By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: A joint protest was today organised at Jantar Mantar against the closure of Pathribal fake encounter case in Jammu and Kashmir. Protesters demanded reopening of the Pathribal case, sought sanctions to prosecute the officers and urged reiterated the demand to repeal AFSPA from J&K and the North-Eastern states.
The protest was jointly organised by Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign, All India Students’ Association (AISA), Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU), Jamia Students’ Solidarity Forum, New Socialist Initiative (NSI) and People’s Campaign against Politics of Terror, and was supported by several other organisations and human rights’ activists.
In the incident, in 2000, the army had killed five innocent civilians in the village of Pathribal. They had claimed them to be the “militants” who were responsible for the Chattisinghpora incident that had claimed the lives of 36 sikhs. However, it was establish by the CBI that this was a fake encounter. The alleged militants were actually local innocent civilians.
This case had gone to the Supreme Court which in 2012 had ordered the army to either allow the trial in the civilian court or conduct a court martial for the five guilty officers. The Army had opted for the latter. However, two years after, the army has decided to close the case on “lack of evidence”.
It has been alleged that the investigation was rigged. Another thing to be noted is that the army had opposed this case and argued that no case can be registered against its officers under the veil of AFSPA as it provides impunity and that it requires prior sanction of central government to prosecute as per Section 7 of AFSPA.
The organisers and supporters of the protest condemned this action of the army.
Protesters were together to raise the issue of human rights violations and it could be seen that how they were truly representing the core objective of humanity and justice regardless of any other identity. Even few determined persons who live in other cities near Delhi such as Panipat and Saharnapur joined the protest.
Ravi Nitesh, one of the organisers of the protest and a core member of Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign argued that in this case, the army had overruled the CBI and the Supreme Court. Doing so, it has challenged the republic, the democracy. The army should not have an upper-hand. Being a part of the Indian department of governance, the army must respect the investigation and instructions of central agencies as well as of judiciary.
Anubhuti Agnes Bara, Vice President of JNUSU had talked about the suppression of human rights under AFSPA. Because of the legal impunity that it granted to the armed forces under AFSPA, there have been several other incidents of human rights’ violation in the states of Jammu & Kashmir and Northeast India.
Activists of AISA, Shehla Rashid, V Arun Kumar and others, had also challenged AFSPA on democratic and humanitarian grounds. They argued this incident is not one of its kind. There are several reported and unreported everyday stories of human rights’ violation in Jammu and Kashmir & North-east. These incidents also raise a question on the ideals of democracy.
Ameeque Jamei of People’s Campaign Against Politics of Terror said that this and all other incidents of human rights’ violation are a breach of the ideals of democracy, equality, truth and justice.
Devika Mittal, a student and a core member of Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign, had argued that AFSPA-imposed violence presents a contradiction. On one hand, the Indian state lays claims on Kashmir and North-east but on the other hand, doesn’t treat them as other citizens. In fact, they are not even treated as human beings.
Some notable human rights’ organisations and activists had also extended their support and solidarity with the protest. Some of the names include Antony Arulraj of Hotline Delhi (a human rights’ group), Human Rights’ Activist Babloo Loitongbam, Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat (RTI and Social Activist, J&K), Dr. Walter Fernandes (Research Scholar and Activist), Kamayani Bali Mahabal (Sr Advocate and Activist), Kiriti Roy (Program Against Custodial Torture and Impunity), Kumar Sundaram (Activist, Co Editor-India Resists.Com), Madhuresh Kumar of National Alliance of People’s Movement, Prithvi Sharma of Indian Community Activists Network, Prof. Nandini Sundar (Academician – Delhi University and activist), Prof. Ritu Diwan (Academician -University of Mumbai and Activist), Ovais Sultan Khan (Activist), Subash Mohapatra of Global Human Rights Commission, Suresh Bhat B. (Human Rights Activist), Tahir Ahmad of Mission Bhartiyam, J&K, Touseef Raina of Global Youth Foundation, Tanveer Hussain Khan (Political Activist, Srinagar, J&K), Wahid Dar – JKDYF and others.
The protest also saw participation of several Kashmiris living in Delhi. Some of them like Haseeb Mustafa Alvi, Aasif and Anees also shared their experiences of living under AFSPA. Haseeb said, “It is not surprising that this case was closed by the army”.
Seram Rojesh, a research student of DU from Manipur, also talked about the need to challenge foundation of AFSPA. He had talked about how AFSPA has been caught in the blame game.
Activists from Haryana and U.P. also came in support. Dheeraj Gaba who was here from Haryana and Meherzamaan who was here from Saharanpur tried to put their points about the increasing suppression of state that need to be opposed for the very idea of justice.
The organisers are also submitting a memorandum to the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister with the following demands:
*Re-open the Pathribal case
*Provide the sanction to prosecute the officers and
*Repeal AFSPA from J&K and the North-East.