By News Agency of Kashmir,
Srinagar: Association of parents of disappeared persons (APDP) today alleged that at least three persons have gone missing since the Governor N N Vohra took over the reins of power in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Still the involuntary or enforced disappearances are continuing in the state”, Ghulam Nabi Mir spokesperson of the APDP claimed adding since the imposition of Governor’s rule in the state on 1st July 2008, at least 3 persons have disappeared.
He identified the disappeared persons as Abdul Khaliq Sheikh S/O Abdul Rahim Sheikh R/O Beerwah, Mubarak Ahmad Rather (16) S/O Ghulam Qadir Rather R/O Ajas, Bandipora and Zahoor Ahmad S/O Ghulam Hassan Shah R/O Poshwari, Machil.
He said that the families of these persons approach to their concerned police stations but no effort has been made by police even to lodge missing reports.
After the release of “Facts Under Ground” a report on nameless and mass graves on March 28, 2008 a systematic campaign has been launched by the state to harass and intimidate the APDP’s office bearers so that they should not investigate further the other unidentified graves, Mir alleged.
Even politicians who had publicly announced that they would take the issue of mass graves to the Indian parliament have later chosen to remain silent. “The new developments are taking place like opening of the trade between the two parts of Kashmir but the Government of India and State Government has maintained silence towards the issue of disappeared people in the state of Jammu & Kashmir”, He said.
APDP appeals the international organizations not to invite the perpetrators who figure in the APDP’s perpetrators list and discredit their organizations. APDP is in a process of preparing a list of perpetrators, which shall be released soon.
The callous indifference of the governments and politicians will not tire the relatives of those disappeared. The struggle will continue till the fate of those disappeared is known and till the perpetrators are taken to justice. APDP appreciated the external concerns made by different European institutions and European Parliament particularly after the partly exposure of the unmarked graves and lauds the efforts made by different organizations.
“We will not rest till we know the truth”, said Gh Nabi Mir adding “We want to know the truth however unpalatable”.