Mubarak Baloch
IOK (Indian Occupied Kashmir) has been in throes since partition when India forcibly managed its accession in violation of the principles of partition. A large number of Indian security forces have been running operation against the voices questioning controversial accession of Kashmir with India and demanding implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions promising plebiscite to the aspirations of inhabitants in valley. Human rights abuses in IOK are the routine matters. Over fifty thousand people have been killed and a large number injured/maimed. Besides, the story of those who are taken into custody with whereabouts not known is quite disturbing. As per one estimate around ten thousand people are currently missing. Most of them are missing for many years and also cannot be presumed dead. Their fate is in limbo.
The dilemma haunting the families of those who are held in security forces custody for indefinitely long period. Their spouses, as per the Islamic injunction cannot remarry until their husbands have been declared killed or died in custody or death is confirmed in any way. A recent study on the plight of such women revealed that they are beset with multiple problems like financial problem to sustain their children in the absence of their family heads. Social, cultural and health care issues are also confronted. Families of the disappeared people are seen visiting jails and concentration points maintained by security forces in an attempt to ascertain the whereabouts of their loved ones. Women after the undisclosed indefinite detention of their husbands find themselves hard pressed to make the both ends meet and lookafter their children and cater for their needs. Every woman has a harrowing tale to tell. As per one survey by Action Aid over 16% of the 4000 Kashmiri women, accessed and interviewed, are under severe mental stress. Besides; getting pension, handling bank accounts, using ration cards etc are difficult for the wives whose husbands are missing.
Although some Islamic clerics opine that a women may remarry after four years of the disappearance of her husband yet such remarriage is normally avoided as the death of the husband stands unconfirmed. Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons estimates that 8000-10000 men are missing since 1989 and their whereabouts are not known. There is a provision for ex-gratia benefits to the women who produce the death certificate of their husbands to be issued by a local investigative committee. The said committee considers only those cases of disappearance which are eight years old. Families are hesitant to obtain such certificates as possibility of the disappeared being alive remains.
Recently, a term ‘half-widow’ has been coined to call those whose husbands gone missing. These ‘half-widows’ fate remains in limbo. They are, for obvious reasons, vulnerable in society and are under constant pressure from various sides. Neither their husbands are declared dead nor are seen alive. Human rights organizations should take notice of such human dilemma and Indian government is brought under pressure to disclose the whereabouts and status of criminal cases (if any) framed against people who are taken into custody by security forces. This could be a part of psychological warfare on part of security forces to mount mental stress on the people so that voices dissenting Indian occupation of Kashmir are suppressed. Such tactics are unlikely to succeed as people get frustrated and rise against atrocities with fresh vigour and defiance.
Traumatic experience is infact the perpetual punitive action against the entire family. A traumatized unit of family cannot vibrantly pull its life in society. Children in absence of fatherly love are unlikely to grow well, concentrate their study and school work. Parents of those missing have harrowing stories to tell. United Nations Human Rights Commission and other human rights advocacy groups should take cognizance this human dilemma to put pressure on Indian government to resolve the cases of disappearances so that thousands of families’ ordeal may end.
