoulder till then.

Onto the road. “A neighbour tried to stop him but he wouldn’t,” recalls Zulehama, who by now had joined her father at the window to see Rauf disappear in a swarm of youngmen.

The long strip of rally that begun from Jawahar Nagar and Ikhrajpora, Rajbagh to reach Budshah Chowk. Earlier proposed to stopover outside UNO at Sonawar, people in the front decided to drum up more support from inner city. The crowd swerved towards Maisuma that would lead demonstrators to inner city till it reached Gaw Kadal Bridge over the Jhelum.
When the front-liners of crowd was halfway across the Gaw Kadal, the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) opened fire with automatic machine guns from three directions. In the next few minutes, the bridge with littered with corpses and blood. The first day of Governor Jagmohan’s rule would pass in the bloodshed.

Muhammad Altaf Qureshi (50) remembers how the march was stopped with automatic machine guns and how a fearless youngman braved bullets from an unremitting gun nozzle.
“Without any provocation and warning, they fired on us,” he recalls. Qureshi, who was in the third row, says the sounds of unrelenting gunfire triggered astampede on the wooden bridge. The charge pushed him on the deck and soon blood-stained bodies were dotting the spot. Whosoever tried to stand on his legs would be fired upon.

In this melee of bullets and screams, Qureshi noticed a youngman getting up, pushing aside with his hands both the dead and alive. “A trooper was showering bullets from a short distance and this youngman shielded people by blocking troopers’ view,” Qureshi recalls. “He took all the bullets on his chest.”

The youngster was none other than Rauf. Troopers with faces masked had emptied their carbines by puncturing Rauf’s abdomen and chest. The act of bravery saved scores from getting killed. Rauf finally collapsed, his face upwards; blood painting his blue jacket and green shoes with red.

Qureshi watched silently. He was motionless. The crowd had dispersed. "Mayhem, Massacre, God" were the cries he heard from the receding crowd. While on the bridge, troops were leaping on the corpses, kicking survivors and finishing them off. Qureshi pretended dead, hiding his face under someone’s blood-splattered torso.

“I preferred to lie with the bodies, knowing for sure I will be shot if I stirred. I closed my eyes and remembered Allah and recited Kalima without letting a sound come out,” he recalls. Then the image of his
three-month-old daughter flashed in his mind. He soon heard policemen speak in Kashmiri, shouting loud if someone was alive.

“For a while I pretended dead,” he says.
As if mere sack of flesh, blood and bones, the scene had deadened his body. He was picked up by a cop of J&K Police who inquired if he was alright. He saw policemen heave the bodies into a truck, over a tarpaulin and disappear from the spot.

“I was taken to a nearby fire station, from where I called up my home. They were waiting for my corpse after a friend and survivor told them about the massacre,” recalls Qureshi.

The news travelled to home faster than the body of Rauf. Zulehama, the other siblings and father panicked. Rauf had wished martyrdom when a funeral procession passed by the family’s house months back. Zulehama watched their elder brother Parvez Wani readying for Police Control Room (PCR), Batamaloo, where the injured and dead were taken.

At PCR gate Parvez struggled hard to enter the premises, as relatives of victims had already started to pour in. Back home, Rauf’s father was restless. He had allowed his son join the peaceful march. A sense of guilt had overtaken him. Others in the family were crying and consoling each other, assuming Rauf might have swum the river below the wooden bridge. Or he must have stayed at someone’s house.
“We were not sure, however,” Zulehama says.

But at PCR, Parvez was face-to-face with reality: he was handed the bullet-ridden body of his brother. Thirtytwo holes, he counted, had punctured Rauf - the highest number of bullets fired on anyone in the rally. “And when the body reached our home…everyone……” Zulehama is unable to continue.

It was not for the first time that he had risked his life to save others. In 1984, Rauf risked his life to save a Sikh laborer who was shot on head while he was lacing his shoes in the street. Family members say that the labourer had cried for help, and when others in the neighbourhood shut their doors and windows, Rauf rushed out and took him to the nearby hospital.

“He was 18 then,” Zulehama says. Three years later, in 1987, Rauf along with hundreds of youth was dragged to jail for supporting a political party Muslim United Front (MUF). Rauf was bundled into the notorious PAPA-2 interrogation chamber for 21 days.

Zulehama also remembers how young Rauf would shift a mound of sand outside a neighbour’s house making way for guests during a marriage.

Rauf was laid to rest at a graveyard in Sarai Bala, besides Dastageer Sahib Shrine. Soon after, the family sold their property and moved to another locality. And in 2006, Rauf was posthumously honoured with Robert Thorpe award.

Zulehama knows police had registered a case which was, however, closed in 2005 and those involved in Kashmir’s first massacre were declared untraceable.
But when I ask her what does she think and if she wants the case reopened, her silence is coupled with soaked eyes. For a moment she speaks nothing. Then she says: "Yes. It must be.

“When I think of my brother,” she says, “the thoughts are not just of the wonderful time we shared. It is of the brutal way in which he was killed, the irrationality of the act, and ultimately, the offenders and the Indian justice system."

‘Atrocities in 2008 protests pushed Manzoor to militancy’

2010-01-08T21:10:00.000-08:00

Courtesy; Daily Rising Kashmir dated Jan. 9th, 2010 by Asem Mohiuddin
Sopore, Jan 08: The family members of a Sopore youth Manzoor alias Usmaan, who died in a 22-hour long gunfight in Lal Chowk yesterday, alleged that the highhandedness committed by the troopers during the 2008 Amarnath land row agitation prompted him to join the militant ranks.

Manzoor along with another militant was killed in the Lal Chowk encounter. His body was brought to his home town - Peth Seer, Sopore on late Thursday night. Later, hundreds of people attended his Nimaz-e-Jinaza amidst pro-freedom, pro-Islamic and anti-India slogans.
Manzoor’s family claims that he joined militant outfit-Lashker-e-Toiba, one and a half year ago when the valley was up in flames during Amarnath land row agitation.
“He was class 9th drop out and worked as a painter to sustain his poor family. During the 2008 Amarnath Land row agitation, he alongwith hundreds of people of the area participated in the protest demonstrations to express resentment over the transfer of forest land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. On August 11, 2008, he joined the “Muzafarabad Chalo march” and saw the troopers firing on unarmed protestors, beating women and children,” said Manzoor’s uncle, Mohammad Akbar.
He said the highhandedness and excesses committed by the troopers changed his mind-set and prompted him to join the militant ranks.
His father, Ghulam Rasool said Manzoor used to frequently talk about the excesses committed by the troopers during the “Muzafarabad Chalo March”.
“Manzoor used to offer five-time prayers and recite Holy Quran daily in the morning. One the second day of Ramdan he told us that he will join Tableegi Jamaat for some time. We allowed him for the sake of his happiness. However, I was aware about his intentions as his mindset has changed radically after Muzaffarabad March. After leaving home, he never returned. He had joined Lashkar-e-Toiba and we saw him with an AK-47 rifle after six months when he came to meet us,” said Ghulam Rasool.
He said owing to intense pressure from security and intelligence agencies, they had urged Manzoor to surrender and live a normal life but of no avail. “The security agencies harassed me and my family members after Manzoor’s refusal to surrender,” said father of the slain youth.
Manzoor’s mother Hafiza Begum, said she had a firm belief that her son is a martyr. “The death is inevitable but my son died too young. He was only 21 years old. It was the time when he could have enjoyed his life but alas he preferred death,” she mourns.
The family said that they saw Manzoor two days before his death. “Two days before his death he came to home and met all family members and had a cup of tea. He refused to stay for a longer duration and told us that he has some urgent work and had to leave the place as soon as possible,” said his grandfather, Ali Mohammad.
He said on Wednesday evening security forces came to their residence and informed them that Manzoor was trapped in an encounter in Lal Chowk. “They asked us for his contact number and told us that they will let us talk to him,” added grandpa of slain militant.

Jan 6, ’93, BSF massacred 55 civilians, burnt 300 houses in Sopur

2010-01-06T07:18:00.000-08:00

Courtesy Daily Greater Kashmir dated Jan., 6th, 2010 by UMER MAQBOOL DAR
Sopur, Jan 5: Seventeen years after the Sopur massacre, justice eludes the residents of this apple town as perpetrators of the carnage have not been punished and the case is still ‘under investigation’ with the Central Bureau of Investigation.
On January 6, 1993, the paramilitary Border Security Force personnel murdered 55 civilians and torched more than 300 houses and shops in retaliation to the killing of their colleague.
Eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir that in the morning on the fateful day, militants killed a BSF trooper and fled with his rifle. “Within minutes dozens of BSF personnel descended on the market and cordoned off the area. They resorted to indiscriminate firing on civilians,” they said.
Recalling the fateful day, the President of Traders Federation Sopur, Ghulam Nabi Khan, says that naked dance of death and destruction was unleashed by the BSF men for hours here.
“They were raining bullets on men, women and children at random. They herded civilians in shops and houses, splashed kerosene over their bodies and roasted them alive,” he says adding that the soldiers didn’t even spare the kids.
“They threw a child in fire before killing his mother. They sprinkled gunpowder on a bus coming from Bandipora and torched alive its passengers,” he added.
A local resident, Muhammad Shaban Bhat, said his brother-in-law Ghulam Nabi tried to help the injured and retrieve the bodies from the market but was also shot dead by troopers.
“Braving bullets, he brought 11 bodies and then was shot too,” Bhat said.
Following the massacre, the residents registered FIR against 94 battalion of BSF accusing them of firing on civilians without provocation. The troopers also registered an FIR against unidentified militants stating that civilians were killed in cross-firing.
President of Sopur Bar Association, Muhammad Maqbool Mir, said that killer troopers involved in the gruesome incident were not punished till date.
“Neither the case witnessed progress nor the men involved were punished or charge-sheeted,” he said.
An official of Sopur Police Station told Greater Kashmir that the case was being investigated by CBI. “The case is pending with CBI,” he said.
The massacre evoked international attention and dominated headlines in several leading newspapers and magazines of the world.
“The incident is one of the worst atrocities by Indian paramilitary forces in their attempt over the past three years to crush an uprising by Muslim militants in Kashmir,” read the Independent.
Talking to Greater Kashmir over phone, CBI spokesperson Harsh Bhal said that case was under investigation.

TIME MAGAZINE SAYS
“Perhaps there is special corner in hell reserved for soldiers who fire their weapons indiscriminately into a crowd of unarmed civilians. That, at least, must have been the hope of every resident who defied an army-enforced curfew in the Kashmiri town of Sopore last Thursday to protest a massacre that left 55 people dead and scores injured. It was India’s latest blow in a three-year campaign to crush the predominantly Muslim state’s bid for independence. In retaliation for the killing of one soldier, paramilitary forces rampaged through Sopore market setting buildings ablaze and shooting bystanders.”

Jan 6, 1993: Sopore Arson

2010-01-06T07:09:00.000-08:00

17 yrs on, victims still await compensation
Courtesy Daily Rising Kashmir by Asem Mohiuddin
Sopore, Jan 05: While the Apple Town is all set to remember the carnage of January 6, 1993 at the hands of Border Security Force, the victims are yet to be compensated against the loss of life and property in the 17-year-old tragedy.

This despite the 'self-fought' legal battle by the victims to the very doorsteps of the then Commission set up by New Delhi to probe the incident and ascertain the actual cause, amid contradictory versions.
A victim of the 1993 arson, while pleading anonymity, said the town reeled under immense pressure in the aftermath of carnage. When the victims attempted to seek compensation from the government, the move was highly politicized. “Some people sent wrong interpretations to New Delhi, saying the incident was a result of gas cylinder burst. Even the then State Congress president Ghulam Rasool Kar had the same to say to the media. On the other hand, the militant outfits warned people not to take any compensation from the government."
Finally the victims constituted an 18-member delegation and decided to fight the legal battle on their own. Even though Kar assured support to the victims in seeking compensation, the delegation - annoyed with his remarks - snubbed him. “The delegation met to decide the future course of action. Kar came to join the meeting but we told him to leave the room, and he left,” said a member of the delegation.
Saying the formation of delegation was mandatory to change the wrong notion of New Delhi, the member said they met the Commission formed by New Delhi on January 8 to assess the loss and recommend compensation. However, they refused to participate in the inquiry committee formed by the BSF. “We met the Commission lead by then Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Makhan Lal Pada under heavy deployment of forces, only with the intention to change the wrong notion given to New Delhi and spell the truth. We gave them the actual account of the carnage. In the end the wrong interpretation that the incident took place due to gas cylinder burst was ultimately cleared and the Commissions returned satisfied with our claim,” he said.
Nooruddin Dandh, then assistant commissioner and member victims' delegation, said only 25 percent victims were compensated for insurance, that too the principal amount only.
He said the insurance companies first refused to compensate after seeing the magnitude of tragedy. He said the shopkeepers then sought compensation through court and when the consumer court gave decision in favor of shopkeepers, the companies moved to High Court, where both parties compromised due to some compulsions.
“The companies were intended to move to Supreme Court in case of their failure in HC, which could have been tough for us to continue the legal battle. So we decided to compromise and the companies paid the principle amount, approximately Rs three crore,” Dandh said.
He, however, praised then finance minister Manmohan Singh, whom the delegation met in New Delhi. "We met Singh in New Delhi who was addressed wrongly about the incident. He assured us full support and told that the matter would be sorted out in four days and he did live upto his promise,” Dandh said. But, according to him, the government refused to pay any compensation to the victims who had no insurance policies.
“We requested government for interest-free loan for five years so that the people who lost their property will have a new beginning, but they refused,” Dandh said.
In fact the denizens of township consider the 1993 arson as the worst chapter of their bloodied history in last twenty years of insurgency. The town has been observing complete shutdown on this particular day for 17 consecutive years. According to locals, around 350 shops and residential houses in the main chowk were set ablaze by troops, besides dozens of people being roasted alive.
“How can I forget the dreadful day, when troops went berserk and stormed aboard the passenger bus coming from Bandipora. They snatched a three-year old child from the mother seated in the bus and threw it into fire. The troops also killed the lady, besides several other passengers. I never witnessed anything like that and the incident will haunt me my entire life,” said president of Sopore Traders' Federation, Ghulam Nabi Khan.
Khan said the screams of the child engulfed by the flames still echoed in his mind, freezing his blood.
Kutub Alam, shopkeeper in the main chowk and witness to the horrifying episode, claims the troops blocked all entry and exit points of the area before setting it ablaze. “It all started early in the morning when militants ambushed the patrol party of BSF near the area police station and gunned down one trooper and snatched his weapon. As soon the news spread, the bunker located in the premises of Fire and Emergency Services near the State Bank of India resorted to indiscriminate firing. The other hundreds of bunkers present in the town followed suit and the heavy gunfire continued for two hours.
In the meantime, the troops entered the nearby Islamia College and sprinkled gun powder on the building; also on the residential houses and shops in the area and set them ablaze,” Kutub reminisced.
Mohammad Shafi lost his brother in the mayhem and claimed that the latter died while trying to save a man injured in the firing. “It was like a doomsday for me. When my brother came out of his shop and lifted the injured man in his arms for help, the troops resorted to heavy firing and killed him on spot. The fear created by the troops didn’t let me collect the body of my brother and I recovered only his half-burnt skeleton next day,” Shafi said.

FLASHBACK NOV., 22, 1868 - WHEN ROBERT THORP GAVE HIS LIFE FOR KASHMIR CAUSE

2009-11-21T20:36:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dated November 22, 2009 by Zahir-ud-DinRobert Thorp gives his life for Kashmir
Robert Thorp was the first person to question the sale deed of Amritsar. According to him, the British government had committed a wanton outrage and injustice by handing over Kashmir to the unjust Maharaja. This cost Thorp his life.
On November 22, 1868, a body was recovered from Srinagar. The deceased was later identified as Robert Thorp. Poisoning, the people believed, was the cause of death. Thorp was laid to rest at Sheikh Bagh Christian graveyard. It took the locals some time to realize that with the death of Thorp, a strong pro-Kashmir voice had fallen silent. Kashmir had lost their savior. The epitaph reads: “Obit- Robert Thorp- Veritas- He gave his life for Kashmir.”
Thorp’s mother, Jana was a Kashmiri and lived with her family at Sugen Yarinar in Budgam district. Robert Thorp’s father, E-Thorp was an officer in the British army and would come to Jana’s village very often. One day when Jana was herding her buffaloes, Thorp saw her. He fell in love with her. Jana’s relative, Habibullah Teli was a soldier in the British army. Thorp approached Teli and he consented to their marriage. Jana’s descendents, who still live in the village, say Thorp embraced Islam and the marriage was solemnized near a rock in the village. Jana was taken to England by her husband. After some time Robert Thorp was born.
In 1865, Thorp, a young army officer visited Kashmir. Foreigners could not stay in Valley for more than two months. 37-year old Thorp stayed longer to study the appalling condition of the people of his mother’s birthplace. He raised his voice at the time when there was total sanction on information reaching the government of India. Thorp took it on himself to inform and educate the British people about the situation in Kashmir by writing to the British Press without caring for consequences. Thorp felt the British were responsible for the plight of Kashmiris, as it was they who had sold it to the Maharaja under the “Treaty of Amritsar.”
Later, Thorp published a book titled “Kashmir Misgovernment” and dedicated it to the people who, according to him “do not approve of cruelties upon human beings, and to those who are exalted from the moral, religious and social point of view and do not like oppression”.
Thorp was ordered to leave Kashmir. Undeterred, Thorp returned to Srinagar on November 21, 1868, and next morning after the breakfast he died, possibly because of poisoning. Thorp was found dead on the Suleman Taing Hill.

Flashback Bijbehara: October 22, 1993

2009-10-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

When 40 persons fell to the bullets of ruthless forces at Bijbehara
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt October 22nd, 2009 by Zahir-ud-DinSrinagar, Oct 21: On October 22, 1993, the Indian border guards (BSF men) deployed in Bijbehara on Srinagar-Jammu highway fired on peaceful and unarmed protestors, who had taken to roads to protest against the siege of Hazratbal shrine. At least 40 persons were killed in the BSF firing. It was Friday and after finishing the congregational prayers around 15000 people assembled in the courtyard of Jamia Masjid, Bijbehara to register their protest against the siege of Hazratbal shrine by army. A procession was taken out, which marched through various streets. As the processionsts, who were demanding end to siege reached the Goriwan locality, they were intercepted by BSF men, who blocked the roads. Without any provocation, the BSF men fired indiscriminately on the unarmed protestors, killing at least 37 persons on spot and injuring more than 200 others. The firing continued for nearly 10 minutes and troops targeted the crowd and those, who lay injured on the ground.No ambulances or medical staff was allowed access to the injured persons although hospital was only few yards away from the site of the massacre. According to doctors posted in the hospital, most of the people could have been saved had the ambulances and medical aid been allowed to reach the victims. Later, when people managed to shift some of the injured to hospital, the BSF men even fired on them inside the hospital complex, killing and injuring more people.Police later registered an FIR No 90/93 under section 302 and 307 RPC. However, no arrest was effected.The official version claimed that the Bijbehara killings were consequence of militant firing on a road-opening party of troops. This theory of militant attack was readily accepted by two premier Indian news agencies, which falsely carried news stories that many of the dead were militants and involved in various killings and attacks on the paramilitary forces. These false news reports were carried and given prominent space by all the Indian newspapers and other media outlets.Soon after the news of the massacre went out, Indian government barred independent local and international media persons from entering the town. On October 23, 1993 when large number of local and foreign media persons converged on the town, the army used violence and shot in air to stop them from visiting the old side of the town and the newly dug ‘martyrs graveyard’. The army men even attacked mourners, who were burying the dead in the graveyard.
The Inquiry report, vide number EN/BFC/93/23-24, prepared by the Inquiry Magistrate and submitted to the government on 13th November, concluded that firing on the procession was absolutely unprovoked and the claim made by the security forces that they fired in self defence after militant firing is baseless and concocted.
The inquiry report further stated that the security personnel have committed offence out of vengeance and their barbarous act was deliberate and well planned. The report indicted Deputy Commandant of BSF JK Radola for tacit approval given by him to indiscriminate and un-provoked firing.After sixteen years, the victims are still awaiting justice.

Rawathpora remembers Rashid on second anniversary

2009-10-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dated Oct., 20th, 2009 by SHAHID RAFIQ
Rawathpora (Kupwara), Oct 19: Rawathpora village in this frontier district Monday remembered Abdul Rashid Mir, 25, on his second death anniversary. On October 19, 2007 Mir was allegedly shot dead by a road opening party of army led by a subedar of 46 AD, after he had several times resisted the moves of army to taunt his female colleagues. People including teachers and his friends went to the graveyard where Mir was buried and offered fateh. They termed Mir a martyr of Kashmir struggle who sacrificed his life to save the honour and chastity of his two female colleagues.
“Rashid is a role model for every Kashmiri youth as he sacrificed his life to protect the dignity and chastity of his sisters” said Jawahira, his sister.
Mir was a first M. Sc Physics of the area and was working as a teacher in Government Middle School Marsary. Locals said that Mir had objected many a times to the absence comments passed by a subedar and other soldiers at his female colleagues. “He always used to accompany female colleagues so that army men won’t tease them on to their way to school and back home,” they said.
“But on October 19, 2007 Mir had to pay a price for it as he was shot dead by the troopers. On the fateful day Mir was returning alone after his duties and when he reached near the post he was shot dead. Army later claimed that the teacher was killed in accidental fire from a soldier’s rifle while being searched,” they added.
An FIR No-147/07,U/s 302 stands registered in police station Kralpora against Army’s 46 AD (Chowkibal based battalion) for killing the teacher. “Two years have passed but police is yet to charge sheet the accused. The killers of my son are roaming freely. Before my death I want to see the troopers responsible for my son’s cold blooded murder behind the bars,” demanded Rashid’s mother Zareefa. A middle rung police officer on the conditions of anonymity told Greater Kashmir that ‘case was not moving ahead as Army authorities were not cooperating with investigation team.’ “Despite several representations Army wasn’t ready to hand over duty log book of Oct 19, 2007 which contains the details of the troopers on road opening duty and name of their commander. We have recorded the statements of more than 22 eye-witnesses,” he added.

On Oct. 1, Indian troopers massacred 22 civilians at Handwara

2009-10-03T00:06:00.000-07:00

Handwara Remembers ’90 Massacre
Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dt. October 1st, 2009 by UMER MAQBOOL DARHandwara, Sept 30: Twenty years on, the memories of Handwara massacre are still fresh in the minds of people and continue to haunt the survivors in this north Kashmir town. On October 1 in 1990, troopers of 13 Kumaon regiment and personnel of Border Security Force killed 22 civilians in cold blood and set the town ablaze, to avenge the killing of a BSF trooper by militants. Locals said it was a sunny day and people were busy in daily chores. A militant named Shabaz shot dead a BSF trooper in the market. “The BSF men in retaliation fired upon him, killing him on the spot,” said Nazir Ahmed, an eyewitness. “The soldiers of 13 Kumaon traveling in a convoy through the town went berserk and showered bullets on unarmed civilians and torched crops, shops and houses without any provocation,” he added. “The naked dance of death and destruction continued for more than an hour,” said Javid Ahmed, a local resident. The mere thought of that fateful day still sends shivers down the spine of the survivors. “When troopers tried to roast my brother alive, my mother resisted their attempts and tried to save him from their clutches. But they dragged her and pierced her body with bullets. After killing my mother they shot dead my brother also,” said Bashir Ahmed. “The troopers reduced the town to ashes by torching shops and houses indiscriminately,” he said. After the incident, police registered a case and assured the residents that erring troopers would be punished. A First Information Report was also registered against troopers of 13 Kumaon regiment. “There was no headway after the case was registered. We are waiting for the day when the killers would be punished. The government should reopen the case to hang the killers who snatched our beloved from us,” said a local resident.

Army vehicle crushes 7-yr-old Bandipora girl

2009-09-08T01:56:00.000-07:00

Locals torch two RR vehicles
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt Sep., 8th, 2009 by Mir Tariq
Sumbal (Bandipora), 07 Sep: A seven-year-old girl was crushed to death by an Army vehicle here in Markundal village of Sumbal Bandipora when she was coming out of school.Following the incident, thousands of people staged protests on Srinagar–Ladakh highway and torched two vehicles of RR convoy which was moving toward Ladakh.
The girl, Insha Javid, was killed on-the-spot when she was hit by an Army vehicle while coming out of the school. Locals told Rising Kashmir that the army vehicle was moving at a fast speed and after crushing to the girl to death in Markundal fled from the spot. Immediately after the accident, thousands of people of Sumbal and adjoining villages took to rods and blocked the Srinagar-Ladakh highway at Sumbal and torched two RR vehicles. Locals demand immediate action against the erring troopers. It is the fifth such incident since May 2009 in which an Army vehicle crushed a pedestrian. No one among the erring drivers have been punished so far, officials source told Rising Kashmir. “Police is helpless before the Army,” he added.
Though the Senior Superintendent of Police Bandipora, Sheikh Junaid tried to pacify the mob, locals alleged police of “highhandedness”. Local said that instead of punishing troopers’, police used force against the children, women and elders demanding punishment to the troopers. “It is unfortunate that police is punishing innocent people who are being crushed by the Army vehicles. Police is acting as a mute spectator,” said Ghulam Hassan, an elderly person. Raising anti-Army and anti-police slogans, protestors were demanding actions against the erring army drivers who have killed four people in last three months in the district. Locals alleged that besides crushing a 7-year-old girl troopers forcibly snatched vehicles from the drivers and harassed people in the area and forced them to remain inside the houses.
“Troopers forcibly snatched our vehicle and forced us to remain inside the house. When we approached police on duty, they expressed their helplessness,” said Mushtaq Ahmed, a Tata Sumo driver. A huge contingent of police and CRPF were rushed to the area to restore law and order as the situation was tense. PDP candidate Yasir Rehsi tried to pacify the people following which the girl was buried. Yasir Reshi demand immediate action against the erring Army drivers and demanded relief in favour of the deceased. The movement of the Amy vehicles through Sumabl was halted after the incident took place.

Territorial army held responsible for killing a girl at Kupwara

2009-09-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt September 6th, 2009 by Shahjehan Afzal
Kupwara, Sep 05: Holding Territorial Army man responsible for killing a girl at Dolipora Trehgam, police Saturday filed a charge sheet against the trooper in a local court. The girl identified Amina Masoodi, a BA final year student was found dead in mysterious circumstances inside her house during the night intervening July 08 and 09 this year. The incident evoked massive protest demonstrations with the locals and family members of the victim accusing Territorial Army trooper Ashiq Hussain of being involved in the incident. Police lodged an FIR no. 49/2009 under section 302,456,12B RPC and arrested the accused 160 TA trooper.“During the course of investigation, police questioned the eyewitnesses which confirmed the presence of accused Ashiq Hussain Peer in the house of the complainant during the intervening night 8/9 July. It was also confirmed that he was absent from the Army camp of 160 TA Bn during the said night,” SSP Kupwara He said police also recovered two cell phones bearing numbers 9797990180 and 9797226180 in the instant case. “The SMSs found in the “Inbox” of cell No. 9797226180 send from cell No 9797990180 further confirmed the presence of accused at the crime scene”.“After thorough investigation and considering all the evidences - Oral, documentary and circumstantial - offence under section 302, 458 RPC were made out against Ashiq Hussain Peer son of Noor-ud-Din Peer resident of Herri Payeen Kupwara of 160 Territorial Army and charge sheet was produced against the accused in the court of law,” said SSP Kuwpara, adding “Amina died because of Asphyxia and no symptoms of rape were found as per the FSL report”.
The police officer, however, ruled out the hand of army as an institution in the case. “The investigations revealed that army as an institution was not involved in the case as alleged,” he said.
The Inquiry Officer Shabir Ahmad Shah, who conducted the inquiry in record time and presented the challan and is presently posted as DSP (Hqrs) Shopian told Rising Kashmir: “We have got enough evidence to prove the TA trooper was guilty of the crime. Although he refuted his presence at the crime scene, but a mobile phone recovered at the scene of crime and some of the message exchanged between the victim and the accused established his presence. Besides, his scanned Identity Card, which was recovered from the spot also helped in establishing his presence at the crime scene. Some of the eyewitnesses had also seen him at the place where the girl was killed.”

