By TCN News,
Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad-based Human Rights organizations – People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) and Movement for Secular Democracy (MSD) – have condemned Human Rights violation in Jammu & Kashmir held central and state government responsible for the unrest there.
In a memorandum to Prime Minister and Home Minster the groups expressed their concerns over unrest in the valley. They condemned violation of Human Rights in the valley allegedly by security forces and failure of both state and central governments to calm down the boiled situation in the region. Terming it a blot on democracy, they urged both governments to initiate for prevention of further loss of life and property.
“With the disclosure of the Machil fake encounter in May this year, the political situation in Jammu and Kashmir has worsened over the last few weeks. Spontaneous protests erupted in the valley. Military action killed 18 youths ranging from age of 9 to 25. Even now also common people are dying and sustaining injuries. The so called undeclared curfews are further harassment of the civilians in the valley by the security forces. Even journalists with valid curfew passes have also been attacked; even ambulances have not been spared” the memorandum reads.
Regarding violation of Article 370 in the valley it notes: “The Article 370 was added to the Indian Constitution to give due consideration to the aspirations and rights of the people of Kashmir. But instead of giving effect to the Article 370, the Indian army is carrying on barbaric acts like rape, indiscriminate killing of common people including teenagers and youth, cool headed murder staging fake encounters and to cover up these news from the outer world, they are imposing sanction upon the media.”
“At least 40,000 people have been killed since insurgency began in 1989, according to conservative official estimates. Unofficial estimates are well over 80,000-half of them are civilians. Thousands of Indian soldiers have been killed and it costs billions of dollars to keep the army in Kashmir. There is one soldier for every 10 Kashmiri in the Valley There are several instances of enforced disappearance and murder of noted Human Rights activists in the valley” it added.
They demanded judicial inquiry into the recent killings of youths, release of all the children arrested in the charge of stone pelting and compensation to the families killed in Security force’s firing is given without any delay.
Signatories to the memorandum include Ms. Ilabehn Pathak, renowned women activist; Prof. Dinesh Shukla, Academician, Prof. Rohit Shukla, Academician, Gautam Thaker Secretary, PUCL Gujarat, Dilip Chandulal, Convenor, Lok Andolan Gujarat, Dwarika Nath Rath, Secretary, MSD, Meenakshi Joshi, Women Activist, Jayesh Patel, Youth Activist Bhavik Raja, Students’ Activist.