Rights violations in IOK continue unchecked, UN report says
Notes civilian casualties in IOK ‘highest in a decade’
PHOTO: AFP
GENEVA:
The number of civilian casualties over 12 months -- from May 2018 to April 2019 -- in Indian Occupied Kashmir “may be the highest in over a decade”, as Pakistan-India tensions earlier this year are having a severe impact on human rights in the region, a new UN report said on Monday.
The report, published by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on the 47 member states of the UN Human Rights Council to “consider... the possible establishment of a commission of inquiry to conduct a comprehensive, independent, international investigation into allegations of human rights violations in Kashmir”.
Tensions over the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir rose sharply after a deadly suicide bombing in February targeting Indian occupation forces in Pulwama. The continuing tensions have severely impacted civilians’ human rights, including the right to life, said the report.
India's systematic human rights violations in IoK must be probed: Pakistan
According to data gathered by local civil society, the report said, around 160 civilians were killed in 2018, which is believed to be the highest number in over a decade.
Last year also registered the highest number of conflict-related casualties since 2008 with 586 people killed, including 267 members of armed groups, said the report.
The 160 civilian deaths reported by local organisations, included 71 killed by Indian forces and 43 by alleged members of armed groups or by unidentified gunmen.
The report noted that India’s home ministry published lower casualty figures, citing 37 civilians, 238 terrorists and 86 security forces personnel killed in the 11 months up to December 2, 2018.
According to Government of Pakistan, the report said, a further 35 civilians were killed and 135 injured on the Pakistan side of the Line of Control due to shelling and firing by Indian forces during 2018.
The report said that despite the high numbers of civilians killed in the vicinity of gun battles between Indian forces and freedom fighters, "there is no information about any new investigation into excessive use of force leading to casualties".
The report was also critical of special legal regimes used by India in occupied Kashmir, saying that accountability for violations committed by troops remains virtually non-existent. It called for the repeal of special powers protecting troops from prosecution.
It said that in nearly three decades that emergency laws have been in force in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, there has not been a single prosecution of armed forces personnel granted by the central government in a civilian court.
The United Nations also flagged a spike in hate crimes against the Kashmiris in the rest of India, calling on New Delhi to do more to prevent the violence.
Media feel the pinch in Indian occupied Kashmir
In response, India's Foreign Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said the report presented a "false and motivated narrative" on the state of the region.
"Its assertions are in violation of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity and ignore the core issue of cross-border terrorism," Kumar added in a statement.
Though the majority of the allegations in the report pertain to Indian Occupied Kashmir, it was also critical of Pakistan for detentions in Azad Jammu & Kashmir.
A spokesman for the Pakistan embassy in New Delhi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown marked by curfew and other restrictions was being observed across Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) to commemorate the third martyrdom anniversary of popular Kashmiri youth leader, Burhan Muzaffar Wani, on Monday.
The shutdown call was given by the Joint Resistance Leadership to pay tributes to Wani, his associates and other martyrs of 2016 mass uprising and to reaffirm the Kashmiris' resolve to take the ongoing freedom movement to it its logical conclusion.
Thousands of Indian soldiers, paramilitary forces and police personnel patrolled the deserted streets across IoK to enforce strict curfew and other restrictions. Authorities also imposed restrictions of movement around the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar.
Special restriction were imposed in Maisuma, Kral Khud, Khanyar, Nowahatta, Safa Kadal, Maharaj Gunj and Rainawari areas in the city. They also snapped internet services in Islamabad, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts.
Earlier, thousands of posters, carrying pictures of Burhan Wani, surfaced in every nook and cranny of the valley, urging people to 'March Towards Tral' – the martyred youth’s hometown.
The posters were published by 'Warseen-e-Shuhada'. However, the authorities sealed the house of Wani and his grave at Shariefabad in Tral.
All roads leading to the town have been completely blocked with concertina wires to prevent the march. Youth on the other hand have created pro-Burhan graffiti on the shutters and walls across Tral town.
Burhan Wani was martyred by Indian occupation troops in a fake encounter in Kokernag area of Islamabad district on July 8, 2016. Since his martyrdom, the occupation forces, in their continued acts of state terrorism, martyred 1,020 Kashmiris, including 70 in fake encounters.