20 yrs on, 3429 youth missing in JK: Govt

2009-08-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

State has 26355 widows, 8612 orphans
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dated August 27th, 2009 by Abid Bashir
Srinagar, Aug 26: The government Wednesday revealed in Assembly that 3429 youth have gone missing in the State since 1990 while the number of orphans and widows stands at 26355 and 8612 respectively. The figures were given by the government in a written reply to a question posed by PDP MLA from Shopian, Abdur Razak Zawoora.
While releasing the figures, government said 3429 youth have gone missing in the State from 1990 till July 2009. “Of these 1062 disappeared from Kashmir while 2367 went missing from Jammu region”. About the number of widows and orphans, the government said there were 8612 widows and 26355 orphans in the State. “Of the 8612 widows, 2267 were the widows of militants, who were killed in different encounters and other incidents while 6345 women lost their husbands to different violence related incidents. Of the 26355 orphans, 20976 lost their family members to violence during the turmoil while 5379 were kins of slain militants.” In the written reply, government stated that the figures about orphans and widows came to fore after a survey was conducted by the Rehabilitation Council to ascertain the number of widows and orphans in the State. “Anganwadi workers supervised by supervisors were part of the survey conducted by the rehabilitation council, which worked under Social Welfare department”.The figures about missing youth were attributed to the home department and not to the survey. To a question posed by the MLA whether government had taken any step to rehabilitate the violence affected victims, the government said, “The rehabilitation council has been rehabilitating the victims of violence in various ways. Widows are getting Rs 750 as monthly pension since April 4, 2008. Besides, the government is also paying marriage assistance to young widows, who want to re-marry.”Talking to Rising Kashmir Minister of Social Welfare, Sakeena Itoo said the Social Welfare department provides marriage assistance not only to the young widows but to the daughters of widows who have attained the marriage age. “All widows collect their monthly pension through banks and as far as the marriage assistance is concerned, once the family is identified, we pay them through cheques,” she said.She said the government also pays scholarships to school going orphans. “In cities, Rs 800 are being paid as scholarships to the school going orphans,” the minister said.About the number of jobs provided under SRO 43 since 2003, the government said 3919 people have been provided the jobs. “Of these, 1116 people were provided jobs in Jammu while 2803 youth got jobs under SRO43 in Kashmir,” the government said adding, “1354 job applications under SRO 43 were pending”

SHRC RECIEVED HIGHER NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS OF HR VIOLATIONS IN JK DURING 2007-08

2009-08-12T03:47:00.000-07:00

COURTESY:Daily Greater Kashmir dated August 12th, 2009 by Arif Shafi/Mudassir Ali
Srinagar, Aug 11: The State Human Rights Commission has received the highest number of complaints of human rights violations during the 2007-08. This was stated in Annual Report of the SHRC which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. In it, the Commission states that it had received 716 complaints in 2007-08, which was the highest number. Out of 716 complaints, 90 were of harassment, 81 disappearances and 39 custodial killings and seven rape cases respectively.
The report states that the SHRC had disposed of 596 cases with recommendations for ex-gratia relief and compassionate appointment in 169 cases. It states that since its inception in 1997, the Commission had received 51, 227, 309, 395, 474, 482, 575, 406, 312 and 336 cases respectively till 2007. “The ever increasing number of complaints registered in the Commission testifies the growing awareness and determination of people of the state to defend their rights and faith in the Commission,” the report states. The reports states that there was wide gap between the post of the Commission’s administrative officer and secretary. “It creates tremendous difficulties while carrying out the function of the Commissions.”
It states that the Act envisages that the Commission should have its own staff. “But practically, this provision has been kept in cold storage. The government has provided maximum staff from the Administrative Department virtually on deputation.” The Commission expressed its “disappointment and anguish” for what it termed as an attempt of brushing aside its recommendation by some officers in the Civil Secretariat by starting fresh enquiry at their end after they receive the recommendations. The report states that it received letters from the officers wherein, the Commission was informed that they have chosen to contradict its findings. “This exercise is supervisory and uncalled for. This tendency has the effect of diluting the position of the Commission which if not restricted will terribly tell upon the governance of the state. The Commission strongly recommends that the government should issue a circular to these officers not to sit in judgment against the findings of the Commission.” The Commission resented the lack of facilities, including denial of legal aid, to the detainees lodged in various jails in Jammu. After inspection of Kothbalwal, Jammu, Kathua and Udhampur jails, the Commission states that the detainees and under-trials deposed that they were not produced before Courts. The Commission recommended that the government should ensure that the district administration, especially SSPs of the districts, should be bound strictly to provide transport facilities to the respective jails for production of detainees in courts.

Mason shot at by troopers at Kupwara

2009-08-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt August 10th, 2009 by Wasim Khalid
Srinagar August 9: Massive late night protests broke out in North Kashmir’s Kupwara after a man was allegedly shot at by the troopers outside his home. The villagers told Rising Kashmir that the incident happened at around 10.30 pm in Chak Keegam village, Dragmulla in border district of Kupwara when a person Ghulam Ahmad Magay was shot at by army personnel. “Magray was returning to home on a bike,” a villager, Bashir Ahmad said. “As soon he reached the gate of his house, the trooper fired at him. He fell on the ground”. Ahmad said, “After hearing screams of Magray, the villagers came out of their houses. Seeing large number of people rushing towards the area, the troopers fled from the spot”. “We shifted him to district hospital Kupwara, where from doctors referred him to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment,” he said. The villagers said, later, army commander visited the village and tried to pacify the angry villagers. “However, after witnessing the rage, he fled back,” Ahmad said. The villagers have kept the lone empty cartridge with them. After the incident, massive demonstrations took place with the people raising anti-India and pro-freedom slogans. When contacted defence spokesman Lt Col J S Brar said he has go no information of the incident. SSP Kupwara Uttam Chand told Rising Kashmir that Magray, a mason by profession, is out of danger. “He will survive as the bullet has hit his left forearm. He has been shifted to Srinagar hospital,” added SSP.

India's police undermine democracy, human rights: International Human Rights Watch

2009-08-05T00:16:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dated August 5th, 2009
New Delhi, Aug 04: India's police discriminate against people on the basis of caste and financial status and consider themselves above the law, undermining the country's democratic ideals, a leading human rights group said on Tuesday.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a report that Indian police also stood accused of illegally detaining crime suspects, torturing them and even carrying out extra-judicial killings in custody with impunity. The report collated from interviews with about 80 policemen of various ranks and victims of police atrocities said several officers admitted in private that suspects were often tortured and beaten to extract confessions.In one case, a woman suspect was killed in custody and her killing was passed off as suicide. She was found hanging from a tree, the report said.In other instances, suspects have been tied to wooden sticks and tortured by turning them upside down until they fainted, the group said in the report titled Broken System: Dysfunction, Abuse and Impunity in the Indian Police.“India's status as the world's largest democracy is undermined by a police force that thinks it is above the law,” Brad Adams, Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, said. India's junior Home Minister Ajay Maken told parliament on Tuesday that the government was moving to address the issue of police atrocities, including supporting judicial investigations into every suspected custodial death. Official figures showed 23 policemen were charged with atrocities since 2005, but none has been convicted.
Adams said Indians avoided contact with police out of fear because they perceived them as discriminating on the basis of caste and financial and social status.
Colonial-era police laws also enable politicians to interfere, manipulating police to have investigations dropped against influential people and to harass or file false charges. “These practices corrode public confidence," Adams said in a statement. In 2006, the country's Supreme Court ordered reforms in the police force, but the central government and state governments have failed to comply, the group said. “It's time for the government to stop talking about reform and fix the system,” Adams said.

Stone cutter rendered like a stone below chest

2009-07-31T03:05:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dt July 31st, 2009Varmul, July 30: When, after firing at him in the back, policemen kept hitting him with bamboo sticks and rifle butts, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, a stone cutter of Khadniyar village near here, felt death was imminent. Today, he prays for it. He cries the moment his wife turns and repositions his body to prevent bed sores.“On June 19, there was complete shutdown in the town in response to the Varmul chalo call of the Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Some stray incidents of stone pelting had taken place in the morning. But, when I was walking near the Cement bridge, Varmul, on my way to my workplace, a stone quarry at Khanpora, there was no clash and the atmosphere was quiet. Still, they (police) fired at me. I felt total numbness below the chest. Only when my arms fell over the legs did I feel these were in tact, but lifeless,” Manzoor told Greater Kashmir at his home.“Even after firing at me, the police men kept hitting me with gun butts and lathis before lifting me in their vehicle,” Manzoor said, adding they rushed him to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar.“The bullet, which is still lodged in my spinal chord, has paralyzed me chest down for life,” Manzoor said, adding that after a 6-hour operation, the doctors had decided against removing the bullet from my body as it would further damage my torn spinal chord.” He was the sole breadwinner of the family comprising his wife and aged father. “Who is going to take care of them,” he asked. Manzoor’s father, Ghulam Mohi-ud-din, is worried too. At a time when he could have expected his only son to take care, he has to look after the cripple throughout his life.“I don’t have the money to buy a wheelchair for my paralyzed son. Some injections cost about Rs 2500 each and he needs several shots of these. There is nobody to help us out,” he told Greater Kashmir. “What sin had my son committed that even after shooting at him, our own policemen beat him up with their canes and rifle butts,” Mohi-ud-din asked, adding that he had left home in search of bread for the family and was not even remotely connected with the violent incidents that had taken place in the town earlier in the day. He said there was no hope for the family as it had virtually lost the sole bread earner.

Flashback: July 26th, 1980 - A tale of brutal army raid on Lal Chowk

2009-07-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt July 26th, 2009 by Abdul Mohamin
Srinagar, July 25: Twenty nine years on, the memories of a fateful afternoon still haunt Ghulam Nabi Pandav, Chairman of Tourist Taxi Stand No 2 situated in the busy Lal Chowk. It was 26 July 1980, Pandav recalls, when army personnel stormed the city center and within few hours left with a trail of wholesale beating and arson behind them.
“Some top state police officials were also beaten during the historical army raid from Lal Chowk to Dalgate,” recounts Pandav. “It was all peace, Kashmir was booming with tourism. But the Indian Army men set ablaze scores of our vehicles and damaged dozens others. I still remember the Ambassador Cars bearing Registration No 151, 469, 725 and 903 were set ablaze.”
The Trigger
The trouble, according to still alive eyewitnesses, started when an army vehicle on way to Tattoo Ground, a huge army formation near Batamaloo, collided with another civilian vehicle near Tourist Reception Centre. The driver fled the scene but locals apprehended him. His fellow army men went to the barracks and within no time army streamed in droves and went on a beating spree. I saw people bleeding enmasse and whole of Lal Chowk being turned upside down as the army men shattered everything that came their way inflicting losses to the civilian property worth cores of rupees.
The Tragedy
Pandav says that the army men were so harsh in their raid on people that the local police proved helpless. “Shops were damaged but vehicles were the main target. Police wasn’t able to control the situation. Even the then Superintendent of Police, Ali Muhammad Watali survived a fatal blow.” Ali Muhammad Watali, who retired as DIG in 1989, terms 26 July 1980 as “the most sensitive incident” in whole of his police career.
“I was posted as SP City only a day before the incident,” recollects Watali. On the fateful day Watali, as he narrates the incident, was on his way home when he saw an army vehicle at Lal Chowk having got involved in a motor accident. “As I moved toward my home at Karan Nagar, I directed the then DSP Javaid Makhdoomi (retired as IGP Hqrs in 2008) over wireless that he should handle the case as per the law. Later I came to know that the army had let loose a rein of terror in the city beating and ransacking people. Initially I couldn’t connect the Army atrocities in the city to the earlier accident involving the Indian Army vehicle. On reaching Budshah Chowk I saw an army convoy coming toward Lal Chowk from Tattoo Ground where the Army Supply Corps was stationed. We stopped a vehicle and argued with an Army Captain not to take law in their hands but he didn’t listen. The troopers were targeting vehicles and shopkeepers and beating civilians ruthlessly”
When, Watali goes on to recall, “the police party reached near Taj Hotel, I tried to save a boy who the army men had pounced upon. The moment I told them that I was a police officer they responded hitting me with canes. One of the blows left me unconscious and in a pool of blood. Locals somehow managed to shift me to a hospital.”
In the hospital, Watali was shocked to see Javaid Makhdoomi among the injured.
The Truth
Later an Administrative Committee probed the incident but termed the incident a “quarrel” between army and civilians. “This was never the case,” Watali rues, “I don’t know how Indian Army let loose its men. I don’t know what happened to the Court of Inquiry formulated by the Indian Army to probe the incident.”
Ghulam Nabi Jogi, who then was a fresher among the professional drivers, says: “The crisis ended only after a divine intervention in the shape of a cloud burst. Indian Army had plans to set the entire city ablaze. They had brought enough petrol with them. The last show was to take place at Batamaloo. The area from Lal Chowk to Gagribal (near Nehru Park) was ransacked. Rains spoiled the angry army men’s plans as it forced them back into the barracks.”
The Twist
Abdul Qayoom Shah is yet another eyewitness to this wholesale arson and beating incident. Says he, “The army atrocities on that day sent people thinking over the accord Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah had signed with New Delhi.” The following day, according to Shah, Sheikh appeared in Lal Chowk atop a bus and addressed people. He demonstrated his anger against Indian army and New Delhi. Thus he managed to defuse the volatile situation and promised compensation for the victims. Pandav, the Taxi Stand Chief, confirms that then government later gave compensation to the victims whose vehicles where set ablaze.

Human Rights Activist Sodomised in Delhi's Tihar Jail

2009-07-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

‘ICRC doesn’t report what they see’
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt July 19th, 2009 by Ishfaq Tantry
Srinagar, July 18: Narrating the inhuman torture meted out to Kashmiris languishing in Tihar jail, human rights activist Mohammad Ahsan Untoo who was arrested by special Cell of Delhi Police in 2005 and released recently alleged he was even “sodomised” in Tihar jail.“Police officials inside the jail asked one elderly sweeper to sodomise me, while I was tied with ropes with my belly touching ground. It was so humiliating,” said Untoo while speaking to newsmen in Rajbagh Srinagar during a press conference organised by People’s Rights Movement, an organization fighting to stop torture in Kashmir.He alleged that detainees are ordered to insert their private parts into the mouth of other Kashmiri detainees and the same was repeated with him. Untoo showed two cavities inside his mouth with teeth missing. He alleged that these teeth were broken during his torture in Tihar.“Not only this,” narrates Untoo “they put rodents, frogs and bees into my dress after tying it with a thin rope around my ankles, abdomen, and neck. It was the cruellest form of physical torture I endured in Dhula Kuan Police station.” Describing his ordeal he said: “During torture they accused me of my making a bid on the life of Prof SAR Geelnai. I was shocked to hear this. Even they asked me to sign a blank paper.”
He added “From 56 days from December 30 to February 26, I was detained and tortured in police station Dhula Kuan and 26 February 2005 I was shifted to Tihar Jail.”
Untoo claimed: “Despite being an under-trail. I was made to sweep and clean gutters, toilets and sewers inside Tihar jail on regular basis. Challan was produced against me after three months but during these months no legal aid was available to me.”
Untoo added that in Tihar Jail he came across many Kashmiri detainees who were tortured and humiliated by Dhula Kuna police cops. He said that the basement cell is specifically meant for Kashmiris where they are tortured. Taking a dig at the role of International Committee for Red Cross, Untoo said: “ICRC presence inside Tihar did not make any difference. They did not report what they see. It is unfortunate. I narrated to them I was sodomised and tortured inside the Tihar when they visited us in March and August 2006. But they didn’t report it.” He further added, “When I told the story to the Judge in the Trail Court No 38, she asked me to produce the evidence that I was sodomised. It shocked me.” Untoo thanked the role played by senior Delhi lawyer and HR activist Nandita Haksar, Gautam Navlakha and Parvez Imroz for making the much needed legal aid available to him. “I owe my freedom to these persons.” Untoo was finally released on 2 July 2009.He was arrested in 30 December 2004 from Priya Guest House in Daryagunj and was taken to Lodhi Colony and then shifted to Dhulla Kuan Police station.He appealed International human rights organizations to “help stop torture on the Kashmiri and non-Kashmiri detainees lodged in Tihar Jail and detention Centres in and outside Jammu and Kashmir.”
On the other hand speaking during the press conference, PRM President Abdul Qadeer Dar said, “Untoo’s story is one of the thousand s of torture stories of Kashmir witnessed during the past 20 years.” He said: “PRM wants to document the torture practised over the past 20 years by troopers and police in Kashmir and outside over Kashmiris detainees.” He added that that a legal aid cell which includes Nandita Haksar, Gautam Navlakha, Parvez Imroz, and Ahsan Untoo, PRM and other human rights activists has been formed by them to provide much needed legal help to different Kashmiri detainees.”

'Jan Commission's purpose of Shopian inquiry defeated'

2009-07-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Zee News dated July 12th, 2009

New Delhi, July 12: Justice Muzaffar Ahmad Jan probing the alleged rape and murder of two women in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday accepted that the very purpose of the Commission was defeated as prime culprits were still not identified.

"I feel sorry. If the culprit was apprehended then of course it would have been a complete success. You cannot create evidence. You have to wait. Commission does compel anyone to depose," Jan told reporters in a telephonic interview.

He was answering to a question whether the purpose of the Commission was defeated as prime culprits were yet to be identified.

He also chose to distance himself from some annexures in his report, questioning the behaviour of brother and husband of Neelofar -one of the victims, which generated controversy in the valley.

"That is not my report...Unfortunately...what has happened is that the investigating team, our police investigating team have also prepared their investigating report which I did not accept, which I did not take on record, which I did not include in the main report," he said when asked about some portions of his report which generated anger in the valley.

When asked specifically why he submitted those annexures if they were not part of his report, Jan tried to defend himself saying,"...that is all right annexures were there but I have not incorporated anything in the report. You see, if somebody puts up an application before the court, the court keeps the application on the file. We don't clear off the application. The fact is that we have not taken anything from the report."

"You see there are number of other annexures with the report...Investigating authority has submitted a list of 60 witnesses examined by them. Along with that report, which is his report, saying that investigations on these lines could be conducted. I had nothing further to do with the investigations. I did not adopt the report," he further clarified.

When asked why he did not leave a note of dissent in his report, Justice Jan said it was a one man commission so there was no question of any dissent.

He also said prime culprits could not be nailed because initially evidence was "destroyed" which could be attributed to "negligence" of the investigating police officers.

"Evidence was not collected when it was available, when it could have been detected then ultimately the evidence is destroyed. It can be attributed to negligence also," he said.

Inquiry report indicts army for murdering Kupwara’s Fayaz tailor

2009-07-08T04:08:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dated July 8th, 2009 by Shahjahan Afzal
Kupwara, July 07: Police has indicted troops of 18 RR in the February 1, 2009 killing of a Kupwara tailor Fayaz Ahmad Mir while the family members of the victim have demanded immediate punishment to the guilty troopers. Fayaz, 28, was killed at Zab Khurhama Lolab area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district outside his residence.
Referring to the report his office obtained from Dy SP Kupwara vide his office Letter No 09-2221 dated 29 April 2009, SP Kupwara in his verification report to Deputy Commissioner Kupwara vide Letter No Confi-2A/09-467 dated 4 May 2009 mentions that Fayaz was killed by troops of Army’s 18 RR unit on February 1, 2009 at Zab Khurhama. In his letter, the SP writes that the deceased Fayaz, or any of his close relatives, was not involved in any kind of subversive (anti-national) activities.
He mentions that as per the records of the concerned police station no criminal case stands registered against Fayaz. Meanwhile, Fayaz’s family has demanded stern punishment against the guilty troopers. Fayaz’s mother Saja Begum said: “Fayaz’s last words were that six army men fired at him from point blank.” She denounced the army’s claim that Fayaz was killed in relentless firing of militants. “There was neither any cross firing incident nor any movement of militants,” she said. “Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should personally intervene and ensure that the guilty troopers are hanged publicly.” Fayaz is survived by his wife Tahira, 24, and four children Irfan, 9, Javaid, 8, Nida Jan, 7, and Saqib. The family lives in a shabby two-room hut. “My children trouble me posing questions about their father,” Tahira said. “I remember the days when I would be upset and Fayaz would console me. Now there is no one to console me.” The family members said they have suffered immensely at the hands of troopers. Fayaz’s paternal uncle Zia Mir was killed allegedly by army who tied a bomb around him at Khorhama Chowk, they said. Zia was working as a porter with Army’s Kuligam post and, according to the family, had refused to obey army’s diktats. Police had registered a case vide FIR No 03/09 Under Section 302 of RPC and started investigation to establish the circumstances that led to the killing of Fayaz.

NOTED INDIAN HISTORIAN DESCRIBES KASHMIR AS "A BLOT ON INDIAN DEMOCRACY"

2009-07-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Kashmir Images dated July 5th, 2009
Srinagar, July 04: A noted Indian historian has rubbed India hard for its track-record in Kashmir describing Kashmir as a “big blot on India’s democracy”. Ramachandra Guha, the Bangalore-based historian and biographer, while delivering the fifth Nehru memorial Lecture 2009 on "Democracy and Violence in South Asia and Beyond" at the Nehru Centre in London on Friday night, compared the Sri Lanka’s handling of Tamils issue with India’s handling of Kashmir. Drawing a parallel between the violence in Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Sri Lanka, Guha who has previously taught at the Universities of Yale and Stanford, said, "Just as Kashmir is a big blot on India's democracy, the treatment of Tamils is a signal failure of Sri Lankan democracy. "As in Kashmir, the problem arose because of denial of democracy's software and hardware - elections were rigged both in Kashmir and Northern Sri Lanka," he said, adding "cultural pluralism in terms of language, in terms of dress, in terms of faith is a serious part of democracy." Patrick French, a noted writer presided over the function, which was attended by the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Shiv Shankar Mukherjee. Highlighting the merits of cultural pluralism, Guha warned against the discrimination on the basis of language or religion. He said he wanted India to be a "more contented and less violent place”

‘Pain will ease only when culprits are hanged’

2009-06-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir by Shabir Ali

Shopian, June 24: Terming the suspension of five government officials as mere eyewash, brother of teenage Asiya and husband of Neelofar, Shakeel Ahmad Ahangar Wednesday said that his pain will ease only after culprits are hanged.
The pain of loosing dear ones in such a brutal way can only be felt by those possessing the human heart. The suspension or arrest of the culprits and those who tried to shield them cannot ease my pain but seeing all of them hanged before my eyes can give me a bit of relief," said Ahanger. He said that suspension of the officials who destroyed the evidence of the rape and murder of his sister and wife to shield the culprits ‘is no punishment but eyewash to pacify the public anger’. Alleging the authorities of trying to hush up the case by causing unnecessary delay in booking the culprits he said: "Had government been sincere in punishing the persons involved in the heinous crime they would have put police behind the bars instead of placing them under mere suspension." He said that the police officials would not have even been suspended had the public not mounted pressure on the government. “But the police officials even after being found involved in shielding the culprits were given the same punishment as is given to the government employee for remaining absent from the duty,” said Ahanger. Shakeel also accused the police of subjecting him to severe mental torture by summoning him daily to police station for questioning. "They subject me to the mental torture by asking me the same questions I have been answering since the day my sister and wife were brutally murdered."Besides knowing that my sister and wife were left with torn clothes and bruised by the beasts they ask me the questions like how was the condition of my wife and sister at the moment their bodies were recovered thus adding to my pain," Shakeel added

JKCHR expresses concern on PSA abuse

2009-06-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

Courtesty: Rising Kashmir News
London, June 18: London based Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights Thursday expressed serious concern on the abuse of authority by a section of State administration in Jammu and Kashmir.Expressing its concern on the arrest and detention of juveniles under PSA, Secretary General JKCHR Dr Syed Nazir Gilani said the alleged arrest of a 14-year-old under PSA does not reflect well on the core ability of the civil administration to serve the interests of the State in the collective welfare of its people. It seems that the administrative habitat in Kashmir has not moved beyond the repressive culture of September 1931, when people were incarcerated as ‘turbulent persons’ by the Maharaja government.
Gilani said the powers exercised by police under PSA was a grim reminder of Maharaja’s Notification on 24 September 1931 providing for the “conferment of Special Powers upon certain...officers for suppression of disorder and the restoration and maintenance of law and order” in the State.JKCHR Secretary General said that the authority of the elected government to govern is the freely expressed will and confidence of the people. “If it fails to conserve the trust of the people and fails to respect their basic rights, the core basis of governance is vitiated.”
Commenting on other arrests under PSA, Gilani said that a prisoner or a detainee does not lose his or her human rights. “Treatment of such people is the real litmus test of a decent and law abiding administration.”Gilani cautioned the officials involved in such arrests that if they fail in their duty to fairness they might have incurred a criminal liability for the abuse of their authority, which embeds very serious consequences for the offending officers.

Military, executive undermine judiciary in Kashmir: US law school report

2009-06-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Rising Kashmir News
Srinagar, June 18: United States based Yale Law School report has said that cases against the troopers are rarely given any judgement in Kashmir as military and executive officials often act to undermine the efficiency and equity of the court system.“The failures of Kashmiri legal system are not solely responsibility of the judiciary, as military and executive officials often act to undermine the efficiency and equity of the court system,” the report observed.In a report "The Myth of Normalcy: Impunity and the Judiciary in Kashmir" in which it has examined the adequacy of legal process afforded to victims of human rights abuses bringing legal claims against the government here.The Lowenstein Clinic's report examined the existing legal process for two types of human rights claims: affirmative claims against the Indian military and habeas corpus petitions. These claims are rarely adjudicated, the report said.The report laid emphasis on how government officials systematically failed to investigate claims, refuse to participate in investigations and prosecutions, and ignore the contempt court orders of court attempting to force their participation in proceedings concerning human rights claims.It also highlights the government's disregard to its own standards governing detention, refuses to honour court orders, quashing detention, and exploits procedural impediments to avoid presenting detainees in the court. The Lowenstein Clinic report analyzes whether the Kashmiri judicial system operates in accordance with international human rights standards. It has exposed the urgent need for heightened attention to the shortcomings of the Kashmiri legal system.The report was prepared by a team of students of Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic produced at the request of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society.

'Men in uniform are Kashmir's problem, not solution'

2009-06-15T01:46:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Times of India dt June 14th, 2009 by Sanjay KakThose who use the media filter to try to understand what is happening in Kashmir should realize they're looking at a shadow play. A curtain lies between events and us. What is played out on the screen depends on who manipulates the source of light.

Last summer, the Valley was overwhelmed by several months of unprecedented non-violent public protest. It was triggered by the complicated Amarnath land issue, but on the streets the people were saying "Hum kya chahte? Azadi!" We are hearing this again this summer, triggered by the rape and murder of two young women from Shopian in south Kashmir. Only the stone deaf could miss the cry.

Between these two summer uprisings came the Assembly elections of December. As everyone braced for a boycott, people did turn out to vote. This surprise turnout was presented as nothing short of a miracle and we were informed that this was "a vote for Indian democracy". Those who wondered why people who had braved bullets only a month ago should suddenly queue up to vote were reminded that Kashmiris were an unpredictable, even contrary, people.

In fact, there is a frightening consistence about the Kashmiri chant for decades: "Hum kya chahte? Azadi!" Protests have begun for all sorts of reasons but they are a manifestation of the simmering anger always close to the surface.

