Rights watchdog Amnesty International has called on India to revoke a draconian law which provides immunity to security forces accused of human rights violations in Kashmir. In a damning new report, the group also called for an “independent and impartial” inquiry into cases of abuse. The law, AFSPA, was introduced in the region in 1990 as a response to violence by insurgent groups. But it has contributed to increasing people’s alienation, the report says. Tens of thousands of security forces are deployed in Indian-administered Kashmir to fight the militancy which began in the late 1980s. AFSPA – the Armed Forces Special Powers Act – allows troops to shoot to kill suspected militants or arrest them without a warrant. Amnesty says these sweeping powers have led to a cycle of impunity for human rights violations in the troubled region. The report says not a single member of the armed forces has been tried in a civilian court for violating human rights in Kashmir. The AI document states that India has denied permission or \”sanction\” to prosecute under section 7 of the AFSPA in every case brought against members of the army or paramilitary, or in a small number of cases, has kept the decision pending for years. Apart from that Indian Government has enforced many brutal laws in Kashmir, which include Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA) 1978, Jammu & Kashmir Disturbed Areas Act 1990, Terrorist And Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) 1990, The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1990, Prevention Of Terrorism Act (POTA) 2002, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Ordinance 2004, The National Security Act (NSA), Official Secrets Act (OSA), Newspapers Incitement To Offences Act and many more of this sort, allowing the Indian forces to carry out inhuman actions against the Muslims of Kashmir with absolute impunity. India’s subjugation of Kashmiri people by denying them the right to self- determination and the violation of basic human rights by Indian army in Kashmir have brought utmost shame and disgrace to the country, which claims to be the largest democracy in the world. According to a report on Human Rights violations in Kashmir published across the web states that that between 1989 to June 30, 2015 alone approximately 100000 Kashmiris have been killed by Indian security forces. Additionally, there have been 7500 custodial killings, over 107,351 children have been orphaned, 22,728 women widowed and 9,920 women gang raped. In fact, the above figures send shivers down the spine of all the conscientious people. Indian authorities had confirmed the existence of mass graves in Kashmir, containing bodies of more than 2,000 people. It is also pertinent to mention here that 8,000 Kashmiri people are missing and most of them are believed to be killed by the Indian security forces in ‘fake’ encounters.The report documents the excesses carried out by the armed forces over the years and says the government’s response to these violations has failed to deliver justice. There was no immediate government response to the report.
pk.shafaqna.com