The number of civilian casualties over 12 months -- from May 2018 to April 2019 -- in Indian Occupied Kashmir “may be the highest in over a decade”, as Pakistan-India tensions earlier this year are having a severe impact on human rights in the region, a new UN report said on Monday.
The report, published by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on the 47 member states of the UN Human Rights Council to “consider... the possible establishment of a commission of inquiry to conduct a comprehensive, independent, international investigation into allegations of human rights violations in Kashmir”.
Tensions over the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir rose sharply after a deadly suicide bombing in February targeting Indian occupation forces in Pulwama. The continuing tensions have severely impacted civilians’ human rights, including the right to life, said the report.
India's systematic human rights violations in IoK must be probed: Pakistan
According to data gathered by local civil society, the report said, around 160 civilians were killed in 2018, which is believed to be the highest number in over a decade.
Last year also registered the highest number of conflict-related casualties since 2008 with 586 people killed, including 267 members of armed groups, said the report.
The 160 civilian deaths reported by local organisations, included 71 killed by Indian forces and 43 by alleged members of armed groups or by unidentified gunmen.
The report noted that India’s home ministry published lower casualty figures, citing 37 civilians, 238 terrorists and 86 security forces personnel killed in the 11 months up to December 2, 2018.
According to Government of Pakistan, the report said, a further 35 civilians were killed and 135 injured on the Pakistan side of the Line of Control due to shelling and firing by Indian forces during 2018.
The report said that despite the high numbers of civilians killed in the vicinity of gun battles between Indian forces and freedom fighters, "there is no information about any new investigation into excessive use of force leading to casualties".
The report was also critical of special legal regimes used by India in occupied Kashmir, saying that accountability for violations committed by troops remains virtually non-existent. It called for the repeal of special powers protecting troops from prosecution.
It said that in nearly three decades that emergency laws have been in force in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, there has not been a single prosecution of armed forces personnel granted by the central government in a civilian court.
The United Nations also flagged a spike in hate crimes against the Kashmiris in the rest of India, calling on New Delhi to do more to prevent the violence.
Media feel the pinch in Indian occupied Kashmir
In response, India's Foreign Ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said the report presented a "false and motivated narrative" on the state of the region.
"Its assertions are in violation of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity and ignore the core issue of cross-border terrorism," Kumar added in a statement.
Though the majority of the allegations in the report pertain to Indian Occupied Kashmir, it was also critical of Pakistan for detentions in Azad Jammu & Kashmir.
A spokesman for the Pakistan embassy in New Delhi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown marked by curfew and other restrictions was being observed across Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) to commemorate the third martyrdom anniversary of popular Kashmiri youth leader, Burhan Muzaffar Wani, on Monday.
The shutdown call was given by the Joint Resistance Leadership to pay tributes to Wani, his associates and other martyrs of 2016 mass uprising and to reaffirm the Kashmiris' resolve to take the ongoing freedom movement to it its logical conclusion.
Thousands of Indian soldiers, paramilitary forces and police personnel patrolled the deserted streets across IoK to enforce strict curfew and other restrictions. Authorities also imposed restrictions of movement around the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar.
Special restriction were imposed in Maisuma, Kral Khud, Khanyar, Nowahatta, Safa Kadal, Maharaj Gunj and Rainawari areas in the city. They also snapped internet services in Islamabad, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts.
Earlier, thousands of posters, carrying pictures of Burhan Wani, surfaced in every nook and cranny of the valley, urging people to 'March Towards Tral' – the martyred youth’s hometown.
The posters were published by 'Warseen-e-Shuhada'. However, the authorities sealed the house of Wani and his grave at Shariefabad in Tral.
All roads leading to the town have been completely blocked with concertina wires to prevent the march. Youth on the other hand have created pro-Burhan graffiti on the shutters and walls across Tral town.
Burhan Wani was martyred by Indian occupation troops in a fake encounter in Kokernag area of Islamabad district on July 8, 2016. Since his martyrdom, the occupation forces, in their continued acts of state terrorism, martyred 1,020 Kashmiris, including 70 in fake encounters.