The current round of protests were given a head-start by the distinctly amateur vacillations of the state chief minister, not least his puzzling shifts on what may have actually happened to Nilofar, 22, and her sister-in-law Asiya, 17, on the night of May 29. Well-intentioned though he may be, Omar Abdullah seems very badly advised, or else possessed of a political death-wish.

In its election campaign the National Conference made a point of underlining that it was seeking a mandate for development, for bijli, sadak, pani. It made no claim to settling masla-e-Kashmir or the Kashmir issue. But once the elections were over, they went along with the Indian establishment, which trumpeted the turnout as a decisive mandate in India's favour. The inability of Omar Abdullah's government to reach out to the people of the Valley in the past fortnight is a timely reminder of the dangers of that delusion. In just a little over 10 days, the protests have damaged the patina of normalcy that the election 'success' painted on a deeply troubled situation.

In the middle of all this, but almost buried by events, the J&K police announced the arrest of Constable Nazir Ahmed of the India Reserve Police battalion for allegedly raping a minor girl in Baramulla in north Kashmir. (They admitted the constable was a former Personal Security Officer of Ghulam Hassan Mir, legislator and former minister). Days after the incident, a scuffle between the families of the victim and the policeman led to the tragic killing of the victim's grandmother.

Both incidents of the past fortnight must be placed next to one from a few years ago, when the infamous "sex scandal" led to huge protests, bringing Srinagar to a grinding halt. That was a tawdry tale of the sexual exploitation of vulnerable women, including the prostitution of minors. It was on a massive scale, with the involvement of politicians, senior bureaucrats, police and paramilitary officers. The scandal exposed the ugly networks of power and oppression, which prop up the structures of control in Kashmir. It also laid bare the vulnerability of women all over the Valley, prey to the brutal arrogance unleashed by 20 years of intense militarization and unbridled power.

It's a good time to remember that the acquisition of land for the Amarnath yatra was only the spark that set off last summer's protests. But the real fuel was widespread resentment about the fact that thousands of acres of agricultural, orchard and forest land is under occupation by the army and paramilitary forces, housing their feared camps and cantonments and vast logistics bases. The Kashmiris' behaviour then turns out to be underpinned by a fairly straightforward political reason: we don't need to delve into their fragile 'psyche'.

This week, the lights behind the curtain are being moved around to give the illusion of change: the CRPF's duties are to be handed over to the J&K police. If true, this will need massive local police recruitment and give a disturbing new twist to the Indian government's promise of employment to young Kashmiris. (However, from the Establishment's point of view, a policeman in every home may well be a solution to Kashmir's troubles.)

But this change of guard will not alter the lives of ordinary people. They do not care if the oppressive figure of the soldier wears the uniform of the Indian Army, its paramilitary forces, or is their neighbour in brand new fatigues. Such shallow transformation is not new: people remember the 'disbanding' of the dreaded Special Operations Group, which was simply merged into regular police operations; or the highly public way in which the CRPF replaced the BSF in Srinagar, leaving the countryside in the Army's iron grip.

This summer's protest is not just about the rape and murder of two women, the violation of human rights, or even the repeal of some draconian law. The shadow play must not distract us from the real issue, which is the extraordinary and intolerable militarization of Kashmir.

Sanjay Kak is a filmmaker whose most recent documentary 'Jashn-e-Azadi' explores the conflict in Kashmir

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL RAPS INDIA OVER KASHMIR MESS

2009-06-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

• Repeal security legislations

• Carry impartial probe into Shopian incident

• What about past inquiries?

. Police, troopers fired live ammunition at protestors

• Police failed to interview potential witnesses

• Present detained leaders before judicial authority

Rising Kashmir News Srinagar, June 11: The Amnesty International has criticized New Delhi for the continued human rights violations in Kashmir and the recent rape and murder of two women allegedly by troopers.In its report released on Wednesday, the Amnesty called on Indian authorities to immediately carry out fair and impartial investigations into the allegations of paramilitary CRPF involvement in the murders and sexual assault of the two women.
The two women, 22-year-old Aasiya Jan and her sister-in-law, 17-year-old Nilofer Jan, went missing when they went to tend their family fruit orchard on 29 May at Nagbal near Shopian. Their bodies were discovered next day in two different places at Ranbi Ara, a stream close to paramilitary CRPF camp.The Amnesty report said police and paramilitary forces had resorted to firing at protesters in several places including Shopian, Baramulla and Srinagar. “Reports from hospitals that admitted the injured indicate that troops fired both live ammunition and rubber bullets.”Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Director, Sam Zarifi said authorities should ensure that troops comply with international human rights standards on law enforcement, in particular those relating to the use of force to deal with protestors. “Any instance of excessive use of force should be impartially investigated. These protests are about the ongoing failure of the Indian government to bring troopers to justice for serious human rights violations.”The report said police had failed to interview potential witnesses even as the state authorities ordered a judicial inquiry into the murders.The Amnesty called for repeal of the security legislation in force in Jammu and Kashmir that facilitates impunity by providing discretionary powers to troopers and effectively enabling them to violate human rights.It also expressed serious concern over the effectiveness of past inquiries ordered by the authorities into human rights violations including unlawful killings, enforced disappearances and sexual assault of women.The report said that Amnesty had received information on 8 June that at least four pro-freedom Kashmiri leaders had been arbitrarily detained.“No charge has been leveled against them so far,” the Amnesty said. “One of the detained leaders, Syed Ali Geelani was taken to an unknown destination. Yasin Malik, Javed Mir and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were placed under house arrest.”Amnesty called on the authorities to disclose details of their detention including as to how they are being treated and immediately release those detained unless they are charged with a recognizable criminal offence.Amnesty International has also said that they should only be held in official and acknowledged places of detention and brought promptly before an independent judicial authority.

A VIOLENT CRIME RESURRECTS KASHMIR'S CALL FOR FREEDOM

2009-06-10T21:06:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Time Magazine- By YUSUF JAMEEL / SRINAGAR Wednesday, Jun. 10, 2009
The Vale of Kashmir is simmering again, this time over the rape and alleged murder of two young Muslim women. The corpses of 17-year-old Aasiya Jan and her sister-in-law, Nilofar Shakeel, 22, were found floating in a shallow stream on May 30, hours after their disappearance from their family's apple orchards in the city of Shopian in Indian Kashmir. Locals have alleged that Indian soldiers from a military encampment in the neighborhood were involved in the violent acts, reigniting separatist calls in the Muslim-majority region. At least one protester was killed and more than 300 people have been wounded in pitched street battles between angry residents and police that have brought the scenic Himalayan region to a standstill for over a week.
Autopsy reports and forensic investigations have confirmed that Aasiya and Nilofar, who was pregnant, were both raped, but authorities have not yet confirmed that either woman was murdered. A special police team has been assigned to the investigation. So far, no charges have been made, but chief minister of Indian-administered-Kashmir Omar Abdullah has said the government is committed to finding the perpetrators of the violent crime. "Nilofar and Aasiya were like my sisters and I, as brother, feel the pain of the tragedy that has befallen the victim family," Omar said. He pledged not to rest till the perpetrators are brought to justice. The Indian army and other security forces have not yet responded to residents' allegations.
Those assurances have failed to cool down tempers. The unrest has sparked Kashmiri separatists' call for azadi — "freedom" — once again, recalling scenes from a decades-long insurgency that has claimed many thousands of lives. In the first weeks of June, the streets of Srinagar and elsewhere have been filled with hundreds of men and women demanding independence from Indian rule. Syed Ali Shah Geelani, 79, a longtime separatist known for his hard standpoint on the issue of Kashmir, was quick to seize on the incident to mobilize protesters for his cause. He was arrested along with other key voices in the movement, most of whom have since been detained under a tough law called the Public Safety Act and shifted to jails outside the Valley. Several hundred average "troublemakers" have also been put behind the bars in the much-criticized sweep by police. Kashmir's chief minister Omar Abdullah has defended the action. "They took advantage of the tragic Shopian incident and plunged people into further misery," he told the Greater Kashmir newspaper.
Despite the relative peace that has come to Kashmir in recent years, anti-India sentiment still runs deep in predominantly Muslim Indian state. Some separatist leaders continue to seek full independence for the state; others a plebiscite to determine whether Kashmir should fall under Indian or Pakistani rule. Incidents like the Shopian deaths often lead high-voltage clashes between the region's residents and Indian security forces. Abdullah, Kashmir's chief, admits that absolute peace and normalcy will evade the region unless a sustained peace dialogue takes place within the state and between New Delhi and Islamabad. "New Delhi ought to talk to all the stakeholders including separatist leaders in Kashmir. Simultaneously, [India's] dialogue with Pakistan must be resumed without delay." he said.
This week's uproar is reminiscent of a similar situation that unfolded last summer after the state government decided to transfer about 100 acres of land to a Hindu consortium. The move was designed to improve amenities for the thousands of Hindus who come to Kashmir each year to worship at a local cave-shrine. More than 60 people were killed in the protests that followed that policy. Incidents like these take both a personal and an economic toll: Hundreds of Indian and foreign tourists were driven out of the Valley this week, and tour operators say that many bookings for tours and weddings — a big business in this scenic spot — have been cancelled. "More or less, three thousand marriages have been postponed or cancelled over the past one week," says Farooq Ahmed Bhandari, a chef who caters traditional wedding banquets. (Read about the 2008 clashes.)
The opposition has been quick to point out the government's failings in dealing with the crisis. Former chief minister and leader of opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP), Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, says the official "mishandling" of the Shopian incident caused its escalation. Some Kashmir watchers also say that the chief minister's early response to the Shopian incident — that there was no evidence of foul play and that the women had likely drowned — got him into trouble. That statement was apparently based on early police information that the autopsy revealed no marks of violence on the dead bodies. But as local television channels continued to loop footage of the victims' bodies in abject condition, surrounded by mourning relatives who squarely placed blame on the Indian troops, the lingering feelings of a decades-long conflict once again surfaced.
Mufti the former chief minister, says the region and its people will continue to suffer economic and personal losses in incidents unless Indian armed forces are recalled from populated areas and the laws which give them impunity are repealed. In a letter to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, he asserted that the effort that had gone into creating a new atmosphere of peace, reconciliation and resolution in and around Indian-administered-Kashmir "seems at a real risk of going waste unless immediate retrieval is made." Ostensibly in an acknowledgement of the situation being serious enough, Indian home (interior) minister P Chidambaram has scheduled a visit to Srinagar later during this week.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir's chief Muslim cleric and a moderate face of separatist movement, agrees with Mufti — though only partly. "Complete peace and normalcy will return to Kashmir and rest of the South Asian region only when the core issue of Kashmir is resolved as per wishes and aspirations of its people," says Farooq. Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a political analyst and a professor of law at the Kashmir University, agrees: "It is the virus and not the symptoms which require to be taken care of."

The fallacy and comedy of useless government probes against atrocities of armed forces

2009-06-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

Govt. yet to implement enquiry report recommendations of Wular Tragedy even after one year that indicted Indian Navy of the murder of 22 Kashmiri children
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dated May 31st, 2009 by Shahjahan Afzal

Kupwara, May 30: Speaking on the third death anniversary of Wular tragedy in which 22 persons including 20 school children drowned when Indian Navy had taken them on a boat ride, parents and students and various organisations Saturday asked the government to implement the Naqashbandi inquiry report. Students in hundreds and teachers of the area held a condolence meet at Handwara in north Kashmir district of Kupwara. Chairman ‘Wular Tragedy Martyrs Committee’ Ghulam Mohiuddin Zargar, spearheading the campaign for justice told Rising Kashmir that three years have passed but government is yet to implement the recommendations of inquiry report, “Despite the tall assurances from the then government and the then Navy Chief, Admiral Arun Prakash that the guilty will be treated as per the law nothing has come out.” Zargar further said: “Indian Navy played big joke with the souls of the deceased by constructing Children Hospital amid media hype at Handwara in their memory. The hospital is without staff and the machinery installed is getting rusted with each passing day.”All the 22 deceased belonged to ‘Burning Candle Public School’ Handwara. On the occasion the parents, teachers and the colleagues of the deceased children together held a condolence meet at Sunrise Public School, where they mourned the death of dear ones. The participants while paying rich tributes to the deceased souls demanded implementation of the inquiry report. Bilal Akbar of Khaipora, while addressing the audience said, “Kashmiri are suppressed people. Our voices are muzzled.” Rafia of ‘Kehkashan’ School criticised the attitude of some people and accused that they are of dual character. “On one hand we support Azaadi yet we also support Indian polity by voting which we must not,” said Rafia. She accused the parents of the deceased souls of selling out their blood. Another student Nadia of 10th class said: “I still vividly remember my friends who lost their life in the tragedy. Their sweet memories neither let me sleep nor let me eat at most of the times.” Trying to console the bereaved parents Nadia said, “Don’t worry they are not dead they are alive.”NGO, Global Peace Foundation, Chairperson Abdur Rashid also paid rich tributes to the children who lost their lives in the tragedy.On 30 May 2006, 20 children were drowned in a boat capsize in Wular Lake. The incident evoked massive anger and condemnation against the Indian Navy for negligence from most sections of the State, forcing the government to launch an inquiry into the incident.The then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on 06 September formed an inquiry committee to look into the incident. The team of inquiry was headed by Syed Tariq Naqashbandi, the then district and sessions judge Srinagar. In his 156 page inquiry report found 4 persons of Indian Navy including Lt K S Nehra, Krishan Khalvi Ballot No, NEI (SD)129116Y designated as Boat Operator, Bali Ram Ballot No, 15769722/W, Gansham Ballot No, 15762395-N were held responsible. The inquiry also held principal of the school Muhammad Rafiq Khan responsible for the drowning of the students.

SHAME ON YOU INDIAN ARMY, SHAME ON YOU

2009-05-31T08:45:00.000-07:00

INDIAN SECURITY FORCES MASS RAPE AND MURDER TWO KASHMIRI WOMEN AT SHOPIAN - ENTIRE KASHMIR ON BOIL AGAIN

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt May 31st, 2009 by Wasim Khalid

Srinagar May 30: At least 25 persons were injured during massive protests in South Kashmir’s Shopian area after two women were mysteriously found dead. The locals alleged that they were raped and killed by troopers while the authorities said opinion could be framed only after completion of investigation. The residents of Arhama village of Shopian said Nelofar Jan, 22 and her sister-in-law Asiya Jan 17 went missing mysteriously from their orchard in the village. “Their orchard is located at Nagbal and they had gone to sow vegetable seeds on Friday 4.30 pm,” neighbor of Asiya and Nelofar, Owais Ahmad told Rising Kashmir. “When they did not turn up till 8 pm we called on their cell and they told us that they were on way to home and will be reaching within 15 minutes. When we called them again, we got the response that subscriber is switched off. We got suspicious and informed our neighbors about the matter. We went to the garden and searched for them the entire night but failed to trace them out,” said family members of the deceased. Owais said after failing to locate them, Shakeel Ahmad - husband of Nelofar - lodged a report with police that his wife and sister Asiya were missing since Friday. “Police along with family members and villagers launched large scale search operation to trace them out,” he said. Another villager, Ashraf Wani said that at around 3 am on Saturday, police and locals found body of one them lying in Rangyari stream. “Another body was recovered at 6 am from the same stream,” Ashraf said, adding, “The stream is very shallow and a child can wade through”.The residents said clothes of the both ladies were torn. “There were also some marks around there necks. It seemed they were strangulated to death,” said the residents, who had seen their bodies.The villagers suspected that the due were killed deliberately after molestation. “Many such cases have taken place here in last one month and we suspect the involvement of troopers in the killing of the two women,” alleged the locals.After retrieving the bodies, the locals took them to a hospital for conduct of post mortem. “The doctors in the hospital did not hand us post mortem report. This led us to believe that the women were raped and killed by the troopers,” another resident Nisar Ahmad said. He said, “We kept the bodies in the hospital premises and refused to leave until a team of doctors from outside conducted the postmortem.” Later, a team of doctors was called from Pulwama to conduct the postmortem. Afterwards, people buried the bodies in a local graveyard amidst pro-freedom and pro-Islamic slogans. “If there was nothing suspicious why did local doctors refuse to make the post-mortem report public. When we insisted them to reveal the report they fled from the spot and this made us more suspicious” said a villager Mushtaq Ganai.Brother of Asia and brother in law of Neelofar, Riyaz Ahamd told Rising Kashmir that the way to their garden, which is located on the other side of the stream where the bodies were found, passes through the CRPF camp. “We apprehend the involvement of CRPF personnel in their killing,” he said.Riyaz said, “At 8 pm they talked to me very over phone and told me that they were on their way to home. When I called them again after 15 minutes their phone was switched off. The injury marks on their bodies make it clear that they were killed,” he said, adding, “We want that the culprits should be exposed and punished severely.

Protests and clashes Hundreds of people assembled at Shoipan market and staged demonstrations (PHOTOGRAPH ABOVE SHOWING WOMEN PROTESTORS BEING BEATEN TO PULP BY CRPF PERSONNEL AT SHOPIAN). Raising pro-freedom and anti-army and anti-CRPF slogans, the protestors were demanding action against the troopers involved in the incident. The slogans like “Produce the killers” and “We want justice,” rented the air. The protestors pelted stones on Deputy Commissioner’s office and hospital. They damaged several vehicles and flogged doctors. A contingent of police rushed to the spot and resorted to heavy baton charge and fired dozens of tear smoke shells to disperse the agitating people, who retaliated by hurling bricks and stones towards them. At least 25 persons including some cops were injured in the clashes, which continued for couple of hours.After the clashes and protests, authorities imposed undeclared curfew in some areas of Sopore to prevent people from taking to roads and protesting against the death of two women. The strength of police and paramilitary personnel were increased in the sensitive areas and people were not allowed to venture out of their homes. Official speakPolice said after receiving the complaint about the missing women, SHO Shopian alongwith 10 locals launched a search operation to trace out the duo. “During the searches, the bodies of the missing persons were recovered from Rambi Arra Nallah Saturday morning and brought to the District Hospital Shopian for postmortem,” SP Shopian Javed Matoo told Rising Kashmir. About the post mortem report, he said, “The doctor after examining the body said that no physical injuries or torture marks could be established”.He said when people came to know about it, they took to roads and staged violent demonstrations. “They resorted to arson and manhandling of hospital staff. Besides damaging the hospital property, they attempted to set ablaze the hospital,” SP said. He said afterwards police swung into action to disperse the agitated mobs. “The people came back to us and requested for independent probe,” Matoo said, adding, “DC Shopian called a team of doctors from Pulwama to conduct post mortem once again”.He said the report are awaited and will be submitted to them by Monday.“It is too early to ascertain the cause of death. We can frame opinion only once the circumstances of deaths are fully investigated”.When told that the locals are accusing CRPF of killing the women, the police officer said, “The CRPF camp is located at least at a distance of more than one km from the place where the bodies were recovered. We cannot accuse them of being involved in the incident. A civilian can also commit such a crime,” he added.SP Shopian said police have lodged the FIR into the incident and initiated the inquest proceedings under section 174 to ascertain whether the two women were murdered or died natural death.CRPF spokesman Prabhakar Tripathi termed the allegations wrong and totally baseless. “CRPF men are not involved in the incident,” he said.Geelani calls for shutdownHurriyat conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani has appealed people to observe strike on Monday to protest against the killing of two women at Shopian.Geelani termed the incident as ‘barbaric’ and ‘shocking’. “The incident is condemnable in strongest possible terms,” Geelani said and urged people to observe complete shutdown on Monday to protest against the killings. He said people in Kashmir have no other option than to stage strikes to protest against the ghastly killings of two women. “Our criminal silence would conceal the accused. So we should peacefully protest against the incident and observe strike,” added Geelani.Several separatist and mainstream parties including Hurriyat Conference (M), JKLF, JKLF (Rajbagh) Muslim League (Rajbagh), High Court Bar Association, PDP and Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami have strongly condemned the killing of the women and demanded a thorough probe into the incident.

ARMY VEHICLE CRUSHES TWO KASHMIRI YOUTH TO DEATH

2009-05-28T20:41:00.000-07:00

One Dies, Another Critical; Anti-Army Demos; Driver Held; Pampore Shutdown For 4 Days

Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dt. May 29th by Tasim Zahid/Samaan Latief

Srinagar, May 28: For the third time this month an army vehicle trampled to death a youth and critically another near Badami Bagh army cantonment on Thursday morning, triggering massive anti-army demonstration in the area.Eyewitnesses said the Shafat Ahmad Wagay and Muhammad Ashraf Sheikh of Kadalbal Pampore were riding a bike when the army vehicle hit them while overtaking them. Shafat Ahmed died on the spot, while Muhammad Ashraf suffered grievous head injuries.Eyewitnesses said that army did not allow them approach Shafat’s body for 15 minutes after the incident. “Shafat’s body remained untouched for 15 minutes on road because the army did not allow any one to go near it,” eyewitnesses alleged.Shafat was taken to Army hospital, where he was declared brought dead.Ashraf Sheikh, who had been injured in the accident, was taken to the nearby Army hospital from where he was referred to SK Institute of Medical Sciences, where doctors said that his condition was critical. “He has cervical spine fracture and a ruptured spleen. We will be operating upon him soon,” the doctors said.Police have arrested the driver identified as Lance Naik P.K. Panday of the 103 regiment posted at BB Cantonment. The SDPO Nehru Park, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah, told Greater Kashmir, “We have arrested the driver (PHOTOGRAPH OF KILLER DRIVER UNDER POLICE CUSTORY SHOWN BELOW) and seized the vehicle. We have lodged FIR 104/09 against the accused in Ram Munshi Bagh Police Station and booked him under sections 279 and 337 of RPC for negligent driving.” However, it was not clear whether the accused was in police or army custody.Immediately after the accident, hundreds of people assembled at Batwara and shouted slogans against army, demanding action against the driver. The police dispersed protestors by firing tear gas shells and several rounds of ammunition in air. Police action angered the peaceful protesters who pelted stones and in the ensuing clashes several protestors sustained injuries.Meanwhile, Fallah Behbood Committee of Pampore alleged the Army vehicle deliberately hit the two youths outside the gate of Badamibagh Cantonment at Batwara. The Committee said that it would observe a complete Bandh in the Pampore for four days.“We will launch peaceful protests against the killing of innocent people by army,” the secretary of the committee said.The residents residing adjacent to bypass said that traffic police should be deployed immediately to replace the Army and CRPF patrol parties deployed during passage of army convoys.This is the third accident on the Srinagar-Jammu highway involving an army vehicle in the last month. On 8 May Bashir Ahmad Sofi, a former militant commander was hit by an army vehicle when he was calling from a mobile phone on roadside at Khrew Pampore. On 12 May an army driver, alleged by the locals to be drunk, crushed 10-year-old Khusboo near Lasjan.The Army spokesman Col J S Brar refused to comment on the incidence of army vehicles involved in accidents. He said an inquiry has been ordered by the army. “The driver has been arrested and he is in army custody. We have immediately called for an inquiry.”The IG Traffic Muhammad Amin Shah refused to comment on army vehicles involved in accidents and said it was not his jurisdiction. “Each accident is different but I can’t say anything about this. Investigations will tell about why the accident happened.”The IG further added, “The DIG traffic has written to the army so that we can chalk a plan where their presence does not congest the roads and we are sorting the matter out.”BOY DIES IN PAMPORETwelve year old Ubaid Rafiq son of Muhammad Rafiq of Frestibal Pampore succumbed to wounds at sub-district hospital Pampore. He was trampled by a truck (JK01C-2852) on Srinagar-Jammu highway. A FIR has been lodged against the driver at Pampore Police station.

A SIKH FROM POONCH RECORDS AND REPORTS 417 CASES OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

2009-05-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt May 28th, 2009 by Wasim Khalid

Srinagar, May 27: Informing that hundreds of human rights violations have gone unreported in Poonch, Hurriyat Conference (M) Provincial President, Kamaljeet Singh Wednesday urged United Nations to establish its own commission to probe into rights violation in the region. “Thousands of human rights violations have been committed by troops in Poonch,” said Singh who has documented 417 cases of rights violation pertaining to custodial disappearances, custodial killings and torture in Poonch.“So we demand UN should set-up international commission to investigate rights violation,” he said.Singh who is also a human rights activist said he had been forced to beseech UN for the commission since the government had shown reluctance to act upon the recommendation of its own State Human Rights Commission.“I have reported 417 cases of human rights violation to SHRC,” he said. “The SHRC has so far passed seven judgments pertaining to different cases. However for the past two years, the government has not implemented a single recommendation of SHRC.”Singh, who was spotting a green turban, said SHRC had been made subservient to many other screening commissions.“Most of the 417 cases comprise of civilians. We wanted victims to get some kind of relief from the administration,” he said. “But no such thing has happened as they have made the process intricate.”Besides, he said they want UN commission to probe into rights violations since they do not believe in state affiliated commissions.“If the UN could report rights violations on Sri Lanka, why not Kashmir,” Singh said.Sitting in the Hurriyat Conference (M) office at Rajbagh, Singh narrated how difficult it was for the victim families to get justice in Poonch.“Hundreds of cases are unreported. I recently reported three more cases of rights violation to SHRC. They have not been reported either by police or army. The three were killed by unidentified gunmen,” Singh said.“These incidents remain unreported as they have happen in far flung mountainous areas,” he said. “I have documented only 417 cases. But there are hundreds of pending cases of heinous crimes committed by troops in far flung areas.”Stressing that the government had, most of the time, shown reluctance to help the myriad number of victims in the mountainous area, he demanded that the administration should take CBMs like trade after rehabilitating those victims.“I have to fight to register their FIR in police stations,” Singh said. “Poonch is full of tragic stories. One will get tired but stories in Poonch will not end.”He said he received several threat calls while he was gathering information about these cases.“I was scared but continued to work. I knew I am doing it for a noble cause,” Singh said.He appealed other human rights organizations to probe human rights violations in Poonch.“I am the lone person who has reported cases from there,” Singh said.

INNOCENT CIVILIAN KILLED IN POLICE CUSTODY YET AGAIN

2009-05-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

As Usual Government Orders Useless Probe Into the Killing

Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dt. May 19th, 2009 by GOWHAR BHAT
Srinagar, May 18: The killing of a civilian allegedly in the custody of the Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday triggered massive anti-police protests near his residence in uptown Alochi Bagh here. Eyewitnesses said that Manzoor Ahmad Beg, 35, son of Abdul Ahad Beg, was bought in an unconscious state to the SMHS hospital in the afternoon by some unidentified persons in an auto-rickshaw. “They left his (Beg’s) body in the hospital premises and fled the spot. The body was taken inside the hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.” Beg’s body was shifted to the Government Medical College for post mortem. Police later shifted it to the Police Control Room. Fearing uprising and protests, police handed over the body to the family late in the evening. Beg’s brother, Abdul Majeed said, “At around 1.30 pm two men appeared on my shop and told me that my brother had been picked up by the SOG men of Cargo camp. They told me to go to the SMHS hospital where he was admitted. When I went there I was told that he had died.” “There were torture marks on his body. His underarms were swelled and there was a strangulation mark around his neck… the body is now in PCR,” he said. From the SOG camp, he said, he was told that Beg’s body was first shifted to a private nursing home, Ramzana Hospital, where two unidentified men had hired the auto for SMHS hospital. He said the auto driver arrested by the police had been lodged in Karan Nagar police station.

