Soldiers in Kashmir
I’ve been following the debate about whether India’s Jammu & Kashmir government (called J&K or Kashmir interchangeably) will lift the draconian impunity legislation (called the AFSPA) for soldiers now in place over large swathes of Kashmir Valley.
The Indian Army, for its part, makes the rather astounding claim that if they are not allowed to continue to operate in the Kashmir Valley without impunity then Kashmir will secede. I often hear this type of stuff as well—oh if we don’t continue to abuse human rights with legal cover, then the terrorists win!
The irony is that opponents of lifting legal immunity are admitting that the security forces have been responsible for widespread human rights violations in the Kashmir Valley and that is the only way to keep Kashmir in India.
Interesting…
However, the truth about the last two decades of impunity in Kashmir is starting to slowly unravel especially with the recent discovery of possible victims of enforced disappearances dumped in mass graves.
In the last 22 years, armed forces personnel, militants and government sponsored militias (known as Ikhwanis) have been accused of disappearing people. They often wear clothing that makes it difficult to find out who perpetrated the crimes.
But, what we do know is that they disappeared and their silent cries are still heard in Kashmir.
On Human Rights Day, the Kashmiri human rights organization, the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) submitted to the J&K State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) 132 cases of enforced or involuntary disappearances of Banihal area of Ramban district (about 90 miles south of the Kashmiri capital of Srinagar).
That’s 132 cases in one area of one district in Jammu & Kashmir. But will anyone listen to their silent cries?
The submitted cases are of the people living in different villages of Banihal area, who have disappeared since 1989 under various circumstances. The APDP found that of the 132 cases, 24 were apparently perpetrated by militant groups, 22 were by either the Indian Army or the Jammu & Kashmir Police and the remaining ones are unknown.
In the 21 cases where the Indian army has been identified as involved, nobody has been prosecuted or held accountable.
The family members of the disappeared want to know whether their loved ones are dead or alive. If they are alive they want the government to say where they are. If they are dead, the families want the government to identify the graves of these persons.
We stand with the APDP in demanding that all those involved in this heinous crime of enforced disappearances should be prosecuted regardless of how powerful they are.
For more South Asia human rights information, follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/gringostani.
"Secede" is an unfortunate word choice; the UN recognizes Kashmir as a disputed territory and has maintained military observers on both sides of the Line of Control. It's time for Amnesty to drop the Indian establishment's terminology and to follow international usage in calling "India's Jammu and Kashmir" what it really is, "Indian-administered Kashmir" or "Indian-occupied Kashmir". Your credibility suffers when you unquestioningly follow the Indian line.There is no question of Kashmir "seceding" from India;it is India' unilateral annexation of Kashmir that flouts UN Security Council resolutions dating back to 1948.
“Secede” is an unfortunate word choice; the UN recognizes Kashmir as a disputed territory and has maintained military observers on both sides of the Line of Control. It’s time for Amnesty to drop the Indian establishment’s terminology and to follow international usage in calling “India’s Jammu and Kashmir” what it really is, “Indian-administered Kashmir” or “Indian-occupied Kashmir”. Your credibility suffers when you unquestioningly follow the Indian line.There is no question of Kashmir “seceding” from India;it is India’ unilateral annexation of Kashmir that flouts UN Security Council resolutions dating back to 1948.
It's the Indian Army word choice not mine. AI takes no position on these political matters. The UN refers to the region as the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Do a closer read about what I wrote: "India’s Jammu & Kashmir government".
It’s the Indian Army word choice not mine. AI takes no position on these political matters. The UN refers to the region as the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Do a closer read about what I wrote: “India’s Jammu & Kashmir government”.
my point exactly, why are you following the Indian army usage? and the UN calls it "Indian-administered Kashmir – so much for AI's diligence and credibiltiy – FAIL
No, you misunderstand: I said "The UN refers to the region as the State of Jammu and Kashmir." I don't want to see any more comments from you misstating that. And I won't address that further.
In your first comment you wrote: "“Secede” is an unfortunate word choice" and that is the Army's word choice which is relevant to the story I'm telling. I'm blogging to the mainstream American opinion and not to people who need to be treated like babies over terminology.
my point exactly, why are you following the Indian army usage? and the UN calls it “Indian-administered Kashmir – so much for AI’s diligence and credibiltiy – FAIL
No, you misunderstand: I said “The UN refers to the region as the State of Jammu and Kashmir.” I don’t want to see any more comments from you misstating that. And I won’t address that further.
In your first comment you wrote: ““Secede” is an unfortunate word choice” and that is the Army’s word choice which is relevant to the story I’m telling. I’m blogging to the mainstream American opinion and not to people who need to be treated like babies over terminology.
Ha ha ha. . What UN what America What Kashmir? The author is definitely got an agenda!!!!!
Why would the Indian army make KashmirI pandits disappear! They have peacefully lived there for 5000 and more years
Loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu!!!!
Ha ha ha. . What UN what America What Kashmir? The author is definitely got an agenda!!!!!
Why would the Indian army make KashmirI pandits disappear! They have peacefully lived there for 5000 and more years
Loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu!!!!