Saman Hamid
In occupied Kashmir, the entire territory was rocked on the fifth day, today, by pro-freedom and anti-India protests by student community. The protesting students included primary class boys to adults doing doctorate. Clashes broke out at various places in north and central Kashmir between Indian troops and students, who were demonstrating against use of brutal force in different degree colleges across the Valley. The students of Higher Secondary School Palhalan and Ajas in Bandipora blocked Srinagar-Baramulla road. Similarly, students of Delina, Nadihal, Kangan and Sopore areas of Bandipora and Baramulla marched on the streets and staged sit-ins. Many students were injured when police resorted to brute force on protesting students. Kashmir University Students also protested against the highhandedness of Indian forces. The educational institutions had been turned into battlefields and youth were subjected to worst form of state terrorism.
On the other hand, Indian government has approved the recruitment of over 10,000 killers in the name of special police officers to deal with the ongoing mass uprising in occupied Kashmir. This has been revealed in the annual report released by the Indian Home Ministry. The move is being seen by Kashmiri resistance leadership as an Indian conspiracy to pitch Kashmiris against Kashmiris. Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) has been in the news off and on since Indian soldiers invaded the valley in 1947, marking the beginning of an era of injustice, oppression and cruelty. ‘Millions killed’, ‘thousands disappeared’, and ‘hundreds tortured’ has become the recurrent mantra in headlines on both sides of the border as well as in international media; in fact such phrases have become something of a trademark feature in any accurate representation of Indian ruthlessness in IOK.
In what is part of the foundation stone of modern civil society – the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – Article 3 categorically states, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person”. Clearly the sorry state of affairs in IOK stands in clear violation of this declaration. Oppression, loss, fear, injustice and struggle are rampant in the region. In fact, it would not be inappropriate to say that the human rights crisis which exists in the valley has only intensified since the disputed elections of 1987, following which and the series of demonstrations and strikes against the Indian Government on the continued deprivation and grievances of the citizens of Kashmir, the Indian military unleashed a new wave of torture upon the citizens of the valley that has lasted from 1989 to date, and looks set to continue unabated indefinitely.
These violations of basic human rights were possible as the result of a very special law that passed through the Indian Parliament; the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) enacted by the Government of India in September 1990, which granted special powers to the Indian Armed Forces in Kashmir. The AFSPA has been criticised heavily since the start of its implementation, as its provisions entail permissions for Indian forces to kill, shoot or destroy any building in IOK on mere suspicion. This draconian law also allows a non-commissioned officer or an individual of equivalent rank to use force and exercise the power of arrest without warrant. Furthermore, under section 7, forces can even commit extrajudicial killings without the fear of prosecution.
AFSPA has continued to come under heavy criticism from international organisations such as the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other non-governmental organisations. Navanethem Pillay, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights in 2009 asked India to repeal the AFSPA, stating the law breached human rights standards. India is using different tactics to mislead the international community about the Kashmir dispute and to prolong its illegal occupation. Ironically, on the one hand, the rulers in New Delhi extend offer of talks to Pakistan and the Kashmiri Hurriyet leadership to find a resolution for the dispute, while on the other, they repeat the mantra of Jammu and Kashmir being an integral part of India. This duplicity has been the basic impediment in the way of resolution of the Kashmir dispute. It is a reality that Pakistan has always advocated resolution of the conflict over Kashmir through giving the Kashmiris their inalienable right to self-determination as promised by India and the world community.