Father of three children, Beg was a dealer of secondhand cars. When the news of his death broke in the area, many of his relatives and neignbours were shocked when they learnt that he had been killed by the SOG of the state police. “I saw him in the morning when he was buying some goods from a shop. He later accompanied his daughter to the school and left for his routine work,” said his neighbour Mushtaq Ahmad. “I don’t believe that he is dead.” While police retained his body till late in the evening, massive protests erupted in the area as scores of men and women, shouting anti-police and anti-India slogans, took to streets to stage protest demonstrations. They blocked the Airport road for several hours bringing the rush hour traffic to a complete halt. The protesters demanded that the body be handed over to the family. They also sought action against the policemen involved in his murder. A large number of police and paramilitary troopers were deployed in the area to deal with the protests. Later in the evening, when Beg’s mortal remains were handed over to the family, a pall of gloom descended over the entire locality. Women wailed and beat their chests as the coffin was bought to his house. Many separatist leaders, including Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Mushtaq-ul-Islam and JKLF vice-chairman, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, visited the residence of the deceased. Meanwhile, the government has ordered a probe into the killing. Talking to reporters at the GMC, Srinagar, the deputy commissioner, Me’raj Ahmad Kakroo, said that he had ordered an inquiry into the killing. He appointed the additional deputy commission, M. Y. Zargar, as the inquiry officer asking him to submit his report within a week. Asked why he had come to the hospital and whether it was a custodial killing, Kakroo said, “I got a message and thought to visit the hospital to get the first hand account. We will probe the matter and then only would it be clear whether it is a custodial killing or not.” Kakroo was accompanied by the senior superintendent of police, Syed Ahfad-ul-Mujtaba.

Kashmir Dispute makes entry into Guinness Book of World Records

2009-05-14T20:53:00.000-07:00

‘Kashmir is the largest militarized territorial dispute in the whole world’
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. May 15th, 2009 by Hakeem Irfan

Srinagar, May 14: The 2009 edition of Guinness Book of World Records has described Jammu and Kashmir as the ‘largest militarized territorial dispute’ in the world.The Guinness Book of world records quoting American Intelligence Agency (CIA) fact book says: “The dispute between China, India and Pakistan for the Kashmir region is the largest and most militarized territorial dispute currently taking place on the planet earth.”The report came after US President Barrack Hussein Obama emphasized the need to have “better understanding” between India and Pakistan to resolve Kashmir dispute.“We should probably try to facilitate a better understanding between Pakistan and India and help resolve the Kashmir crisis,” Obama had said in an interview with MSNBC news channel.The record book reads that the dispute continues ‘despite the massive earthquake that devastated the area in 2005 killing 80000 people’.“At any time, up to one million troops confront each other across the Line of Control that represents India and Pakistan administered Kashmir,” the book mentions on page 137 in the chapter ‘modern life’ under the banner ‘World at War’.In Kashmir, human rights activists and observers see it as an important strategic outcome from the US intelligence agency.Noted columnist and a senior faculty member at the Department of Law, Sheikh Showkat said: “Sense of deprivation amongst people of Kashmir has kept the dispute alive. The statement from the US institution depicts that finally world has realized the importance of the issue and need to solve it if we see it implicitly.”“It is high time for India to realize the ground situation and accept the reality,” said Hussain. “It should at least shake the policymakers in New Delhi. Here military has been empowered to do anything and besides its ruthlessness it has been legitimized through draconian laws.”Human rights activist and senior counsel Parvez Imroz said: “It is because of US that wars between India and Pakistan were averted many times. Indian Army is in Kashmir to neutralize and control which also brings with it the baggage of atrocities and human rights violations.”“The statement from CIA is very important,” said Imroz. “Kashmir is the battleground of two nuclear rivals if any war happens. So it is high time to resolve it. International community seems to have realized the grave situation here. It must pave way for taking steps vis-à-vis the resolution of Kashmir issue.”

Army lorry crushes 10-yr-old girl to death in Lasjan

2009-05-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

Locals stage demo, damage vehicle; Police fires tear shells

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. May 12th, 2009 by Abdul Mohamin

Srinagar, May 11: A fast moving army vehicle crushed to death a 10 year old girl at Lasjan, evoking massive anti-army demonstrations with protestors damaging the vehicle. Eyewitnesses said that one of the vehicles (02D/49794) in the army convoy hit a 10 year old girl Khushboo daughter of Abdul Qayoom at Lasjan Byepass at around 4 pm while she was crossing the road. “She was dragged by the vehicle for few meters, causing her on spot death,” they said. The army vehicle, according to the eyewitnesses, tried to speed away from the spot after killing the girl. However, the vehicle was blocked by a tipper, bringing to complete halt the army convoy. People in large numbers gathered at the scene of the accident and ransacked the army vehicle. Raising anti-army slogans, the protestors broke the windows of the vehicle and alleged that troopers were ‘intentionally killing’ the Kashmiris. They demanded action against the guilty army driver. A contingent of cops from Nowgam and Pantha-Chowk police stations reached the spot and resorted to cane charge and fired tear smoke shells to disperse the agitating people. The locals accused SHO of Nowgam police station of using excessive force against the protesters. “Instead of pacifying the locals, the police officer used force against them,” said an elderly person.The police officials, present on the spot, said they tried to pacify the protesters that investigations will be launched. “The protestors refused to disperse and demanded that SSP City should visit the spot and order impartial probe,” they said, adding, “They had no option but to use mild force to restore law and order situation”.The stand-off led to the traffic jams on the Byepass with vehicles on both sides remaining stranded for hours together on the road. As the protestors continued to block the road to press authorities to punish the guilty army driver, police again resorted to tear gas shelling at 7.10 pm. After the police action, partial vehicular movement on the road was restored and vehicles were allowed to move towards their destinations. Meanwhile, till last reports, police had not registered FIR against the army.Driver arrested, inquiry ordered: ArmyDefence Col Uma Maheshwar Monday said army regrets the death of the innocent girl child who was overrun by their vehicle.He said that the driver had been arrested and a high level inquiry ordered. “Stern action will be taken against the driver as per the law of the land,” he said.

APDP to UN: Ask India to repeal draconian laws

2009-05-10T22:19:00.000-07:00

Tells govt to declare disappeared men dead if killed, or their whereabouts if alive

COURTESY: DAILY GREATER KASHMIR DT. MAY 11TH, 2009 BY FAHEEM ASLAM
Srinagar, May 10: United Nations must ask India to withdraw draconian laws that give impunity to its armed forces in Jammu and Kashmir, and also prevail upon India so that it clears its stand on the fate of thousands of men subjected to enforced custodial disappearance in the past 20 years, Parveena Ahanagar, the president of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) told reporters on Sunday. Parveena Ahangar, leading a monthly sit-in of the parents of disappeared persons at Pratap Park here, released the document she submitted at the 86th Session of the UN’s Working Group on Involuntary Enforced Disappearances in Geneva in November last year . Ahanger said the APDP submission urged the WGIED to ask India to ratify and implement the provisions of the International Convention for Protection of Persons from Enforced Disappearances (2007) and UN convention against torture, abolish all secret detention and interrogation centres, take immediate steps to protect family members of persons disappeared from intimidation and harassment by security forces, and also empower the NHRC and SHRC to investigate crimes committed by the armed forces in compliance with international standards and norms. The submission comprised six individual cases of disappearances in Kashmir. “The general submissions presented a brief account of the widespread prevalence of Enforced Disappearances in Kashmir and gave an overview of the Indian laws related to sanctions for prosecutions, and special laws like AFSPA which give armed forces extraordinary powers,” she said. The document gives a brief account of the APDP’s meetings with several UN officials in Geneva. “In response to the efforts of the APDP the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay during her recent visit to India on March 24 has asked India to allow the UN Special Rapporteurs to visit Jammu and Kashmir as in the past two decades hundreds of disappearance cases have been reported in Kashmir,” the document reads. “The High Commissioner has also called for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act which allowed the security agencies to indulge in excesses.” The document said that Pillay raised these issues during a press conference with Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram, where she reiterated her demand to allow UN officials on human rights to visit Kashmir. Meanwhile, the Association demonstrated against the Jammu and Kashmir government, accusing it of failing to address the issue of “enforced disappearance of civilians in the custody of armed forces.” The family members of the disappeared men chanted anti-government slogans. “We don’t want jobs or money, but our children. We have been long waiting for justice, but the successive governments have failed to deliver it,” the members said. Holding placards which read “where are our loved ones” the members urged the chief minister Omar Abdullah to address their issues. “For God’s sake tell us where they are? Declare them dead if they have been killed, or hand them over to us if alive,” said the 70-year-old Azi of Tengpora whose son Mushtaq Ahmad Dar was disappeared in the custody of troops 10 years ago. The relatives of disappeared persons urged the chief minister to visit different jails to ascertain the condition of Kashmiri detainees. “We are sure he will find their condition very pathetic,” they said.

ANALYSING VOTING PATTERN IN KASHMIR

2009-05-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

BY: ANURADHA BHASIN JAMWAL
Courtesy: Editorial, Daily Kashmir Times dt. May 10th, 2009

Only five months back, the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir saw an unexpected turnout of voters in Kashmir Valley, close on the heels of the spectre of sea of humanity that would descend on the streets at the mere call of the separatists during the land row agitation. And this time, it is more or less deserted streets, at least in several pockets of the Valley. Erratic behaviour is not without a reason. What is it that inspires a person to vote or boycott elections? There may be no simplified answers. The reasons may be as complex and varied as the changing mood of the people. In no circumstances, should this wavering trend be attributed to a single factor. There are too many lying at the fountainhead of this sweet and sour of voting patterns in the Valley, especially off late. It is absolutely clear that in the last assembly elections despite 'azadi' slogans generating huge popular protests throughout the length and breadth of the valley, as witnessed during the land row agitation last summer, just days before the elections began, people came out to vote because they deemed their day to day development and employment issues as not only significant but also delinked from the resolution of Kashmir issue. By and large, people voted because they realise that some contestants in poll fray would make it to the legislative assembly and governments will be formed even if there is less than 10 percent voting. A government will be in place - no voting, coercive voting or bogus voting. So the natural reaction is why not to vote more consciously. So, they voted for a better choice, or lesser of the evils, whatever the case may be. In a land where developmental imbalance has kept some areas so backward, the people's obsession with their day to day matters becomes more significant. No amount of calls by the Hurriyat leaders for a complete boycott of the elections made any difference as the polling percentage went upto 50 and beyond.

Then why is it that when the same separatist leaders again call for a poll boycott, the people by and large decided to stay away. Can the waning or increasing influence of the separatists have something to do with it? Most likely not, though to some extent the stand of the United Jehad Council, an umbrella organization of Kashmiri militant groups, does make an impact. The UJC's appeal for boycott in the last assembly elections was too mild, rather absent, unlike its rhetoric during the parliamentary polls. But then there are other reasons for people to stay away. Firstly, there is a vast difference between the assembly elections and the parliamentary polls. As far as the common man is concerned, the former is related to their development and governance issue and the latter is an exercise to elect a government in power at the Centre. The parliamentary elections thus become something distanced and insignificant. Rather they become an idea that Kashmiris, still enamoured by the slogan of azadi would like to not associate with. An Indian democratic process is none of their concern, would be the political stand of some. Some of this disenchantment with parliamentary polls also stems from a mindset that is not peculiar to Kashmir alone but stands true for rest of the country as well. In most places, the voter turn out in assembly elections is far higher than the parliamentary polls. This time in Kashmir, this detachment from parliamentary polls was further supplemented by the fact that the time gap between the assembly and Lok Sabha elections was too less to generate any enthusiasm. Secondly, and more importantly, the disenchantment with the newly elected representatives and the new government in place which has not even been able to sketch out a road map for fulfilling all the promises it made during the time of asking for votes. It is this disillusionment with electoral politics every time that adds to the weight of the separatists, who may not have essentially risen from their own stature in the past few months. There is nothing exceptional about their statements or their behaviour that may earn them extra points. The support to their call is instead more inspired by a process of elimination, which is the norm elsewhere in India as well. Except, elsewhere in the country, this process for elimination guides people to vote for the 'other' party; in this part of the world, among other alternatives the politics of boycott, fuelled by the popular slogan of azadi, has a far greater appeal. However, a more compelling reason for the change in mood of the voter in Kashmir is how the high voter turnout was used by the mainstream politicians in and outside the state to interpret is as a vote against 'azadi' and separatists, which it was not. The propaganda machinery that was oiled after the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir throughout last winter is what makes them flinch and retreat. What perhaps appalls the people more than anything else is how their voting patterns are used, rather abused, to misinterpret their ideologies by political beings of any shade and hue.

2008:TESTING TIMES FOR VALLEY JOURNALISM

2009-05-04T20:39:00.000-07:00

WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY SPECIAL

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir

During last year’s mass uprising which was met by relentless force by police and paramilitary CRPF, journalists were not spared either. In the thick of covering the protests, the reporters and photojournalists were beaten severely by the troopers. Besides, the angry protesters also vent their ire on them.• July 5: Raashid Wani, cameraman with Sahara Samay was severely beaten by CRPF near Soura. He spent three days in the hospital.• August 12: CNN IBN cameraman, Bashir Ahmad Lone’s car was fired at near Lasjan. He was also beaten in the incident.• August 13: The Aaj Tak crew was attacked by angry crowd inside SMHS hospital. NDTV’s Amin Bhat was injured when people attacked his vehicle at SKIMS. Ishfaq-ul-Hassan was beaten by people near Karan Nagar. He had earlier been stopped by police and was asked to give lift to one of their men. When people saw him carrying a policeman with him, they stopped him and started beating him.• August 19: Greater Kashmir photographer Amman Farooq was beaten up and his arm broken by CRPF at Bypass near Qamarwari.• August 22: Muzamil Rashid of CNN IBN was shooting at Habba Kadal when CRPF opened fire on protesters and then tried to snatch his camera.
• August 24: Bilal Bhat along with his team members- Rashid Mir, Muzaffar- was stopped by CRPF at Rambagh and beaten even though they had curfew passes. S Fayaz of UNI was thrashed by CRPF men near SMHS hospital. Jehangir Aziz of ETV and Khalid Hussain of IBN 7 were beaten near Rambagh. Manoj Kaul of ETV was beaten near Zero Bridge. Amin War, Firdous Ahmad and Amin Bhat were stopped near Bakshi Stadium by CRPF men and beaten. The local newspapers were not allowed to distribute their copies. Farooq Ahmad and Rahil of Rising Kashmir were beaten at Batamaloo while he was carrying newspapers for distribution. Greater Kashmir staff came under assault when Zahoor Ahmad, Mohd Iqbal, Ghulam Muhammad were and beaten by CRPF men near Rambagh while they were carrying copies for distribution. • August 25: Mir Ehsan of Indian Express came under assault when CRPF men smashed the front and back lights of his car in Baramulla. Asif Qureshi of Star News was stopped at Hyderpora and beaten up. His car was also smashed while he was coming back from airport.• August 28: Bureau Chief of The Hindu, Shujaat Bukhari’s home was raided by troopers.• August 29: Rising Kashmir’s Hakeem Irfan was beaten near Rainawari. “You were beaten only because you are a journalist,” Irfan was told by the troopers. Ishfaq Tantray of Daily Etalaat was stopped near Radio Kashmir Srinagar and beaten up. “You people are responsible for the problems,” he was told by the troopers.• September 8: Police confiscated all the newspaper supply meant for north Kashmir near Narbal. The cops also destroyed the camera of Etalaat’s Sajad Raja and also threatened him. Around eight photojournalists were thrashed by police and CRPF men in old city while covering a protest against the killing of a youth.

Torture victim reveals plight of Kashmiri inmates

2009-04-28T01:59:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt April 28th, 2009 by Showkat Nanda

Baramulla, April 27: Peer Mehraj-u-din is yet to recover from the mental torture at the hands of his interrogators who had even prodded him to confess to plan of killing BJP leaders, L K Advani and Narendra Modi in a bid to frame him on false charges. Resident of Baramulla district’s Mukam, Potukhah area, Mehraj-u-din had gone to Mumbai in 2002 to apply for MBA course in Rizwi College, Bandra when at the Mumbai Railway station he was picked up by some unidentified men in civvies.“They asked about my identification, and when I resisted and asked them to identify themselves, they were infuriated. They dragged and bundled me in a vehicle and I found myself in a room with four other young men,” Mehraj recalls, adding, “Three days had passed and I was in Delhi, which I didn’t know then.”Mehraj recalls how he and the other boys were interrogated in the same room for hours together.“Every question was followed by punches and blows. All of us were hanged upside down and they urinated on our faces,” he said.He also revealed how his two fellow inmates were killed in a “fake encounter.” “In the dead of the night, we were taken in a cab to a lonely place where two of the boys were shot dead and we were asked to run. As soon as we started running, our captors shouted at us drawing the attention of nearby people,” recalls Mehraj, adding that they shouted, “We have killed two and arrested three.”“The people also started calling us terrorists and beat us with stones after the policemen presented it as a genuine encounter,” Mehraj said.Later, Mehraj was asked to sign some blank papers.“They told me to confess before media that I had plans to kill Advani and Modi,” he said.Mehraj was accused of possessing explosive material which he denies even today. After being convicted under POTA, he was shifted to Tihar jail where he was kept for more than four years. He says he was subjected to third degree torture for months together.“For the first few days I would be regularly stripped naked and beaten. They would give me electric shocks almost daily. An officer known as Roy Singh would urinate on my face,” recalls Mehraj amid sobs, adding that he filed a writ petition (381/2005) against Singh and other jail authorities later.He added that he was not the only victim, but all the Kashmiri inmates would undergo severe mental torture.“Apart from being abused, we were forced to do Puja every morning. Even copies of Holy Quran would be trampled under the feet before our eyes.”Like Mehraj, hundreds of Kashmiris have been falsely implicated and subjected to third degree torture, asserts Abdul Qadeer Dar, Chairman of People's Right's Movement (PRM), an organisation fighting for the rights of released militants."Mehraj is one among hundreds who were treated inhumanly in Tihar jail. There are more than 60,000 people, some of whom are working as PRM volunteers now, have been severely tortured,” Dar said, adding, “There is an immediate need to start a vigorous campaign against this state-sponsored evil.”

TWO CIVILIANS DISAPPEARED IN ARMY CUSTODY: J&K HIGH COURT

2009-04-28T01:41:00.000-07:00

HC ISSUES NOTICE TO CENTRE, ARMY, STATE
COURTESY: DAILY GREATER KASHMIR DT APRIL 28TH, 2009 BY MUHAMMAD YOUSUF

Srinagar, Apr 27: The High Court on Monday issued notice to Army and the state government in custodial disappearance of two persons eight years ago. The court has directed the army and the state government to respond to the notice within three weeks. Ghulam Hassan Dar and Ghulam Muhammad Lone of Shamaspora Islamabad filed two petitions in the High Court about the disappearance of their sons. Their counsel Ghulam Qadir Bhat informed the Court that on November 23, 2001 Sajjad Ahmad Dar, son of Ghulam Hassan Dar and Feroz Ahmad Lone, son of Ghulam Muhammad Lone were picked up from their houses by Ikhwanis who were working with the Army and since then they disappeared. The Ikhwanis who lifted the civilians have been identified as Tariq Ahmad Bhat and Manzoor Ahmad Paddar of Maloon in Islamabad. The parents of both the boys immediately registered a complaint with the police station. However, the police didn’t help them to locate their sons. Meanwhile, they received a call from Kupwara resident Muhammad Yousuf Dar that their sons were lodged in Palpora Kupwara. The parents rushed to Kupwara and informed the concerned police station. The SHO concerned informed them that he had taken up the matter with the Army and it had agreed to release them after questioning. However, they were not released and the SHO forced the parents to leave the place. The resident Muhammad Yousuf Dar who had informed the parents was shot dead. The police inaction forced the parents to approach the State Human Rights Commission. On October 17, 2006 the SHRC in its judgment confirmed that they have been subjected to enforced disappearance during custody. It ordered the government to give compensation to the relatives of the disappeared persons. The Commission had also passed remarks against the then SHO police station Kupwara. The SHO concerned didn’t provide records before the Commission. He also didn’t appear before the commission despite the directions of the commission and orders of the Director General Police. The Commission had ordered that the case of murder and kidnapping be registered against the Army. But years have passed neither the case has been registered nor the recommendations of the SHRC regarding the ex-gratia have been accepted by the Government. The Court directed the Union Home Secretary, 14 Rajput Unit of Army, DGP Police, SSP Kulgam and deputy commissioner Islamabad to respond within three weeks.

Shamsuddin was made human shield by troops, cries Kupwara

2009-04-21T00:40:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. April 21st, 2009 by Shahjahan Afzal

Kupwara, April 20: People in Chack Nutnussa and adjacent areas on Monday staged a massive protest demonstration demanding probe into the killing of Shamsuddin, 65-year-old retired head constable in Jammu Kashmir Police, who was allegedly made human shield by troops during a gunbattle in the area on Sunday.Protesters raising pro-freedom and anti-army slogans blocked Kupwara-Srinagar Highway demanding stern punishment to the guilty troopers and the Ikhwanis allegedly involved in the killing.Stating that it was discretion of armed troopers to enter the house where the holed up militant was, they said that Shamsuddin was made human shield by the troopers and killed in cold blood. The protestors also complained that the notorious Yousuf Ikhwani has unleashed a rein of terror in the area and is involved in grave crimes. Accusing that he has killed five innocents in the area, they demanded that he be disarmed and brought to justice. The Deputy Commissioner Kupwara and top police officials assured the protesters to conduct a probe to establish the circumstances which led to the killing of Shamsuddin.SP Kupwara, Uttam Chand told Rising Kashmir that he has assured people that an inquiry will be conducted to establish the circumstances which led to the killing of the civilian. “Any body found guilty will be treated as per law,” he said.Shamsuddin’ son, Muhammad Ashraf told Rising Kashmir that his father was forced by the troops to enter the house where the militants were holed up. An employee in the police department, Ashraf said, “My father was asked to persuade the holed up militants for surrender. When he refused the army officers and notorious Ikhwani Yousuf Khan who was accompanying the troops dragged and forced him to enter the house,”Eyewitnesses said Shamsuddin after entering the main door of the house loudly called upon the militants that the army was asking them to surrender, and returned back. Yousuf who was positioned at main door fired at Shamsuddin, one bullet hitting his abdomen and one hitting his right hand which led to his death by the time he had reached back to the main door of the house. After the death of Shamas-u-din, troopers resorted to heavy mortar shelling and razed the house to ground which was constructed last year.Shamsuddin is survived with four sons and three daughters who were all wailing on the death of their father. Saeda, wife of Shamsuddin, who is said to be a heart patient and has been relieved from hospital recently, was in a state of shock.

Saffron agenda in Jammu - Creation of an unholy divide

2009-04-13T10:45:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Kashmir Times By Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal

It is not known whose agenda Sinha was pursuing. But that he had the partial, if not full, backing of the centre all along even as power changed hands from BJP led NDA government to Congress led UPA government in New Delhi, was quite evident. Despite his objections and the prolonged confrontation over yatra duration, Mufti had to give in after centre's insistence. That time, Congress was in the saddle in New Delhi. After Ghulam Nabi Azad took over as chief minister of the coalition government in November 2005, it was known in the official circles that Azad was using Sinha as a counter weight against Mufti. But how does a constitutional head of the state become such a super power without backing from somebody at the power centre? The PDP kept resisting efforts to transfer the land to SASB for three years right up till March 2008, as is evident from reports about the coalition members confronting each other on this issue. Then what happened between March 2008 and May 2008 to have prompted the PDP to give up its stand, that too at the fag end of Sinha's career? Sinha's tenure ended on June 2 but was extended by a few weeks during which resentment against the land transfer was building up. Congress spokesperson Jayanti Nataranjan maintained, only after Sinha's exit from Jammu and Kashmir, that he was a communalist, pointing out at his equally admonishable role in Assam. That it took over four years for the Congress to understand Sinha's troublesome quality is difficult to digest. Was Congress oblivious of his past, also even of Indira Gandhi government rejecting his name for army chief owing to his right wing leanings. If such facts were known, they were conveniently ignored for whatever reason, making the constitutional head of Jammu and Kashmir all powerful and almost unquestionable. Anyhow, the notion of the land transfer as a design to bring about demographic change in Kashmir did not have roots in Islamic fundamentalism but in Sinha's sinister moves that created suspicions. Whether or not there was a design to do so in so inhospitable a terrain, there were legitimate reasons for insecurity and anger. It has been contended that 800 kanals of land was not enough space to effect any kind of a demographic change in a place where 99 percent population was Muslim. Certainly one is well aware that 800 kanals of land in the possession of Amarnath Shrine Board headed by a non state subject may not be enough to bring about a demographic change but one has to keep the sequence of events in mind as well to understand the skepticism and insecurity of the Kashmiris for which Sinha alone is to be blamed. Whether one calls it diversion or permanent transfer, the impact of such a move on the psyche of the people, who had earlier agitated against offering vast tracts of land in Gulmarg to hoteliers and big companies from outside the state, was the same. Sinha had already made himself a suspect in the eyes of the people and his moves were being viewed as a well conceived agenda against the locals. 800 kanals of land may not have been sufficient to even settle a few non state subjects. But this could well have been the beginning with a person as constitutional head of the state who had become too demanding. After all Gaza strip was created bit by bit, not overnight. The psychological impact of such fears coupled with the pent up anger of the people due to continuum of suppression, human rights abuse and increased alienation and their increasing disillusionment with the peace process is what led to a spontaneous agitation in the Valley. The final spark was provided not as much by Islamists, petty politicking between different parties, the unity moves of the two Hurriyats or their creation of the Action Committee Against Land Transfer but by the Chief Executive Officer of the SASB, Arun Kumar. Responding to Muzaffar Hussain Beig's remarks about being arm twisted into okaying the deal, at his venomous press conference on June 17, Arun Kumar stated that the land transfer was 'permanent'. Arun Kumar's press conference became significant for the fact that his remarks became the final provocation, setting the tone of a massive agitation in Kashmir. The reason was not simply the 'permanent land transfer' he referred to, remarks which he later tried to distance from, but also his provocative comparison between Haj pilgrimage and Amarnath pilgrimage as also his insistence that the SASB would make the Amarnath yatra a permanent feature to accommodate the increasing number of Hindus in the world. (Interestingly Arun Kumar's mysterious role also comes into focus on an earlier occasion in 2005 when the initial proposal of allocation of 3600 kanals of land was sent to the forest department of the state. His wife Sonali Kumar, who happened to be the forest commissioner that time blindly gave the proposal a green signal. When Mufti learnt of this, he cancelled the order, which as per norms should have been cleared by the cabinet and also on the grounds that transfer of forest land would amount to violation of supreme court directive.) Arun Kumar's outburst strengthened the fears and insecurities of the people whose obsession with history of Palestine invoked fears of this being the first step towards creation of a Gaza strip here. PDP pulled out of the government on June 28 and the next day governor NN Vohra wrote to the chief minister that the Board was not interested in pursuing the land if the state government could give an assurance that it would create suitable facilities for the yatra. Two days later, the cabinet of a minority government met to cancel the land transfer order. There were two reasons to revoke the order and it was obvious that the pressure to do so had come from the Centre. First, the land agitation had strengthened the hands of the separatists and New Delhi felt that any further delay would totally fritter away the gains of the peace process. This was not the first agitation against government policies in the Valley but the fact that it was assuming the shape of a revolt, especially at a time when Indian government was hoping to cash in on the decreased militancy related violence and the weakening of the separatist leaders. It had rung alarm bells. Secondly, there was finally a realisation that the decision to transfer land had been wrong and also of the damage that had been done by Sinha and the land deal. By June 19, violent protests, brutally dealt with, had begun in the Valley. On June 27, Friday, complete bandh was observed in Valley to both oppose the land transfer issue and the killing of two persons in police firing during protests in Srinagar's down town. After the Friday afternoon prayers in various mosques of the Valley, where imams and separatist leaders called for assembling on the roads in protest against the land transfer, thousands of people all over the Valley descended on the roads. In Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, alone over a lakh people were part of different peaceful demonstrations. The police and the security forces, in view of the killings in police firing, had probably decided against any direct confrontation with the protestors and allowed them to move. Most of them converged at Lal Chowk, some hoisting green flags at the historic crossing's Clock Tower. Slogans of 'azadi' dominated the scene. But also heard were pro-Pakistan and religious slogans. The agitation against land transfer had become an occasion for political revolt, suppressed by years of indifference and to some extent by an increasing weakening of the separatist leadership. But when slogans of 'ham kya chahte hain..azadi' turned into 'azadi ka matlab kya.la allah-al-allah' the reaction was just the opposite in Jammu region where an agitation was waiting in the wings for the collapse of state administration. When some Kashmiri youth hoisted green Islamic flags at Srinagar's historic Lal Chowk and electronic media gave liberal coverage of that very incident, common masses in Jammu, unmindful of the history of events, perceived it as a war between two religions, not as a people's war for their land or even as people's struggle to decide about what happens on their land. In 1990s massive agitations had rocked in the Hindu dominated Katra town, the base camp of the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, of Jammu region against the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board's move to build a motorable road to the shrine. It went against the local interest and protests were supported and justified. When protests for similar reasons took place in Kashmir, they were given a religious colouring. The green flags and Islamic slogans only further contributed to this religious paranoia. The PDP's pull out from the government on June 28 coincided with NN Vohra taking over as the new governor on June 24, left behind a one legged Congress government. The latter failed to offer any explanation either for the land transfer or the need to cancel the order, following Vohra's letter to the chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad stating that the SASB was not interested in pursuing the land if the state government could give an assurance that facilities for pilgrims would be taken care of by it. Because the Congress was busy politicising the issue and getting even with PDP, both washing dirty linen in public, the government had no explanations to offer to the people either in Kashmir or Jammu, the constituency which Congress was eying. This seems to have acted as a catalyst for the agitation in the winter capital of the state. The cancellation of land transfer order had an adverse fallout in Jammu region where the Sangh Parivar, prompted by its mentor Lal Kishen Advani, was already up in arms against what they had begun to call 'surrendering to separatists and anti-nationals'. In Kashmir the religious slogans, green flags and pro-Pakistan slogans, as always, were expressions of an anti-India sentiment. The anger had both a history and reason. In Jammu, Sangh Parivar sought to legitimise the agitation on grounds that this was an expression of Jammu sentiment, a euphemism for Hindu sentiment. Peoples' sensibilities, nurtured on the notion of discrimination to Jammu for years, were easily whipped by the panic inspired by the 'unity' displayed by the Kashmiri leadership including the mainstream political parties on the issue. Not many coming out on the streets to protest knew the basis of the agitation. The popular sentiment was anti-Kashmir and anti-Muslim, fed by myths that Hindu land had been taken away by the Muslims which the Sangh Parivar had so cleverly perpetuated. It took three days for the Congress ministers to respond to the agitation in Jammu where they pursued a more apologetic posture, maintaining that the land was sought by the former governor, so it was transferred, the new governor didn't want it, so it was cancelled. Two days later, chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad addressed a hurried press conference, maintaining that 'this was a win win situation for Jammu'. The lack of any explanation, about what the land transfer signified, what its repercussions would have been, why it was opposed in Kashmir Valley and how the cancellation of the order would impact or not impact the yatra, created conducive conditions for the fertility of the Sangh Parivar propaganda, something that these groups had been waiting for a long time. Azad's remarks on the day the land transfer order was cancelled - that the agitation in Kashmir is over a non-issue - itself legitimised the agitation in Jammu for revoking the cancellation of the previous order i.e restoring the land back to the SASB. Virtually, the government had no story to tell. Or, it didn't want to. But the media had, especially the local electronic channels, without any exception, in Jammu. They ran almost a round the clock 'soap-opera', projecting unknown figures of the saffron brigade mouthing their propaganda, raising slogans or burning effigies. The meager protests being held in small mohallas were getting almost a live telecast. These were the only voices people heard and their only source of information, rather disinformation. At the same time, in Kashmir, there is need for realisation that even though religious slogans are popular expressions of resentment and alienation against India, they can create insecurities in the minds of the other communities of the State. The valley centric politics have been pivoted around mosques and religious slogans, not only in the last two decades, but since much before even during the times of Sheikh Abdullah whose obsession with the Hazratbal politics was too conspicuous. In fact, the use of mosques to mobilise people for political purposes or protests has become an accepted part of life. It is not necessary to justify that. If the plural fabric of the State has to be kept intact in its harmonious mould, it is time to shun politics that can create insecurities and divisions. Violent protests in both the regions of the state have ended since long and the ice has melted, at least on the surface. But not without taking its toll. The two counter agitations cost individuals thousands of crores of rupees and severely hit the state's economy. Health care and education were severely hit. And added to this was psychological impact that violence and hatred caused in the long run. But more significant is the damage that has been done with the creation of communal and regional divides which does not augur well for the social fabric of the state or for eventual peace. These have mellowed down but have not totally been wiped out. Without understanding and questioning the deigns of fundamentalists and vested interests on both sides, especially the Sangh Parivar, there can be no lasting and enduring bridge between regions and communities. While it is important for secular elements from all sides to come forward and burn the midnight oil to dispel all kinds of propaganda as also prevent a repeat of the situation witnessed in this state last summer; it is also necessary at this juncture to introspect what happened and why it happened before one gets down to working on creating a space for healing. An ideal solution, ultimately, would be de-linking State and politics from religion. But before that lies the onerous task of dispelling myths and building bridges for a consensus on that. -(Concluded)

