By IRNA,
Srinagar, India : A leading human rights body in Kashmir has publicly called upon the armed forces and the militant leadership to uphold International Humanitarian Law in conflict-ridden Kashmir, asking them to make a public commitment on the issue.
In its appeal to Omar Abdullah, the chief minister in his capacity as the chairman of the Unified Command of the Indian Armed Forces, and Syed Salahudin, the chairman of the United Jehad Council (UJC), an amalgam of various militant groups, the Coalition of Civil Society (CCS) has alluded to serious lapses from both sides in their avowed stand on collateral damage during and outside direct hostilities.
The CCS said that it had gone public with its appeal only after its previous endeavor in this context had been greeted with silence form the two sides, and that by coming out in the open it aimed “to build public opinion and solicit public response to our concerns from both state and non-state combatants.”
The appeal, also addressed to the core commander of the northern command, the state police chief and the inspector general of the CRPF, underlines the commitment of the state of India and the UJC to abide by the Geneva Conventions, and reminds “state and non-state combatants” of the moral, legal, and religious obligations in protecting civilian lives, property and civil rights.
“However, commitments made by the state of India, besides her promises, from time to time have seen very little or no enforcement on the ground during the heightened phase of conflict for the last two decades particularly with respect to the treatment meted out to civilian population. Despite all the public commitments, people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to witness loss of civilian lives, destruction of their property and denial of civil and political rights,” the appeal signed by CCS president, Pervez Imroz, reads.
“Also, the promises of non-state actors, organizations, and groups hold little water in terms of their realization on ground. Civilian spaces continue to remain a contested site of direct hostilities between non-state and state actors, which result in loss of precious lives, torture and humiliation of civilian populations.” it says.
In a wide-ranging 11-point charter derived from International Humanitarian Law, the CCS has urged combatants not to target civilians and civilian objects, and asked the state not to set up military installations in and around population centers.
The CCS has also asked militants not launch to attacks on such military installations where ‘disproportionate civilian casualties and damage could be expected.’
The CCS has said that places of worship and those taking refuge in them must not be attacked under any circumstances, and that prisoners taken during operations must be treated humanely, and not subjected to torture, execution or enforced disappearances.
Appealing against taking civilian hostages, the CCS has said that ambulances, medical personnel and fire services must be allowed to discharge their duties unhindered in operation zones.
It has said that the rights of the minorities, children, women and the infirm must not be infringed upon at any cost, that those wounded and sick during operations must be collected and cared for, and the dead should be respected, buried in marked graves and the next of kin informed wherever identification was possible.
The CCS has also asked for vehicles and building marked with Red Cross and the Red Crescent to be respected, and these emblems not to be used to deceive the enemy.