Ratify enforced disappearance convention: APDP to GoI

2009-04-11T23:59:00.000-07:00

Courtesy:Daily Rising Kashmir dt. April 11th, 2009 byHakeem Irfan Srinagar,

April 10: Families of the disappeared persons on Friday demanded that India should ratify the Enforced Disappearance Convention to which it is a signatory.In its monthly sit-in, Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) urged the government of India to follow countries like France, Senegal, Argentina, Mexico, Hundura and Cuba, and ratify the convention.Speaking on the occasion, legal advisor of APDP, Advocate Hafizullah Mir said, “India should also ratify the convention. The disappearances that took place in Kashmir, Punjab and North East should be probed by independent and credible commission.”The convention is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations intended to prevent forced disappearance. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 20, 2006. As of March 2009, 81 states have signed, and ten have ratified. It will come into force when ratified by 20 states-parties.Speaking on the occasion, APDP President, Parveena Ahanger said, “We don’t want any compensation from the government. If our sons are alive, allow us to meet them and if they are dead, handover their bodies. Our demand is plain and simple.” Family members of several missing persons, mostly elderly men and women, participated in the peaceful protest holding placards demanding whereabouts of their dear ones.One of the victims, Begum Bakti whose son was arrested one month after his marriage from Tragpora Rafiabad and later went missing, said, “I am still hopeful of my son’s return. His wife has married again only six years after his disappearance and is demanding compensation in the name of my son which adds to my miseries.” Nineteen-year-old Abrar was too small to recollect his father’s disappearance after his arrest in 1993 from Narkara Budgam.“I don’t know what happened then. But now I know that my father was arrested from home. I want to know if he is alive or dead,” he said.On the occasion, APDP chairman Parveena Ahanger said, “We don’t want any compensation from the government. If our sons are alive, allow us to meet them and if they are dead, handover their bodies. Our demand is plain and simple.” The parties to the convention are bound to investigate acts of enforced disappearance and bring those responsible to justice, ensure that it constitutes an offence under its criminal law, and to assist the victims of enforced disappearance or locate and return their remains. It also envisages establishing a register of those currently imprisoned, and allow it to be inspected by relatives and counsel, and also to ensure that victims have a right to obtain reparation and compensation.

Bomai win makes widow Tahira Hopeful

2009-04-01T02:42:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. April 1st, 2009 by Shahjahan Afzal

Kupwara, March 31: The probe into the killings of two youth in Bomai and the subsequent indictment of accused troopers has come as a ray of hope for Tahira, the widow of Fayaz Ahmad Mir who was allegedly killed by troops of 18 RR outside his house on February 1 at Zab Khorhama Lolab in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Tahira demands a Bomai like probe into her 28-year-old husband’s killing so that the guilty are brought to book.Mother of four, 24-year-old Tahira says: “I remember Fayaz’s last words. He repeatedly alleged that he was fired by a six-member party of Army. This words strike my mind every now and then. I am neither able to sleep nor work.”Tahira along with her children Irfan, 9, Javaid, 8, Nida Jan, 7, and infant Saqib live in a shabby two roomed hut at Zab Khorhama.Memories“Fayaz was a caring husband. He would inquire about my health and well being every evening on his return from his workshop and would accompany me to the doctor when needed,” Tahira recalls bursting into tears. “On some occasions I used to be annoyed with him. At that time he would console me tenderly and always treat me humbly. Now there is no one to console me…no one, the days are gone…” Helplessness“Fayaz’s sweet memories steal my peace and patience. I am also troubled by the innocent questions my children pose about their father,” Tahira says.Demand“The government is yet to come up with the names of troopers involved in the killing of my husband even though SP sahib announced a probe into the incident by a gazetted level police officer in front of former MLA Lolab, Qaisar Jamsheed Lone. The probe has proved a hoax. Perhaps it has met the same fate which thousands of probes have met in Kashmir,” the widow says in anger.“We should have agitated like people of Bomai did. But I know nobody will accompany me now. Nobody will call a probe into the killing of my husband because I am poor,” Tahira rues.Rejecting the army claims that Fayaz was killed due to relentless firing by militants, the villagers say that neither there was any cross fire nor was any movement of militants in the area.They said that the killing was unjustified and unprovoked and the area was free from militants.Police has registered a case under section 302 of RPC to start investigation and to establish circumstances that led to the killing of the innocent tailor.Two months are about to pass but police is yet to make any headway in the case. The IncidentIt was the fateful evening of Sunday when Fayaz came out of his house to attend nature’s call. Fayaz would have only stepped down from the ladder of his house that he was ordered by troops to raise his hands. Fayaz yelled before troopers that he was the owner of the house but troopers did not pay any heed and shot at both his arms with two more bullets piercing into his chest.Fayaz’s assistant and an eyewitness to the incident, wishing not to be named, said six troopers had already laid an ambush in the area.“Sensing their mistake of killing an innocent, the troopers caught hold of Fayaz lying in a pool of blood and started to drag him toward the nearby hillock. Fayaz was pleading to let him free. Perhaps they were intending to dub him as a militant and cover up their crime,” he said. “The family shouted and called villagers who later on came to rescue him.”Residents SpeakA resident of Fayaz’s village said: “Fayaz’s children, wife and parents who are putting up in a separate house rushed to the spot with bare feet and had a scuffle with the Indian troopers. Sensing trouble, the troopers fled from the spot,” said a villager.“The people assembled and raised hue and cry. The troopers who had already laid a cordon in the area ordered the villagers not to venture out of their houses and keep their lights off just to avoid protests,” he said.A close relative of Fayaz, wishing not to be named said: “The troopers sealed all the ways connecting the village with main road and prevented the villagers from taking the injured Fayaz to hospital. It was only after a local Congress leader intervened whom we contacted over phone that a vehicle was sent. Till then it was too late.”Fayaz’s relatives said: “Fayaz was bleeding profusely and continued to cry in pain ‘Army killed me. Who will look after my children now and take me to the hospital.”Fayaz is not the only person in his family who was killed by troopers.Troopers also planted an IED to Fayaz’s paternal uncle Zia Mir at Khorhama Chowk in broad daylight but no inquiry was ever conducted in the case.He was working as a porter with the army post Kuligam and is said to have refused to honour diktats of the army.Fayaz had earned a name in the area as a tailor and was the lone breadwinner of his family. The family does not own any land and lives in a small two room hut.

YET ANOTHER COLD BLOODED MURDER OF AN INNOCENT, UNARMED CIVILIAN BY CRPF

2009-03-19T00:49:00.000-07:00

Rajpora firing
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt March 19th, 2009 by Wasim Khalid

Union Home Minister in town, CRPF kills civilian

Srinagar, March 18: While the Home Minister, P Chidambaram was assuring the State chief minister in winter capital that the army personnel involved in killing of two youth in Bomai will be punished, a 38-year old carpenter was killed in unprovoked firing by CRPF personnel at Khaigam, Rajpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The killing evoked massive protest demonstrations in the area with villagers refusing to bury the body till the guilty CRPF men were punished.“The incident happened in the evening. A group of CRPF personnel of 181 bn were looking for Ghulam Mohiuddin Malik, a carpenter, and barged into his house at Khaigam, Rajpora. Malik was sitting in a room along with his parents. His four children and wife were also present in the house,” a local Mohammad Ayoub told Rising Kashmir over phone.He said that the CRPF personnel showered abuses on Malik and grabbed him by collar to attic of his house, where they fired from point blank range towards him, killing him on the spot. Ayoub alleged that after killing Malik, the CRPF personnel went on a beating spree in the village. “Whosoever came in their way, he was flogged”.After the killing, the residents of Khaigam carrying the body of Malik took to roads and staged anti-CRPF demonstrations. Raising pro-freedom, pro-Islamic and anti-India slogans, the protestors were demanding a thorough probe into the incident and severe punishment to the CRPF personnel involved in killing the carpenter. They refused to bury the body.Tension was prevailing in the village when reports last poured in.While confirming the killing, DIG South Kashmir, Rajesh Kumar told Rising Kashmir, “People have accused CRPF of killing the carpenter. The SHO of the concerned police station reached the spot and was informed by the locals that Malik was killed in CRPF firing”.“We have not yet completed our investigations. We are verifying details about the incident,” he said.Kumar said after ascertaining the circumstances, they would file the complaint and accordingly launch investigations.CRPF spokesman, Prabhakar Tripathi said 181 Bn personnel had received information regarding the presence of militants in Khaigam village.“They asked village head to accompany their search party. As they were walking towards village, they came under fire from a haystack on the roadside. The troopers retaliated and the whole area was sealed,” he said.Tripathi said, “During searches, we recovered Malik’s body and damaged mobile from the haystack. The cordon is till on and we are ascertaining the situation”.

State-Sponsored Terrorism - Double Standards of GOI

2009-03-16T03:01:00.000-07:00

Miserable attempts of Indian Army and the Govt. of India to present a distorted version of Bomai killings by the men in uniform and thereby shield the killers speaks volumes of their double standards towards fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Every time Indian security forces commit such heinous crimes against humanity in Kashmir, they protect their beasts by citing provisions of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and Disturbed Areas Act in their defence and shamelessly claim that probes by civil administration has no bearing on them. Under such circumstances only demand Kashmiris should make for the time being should be the revokation of such draconian, barbarian and inhuman laws. Nothing short of that should be accepted upon lest the killers in uniform shall continue to have a day out and quench their thirst for more human blood with the killings of innocent, unarmed Kashmiris.

While government of India has filed over 5000 page chargesheet against Ajmal Amir Kasab, the terror suspect of 26/11 Mumbai attacks and is fully geared up to have him hanged for killing scores of innocent civilians on the fateful night of 26/11 (Mumbai attack). Even the Chief Justice of Supreme Court of India went to the extent of going on record saying that terrorists like Kasab have no human rights, they should rather appeal for animal rights owing to the beastly acts of terror perpetrated by them over unarmed civilians. Now the question here is what opinion does the Chief Justice of India hold about the dastardly acts of murder committed by Rashtriya Rifles officers on the unarmed, innocent civilians of Bomai. Even the deceased were common civilians and had nothing to do with insurgency, then shouldn't the armymen too be labelled as terrorists as good as Kasab and shouldn't they too be hanged and tried under animal rights Act. If at all Govt. of India boasts of having no double standards and is ready to treat all kinds of terrorist activities in a like manner, then there should be no second thought on hanging the Bomai culprits in public in order to provide a detterrant for other armed groups in the valley. But we all know that is not going to happen since it will lower the morale of security forces occupying the land of Kashmir, as the GOI as time and again been saying under such circumstances. GOI will never go for a fair deal in such cases and even if RR is held responsible for the killings, the maximum punishment that shall be awarded to the killers will be their transfer or at the most their suspension from service. That can by no means termed as justice with the victims of their trigger happy attitudes. Nevertheless, Bomai is a litmus test for the newly elected govt of the state. At least Bomai will lay to rest all false hopes and aspirations of a few sects of our society from the present govt.

Bomai, The Acid Test

2009-03-04T00:48:00.000-08:00

Government is unnecessarily making matters worse in Bomai; it should fix the responsibility and punish the guilty before it is too late
Courtesy: Editorial Daily Rising Kashmir dated March 3rd, 2009
It’s been over ten days since the devotees, Javed Ahmad and Muhammad Amin of Sopore, fell to army bullets on way back from a religious congregation at Tujjar. The incident had evoked large-scale protests in Sopore and the protests had a violent spillover to other parts of the Valley especially Srinagar. Chief Minister was quick to order a magisterial probe, promising that the erring soldiers would be brought to the book within fifteen days. According to the deadline set by the chief minister people should get the satisfactory justice by March 5. T
he Chief Minister said he believed in doing his job silently and as soon as he heard about the Bomai incident, he ordered a time-bound inquiry, without taking any time. The fact that the life returned to normal in entire Valley after a weeklong strife over the killings only on Saturday is the grim reminder of the level of credibility of government promises among the common masses. What made maters from bad to worse is that the government has initiated the probe into Bomai incident so casually that it courted controversy at the very outset. Locals now allege that the army has presented its ‘agents’ as the witness in the session. Separatist forces have joined the chorus triggering fresh turmoil in the town. The locals are so much agitated over the vacuous promises made by the government that on Saturday the situation took yet another turn. People in Bomai decided not to send their wards to classes till the School buildings that have been under occupation for several years were vacated. The government is unfortunately unable to read the subtext of such demands. When people demand justice from government it is simply evident, especially in Kashmir context, of the popular legitimacy of the state system. The chief minister must recognize that for the Bomai demand the reference point is the state government. But, the tragedy is that the government is shying away from identifying the culprits and delivering the justice. Bomai is acid test for Cong-NC government, which is riding on the rhetoric of change. Not because it did not change anything yet but because the government seem, in Bomai context, no different than governor’s rule when the people suffered about five weeks of siege.

BOMAI BOMBED ELECTION 2008

2009-02-25T23:15:00.000-08:00

Ragda II may not return soon but New Delhi’s claim of restoring democracy is in tatters

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. Feb., 26th, 2009 by Riyaz Masroor
The killing of two youth in the unprovoked firing by army at Bomai, Sopore, on February 21 and the excesses by Police and paramilitary troops against the protesting masses is a big challenge for India. It’s, in fact, bigger than the country has met in Kashmir earlier in the form of a deadly spell of Pakistan-sponsored militancy. It’s not challenging just in the sense that India cannot ‘take care’ of the new phases of resistance or does not know the ‘method’. It is challenging primarily because in November-December 2008 India had got a windfall in the form of 62 percent voter participation, that too without open coercion and with the fresh background of a successful mass mobilization for Azadi – the background in a way suited for selling elections to the world. It’s challenging also because the pro-democracy voices from within the society had become louder and the rhetorical aversion of separatist leaders toward the concept of democracy was being mocked in chat rooms and gossip lounges. Also, even Pakistan was dropping broader hints that Kashmiris better take recourse to the democratic means of resistance. In sum, the model of democracy despite having been abused shamelessly in Kashmir by Indian government (remember 1951, 53, 84, 77, 87, 1996) was again in currency, much to the comfort of India’s Kashmir handlers.
Whether the 2008 elections had bolstered India’s foreign policy discourse vis-à-vis Kashmir dispute remains debatable. What is of significant note is the elections and the formation of the new Congress-NC government, Kashmir had witnessed a lull in separatism and any return of the uprising of last summer, which came to be known as Ragda movement, was hardly predicted. None would say there would be no Ragda 2 but none would anticipate it returning so quickly without even the chief minister completing 60 days in office. The fresh unrest that was sparked by the killing of two youth in Sopore on February 21 during an army shootout, may not sustain as longer as the Ragda 1 but the expression of anger that is writ on the face of every youth, from Srinagar to Sopore sounds an alarm that the summer of 2009 or may be the autumn could be greeted by a rather more troubling Ragda. On February 24, when the news about the mysterious murder of the close relative of a top separatist leader, Muhammad Yasin Malik broke in the Town, the anger got fueled further. We saw anguished youth in Srinagar scaling life-size hoardings, which depicted the India’s most influential woman and Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi alongside her son Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The masked youth would defile the images and shred them down with vindictive rage, burn down the traffic beats and move on with vengeful expressions.
As this was happening Sonia’s and Singh’s responses to Kashmir elections were still fresh in popular memory here. Just ten days ago, on February 14, during the inauguration of Srinagar International Airport, Sonia Gandhi had asserted that the formation of new government and “restoration of democracy” was a gift (from New Delhi) to Kashmiris. “The overwhelming response shown by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the assembly elections shows their faith in democracy. People actively participated in the elections and elected the government. And they showed that democracy is the true means to achieve peace and development,” Gandhi said in a brief 15-minute speech on the newly constructed Airport terminal at Srinagar. She also ridiculed the separatist policies and asked Hurriyat leadership that they should draw a lesson from the massive voter participation. Past year on December 28, when the election results were out, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi were attending a special function in New Delhi to mark the 123rd Foundation Day of the Congress party. On the flanks of this function the Prime Minister Singh and Sonia while speaking to newsmen termed the election results as the “vote for democracy” and a “lesson to be learnt by our neighbors”. According to an Indian Express report Singh and Gandhi said, "It is a vote for democracy. It is a vote for national integration. As far as who wins or who loses is a secondary issue … it doesn't matter who wins, what matters is that the people of the valley, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have placed their full faith in the democratic system which is a lesson to be learnt by our neighbors." Both Singh and Sonia were right in a greater measure. If people voted, although with limited expectations, it was a loud expression that they have believed once again in the democratic concept. But this faith is now once more shaken, unfortunately this time irreparably, by none other than the army that is supposedly here for “winning hearts and minds”. How many hearts and minds would every incident like Bomai win for India?
Indeed the killing of Javed and Amin of Sopore has dispelled the much projected impression that the civilian government in Kashmir could be any better than the Governor Raj, which is perceived as the direct army rule. And, the people now seem convinced that elections howsoever participatory and clean hardly matter when it comes to passing through an army camp. So, if people really voted for democracy they must be surprised to see bullets greeting their vote. Diplomatic costs for New Delhi are far too visible to be downplayed but the political costs for Congress-NC coalition in J&K are colossal. The incident will give Mufti Muhammad Sayeed a ‘benefit of doubt’ and he would try to project himself as the only CM in the past decade and a half who could ensure security and could rein in the armed forces in J&K. How could he do that? That is a separate subject but he has already grabbed the opportunity by highlighting the need to abrogate the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which gives the troops the ‘license to kill’. Moreover, Omar Abdullah is currently banking on tourism campaign to showcase his government’s ability to bring the troubled Kashmir back on track. But the incidents like Bomai and the subsequent demonstrations would be a bad advertisement of J&K government.

‘Establish Truth and Reconciliation Commission’APDP Reminds Omar

2009-02-11T09:33:00.001-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dt. Feb. 11th, 2009 by ZULFIKAR MAJID

Srinagar, Feb 10: The Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons on Tuesday reminded the chief minister, Omar Abdullah, of his promise of constituting a truth and reconciliation commission to probe the human right abuses and the enforced disappearances in the state in past 19 years. The relatives of the disappeared persons, who met at Pratap Park here, said that Omar during election campaign had on numerous occasions promised to set up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on the pattern of South Africa and Ireland. “We want to remind him of his promise. If Omar is sincere then he should establish an independent and credible commission to probe the enforced disappearances,” they said.
The APDP members said that if state government fails to keep up its promise of tracing the disappeared persons they would seek assistance of international community. “Before elections, individually and collectively every leader and party promised that they would do their level best to ascertain the whereabouts of our kin who have disappeared in troops custody in past 19-years. We want them to keep up their promise,” they added. The APDP chairperson Parveena Ahangar said, “Recently Omar Abdullah had stated that the families of the victims would be provided Rs four lakh as compensation. Several family members of the victims told me that they don’t need money and just want to know whether their loved ones are dead or alive.” The members of APDP stage a silent protest in Srinagar on 10th of every month to remind the authorities about their kin.

Rememebering Martyr Maqbool Bhat

2009-02-10T22:05:00.001-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. Feb., 11th, 2009 by Shafi A. Athar

Maqbool Bhat has a unique place in the history of Kashmir, in more ways than one. He was possibly one and the only leader who received hero's worship many years after his death. He raised the question of complete freedom of Kashmir, all areas included, as before the partition of British India. He wanted Kashmir in the same geographical and political landscape as about 480 years before, when Kashmir's own ruler Yousuf Shah was arrested by Akbar's army to die a lonely death. Maqbool Bhat believed in complete sovereignty of Kashmir and died for it. He fought bravely and died a brave man. He remained committed to his idea, lived with it in Indian and Pakistani jails, strived to keep his calm and composition in the small cell in Tihar Jail and died with a smiling face as he knew he had not betrayed his people. Even his worst detractors confess his deep sentiment for the cause he pursued all his life. Though call of death unnerves many a great minds but even the Indian press acknowledged that he died with a smile on his face. Going to the gallows, his last words have been reported as, " I love my people. I have loved the life and today I embrace death happily". The love for his people and his motherland prompted Maqbool Bhat to announce complete freedom for his country in 1966.Soon after the news of Ravindra Mhatre, an Indian Diplomat in London, having been killed reached Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, shot back, " How fast can we execute Maqbool Bhat legally?" That was enough for the people at the helm of affairs to arrange the execution of Maqbool Bhat which eventually happened on 11th February, 1984. The vengeful execution by the Indian establishment was followed by the denial of his remains being taken to Srinagar which according to Maqbool Bhat's will were supposed to be buried at Trehgam, his native village. He was buried in the premises of Tihar jail while prominent lawyers R S Pathak, Muzaffar Hussain Beg and Tufail were made to wait at the gate of the jail. By not allowing his remains being shifted to Srinagar or Trehgam, though the government tried to skip the fear of his burial being turned into a place of reverence for his people, yet he has become a bigger threat with his death, than when he was alive. The conviction he nurtured has seen Kashmir turning a battleground for last eighteen years with attention of the whole world including the only super power focussed on the problem.Maqbool Bhat took his birth in a remote village of Kupwara, and may be the appalling condition of the people might have given him the first hand experience of subjugation, poverty, neglect and state of slavery. That is why he carried a burning desire of freedom that would radiate from his eyes. This prompted one of his teachers Fr. MacMohan to comment, "Though he was a student of 9th class only but his personality reflected that he would change the course of events for his country". Teachers happen to be better judges of their pupil and so are the companions during studies. One of the Maqbool Bhat's colleagues at Baramullah College recollects his days as a student. In one of the informal conversations with this writer, Late Prof. Rahi recollects Maqbool Bhat's assertive mind. "During a seminar at Baramullah College, in the presence of a Hindu Deputy Commissioner, Maqbool Bhat insisted that he would speak on the subject Iqbal and the concept of Pakistan. Though he was asked to speak on other aspects relating Iqbal he declined to speak.

CRPF throws youth into rivulet for refusing to shout "Jai Hind"

2009-02-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. January 10th, 2009 by Mir Tariq

Boomie (Sopore), Feb 09: A youth, who forgot to say ‘Jai Hind’ to CRPF men here Monday, was dipped into a rivulet by the troopers. When a teacher tried to rescue him, he was beaten mercilessly by the paramilitary troopers. An eyewitness, Mehraj Ahmad said that the CRPF personnel swooped on a young boy at Bomine, some 30 kms from Sopore on Monday morning. “The CRPF personnel dipped him in a rivulet and his only sin was that he forgot to say ‘Jai Hind’ to the troopers deputed on the Sopore-Kupwara highway,” said Mehraj. He said that the CRPF men have made it mandatory for the people to say ‘Jai Hind’ to them while passing through the area.
A teacher, Javed Ahmad Bhat, who along with his students was passing through the area, was moved by the plight of the youth. He pleaded with the CRPF men to release the youth. “The troopers got infuriated by his intervention and pounced on him. They mercilessly beat him with gunbutts and sticks,” said a group of students. They said that it was only after the intervention of the locals that the youth and the teacher were released. Talking to Rising Kashmir, the teacher said, “While I was moving through Zindra bus stop in Bomai area, I found a boy being dipped into the rivulet by the CRPF men. I appealed them to release him as he will die. Instead of releasing him, the CRPF men pounced on me and beat me mercilessly”, he said. Meanwhile, the residents have demanded stern action against the CRPF personnel for thrashing the teacher and dipping the youth in a rivulet. The CRPF spokesman in Srinagar, Prabhakar Tripathi claimed that he has not received any complaint of the nature so far. “We will look into the matter,” he said.

ROADMAP FOR THE ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF J&K: Part-II

2009-02-09T03:55:00.000-08:00

In my previous post I have discussed the necessary strategies to be adopted by the state govt. in order to achieve the aim and objective of promoting the rapid growth of a market driven, knowledge based, efficient and competitive industrial sector in the state. Today let me put forth few specific suggestions and measures required to achieve this goal in terms of our technological upgradation, infrastructural development and development of our human resource.

TECHNOLOGY UPGRADATION
The first principle step towards giving impetus to the economic growth of the state has to be be technology upgradation. In particular, putting in place an institutional mechanism and a viable revenue model for the rapid technological upgradation of the small and medium industries in J&K must receive special attention. To catalyze the efforts of technology upgradation, the Government of J&K must establish a corpus like “The Technology Upgradation Fund” of Rs. 100 Crores over a period of 5 years. The fund must be administered through a Government/ Industry partnership and its deployment dictated by the logic of the market and by industry. In particular, this fund should focus on niche products and processes in the value chain of industries in which J&K has comparative advantages and reinforce best practices in technology and business. The following specific schemes and proposals must be implemented under this scheme:
(a) Interest subsidy to SSIs who avail loan from State Financial Corp. for technology upgradation and modernization;
(b) Promoting Technology Business Accelerators with the active involvement of private sector in identified potential locations in the State. Government assistance should be in the form of providing financial assistance for creation of basic infrastructure facilities subject to a ceiling of say Rs.50 lakhs per Accelerator.
(c) To establish, over the next 5 years, at least five Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Parks [STEPs] in potential districts of the State. Government assistance should be in the form of capital grants for creating basic infrastructure facilities to the extent of 25% of the cost of each STEP subject to a specified ceiling, say of Rs.25 lakhs.
(d) To assist and encourage the private sector to establish material and product testing as well as quality assurance laboratories in different districts of the State. Government assistance for establishing such laboratories and testing centres should be in the form of capital grants of 10% of the capital cost subject to a pre-specified ceiling, say of Rs.10 lakhs per Centre; and
(e) Government must encourage the SSIs to obtain ISO 9000, ISO 14000 and similar international certification with a view to promote total quality management and best practices in SSIs. Government Assistance should be in the form of meeting 50% of the cost of obtaining such certification, subject to a pre-specified ceiling, say of Rs.75, 000 per industry.

INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT
(a) The Government of J&K must recognize that a key parameter to make local industry globally competitive is to provide industry access to high quality industrial infrastructure at competitive prices. Towards this end the Government must establish an “Infrastructure Development Fund” with an initial corpus of Rs.100 Crores. This fund will seek to leverage the strengths - technical and financial - of major private infrastructure providers through a Public-Private partnership. The common infrastructure fund should be aimed at meeting the infrastructure needs of sector specific and location specific technology parks/industrial estates/industrial areas for the focus sectors. This corpus fund would be used to kick-start investments in common industrial infrastructure, which could be accessed by the industry.
(b) In order to fulfil its goals of developing a market driven and efficient management of industrial infrastructure, govt. should establish Industrial townships in major industrial estates/areas. The Industrial Townships will provide for management of the Industrial Infrastructure by private industry associations/user groups. The Industrial Townships are expected to allow industry to manage their own assets and ensure a high order of maintenance of the basic infrastructure like roads, power, water supply, telecommunication etc. within the Industrial Estate/Industrial parks. The ill effects of bad wheather conditions that prevail in the valley during winter season, on the industrial activity due subsequent closure of the Jammu-Srinagar highway can be countered to a large extent by opening up of alternative routes like Mughal Road and Singthan-Kishtwar Road. Opening up other alternative roads for large scale trade like Muzaffarabad Road, Kargil-Skardu and Poonch-Rawalakot Road besides the traditional silk route will also alleviate the jitters of bad wheather conditions over industrial activity during winter season.
(c) Industrial Areas Development Board must be constituted that will act as a key Govt. agency to develop sector specific/location specific industry parks over the next five years. This Board may also promote the following:
i) Agro Food Processing Parks at Srinagar, Baramula, Kupwara, Budgam, Anantnag, Pulwama, Doda, Rajouri, Jammu, Udhampur and Kathua.
ii) A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in a suitable location of each division.
iv) An Export Promotion Industrial park each in Jammu and Srinagar.
v) A knowledge park each, dedicated to IT, Biotechnology and related industries near Srinagar and Jammu.
(d) In order to ensure that cost of land to the entrepreneur is not exorbitant, wherever Government land is available, the same will have to be transferred to the proposed Industrial Area Development Board (IADB) free of cost so that this could be used as a cushion to reduce the price of land acquired and developed by IADB for allotment to entrepreneurs;
(e) Govt. will have to take steps to ensure uninterrupted and quality power to the Industrial sector by establishing dedicated sub-stations of adequate capacity in all major Industrial Areas/Estates over the next five years; and
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
a) Developing a large skill/knowledge based workforce is fundamental to a self-sustaining industrial sector. Recognising this imperative, the Govt. must, with the active participation of Industry, revitalise the network of Artisan Training Institutes, the District/Industrial Training Institutes and Polytechnics to upgrade the quality and skill of manpower employed by SSIs. This effort should receive impetus from industry and established academic institutions of the state.
(b) As part of the initiative to promote a strong entrepreneurial base, the Government will have to strengthen the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of J&K. The objective will be to utilise the creative capabilities of the local people particularly in less industrialised areas. EDI must be encouraged to collaborate with recognised National/International organisations involved in Entrepreneurship Development. Government of J&K must seek to develop EDI into a Centre of excellence in Entrepreneurship Development, Business Management and Training.
(c) In order to encourage micro enterprises in rural and backward areas the Government of J&K must chalk down a suitable programme of establishing Rural Development and Self-Employment Training Institutes in all Districts of the State. The Management of these institutions should be largely through private initiative to meet the needs of local industry.

ROADMAP FOR THE ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF J&K PART- I

2009-02-07T00:43:00.000-08:00

In one of my recent posts I have at length discussed various measures needed to be taken by the government of Jammu and Kashmir in order to tackle the monster of unemployment. Today I will elaborate upon the various points that I have enumerated therein. Once again I wish to reiterate that it is not possible to solve the problem of unemployment merely by inducting our huge armies of jobless youth into the government service. That will be just a cosmetic treatment to the problem. After a couple of years or so, we shall be faced with the same problem again with even greater magnitude and manifestations. For a long-lasting solution to this long-standing problem, an overall economic development of the state is of utmost importance and that can be achieved through sustained industrial and entrepreneurship development.

These days news regarding implementation of sixth pay commission is hogging the limelight in print as well as mass electronic media of the state. Only a few days back a highly level committee, constituted for the purpose by the new govt. had a meeting with the Planning Commission of India where the said commission is reported to have bluntly refused to give money on this count and asked the state govt. to generate its own resources. Moot question is wherefrom the state will generate its resources when it already has a debt burden of Rs. 13000 crores inherited from the previous regime clubbed with a meagre total income of Rs. 26,700 crores, out of which Rs. 5000 crores alone go to the govt. employees as their monthly wages.

Resources can be generated only through sustained economic development achieved through robust industrial development of the state. This cannot be achieved overnight. For this to happen, state govt. has to chalk out policies and procedures for the next five years, by means of which an economic growth rate of 7% to 9% can be achieved by promoting the rapid growth of a market driven, knowledge based, efficient and competitive industrial sector. This can be done by providing industry access to high quality infrastructure, extending institutional support for technology upgradation, deregulating the business environment for an efficient, proactive and transparent administrative framework and catalysing the entrepreneurial as well as creative capabilities of the human resources. State government should therefore aim to achieve an average industrial growth rate of around 10% per year and attract investments of at least Rs.10,000 Crores per year and create, on an average, employment potential of at least 1.0 lakh per year.
In achieving this goal, the focus will have to be on the following OBJECTIVES:
a) Encourage rapid growth of sectors and markets in which J&K has strategic advantages.
b) Enhance value addition in products and processes through rapid technological upgradation.
c) Enable optimal utilisation of capacity and resources in different sectors viz., Hydroelectricity, Food Processing, Floriculture, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Minerals and Human capital.
d) Enable industry to access new markets – domestic, national and export - through new products that meet global standards of quality and competitiveness.
e) Give impetus to knowledge based industries like Information Technology, Biotechnology, Electronics & Communication, Medical Engineering etc and the service sector.
f) Create a market driven environment with the private sector being the primary engine for growth.
g) Provide Industry access to high quality infrastructure, including uninterrupted power and water supply, good roads, adequate transportation facilities, telecommunication facilities, subsidies, incentives, heavy discounts on loans, excite duty waivers, other duty cuts, raw materials (wherever essential) etc.
h) Fully tap the potential of the Small Scale Sector and encourage establishment of new tiny and Small Scale Industries, particularly in the rural areas with the help of establishments like Khadi & Village Board to achieve the twin objectives of employment generation and utilisation of local resources. Again provide heavy discounts on loans, duty cuts, subsidies and attractive incentives to the budding entrepreneurs.

Towards this end government must undertake, through an expert group, a detailed study of the small scale industrial sector in the state to ascertain their present status; problems and prospects and come out with a separate policy on employment generation in the industrial sector which among other things would also include a suitable incentive scheme linked to employment generation. This study may be completed in another six months’ time

STRATEGY
In order to achieve these objectives the following strategy will have to be adopted:
a) Forge a strong partnership with the private sector in all aspects of Industrial development and its implementation to provide for a demand driven decision making process in an increasingly market oriented economy.
b) Create a policy framework to facilitate competitiveness of local industry and enabling ease of doing business.
c) Enhance public and private expenditure to build efficient and competitive Industrial infrastructure.
d) Give impetus to technology upgradation by forging symbiotic and mutually beneficial institutional arrangements between Government, Academic/R&D Institutions and Industry.
e) Focus on catalyzing comparative advantages that J&K has in the global market by increasing its exports in handicrafts including carpets, shawls, paper machie items, wood carving items etc, floriculture, medicinal and aromatic plants, food processing, electronics and communication, gem stones and minerals.
f) Assist the tiny, small and medium scale industries to upgrade their technologies and manufacturing processes to face the increasing competition; and

g) Radical restructuring of the State Public Sector undertakings as well as Government infrastructure agencies and Financial Institutions by promoting private sector initiative in these activities.

In my next post I shall discuss in detail various specific necessary measures needed for infrastructural development, technology upgradation and human resource development of the state that are pivotal for a sustained growth of our industrial sector as well as our overall economy. Good bye till then...........

TO TANVIR SADIQ, WITH LOVE.......

2009-02-05T09:54:00.000-08:00

Well well, you accused me of misleading people by citing my own so-called, “Grand Indian Conspiracy Theories”. By stating this you probably wanted to convey that you are the only genuine and authentic voice left on the blogosphere of Kashmir and whatever you say is the “Aakashvani” that can hardly be challenged by anyone. Rest everyone else is blogging through the figment of his imagination with little truth and objectivity in their words. But I wish to remind you that you were the one who sometime back had falsely claimed on your blog that you were the runner-up candidate from Zadibal constituency thinking that nobody would ever try to verify that fact whereas in reality you were the second runner up.

Secondly even today you display on the main page of your blog that you are an IT (computer science) graduate from Mumbai, whereas the affidavit submitted by you to the Chief Electoral Officer of J&K (available at his official website) at the time of assembly elections on December 1st, 2008 clearly reveals that you have done your BITM from the Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Orissa. I suspect that you have got a fake degree from somewhere because Utkal University does not offer any such course either in regular or distance mode as is evident from its website. Moreover if the degree was genuine, why should you lie about the University?

If this is not enough to reveal your true character, there is more. Among other things that you have sworn in the above mentioned affidavit, it greatly surprises me that in spite of hailing from a well-off business family (as per your wikipedia profile) you don’t own any piece of land, any house, any car, any golden jewellery and not even a scooter or a bicycle. You have declared that you have absolutely nothing deposited in any bank and that you just have Rs. 1 lakh cash in your possession. It astonishes me because I know you have been a corporator for the last few years and rupees one lakh is too meagre a sum that a corporator like you can make when government gives them crores for spending in their jurisdiction and how much they actually spend is no hidden secret.

I don’t think this affidavit reflects your honesty by any means. This is usually the way politicians go about declaring their assets. They start with a naught and leave scope for making money during sunny days. After all, for politicians like you making money by fair or foul means is the sole aim of entering into the dirty game named politics and you do so under the garb of progress and development of your constituency. You were the one pitted against erstwhile NC candidate for the post of Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation namely Ghulam Mustafa, as PDP candidate and miserably lost an obvious battle. Then you fought assembly elections and lost again to the NC candidate Peer Afaq. Inspite of these two huge defeats by NC, you are shameless enough to shower praise after praise upon Omar Abdullah under the shroud of political maturity. This makes it obvious that you are a turncoat like your father politician Sadiq Ali who didn’t mind changing sides like you every now and then.

Your repeated attempts of progressively brewing up your loyalty towards Omar are indicative of your future plans and your sturdy ambitions of gaining some position with NC support (that you have lately realised as being inevitable to achieve your goals). Your preposterous Omar sycophancy is not a sign of any political maturity as you have been blabbering; it is just your treacherous slow march towards NC for gaining a seat in the Legislative Council with NC support. Your volte face reminds me of people like BJP’s Kalyan Singh who show no character while taking sharp U-turns day in and day out and you or your father are no different from those politicians. Your father changed sides after sides and gained nothing at the end of the day. Exhausted and disappointed, he passed on the baton to you and you are faithfully treading the same path now. This is what all politicians are made of.

Your high talk about development, Kashmir cause, progress, change, bla bla bla is nothing but a farce and a political gimmick which you blissfully presume that nobody understands. But you are utterly mistaken my dear, people are smart enough to gauge the real motives of traitors like you who don’t mind selling their conscience for a few petty morsels and do not mind selling the blood of martyrs to quench your lust for power. It is still manageable to tackle the pro-Indian plague from outside the valley but is really difficult to get rid of cancer within i.e., traitors like you. As they say, “Ghar ka bedi lanka dhaye”, you are that breed. Real cause of our failure is the conscienceless and selfish people like you. It is time for you to do some introspection and regret your past mistakes. Think about those mothers who lost their young sons, those countless sisters who lost their chastity, those children who lost their parents as well as home and hearth. Think about the immense sacrifices that people have made over the past twenty years and stop siding with pro-Indian stooges, lest you shall be remembered in history as a traitor of Kashmiris. You didn't post my comments onto your blog because you have lost all courage to face criticism. I don't expect you to post my comments in future that is why I am writing over here. Hope it serves as an eye-opener to you.

J&K Elections - A shift in equation not in commitment

2009-02-02T22:35:00.000-08:00

And we must see the things in the perspective they merit to be seen.

Courtesy Daily Greater Kashmir dt. Feb. 3rd, 2009 by Gautam Navlakha.

There were many firsts in the J&K state assembly elections of 2008. It was a seven phased poll, spread over five weeks, covering three winter weeks of December. A time when tens of thousands leave the valley for seeking fortunes elsewhere during winter months. An unprecedented deployment of 538 companies of central paramilitary forces, which included 388 companies of CRPF, were pressed in for election duty. This was supplemented by 60 to 70 companies of J&K police and Rashtriya Rifles, which were part of the security grid. Each phase of elections saw constituencies where polling was held, cut off through imposition of curfew in rest of the valley. Highways were blocked and non-residents of constituencies barred from entering. All separatists leaders, barring two who were placed under house arrest, were booked under the Public Safety Act to prevent them from campaigning against boycott. This despite the fact that canvassing for votes and campaigning for boycott form part of any democratic process. A phenomenal 1354 candidates stood for 87 seats i.e. on an average 16 candidates for each constituency. A large number stood for parties which have no presence in the state least of all in Kashmir and yet they spent money quite lavishly! Above all for the first time since 1990 militants, heeding the appeal of the people, halted all activities which could be perceived as obstructing people from casting their vote. Thus the extra ordinary security cover was grossly dis-proportionate to any threat posed by the militants or the non-violent boycott campaign. I believe that were all the faults of the election process i.e. electoral rolls which shows a higher proportion of voters for Jammu region than Kashmir despite Kashmir having 6.9 mn population in contrast to 5.4 mn for Jammu, 15-20 % of voters in Kashmir missing from rolls, 75-80% high voter turnout in border areas (Karnah, Uri, Langait….), lack of EPICs, mobile voters etc are counted then average electoral turnout becomes close to 35%. In other words a very large number, despite the extraordinary impediments placed against the movement, kept aloof . It would be foolish for anyone to ignore this or belittle this. Nevertheless, with these caveats in mind, it is true that more people did turn up to vote and this exceeded the 20% votes cast in 2002, in the valley. These elections also took place in the wake of agitation in Kashmir, and hindu dominated districts of Jammu region, for well over three months, which also saw a communalized response by the Indian state. They cracked down on agitators in Kashmir with brute force whereas they used kid gloves against the rabidly communal agitation spearheaded by RSS supported by BJP and Congress. This makes the larger than anticipated turnout in Kashmir quite remarkable. What should one make of it? It would be a mistake to read a relatively decent turnout in seven phased state assembly elections in J&K as rejection of the demand for self-determination. Not too long ago similar claims about demise of the movement were rubbished by massive non-violent assertion for 'azaadi'. Land transfer to the Amarnath shrine board, occupation of land by thousands of security forces camps spread amidst civilian habitations, economic blockade imposed by Jammu's right wing agitation has consolidated separatist sentiments. People joined of their own volition and it was their participation which persuaded the indigenous militants to silence their guns. Although protests were brutally suppressed in the valley, in contrast to the kid glove treatment of the Jammu agitators, the idea of 'azaadi' from India did not get eroded but remains a material force. It is, therefore, those who cast their vote pointedly de-linked assembly elections from their demand for self-determination. So why did they come out to vote?

Its common knowledge, that assembly plays little role in so far as future dispensation of J&K is concerned. It enjoys no authority over the most visible public issue of concern for people namely demilitarization of J&K. Going by PDP's experience of being part of a coalition government, upward revision of rent paid to the land owners, whose land is occupied by security forces, is about all they managed to wrest from New Delhi. State government is in fact powerless to even decide on its own to release political prisoners. All this falls in the domain of New Delhi's security apparatus. But they enjoy power to build roads, schools, health centre, create job opportunities, stop land transfers to non-state subjects etc. In short they can provide some material succor to a people who have suffered immensely for over two decades. Thus, people are wise enough to know that assembly polls do not amount to disowning the right of self-determination. The point is that elections to assembly in general, and the J&K assembly in particular offer a narrow range of prospects and people participate out of hope more than any other reason.

A watershed has been reached in Kashmir. Most significantly, if 1987 elections acted as a catalyst and tilted the balance in favour of armed resistance, then the summer agitation and elections mark a breach too. The equation between armed and non-violent resistance has again shifted. Catalyst for the shift in equation was the recent agitation in the valley, which brought closer home the political effectiveness of mass agitation. Indian state stood out as a callous brutish force against a non violent movement for everyone to see. Make no mistake, people continue to own militants as their own, have not disavowed armed resistance, and they continue to be wedded to the idea of 'azaadi'. In the midst of the long drawn out election process the killing of a Hizb ul Mujahideen commander Raees Ahmad Dar in Pulwama on 17th December saw more than ten thousand turn up for his funeral. Besides, one of the recurring feature of the election in Kashmir region was of voters pointedly claiming that they had not given up their desire for 'azaadi'. Even as fairly large number of voters boycotted arguing that they do not want to dilute their commitment by participating in polls. Apparent division between voters and boycotters are likely to erode rather than widen as time passes. Summer of discontent 2008 should act as salutary reminder against over-reading election averages and desire for 'azaadi' can scarcely be dismissed. So if the recent elections to J&K assembly carry any message it is that one should not take people for granted. Within limited options available to them they exercise their choice. Those who came out to vote in J&K comprised many who had also participated in the agitation. Between the assertion for 'azaadi', and the recent elections, nothing substantial happened to suggest that in the intervening three months things had improved. Instead brutal crackdown took place under Governor's rule. The experience of Governor's rule in the past two decades in general, and the recent one in particular, drove home the relative advantage of having even a weak kneed assembly over an all out repressive regime. An assembly maybe powerless to remove the security forces from amidst the people. But, in contrast to Governor's rule, it is relatively better placed to restrain an overbearing Indian security forces from brutalizing the people.

There is also a message for the movement. The linking of these elections with boycott, knowing that this did not amount to giving up of right of self-determination, was a tactical mistake and gave Indian state a propaganda advantage. The boycott campaign itself was not wrong as campaigning for boycott is perfectly legitimate. But investing it with high stakes as amounting to a virtual referendum for or against the movement, post summer agitation, was erroneous. It is true that separatist leaders and cadres were obstructed at every step. They were incarcerated and their voices gagged by forcing the newspapers from not carrying any news related to election boycott. But it is equally true that in the period heading towards elections they erred in their ability to propel the movement forward through an action program. In September-October Valley newspapers were full of news and comments about the absence of imaginative politics and fatigue setting in over frequent hartals. Juxtaposition of a non-violent assertion for 'azaadi' and participation in assembly elections reveals people's preference for politics of agitation. Recall the remarkable discipline and restraint exhibited by the agitators in the valley who have had to live at the mercy of Indian security forces all these decades. A people so brutalized could have given way, during the agitation, to anarchy and communalized frenzy or even snatched weapons from para military forces in the first few days of emotional outburst. Instead it became a manifestation for a collective affirmation of their desire for 'azaadi' i.e. for freedom from tyranny and oppression. This stood out in sharp contrast to the jingoism of the right wing hindu agitation in Jammu and their viciously bigoted behaviour, all under the benign gaze of the Indian state. Politics of hate and politics of assertion took place, so to say, side by side. All this makes imperative that people read the post-election situation soberly. PDP's vote and seat share has expanded and NC's base in Kashmir has shrunk. As an opposition party perforce PDP will espouse separatist concerns if it is to remain effective. Therefore, doing nothing is not an option for New Delhi. But playing a charade will make it worse. Composite dialogue with Pakistan and so called peace process never fired people's imagination even at the height of Indo-Pak bonhomie. They were not seen as paving the way for resolution, rather perceived as yet another attempt to arrive at a settlement between two contenders over the heads of the people. But even this process has halted. The cost of procrastination have only risen. On the other hand it is tragic-comedy to see the re-emergence of calls for pragmatism by talking about "internal sovereignty", "self-rule" etc which is nothing but reverting back to the failed four point formula of Pakistan's former military dictator Pervez Musharaf. Those willing to short-sell the movement will do a grave dis-service, therefore, by bickering amongst themselves and reviving call for 'adhuri azaadi'. A divided leadership pulling in different direction suits the Indian state perfectly. Ironically, this is just the wrong time for movement to dither. Indian state may not like it and they may be able to thwart emergence of Kashmir on international agenda for sometime. But there are far too many straws in the wind which points towards the fact that Kashmir is surely making its way into the world agenda. Besides, the stakes have been raised by Pakistani state which has referred to the "water crisis" which is "directly linked to relations with India" and to likely "environmental catastrophe in South Asia". At such a moment, a divided movement in J&K, needlessly getting sucked into debate about plebiscite as per UN resolution and independence, or self-determination versus negotiated compromise etc is immensely harmful. It should be clear to all, that those who see Kashmir from prism of 1947, as well as those who underline that in 61 years of Indian rule a strong popular desire for independence has emerged, ought to know that neither goal can be reached without the right of self-determination. Leaders and commentators who arrogate for themselves the right to negotiate away the rights of their people or speak of compromise have also not read people's mood since June 2008. They do not know that people want to exercise the right of self-determination and do not want this to be bargained away.

But by far the biggest challenge is posed to the Indian state. Enlightened self-interest suggests that allowing people to determine their destiny, in so far as future dispensation is concerned, makes for an attractive democratic closure to a 61 year old dispute. This could augur well for Indian democracy and south asian regional cooperation. But with Indian policy and opinion makers in a celebratory mode and blinded by their own propaganda that back of the movement has been broken and people subdued, likely course of action will be little bit of the same old prevarication. The Omar Abdullah government has already resiled from talks (CM claimed that everyone will have to wait till after the parliamentary elections are over and new government settles down i.e. six to eight months away) and from autonomy (because its coalition partner Congress is opposed to this they have stepped back from their stance). If New Delhi is not clear what it wants and having sold these elections as its success story likelihood of even empty talks renewing anytime soon is remote. Fact of the matter is, however, longer Indian state delays more difficult will it get for them to dictate the course of events. It is this dilemma which stares at India. So those who feel down and out after elections ought to know that what seems to be need not be what it appears to be. The message and meaning behind appearance and reality are very different. Real meaning is the need for a politics which reinvigorates unity around the right of self-determination and takes it forward.

Tackling the Issue of Unemployment

2009-01-26T05:42:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest challenges that the present government of the state is facing is the problem of unemployment of educated youth. Prior to elections almost all political parties had vowed to induct youth into government service with wide ranging promises made by them to employ 70,000 to 4,00,000 youth. However to what extent these tall promises on the pretext of which youth were lured towards electronic voting machines and were made to vote in their favour, would be fulfilled remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, induction into government sector alone is no solution to this problem bereft with very huge dimensions since every year large number of youth with degrees keep coming out of various colleges and universities of the state. Even if a few thousand youth get employed, the problem is likely to surface again in the same proportion after a gap of couple of years. Therefore the solution lies not just in filling up the existing or creating a few thousand fresh vacancies in govt. departments but in following:

1. Industrialization of the State
2. Entrepreneurship development
3. Imparting skill based technical education to the youth
4. Orientation of youth towards self-employment
5. Incentives, huge loans and subsidies to potential investors
6. Luring national and international investors towards the state
7. Development of infrastructure for industrialization
8. Augmention of necessary facilities like power supply, transportation and financial support.
9. Facilities for necessary training and marketing of manufacturing goods.
10.Identification of viable commercial activities and making raw material available.

Some of the investment opportunities as identified by the J&K State Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCO) are as under:

Food Processing
Agro based industries
Floriculture
Information Technology
Electronics and precision engineering
Handloom and handicrafts
Sericulture and silk industry
Textiles and readymade garments
Live stock based industry
Leather and leather goods
Sports goods industry
Processing of gems and Precious Stones
Selective mining projects and mineral based industry
Green House (Ladakh)

FICCI has made wide-ranging suggestions to beef up five potential areas of investment, namely, Horticulture, Handicrafts & Handlooms, Tourism, IT and Biotechnology. According to FICCI, Horticulture was the bulwark of rural economy in the State which produces 10 lakh tonnes of apples per annum besides other fruits like pears, cherry, plums, apricots, with an annual turnover of Rs. 300 crore and forex earnings of over Rs. 80 crore annually. To give a boost to investment in Horticulture, FICCI has suggested provision of proper marketing facilities to the cultivators to ensure sustained employment and income, setting of Export Promotion Zones to promote export of items like strawberry, mushroom & cumin seed, promotion of development of growers association that can quantify the quality of the product into Grade A, Grade B, etc, initiatives for development of new varieties of fruits like kiwi fruit, wild apricot, black cherry, broccoli and mushroom and agreement with airlines to transport cargo from Leh, Srinagar & Jammu to centers of consumption like Delhi, Chandigarh & Mumbai.

FICCI has also noted that the Handicrafts & Handloom sector has already proved its worth by its vast employment and revenue generating potential in the State. The sector does not consume scarce resources, nor does it cause pollution and is environment friendly. The investment opportunities, in this sector include setting up of spinning mills to spin bulk quantity of good quality yarn, setting up of dyeing, calendaring and finishing facilities for woolens, and marketing of haute couture items like pashmina shawls and accessories. FICCI has suggested a five-fold approach for this sector: These include improvement in the productivity of weavers through enhancement of skills, introduction of more efficient looms & other related equipment, widening of market access of the handloom products produced in the state through effective marketing, focussing on product diversification and new designs, development of a cluster approach for design development, market assistance & production processes and focusing on brand promotion of the Kashmir handicrafts, product development and holding of exhibitions in international market.

In the field of Tourism, FICCI has stated that J&K was endowed with natural beauty of snow-clad mountains, lakes, streams and rare flora & fauna. While the Hindu shrines in Jammu, the Sufi shrines in Kashmir and the Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh make J&K ideal for Pilgrim Tourism, the State offers other attractions such as adventure tourism, ski tourism, golf tourism, and eco tourism. FICCI has suggested the following:
1. Declare Srinagar airport as an international airport and make it a charter destination
2. Some of the unexplored tourist destinations like Wardwan Valley in Kishtwar, Zanskar Valley, Pangong / Tsomoriri Lakes, Nubra Valley, Gurez, Telel, Bungas can be exploited fully by using feeder air services or even helicopters
3. Gondolas / Cable cars & other Ropeway systems in different tourist areas should be developed as already done in Gulmarg
4. The Patnitop complex needs to be upgarded & refurbished given the large tourist inflows it attracts from the neigbouring states

In Information Technology, FICCI notes that the State has acquired skills in various fields, most prominently in the IT & Engineering sectors. It has over 10,000 highly trained and skilled professionals available for employment, a Software Technology park has already been developed in Srinagar with Central assistance, having adequate bandwidth & connectivity and an Electronic Industrial Estate has been set up at Rajbagh in Srinagar. FICCI’s suggestions in IT include:

1. The talent pool present in the state needs to be groomed – Establish a technical university on the lines of Indian Institute of Information technology (IIIT)
2. Encourage local youth to set up their own units by the provision of soft loans by J&K bank, SIDCO etc
3. Ensure uninterrupted supply of power to the IT units
4. To give a boost to the sector IT can be used in new areas like banking, e-commerce, e-governance etc
5.To attract potential investors like the NRIs, government should open websites giving information about the investment opportunities in the state, tax concessions & various incentives offered, potential markets etc.

In Biotechnology, the chamber notes that J&K was a repository of herbal plants, medicinal plants & genetic materials from high altitude herbs holds immense potential for biotechnology sector and some infrastructure in the state is already present for carrying out R&D, for example, the Agriculture University of Jammu & Kashmir, regional research laboratory & the field research laboratory, Leh. The State also possesses rich reserves of resources such as fruits, medicinal & aromatic plants, forest produce, ornamental plants, livestock etc. To attract investment, in this vital sector, FICCI suggests encouragement to private research initiatives in hybridization, micro-propagation, tissue culture and other biotechnological applications in horticulture to introduce plants which have a short gestation period, development of infrastructure for biotechnology research, promotion of Ladakh region since it provides excellent soil & climate for seed production, and encouragement to the use of biotechnology to introduce new and improved cattle breeds.

Saffron Terrorists wanted to create Hindu Rashtra through treason

2009-01-23T01:17:00.000-08:00

PROBE REVEALS NEXUS WITH ISRAEL, NEPAL

Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dated Jan. 23rd, 2009

Mumbai, Jan 22: The MCOCA court will debate the mammoth 4,000 page chargesheet submitted by the Anti-Terrorism Squad on Thursday. The chargesheet reveals radical intentions of creating a Hindu nation and extensive attempts by the saffron terror brigade to network with Israel and Nepal. Suspended Army man Lt Col Prasad Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and Swami Dayanand Pandey are allegedly the key perpetrators of saffron terror. According to the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) the transcripts of audio video recordings recovered from Dayanand Pandey’s laptop is evidence enough to prove that Purohit had already kicked off efforts to liaison with establishments in Nepal and Israel to set up a separate Hindu rashtra. In a meeting which was attended by Dayanand Pandey alias Sudhakar Dwivedi, Delhi based Dr R P Singh, a Col Bappaditya Dhar, Himani Sawarkar and others, Purohit is seen and heard saying: “I have contacted Israel and one of our captains has been to Israel. There has been a very positive response from their side. They have said show us something on the ground because we have just shown them everything on paper right now. They said wait and watch for six months.”

On behalf of the council of the right wing Hindu extremists, Purohit had even managed to clinch a couple of deals with his counterparts in Israel. The ATS transcripts show Purhit saying: “We asked for four things - continuous and uninterrupted supply of equipmental training, secondly allow us to start our office with a saffron flag in Tel Aviv, number three political asylum and number four support our cause in the United Nations that Hindu nation is born.” At one point Swami Dayanand Pandey is heard saying: “I had told you that day that two people from Israel had come to us. They sat here and talked for a while and whatever it is they promised to cooperate first.”

The transcripts also speak of the group’s plan to seek help from ousted Nepal monarch King Gyanendra. In his conversations with the other accused Purohit explains: “We must understand our requirement. I should tell you that we had a meeting fixed with King Gyanendra for June 24, 2006 and then again on February 13, 2007. We had fixed this meeting on the phone. The transcripts also mentions of Queen Aishwarya’s interest in Hindu fundamentalism and her association with Purohit. Swami Dayanand Pandey: “Who is this queen?” Purohit: “Gyanendra’s wife, the maharani. She is anyway attached to him. We have been in contact with her.” A Nepal army official who is acting as a middleman for Purohit and King Gyanendra, through whom Purohit had almost got a clearance to train cadres in Nepal. Talking in particular to Swami Dayanand Pandey, Purohit says: There is a Col Prajwal who is also a Brigadier in the intelligence. We had fixed a meeting with a lot of difficulty. I had proposed and the king had accepted that 20 of my men will be given officer training every six months. In a year I will get 40 people and 200 of my men will train for jawans. You being an independent nation ask for AKs from Czech republic and we will pay for the ammunition. The king had accepted the proposal. Just imagine if that had happened.”

The transcripts further show that during the meeting, a heated discussion ensued within the group where Retd Major Ramesh Upadhyay announced the last decision. “The thing is that the Constitution that we are following is not and will not be acceptable to us. Another Constitution will come into place, then the Hindu rashtra will be established but till then, it is not there,” Upadhyay stated. The ATS is hoping this evidence will help them secure conviction, even as they have made the other accused - Himani Sawarkar, serving colonel Bappaditya Dhar and Delhi-based Dr R P singh - the key witnesses in the case.

Remembering Gow Kadal Massacre

2009-01-20T21:45:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dated January 21st, 2009

'Young boy shielded us, braved bullets on his chest’ Hakeem Irfan Srinagar. “Blood-stained bodies were spread all around. I was motionless, pretending as dead so that the troops don’t kill me.” This is how Muhammad Altaf Qureshi recollects the tragic memories of the most bloody military action against protesters Kashmir has ever witnessed since the outbreak of militancy in 1989.

Qureshi, 50, was part of the pro-freedom procession on January 21, 1990 but, Qureshi recounts, the moment the procession reached Gow Kadal, a city interior adjacent to Lal Chowk, cops from India’s Central Reserve Police Force showered bullets leaving at least 50 persons dead many more injured. The procession is said to have been provoked by strict curfew and security restrictions. “I was fortunate enough to live up to this day. I think survived by the grace of Allah so that I could tell the story of that black day to my future generations,” says Qureshi.While the incident is locally called ‘Gow Kadal massacre’, Qureshi believes was the “ultimate example of resilience and commitment people had with their aspirations.”He goes on to reminisce thus: “A trooper was showering bullets from a short distance and one of the youngsters in the procession tried to shield the people, taking all the bullets in his chest. It was bravery beyond one’s imagination,” said Qureshi who was then watching bullets coming out of a carbine.According to Qureshi hundreds of people had marched from Jawahar Nagar and Ikhrajpora, raising slogans in favor of Islam, Freedom and Pakistan came out to defy the curfew and campaign for freedom. “However,” he says “participant did not know where to go. There was no set destination. Some were suggesting going straight to the UN office in Sonwar. But the rest were saying the people from the downtown should join so as to make it more impressive. That is why the procession turned towards the downtown via Gow Kadal.”Recalling finer details of the ‘Gow Kadal Massacre’, Qureshi says some of troops were masked and their gestures would suggest that they wanted to take “revenge”.

“I still remember that masked face of few of the troopers. I still remember the eyes of a trooper. His eyes were full of fury and revenge. I tried to jump in the river with my Kangri (Earthen firepot) but somehow I couldn’t,” says Qureshi adding, “I preferred to remain with the dead bodies of my neighbours and other participants. I knew for sure I will be shot. In the pool of blood, I closed my eyes and remembered my Allah, recited the Kalima and the face of my three- month-old daughter flashed my mind.”He further recollects, “That scene is still intact in my memories. We all were like sack of flesh and bones without any life. The whole Universe seemed to have frozen for nearly an hour,” says Qureshi in an uncomfortable tone, suggesting the pain even after the two decades. Cops of J&K Police, Qureshi says, lifted him and tried to take him to the other place after an hour but he says, “I still pretended to be seriously injured. But in a swift glance I could see women from a distance peeping through alleys, wailing and pleading the troopers for removing the dead and inured bodies.”“I was taken to a nearby fire station by the Police from where I called up my home where my family was waiting for my corpse after hearing the news of the massacre,” says Qureshi with nearly sobbing tone. According the Qureshi people were told to move towards Maisuma through public address systems with their hands up. Locals in Maisuma had started preparing food, eatables and heating systems for the stranded people as the curfew continued even after the incident.Local photo Journalist Mehrajudin has witnessed the dead bodies in the police control room soon after the ‘Massacre’. He says, “It was a gory scene. Troopers were crossing over the dead bodies probably for recognition. But I broke down into tears. Every body tried to console but to no effect. After that no tragedy made me so emotional.”Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) had also erected a plaque in memory of the people who died in the incident.

Unemployment in Kashmir and the Enigma of Indian Economic Packages

2009-01-17T04:48:00.000-08:00

India has been pursuing its policy of what the economists term as a "DEPENDENCE SYNDROME" in Kashmir. India has been funding us in a very tactful manner over the years. They invest in areas like hydroelectricity which will ultimately benefit none else than India itself or else in opening new Anganwadi Centres whose workers have to ultimately rely on centre for their petty salaries. Their game plan is to keep Kashmiris always dependent upon central funds. They don't let us stand upon our own feet, they don't let us generate our own income and income for our brethren too by opening our own manufacturing units. They provide us crores in the form of wages but nothing much for our industrialization and economic self-reliance. That is the reason why most of our youth are unemployed and craving for government employment because there are hardly any opportunities in private sector.

Here are a few details regarding various much hyped, high profile economic packages announced by the central govt for Kashmiris in the past. Present Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, unveiled a Rs. 24,000 crore “package” for J&K in 2004. A huge chunk of the Rs 24,000 crore - totaling Rs. 18000 crore - was actually meant to be spent by the Government of India through National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) to “improve transmission and distribution (T&D) systems in the State. Out of the Rs 18000 crore a big chunk was spent on the construction of Uri II and Kishenganga Power Projects – both in the central sector. The remaining amount of Rs. 6000 crores was to be used for paying salaries of Anganwadi workers since the 2004 “package” had also envisaged creation of 24,000 new jobs including 14000 caretaker jobs of Anganwadi (ICDS) centres, 5000 jobs in CRPF and 5000 in India Reserve Battalion (IRB). Let us do not forget that the “package” provided for financial assistance for only one year for these jobs and from the second year it was the State government that has been paying for all these jobs.

Same has been the fate of Rs. 6165 crore “package” announced by India’s former Prime Minister – Mr. Vajpayee that included 287-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramullah rail line at a cost of Rs 3500 crore and Nimu Zangal-Padam-Darcha Road linking to Manali-Sarchu Road at a cost of Rs.195 crore. Remember the project was to be executed by the Border Roads Organisation (Ministry of Defence) and Ministry of Surface Transport for defence purposes. The basic problem with these packages is that they do not help create a decent industrial and services base in J&K which could raise jobs and also government’s tax revenues. Therefore the economic packages announced by the GOI from time to time have proved to be packages of deceit since they have in no way helped our economy grow but have rather proved to be a tool to reinforce Indian occupation in Kashmir.

On April 8th, 2008, President of the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) Sh. Venugopal N Dhoot while releasing the ASSOCHAM special publication on ‘Jammu & Kashmir: Striving for Industrial Revolution’ at a press conference held at Jammu urged the central government in presence of then Chief Minister of J&K, Ghulam Nabi Azad to extend a special package of Rs. 5000 crore to improve the necessary infrastructure so that investment flows towards Jammu and Kashmir fastens both in value and volumes from domestic and overseas industries. Dhoot requested the Union government, to allocate the suggested package to the state of Jammu and Kashmir through the Planning Commission. According to this study, the most promising areas in which Jammu and Kashmir can attract outside investments include food processing- agro-based industries, floriculture, handicrafts, leather processing and leather goods, besides sports, forest-based industry, processing of aromatic plants and herbs, pharmaceuticals based on herbs, bulk drugs, hosiery and made-ups. The state also offers immense business opportunities in hydropower generation, handloom and handicraft exports, gems & jewelry and development of tourism. Given the rich heritage and availability of required skills in gems & jewellery, the state offers to be a promising hub for the industry.

Particulalry in reference to hydro potential, Jammu and Kashmir’s hydel potential is estimated to be about 15,000 megawatt of which only four per cent has been harnessed as the state only generates over 600 megawatt of hydro power. The Central Electricity Authority has already approved two hydroelectric power generating projects. The state has also cleared the setting up of about 12 mini hydel plants. What is needed is their immediate execution. The study projected investments in about more than a dozen identified areas, job opportunities to the extent of 25 lakh youths with export potential of Rs 13,000 crore by 2012. In food processing and agro based industries, investment potentials for 2012 is estimated to be Rs.3000 crore with its export potential of Rs.2000 crore. This sector alone is going to create livelihood for state’s three lakh people. The Kashmir valley also holds the opportunity to become a destination for adventure sports like trekking, mountaineering, water skiing and river-rafting. While places like Ladakh will be the ideal destination for trekking and mountaineering, rivers like Beas, Indus, Sutlej and Kali Ganga will be best suited for river rafting, the study reveals further. It is also recommended that the state should create a Jammu & Kashmir Export Promotion Force to tap the potential international markets by way of opening up of various strategic and marketing offices in the metropolis and industrial cities of India and world to promote its exports. The state has the potential to export Rs 13,000 crore worth of goods in the next five years. The potential sectors for export include processed food, fruit juice concentrate, leather products, handicrafts, and silk, herbs and herbal products, honey, welding electrodes, pesticides, floriculture, sports goods, forest based products, gems and jewellery, and electronics.

Jammu and Kashmir stands amongst the top five smaller states in various developmental and infrastructural indicators and holds third rank in electricity generation, labour cost per worker, and number of technical institutes. It also ranks fourth in infrastructure expenditure amongst the smaller states and has fifth rank in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows and number of primary schools in the state. Whereas the state has the sixth rank in female labour participation, has seventh rank in fiscal deficit. It ranks eigth in total investments, highest number of industrial workers. According to per capita SDP growth, the state ranks eleventh, and growth in manufacturing employment it ranks thirteenth. By reviving the state’s tourism industry, it can re-establish unemployed youths, through creation of infrastructure facilities such as modern bus and rail services and if feasible air services also. Foreign and domestic tourists could be attracted for the picturesque beauty, and the large natural lakes, snow clad mountains surrounded by thickly populated pine forests could make Jammu and Kashmir a prime tourist destination in the world. The state government should adopt the methods of successful tourism destinations like Switzerland and other European union countries.

Agriculture is predominant sector in the economy of Jammu and Kashmir. Directly and indirectly, it supports about 80 per cent of the population besides contributing nearly 60 per cent of the state revenue. Further, state government should plan for higher production and productivity of each major cereal in order to achieve an annual agricultural growth rate of three to four per cent. The state government should also provide adequate training to farmers about the use of modern technology in agriculture. One important aspect for the increase in productivity is the adequate credit to the farmers, which is not significant in the state. The state should initiate this through the nationalised banks, so that the cultivators get adequate finance on credit for agricultural development. The state government should also adopt a suitable crop insurance scheme. By adopting these initiatives, it would further strengthen the confidence of the farmers. The government should also provide infrastructure to private investors to set up agriculture and biotechnology research institutes as the state has the potential for the cultivation of medicinal plants for natural health care. The state has extensive inland water bodies, particularly in the valley, which provide excellent habitat for almost any kind of temperate fish.

To counter the monster of unemployment, our higher education needs to be more professional and industry oriented. We have to enable our pupil to earn degrees that are saleable in the free economy markets and capable of facing the challenges of globalization. Our MCAs and MBAs get some or the other job, but most of our M.Scs M.Coms and M.As suffer on account of lack of professional skills. We need to impart graduate and post-graduate level professional courses in our higher education institutions like colleges and universities. Unplanned explosion of education and opening up new colleges and universities without adequate infrastructure, faculty and other facilities in place, that has been the hallmark of the previous regime has to be done away with. Most importantly India has to shun its policy of "Dependency" in Kashmir and allow, promote and foster liberal industrialization besides entrepreneurship development. Entrepreneurship development courses have to be offered to our general science, commerce and arts graduates in sectors like tourism developement, herbal drug cultivation, food processing, electronics and communication technology, modern agricultural, floricultural and horticultural practices etc. We need to open more and more institutes of technology and impart technical courses at grad and post grad level to our budding entrepreneurs.

Present government has to develop an ambience of industrial development and entrepreneurship. It has to get rid of hurdles and hiccups existing at present in the way of entrepreneurship development. It has to lure national and international investors and open up vistas for their manufacturing bases in the valley. That is the key to solving our problem of unemployment. All other measures like economic packages, recruitment in police forces and other depts will be just a cosmetic treatment to the problem. The gross domestic product (GDP) or gross domestic income (GDI) is one of the measures of national income and input for a given country's economy. GDP is defined as the total cost of all finished goods and services produced within the country in a stipulated period of time (usually a 365-day year). It is sometimes regarded as the sum of profits added at every level of production (the intermediate stages) of all final goods and services produced within a country in a stipulated timeframe, and it is rarely given a monetary value.

At the state level, the growth performance of the state economy is measured using Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which is the total income of the economy. The per capita income in J&K state is estimated at Rs 16,000. This level of per capita income is lower than the All India level of Rs 23,000. The gross state domestic product (GSDP) stood at $5.57 billion in 2005-06 amounting to about 5.5 billion dollars. The share of the state's income (GSDP) in total national income (GDP) is a meager 0.70% which desperately needs to grow up a lot in all three sectors – primary (comprising agriculture and livestock, forestry and logging, fi shing, mining and quarrying), secondary (comprising manufacturing, construction and electricity, gas and water supply) and tertiary (comprising trade, hotels and restaurants, transport, storage and communication, financial services, real estate and related services, public administration and other services).

For a greater insight about the avenues where vast employment opportunities exist in the Kashmir valley which if fostered and promoted can greatly address our problem of unemployment, it is suggested to see the suggestions made by FICCI as the first comment this post.

On Raising Day, RR gifts liquor to students

2009-01-11T20:33:00.000-08:00

Police confirms complaints, Army denies charge

Courtesy Daily Rising Kashmir News Jammu dated January 12th, 2008

Jan 11: Army has sparked off a major controversy by distributing wine bottles as ‘gift’ to the school children including girls, who had participated in the “National Anthem Singing Competition” on the Raising Day of 43 Rashtria Rifles at Thanmandi in Poonch district.
Sources said that 43 Rashtriya Rifles organized Raising Day at Thanamandi in border district of Rajouri on Saturday. The residents and children of various schools of the area were invited to participate in sports and cultural events.They said that some of the students were engaged by the army to participate in Ring Competition Game in which a student had to aim on ‘wine bottle’ from the ring. “The successful students, who managed to hit the target, were handed over the same bottle as reward for their performance. Some students were given packed wine as an award for participating in the event,” they said.Sources further said the students, who won “National Anthem singing competition” were also given wine bottles as reward by the army officers. “At total of 20 students including 11 girls were given the wine bottles,” they said.They further claimed that even some citizens, who were invited as guests, were also given wine bottles by the army.Displaying the wine bottles to Rising Kashmir, a student Sakina Kousar said that she got ‘this award’ from army in a packing. “When I opened the packing, I found ‘Golden Eagle’ wine bottle”, she said. Sakina along with Rubeena Raina, Imtiyaz and Nazir have received wine bottles as award for their outstanding performance in singing national anthem of India “Jana Gana Mana”. Imtiyaz said that he did not open the packing on the spot. “When I opened it in the home, I found ‘Golden Eagle’ wine bottle,” he said.Following the episode, senior residents of the area organised a meet and strongly condemned the distribution of wine bottles among the students. Muslim United Front Chairman Shafkat Wani said that he himself has seen these wine bottles in the hands of the students. “We have kept these bottles with us in which CSD is clearly mentioned”, he said adding, “We have decided to observe complete bandh on Monday and stage protests on Friday”.Demanding that army should take action against the erring soldiers, he urged the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take up the matter with army chief, General Deepak Kapoor.When contacted, Station House Officer Police Station Thanamandi Ashiq Khan said that he has also received the complaints. However, army spokesman for Northern Command, F M Acharya denied that wine bottles were gifted to the students during an army function. “It was an excursion-cum-awareness program in which villagers and children participated. No wine bottles were distributed among the children or villagers,” he said.

Kashmiris remember day of self-determination right

2009-01-07T05:43:00.000-08:00

Kashmiris have remembered on Monday United Nations' resolution on the self-determination right in 1949.
Monday, 05 January 2009 16:58
World Bulletin / News Desk

Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and the world over observed the Right of Self-determination Day, today, to remind the world that the UN resolutions on Kashmir remained unimplemented for more than six decades now. It was on this day in 1949, that the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution, acknowledging Kashmiris' right of self-determination and giving them the right to decide their future by themselves. Kashmiri leaders adressed a seminar on the resolution, Kashmiri Media Service reported. Leaders maintained that Kashmiris have been offering unparalleled sacrifices for their right to self-determination and these sacrifices would not be allowed to go waste. A resolution passed on the occasion urged the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon to implement the UN resolutions on Kashmir. A procession was taken out in Lal Chowk area of Srinagar, which was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Rajbagh. The party leaders reaffirmed Kashmiris' resolve to continue the liberation struggle till its logical conclusion. In Islamabad, the APHC-AJK held a demonstration in front of the United Nations Observers' office, which was led by Syed Yousaf Naseem. The Executive Director of Kashmir Centre Washington, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai addressing a seminar and the Chairman of Kashmir Centre Brussels, Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo in a statement maintained that peace would elude South Asia until the people of Jammu and Kashmir were given the right to decide their fate by themselves. On the other hand, two Indian troops were injured in a clash in Mendher, which continued for the fifth consecutive day, today. A Kashmiri leader, Zafar Akbar Butt has stressed that the solution of Kashmir issue is possible only by implementing the United Nations resolutions, which promised right to self-determination to people of Kashmir. Zafar Akbar Butt in a statement in Srinagar, said, "The durable, fair and firm solution of the disputed Kashmir is possible only through the UN resolution and necessary for establishing peace in South Asia." Indian troops killed more than 50 Kashmiris and wound around 1000 in pro-independence protest since July. India deployed thousands of troops across Kashmir. Kashmiris were offenly imposed curfew. Human right grous have criticised Indian violence during protests.

YOUTH MURDERED BY SOLDIERS FOR OBJECTING TO THEIR OBSENE REMARKS

2008-12-26T05:14:00.000-08:00

Murdered farmer's family wants justice -THEY SHATTERED OUR HAPPY FAMILY: MOTHER

courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dt. Dec. 26th, 2008 by ARIF SHAFI WANI

Chatpora, (Shopian), Dec 25: “Where’re you my beloved” repeatedly shouted Rafiqa Begum, whose husband, Ghulam Hassan Malla, the lone breadwinner of the family, was killed in custody by troopers of 62 Rashtriya Rifles last month just for objecting to the ‘obscene act’ of a soldier. She is lone witness to the incident when a RR trooper threatened to kill her husband after he objected to the soldiers ‘immoral behaviour’. Rafiqa is so shocked by her husband’s killing that she is unable to talk about the incident. Rafiqa’s is crazy with grief. For past 20 days, villagers, including womenfolk gather around her under construction single storey house and try to console her but in vain. “Her husband’s killing has affected Rafiqa psychologically. She sits on the verandah and weeps for the whole day. Malla was the lone breadwinner and male member of the family,” said Zaina, her neighbor, as she could not hide her tears. As some villagers showed Malla’s photograph to this reporter, Zaina stood up and grabbed it. She passionately kissed the photograph and broke down. The villagers tried to snatch the photograph but she wouldn’t let it go. “The troopers have shattered my happy family,” said Malla’s aged mother Sajja. “My son was innocent and killed for objecting to wrongdoings by the troops. He is a martyr,” she said. Recounting the fateful day, Sajja said as a routine Malla left to work in the nearby orchards. “He had objected to the soldier’s immoral behaviour with a local girl. The soldier threatened him of dire consequences upon which Malla had a heated argument with him,” she said. Next day, she said the army launched a cordon-and search operation in the village and asked for Malla. “Despite our protests, they took my son along with them promising to release him after questioning. However, when he was not released, I along with other villagers rushed to the camp. The troops assured us that Malla was well and would be released soon,” Sajja said. However, next day, the troops called some villagers, including Malla’s cousin, Bashir Ahmad to the camp. The army men told them that had Malla died during interrogation. “We were shocked to see his body in a pool of blood as the brutal men in uniform had burnt his private parts and broken his wrist. Blood was still oozing from his nostrils, mouth and ears. The walls of the room were splattered with bloodstains. A stove and knives used for killing Malla were near his body. We refused to take the body and informed the police first,” Bashir said. As the news of Malla’s custodial killing reached his native village, people, including women had marched towards the RR camp. “For the first time in 20 years, the villagers staged demonstrations against Army and even attacked the RR camp. However, the troops severely thrashed the protesters injuring dozens of them,” the local said. To prevent the situation from escalation, the authorities had imposed curfew in the district. “The troops took our photographs and threatened to implicate us in false cases. But we offered resistance and continue to stage protests against the killing,” the locals said. Ironically police has filed FIR against nearly 70 protesters for protesting against the murder. Succumbing to public pressure, authorities registered a case of abduction and murder case against Major S K Saroj and his troops. Sensing trouble, the locals alleged that Army offered money to the family. “Despite living in abject poverty, we rejected the Army’s offer to hush up the case in lieu of five lakh rupees. Can a mother do sell-out of son’s blood,” Sajja said. Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda said an FIR 93/08 under section 342/302 has been registered against the accused Major and troopers. “We have booked Major SK Saroj and his troopers for abduction and murder of Malla. The investigation of the case was being pursued vigorously,” the DGP said. However, Malla’s cousin, Muhammad Iqbal who filed the case against the Army, said, “It is surprising that the Major and his troopers have not been arrested yet. The Army has shifted the accused Major from the Camp. They should be hanged for committing the heinous crime. The authorities are trying to weaken the case to boost the morale of its troops,” Iqbal said.

Kashmiris Suffer ‘Capital Punishment’

2008-12-25T06:29:00.000-08:00

In summer capital boycott dominates polling
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. Dec. 25th, 2008 by Baba Umar,

Srinagar,Dec 24: The poll turnout euphoria that was witnessed during the earlier six phases of polling in Kashmir disappeared on Wednesday as Srinagar maintained its record of lowest poll percentage. Tough security restrictions to facilitate the last phase of elections for eight seats of Srinagar saw people cursing themselves for having chosen the city as their abode. “As if it was a punishment for being in the capital city,” said an anguished resident, Abdul Hameed who had decided to vote but did not after the City was put under virtual siege forty-eight hours before the polling began Tuesday morning. There were no frenzied voters and long queues that were earlier seen in Bandipora, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Budgam, Islamabad, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian. Unlike previous occasions, the mediamen had to locate the voters to have their bytes.Srinagar witnessed large scale anti-election protests and police and paramilitary, who were deployed in strength across the city, faced tough time in quelling the demonstrations. The boycott call of separatists, which was more or less not respected by people during first six phases, was totally effective on Wednesday as most of the people stayed away from poll process and preferred to stay indoors. The seventh and final round of polls also witnessed scattered clashes, fake voting, and poor turnout in many parts of Srinagar, where 152 candidates were in the fray from eight constituencies.

POLICE, CRPF KILL MERITORIOUS STUDENT IN ANTI-POLL DEMO

2008-12-15T06:14:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dt. Dec. 14, 2008 by Naseer A. Ganaie, Mudassir

Koil (Pulwama), Dec 13: Today when people in two districts of Pulwama and Shopian were voting, police and CRPF men reportedly avenged anti-election protests by people in this small hamlet, killing a B.A Ist year student. Two other youth received bullet injuries. Muzaffar Mushtaq son of Mushtaq Ahmad Ganai, Muhammad Ayub Kumar son of Ghulam Muhammad Kumar and Zeeshan Ali son of Ali Muhammad received bullets when troopers and police opened fire to disperse the villagers who had assembled near Jamia Masjid here. The injured youth were rushed to the district hospital where from they were shifted to the SMHS hospital in Srinagar, some 60 kms from Pulwama. Doctors in SMHS declared Muzaffar, 21, brought dead. Zeeshan was operated upon and a part of his ruptured intestine was removed. However doctors termed his and Kumar’s conditions as stable. Residents termed the firing as unprovoked and targeted.
EYEWITNESSES SAY Panic had gripped the Koil village since early morning after SOG personnel and CRPF troopers entered the houses, allegedly threatening people to vote. The villagers including women had assembled on the roads. Rashid Ahmad, a local said they heard four to five gunshots at 8 am and soon after the SOG personnel and CRPF troopers barged into some houses asking people to come out to vote. “It was peaceful till they entered into our houses,” Rashid said. He said the extreme provocation prompted them to assemble on road near the Masjid. “Soon after a group of SOG personnel, policemen and CRPF troopers reached on the spot and resorted to baton charging,” Rashid, 60, said. They fired hundreds of bullets and several tear gas canisters in air to disperse the villagers, another local Muzaffar Hussain said. “But we stayed united fearing if we will return to our houses, the troopers will thrash us,” Muzaffar said. He said the troopers and SOG personnel provoked them to pelt stones. “From a group of CRPF personnel, an aged trooper first started pelting stones forcing our youth to retaliate,” Muzaffar said. The stone pelting had continued for 20 minutes. “As more people joined the protests another contingent of troopers joined by the SOG personnel reached the spot at around 11 am. They started thrashing everybody including women. Failing to disperse us, they entered our houses and damaged the window panes and doors and scattered house-hold items,” Ghulam Qadir said. The troopers had broken the window panes and a door of his house. “They even beat my two daughters,” said Qadir’s wife, Haja Begum amid sobs. He said the firing continued till 11:30 am. “The troopers and the SOG fired thousands of bullets in air. Failing to disperse us and after running short of ammunition, they left the spot and protestors were pacified,” Qadir said. Shakeel Ahmad said at around 12 pm another contingent of CRPF and police rushed to the spot. He said the villagers were peacefully sitting on the roadsides and shop vends. “But the CRPF and SOG personnel party opened fire on a group of people without any provocation injuring three youth,” he said. Shakeel added the ‘unprovoked’ angered the villagers who engaged the troopers and SOG personnel in stone pelting. “They fired more bullets in air and resorted to baton charg injuring at least 20 more persons.” At 1 pm the whole village had came out on the roads and anger was visible on every face. Men and youth were waiting for the body of Muzaffar to bury it. Inside the house of slain Muzaffar, hundreds of wailing women had gathered. They were trying to console the family members. But tears were trickling down from every face. Barely 50 meters away from the house a grave was being prepared for Muzaffar in the martyrs graveyard. “Muzaffar is the 13th martyr of the village,” said Shabir Ahmad. His friend added that Muzaffar had secured distinction in the 10th and 12th class.
PHOTOJOURNALISTS THRASHED The photojournalists were again at the receiving end of the police and CRPF troopers today. When the news about the Koil incident spread in Pulwama, the photojournalists and reporters of various international, national and local media organizations rushed towards the spot. The security agencies stopped them and didn’t allow them to carry on with their professional work. They even tried to thrash them. But this didn’t stop the journalists and without caring for consequences covered the incident. Many photo journalists were later thrashed by the troopers. The government on Friday evening had warned photojournalists not to rush to cover elections in towns before afternoon. The photojournalists refused to buckle down under pressure and rushed to various spots to do their professional duties.
MAGISTERIAL PROBE The divisional commissioner Kashmir, Masood Samoon, in the evening said the government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the killing of a person in Koil Pulwama. “The deputy commissioner Pulwama has been appointed as the inquiry officer. He has been asked to give a factual report within 15 days,” he told reporters in a press conference in Srinagar.

TROOPERS RAPE 13 YEAR OLD IN KOKERNAG VILLAGE

2008-12-06T06:05:00.000-08:00

Kokernag Village Shocked; Govt Orders Usual Probe
Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dt. Nov. 5th, 2008 by Khalid Gul
Dandipora (Kokernag), Dec 4: Alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl and molestation of a woman by army troopers in this south Kashmir village triggered massive protests on Thursday. Locals said that a group of troopers from 36 Rashtriya Rifles barged into the house of Muhammad Abdul Khatana, Imam of the local Masjid, last night and gang-raped her daughter. While narrating the nightmarish experience, Khatana told Greater Kashmir: “I, my wife and three minor kids were sleeping in the kitchen while my son (7), my brother in law, (also my cousin who is putting up with us) and my daughter, Fahmeeda (name changed), the victim, were sleeping in another room.” He said that around 10:15 pm last night, some people knocked at the door. “As I peeped through the window, I saw six troopers. Out of fear I didn’t open the door. They broke the bolt and barged into the house. First they told me that they have to search the house but when I tried to switch on the light, they reprimanded me. Then I sought their permission to light a candle, but they caught hold of me and nearly lynched me,” he said. Khatana said that they (troopers) locked him in one of the rooms and his wife and kids in the other room. “They also thrashed my brother-in-law, and locked him in the bathroom,” he said, adding, “After locking all of us they took my daughter Fahmeeda into the other room. Four of the troopers gang-raped her for an hour, while the two others remained outside to guard them.” Khatana with his eyes moist said that he kept on hearing the screams of her minor daughter helplessly for nearly an hour. “We raised an alarm and few of the villagers heard our screams,” he added.

Locals said that some of the villagers ran towards Khatana’s house after hearing screams. “As the troopers saw people approaching they fled away from the spot,” they said, adding, “As we entered Khatana’s house we found the inmates locked in different rooms. Fahmeeda was lying naked in the room, unconscious with bruises all over her body.” Locals said that they saw an army vehicle parked a few meters away from the victim’s house. “We approached them and told them that their men have raped a minor, but they denied. The troopers initially told us that they might have been militants, but when we told them that they were wearing the same uniform and carrying the same guns they had, they told us that then it might have been CRPF men,” the locals said. Haji Mumtaz Ali, an elderly resident said that after the incident troopers approached them and intimidated the villagers to give a statement that troopers from 36-RR were not involved in the act. “We offered resistance and refused to follow their diktats,” Ali said. After the incident, some of the villagers called the Police Station, Kokernag, and informed them about the incident. “Police reached on the spot and took the victim along,” locals said.

Ruqaya Begum, the mother of the victim was in a shock and was crying continuously. She didn’t utter a word but pain and agony were palpable on her face. Locals said that before entering into the house of Khatana, the troopers around 9:00 pm attempted to rape one Rafeeqa (name changed), wife of Muhammad Yaqoob, but the lady offered stiff resistance and they fled away.OFFICIALS SPEAK When contacted, the Station House Officer, Kokernag, Nisar Ahmad said, “The medical report does not confirm that the girl has been raped, however FIR bearing number 137/08 under section 354 and 456 RPC, 27 Arms Act has been lodged and investigations are on.” He, however, confirmed that troopers of 36 RR as well as paramilitary CRPF troopers were deployed in the area last night. “We are ascertaining who was involved in the act,” the SHO added. The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Islamabad, Nitish Kumar said that there is no mention of rape in the written complaint lodged by the family members of the victim. “In the written complaint they have mentioned that uniformed gunmen barged into their house and tried to molest her. Police is investigating,” Kumar added. The additional deputy commissioner, Islamabad, Bashir Ahmed Khan said that administration has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident. “We have asked the tehsildar to investigate the matter and submit his report within three days,” he said. Khan, however, denied having received any medical report. “We are waiting for a written medical report from the doctors. Victim is admitted in the hospital and she is under observation,” he said, adding, “Till now it has not been established whether it’s a rape or an attempted rape. In both the cases it is a gruesome act. The accused won’t be spared.” Khan said that police have arrested a Sumo driver in this connection. “The Sumo in which the uniformed gunmen came has been seized and investigations are on,” he said. Army’s Srinagar based spokesman, Lt Colonel Katchari said, “We are investigating the matter. It seems CRPF was also deployed in the area.”

PROTESTS As the word about the incident spread in the area this morning, hundreds of people raising anti-troops slogans took to the streets demanding stern action against the erring troopers. Policemen and paramilitary CRPF troopers who were deployed there beat up the protesters with batons and fired numerous tear smoke canisters to disperse them. In the police and CRPF action at least six persons including a minor were injured. Former minister and senior Congress leader, Peerzada Muhammad Sayed, had to face the wrath of people when he reached there. Witnesses said as soon as the motorcade of Sayeed entered the village, angry protesters pelted stones on it and chased him away.SEHAR DEMANDS JUDICIAL PROBE The Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Kokernag, Sehar Iqbal demanded a judicial probe into the incident. In a statement here she said, “It is a inhuman act and we condemn it. This gruesome incident should be probed by a sitting Judge as people have lost faith in the state agencies.”

TERRORISM REDIFINED

2008-11-22T23:42:00.000-08:00

It’s beyond doubt now, Hindutva's fascist ideology endangers India's secularism

Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dt Nov. 23rd, 2008

DATELINE SRINAGAR BY ARJIMAND HUSSAIN TALIB
The big shroud of lies covering many bomb blast incidents in India, falsely implicating Kashmiri and Indian Muslims, looks disappearing. The last few days were particularly and shockingly interesting. India's premier investigating agency, CBI, on Nov 12 told a Delhi Court that two Kashmiri youth arrested from Delhi in Feb 2006 by Delhi Police, falsely implicating them for carrying out bomb blasts in the capital, were innocent. It also sought action against the three police officials involved in their illegal detention. On the other hand, the 22 Muslim youth who were under detention for their suspected involvement in Hyderabad blasts were released last week. They were among 70 others who had been picked up by the Hyderabad Police investigating the Makkah Masjid blast that killed nine people on May 18 and the Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat house blasts that killed 42 people on August 26 last year. Ironically, all these youth had been even charged with 'connections with SIMI'.As the Hindutva hand behind the gruesome bomb blasts at Malegoan, Ajmer Sharief, Hyderabad and on Samjhauta Express stands exposed, some very disturbing questions arise: what about many other such incidents? Who carried them out? Our memory must not fail us in recollecting all the fire-talk that parties like the BJP would do after such incidents. The way Hindutva parties like the BJP had made "incidents" like these and Muslim and Kashmir bashing staple fodder for their narrow political goals today stares at their faces. The Congress Party cannot be absolved of the blame either. At the heart of India's establishment and the indirect recipient of profound intelligence reports, it is impossible that the Congress leadership was unaware of the truth. What the Congress seems to be doing today is cashing on a reality for the forthcoming elections which it was already aware of. That certain Hindu extremist groups were involved in terrorist activities is nothing new. That these groups harbour certain fascist ideologies which can be termed as simply catastrophic is also nothing novel.Beyond all the cynical politicking, what is shocking is the level of involvement of diverse political and religious figures of India in the exposed Hindutva terror network. What is also ominous is the manner these extremist groups were using terrorist acts in creating a situation of mayhem and chaos – something which could only fuel a catastrophic backlash against the Muslims in India and Kashmir. Newspapers in India have revealed that many leaders of mainstream Hindutva parties were aware of the activities of the terrorist network working under the banners of Abhinav Bharat and Jammu-based Kalyan Trust. There are reports which suggest that this terrorist network includes many more people, and is not confined to people like Mahant Dayanand Panday, Lt Col Prasad Purohit and sadhvi Pragya Singh. A news report in the Times of India on Nov 16 provides some interesting insights into other details of this terror network.When Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh offers BJP leader, L K Advani, to share details of the activities carried out by this Hindu extremist network in private, it means many details are simply beyond public consumption. It looks what is being made public is just a tip of the iceberg. Times of India in a report on its front page on Nov 16 quoted one of the accused as saying that "leaders of the mainstream Hindutva groups were aware of their activities." The most worrisome is this terror group's aborted plan to kill 'a prominent Hindu leader of Delhi', as detailed in a Times of India report "Delhi-based Hindu leader in terror crosshairs, says ATS." This extremist group's Jammu connections and the involvement of some figures who have wielded power and clout in the State's establishment are highly worrisome. Lt Col Purohit, according to newspaper reports, has already trained at least 500 Hindu youth in carrying out subversive activities, many of them from Jammu. Sixty kgs of deadly RDX explosive was obtained by Lt Col Purohit from J&K in 2006 alone. Indian Express on Nov 13 has revealed that Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) has acquired details about Mahant Amritanand alias Dayanand Pandey connections in Jammu. It is curious the manner he was able to register a trust namely Kashyapmeru Shankaracharya Amritanand Vedic Vishva Kalyan Trust using a Jammu-based chartered accountant V K Kapoor's residential address as the address of the trust. V K Kapoor was quoted by Indian Express as saying that he came in contact with the Mahant some years ago at the residence of former BJP MLA, Rishi Kumar Koushal - who incidentally happens to be the founder of the Jammu Praja Parishad. Certain reports in India's national newspapers looking at the establishment of the Sharda Sarvagya Peeth in Jammu and its funding also point towards the need for in-depth investigations. That Mahant Dayanand Pandey after coming to Jammu changed his name and even got away with that puts a lot of light on how J&K's security apparatus works with a one-eyed approach. What is disturbing is that the accused Mahant had even shared the dais with the Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti in Jammu, providing crucial support to the Amarnath 'movement' this year. The Mahant has been networking with the Hindutva groups and even sections of J&K's bureaucracy and establishment, actively campaigning for the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into three regions, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh - a very Hindutva idea. And yet the State's security apparatus has been doing nothing.Although members of the Sangharsh Samiti today are dissociating themselves from the subversive activities of the Mahant, it is unlikely that there was an absolute innocence in Jammu's Hindutva circles about the activities of his group. Indian Express on Nov 13 in a front page piece gave astonishing details about the Mahant's links and connections quoting the website www.sarvagyapeeth.com. It revealed that Hindutva ideologue, Veer Savarkar's daughter-in-law, Himani Savarkar, at the launching of Abhinav Bharat, lauded the role of the Mahant in his work for the 'Hindu cause'. The figures of the trust include people like former ABVP national executive member, Pragya. The Mahant in the same website counts a host of political leaders ranging from BJP General Secretary, K.N Govindacharya, to present Congress Working Committee member, M.L Fotedar, as 'advisors'. It is well known that certain groups within the Hindutva fold have espoused the lofty goal of Akhand Bharat, which runs counter to India's constitutional commitment to secularism. It is also well known that these groups have always been interested in the Nazi Party's tactics in provoking a holocaust against the Jews. If this Hindutva network's these subversive acts point to imitation of the Nazi Party's tactics of creating conditions of a catastrophic backlash against India's Muslims, then surely it is a time for the Indian state to act. And act tough. Looking at the level of involvement in this terror network, India's secularism stands at test. For the larger good of the concept of India as a secular country, this brand of Hindutva espousing fascism needs to be defeated. Feedback at arjimand@gmail.com

Kashmir votes for democracy and development, not India

2008-11-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Yahoo News dt. Nov. 18th, 2008 By Krittivas Mukherjee
SRINAGAR (Reuters) - A good turnout at the start of Jammu and Kashmir elections may mean separatists misread a desire for development and democracy, analysts and voters said on Tuesday, but is not necessarily a vote for Indian rule. While it is too early to draw firm conclusions from Monday's first stage in a seven-part election across a very diverse state, the turnout in parts of the mainly Muslim Kashmir Valley was a surprise for separatists who had heatedly called for a boycott. This year has seen some of the biggest anti-India protests in the Kashmir Valley since an insurgency began in 1989, but voters like 70-year-old Abdul Ahad Bhat said they wanted to cast their ballots even though they had taken part in protest marches.
"Independence is a separate issue from the need for a better life, which a good administration can provide," he said. "So there is no contradiction if a Kashmiri votes today and goes out and raises Azadi (freedom) slogans on the streets tomorrow."
Turnout in the 10 seats contested on Monday across Jammu and Kashmir was 64 percent. More surprising perhaps was a turnout of 59 percent in three seats contested in the Kashmir Valley, up from around 55 percent in the same seats in 2002. Previous elections have seen militants threatening violence to enforce their call for a boycott, and Indian soldiers trying to coerce people to vote. This time the militants said they would not interfere and the soldiers kept a lower profile. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the separatist All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference which had called for a boycott, questioned the official figures and said free and fair voting was impossible in the presence of hundreds of thousands of troops. But more mainstream political parties appeared to have won some listeners by arguing that the need to choose good government that can build roads and improve civic amenities would not necessarily undermine the independence movement. "This appealed to the people -- for them development still is the immediate need, said Noor Ahmad Baba, dean of social sciences faculty in Kashmir University. "They know independence is a higher, time-consuming goal." "It means ... the Hurriyat leadership does not have a finger on the pulse of the people. Yet this will not undermine the separatist movement because the political parties clearly delineated the freedom struggle from these elections." The biggest surprise came in the separatist stronghold of Bandipora, with turnout reaching 57 percent on Monday, up from 31 percent in 2002, when militant threats almost certainly kept many people away. The mountains around the town had been a hideout for militants from the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group.
Many voters said they still wanted independence as firmly as ever, but experts said a successful election across Kashmir would give the state and central government the chance to offer better governance and defuse the independence movement to some extent. At least 42 people were shot dead by police when hundreds of thousands of Kashmiri Muslims took to the streets this year shouting "Azadi" (freedom). "It needs to be seen how New Delhi leverages this election," Baba said, adding better governance might only temporarily temper the desire for independence in Kashmir, where more than 42,000 people have been killed during a two-decade-long revolt.
Political columnist Ghulam Nabi Khayal says Kashmiri Muslims will wait and watch for a while. "If they get nothing this time, the Hurriyat will use them," he said.

‘Troops use rape as war weapon in Kashmir’

2008-11-16T21:47:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt Nov. 17th, 2008 by Rashid Paul

Srinagar, Nov 16: Even though India is a signatory to various international covenants calling for protection of rights of women in conflict zones, rape is being used as a war weapon in Kashmir by Indian armed forces.This was stated by Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain, who teaches at the department of Law, Kashmir University and is also a noted columnist, on the second day of a two-day seminar on “women and the law” held at the varsity.While enumerating international resolutions and covenants guaranteeing protection of women in areas of armed conflict, he said, “India is a signatory to these agreements but its armed forces are using rape of Kashmiri women as a war weapon.”He said when pilots of Indian fighter jets were shot down by Pakistani troops during Kargil war, India complained to Pakistan that it was not treating well the pilots whether dead or alive. “But it continues to treat inhumanly the non- combatants like women in Kashmir,” he added. “In villages, cities and towns rape is used to counter rebellion,” he said.Referring to the interview of a former top commander of paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) in a Jammu based newspaper wherein the official had “explicitly admitted” abuse of women as a tactics to fight armed independence insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir,Showkat said if militants sneak in to a house, the house is blasted and male members of the house have to flee to escape torture and women are put in to a precarious situation. He said women are also the major sufferers in disappearance cases at the hands of state forces. Citing the case of Masooda Parveen versus State, he said the Supreme Court of India declined to provide ex gratia to the woman whose husband was killed by forces in custody. “The Supreme Court said that the woman is not entitled to any ex gratia because her husband was connected with insurgency in Kashmir. Any such help would down the morale of the security forces, the Supreme Court had declared,” Showkat said.He wondered how the dependants of a militant or pro-freedom activist can be unfairly treated for the actions of that male member. “If a dog is killed by Srinagar Municipality women activists in India create a furore. But they wink at the plight of women at the hands of Indian security forces in Kashmir,” he lamented.He said the central government even declined the sanction to prosecute its troops who have been found guilty of committing grave human rights abuses in Kashmir. “Furthermore tough laws like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) provide them immunity,” he added.

Lt Col procured 60 Kgs RDX from JK

2008-11-16T00:21:00.000-08:00

RESPONSIBLE FOR SAMJHAUTA BLAST, TOO
Courtesy:Daily Greater Kashmir dt.Nov. 16th, 2008
New Delhi, Nov 15: Prime accused in Malegaon bomb blast case, Lt Col Prasad Purohit allegedly procured 60 kgs of RDX from Jammu and Kashmir in 2006, a part of which is suspected to have been used in the Malegaon blast and also in the Samjhauta Express train explosions, the prosecution told a court here, giving a new dimension to the ongoing ATS probe.Special Prosecutor for the ATS, Ajay Misar told the court that a witness submitted that in 2006 Purohit had claimed he had 60 kgs of RDX in his possession which he had got from Jammu and Kashmir.The RDX is suspected to have been used in the September 29 Malegaon blast that left six dead and the twin explosions in Samjhauta train last year.Purohit gave a portion of the RDX to one Bhagwan who is suspected to have used in Samjhauta Express blast, Misar said.He said the Army officer was directly involved in the Samjhauta Express blasts that killed 68 people, mostly Pakistanis.The Samjhauta Express was full of Pakistani visitors when the bombs went off on board. Of the 68 who died, 42 were Pakistanis. The blasts were triggered by low-intensity explosives which were accompanied by inflammable material. Three unexploded suitcase bombs were later recovered from the train.Ironically, India had then blamed Pakistan and Pakistani militants for the blasts.The Samjhauta Express runs between Delhi and Lahore and was a symbol of improving in India-Pakistan relations.Meanwhile, Maharashtra ATS has alleged that Purohit is a recruit of Swami Amritanand Dwivedi alias Dayanand Pandey who they claim masterminded the Malegaon blasts. The ATS says that Purohit organised RDX for that terror attack too.Purohit has admitted that he met Sadhvi Pragya Thakur — the other key accused in the blast case — through the Swami.Narco analysis on Purohit has revealed that he had already been tasked by Army Intelligence to gather information on SIMI. AGENCIES

Kashmiri detainee’s letter reveals ‘mental torture’ of Muslim inmates

2008-11-13T07:02:00.000-08:00

Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. Nov. 13th, 2008 by Rashid Paul
Srinagar, Nov 12: A Kashmiri prisoner in Kotebalwal jail, Jammu in a secret letter to his family has accused the jail officials of tormenting Muslim imamates psychologically by desecrating religious scriptures besides routine physical torture.The detainee, Tariq Ahmed, son of Ghulam Nabi Shah of Bijbihara has sent a letter to his relatives narrating his ordeal at the hands of the jail authorities. The letter, a copy of which lies with this newspaper has been sent and signed by Tariq on November 4. “While I was being produced before a court in Islamabad on October 31, I dared to complaint against the torture I was subjected to by the jailors. In return I was subjected to worst emotional trauma when Jagdish Manhas, the jail officer, snatched a copy of Quran from me and threw it on the ground,” Tariq wrote in the letter.“They tore apart the Holy book. I tried to stop them. However, they were raging in anger and beat me remorselessly. The emotional punishment was unbearable and I broke down,” he said.The detainee writes that Jagdish Manhas, Havildar Tilak Raj and other two sentries on August 11 hammered him mercilessly.“I was penalized as I had complained to jail superintendent and his deputy that prisoners were being provided subhuman foods and there was no respect for jail manual”, he said.“The beating was so ruthless that blood streaked out from my body. The wounds were deep and could not heal till the date of my hearing at Islamabad. I showed my wounds to the judge and narrated my woes to him,” Tariq writes.“This enraged the officials and they defiled my Quran and also thrashed me,” Tariq said. He has sought action against the jailors and asked for their trial for “committing crimes against humanity.”A spokesman of Kashmir High Court Bar Association strongly condemned the incident and said it is a reflection of plight of detainees face in different jails within and outside the sate. The spokesman said if prisoners continued to be treated like this the Bar Association will have no choice but to take corrective measures against the jailors.

November 6: When Earth Saw Blood

2008-11-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

November 6: When earth saw blood
Courtesy: Daily Rising Kashmir dt. Nov. 9th, 2008
Abdul Majid Zargar
November 6, 1947 has a very special significance for the Muslims of Jammu & Kashmir. Indian Army had already landed in Srinagar on October 26, pursuant to a controversial accession deal alleged to have been consummated between Mahraja Hari Singh and Indian Government. Hurt at the loss of northern areas, and fearing reprisals at the hands of people, Maharaja had fled Kashmir valley to rest in the safe environs of Jammu.
Upon reaching Jammu he spewed venom against Muslims, and privately ordered his army and a band of fanatics aided and abetted by RSS cadres to butcher them. An organized genocide of Jammu Muslims was carried out by them in all areas of Jammu. Muslim Women were abducted and raped. Even the daughter of the most popular Muslim leader of Jammu at that time, Chowdhary Ghulam Abbas was not spared. Men and children were massacred, and the weapons to carry out the carnage, swords and rifles, were provided by the Dogra Army. Local Police and administration acted as a mute and willing spectator. The Muslims were massacred by the same ruler who was supposed to be their savior. The pogrom bears very close resemblance to the Gujarat carnage enacted in 2002.A gory incident needs a mention here. Thousands of Jammu-city Muslims were made to assemble at parade ground on the promise of safe passage to Sialkot. They were herded like cattle in many trucks, and brutally killed near Samba and Kathua borders. No mercy was shown to these defenseless persons by the people and administration of Jammu who otherwise would swear by secularism and non-violence.It is said that Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah made frantic calls to New-Delhi to impress upon Maharaja to stop the genocide of Muslims but it all fell on deaf ears. The administration there was either too busy with the aftermaths of partition or were deliberately ignoring his calls.Here is another incident. A few thousand Hindus migrated from Muzaffarabad and reached Kashmir. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah made elaborate arrangements for their transportation to Jammu. These tonga drivers of the 250 tongas that were arranged, were Kashmiri Muslims. They were butchered in Jammu after they faithfully helped dropped the migrant passengers at their destination. These are the historical memories that have their relevance even today. Kashmiri Muslims need to keep this in mind while deciding their future at any given moment. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, who was instrumental in making us fall in the Indian lap, in 1947, owes an answer to those innocent Jammu martyrs, on the day of Reckoning. Let his son and grand son take a note of this and rectify the mistake committed by their ancestors.