Calls for impartial probe: Rights group asks India to probe Kashmir graves
Amnesty International said the investigation of graves in three regions also needs to be widened to cover Indian Kashmir entirely.
The Jammu-Kashmir State Human Rights Commission said in a recent report that 2,156 unidentified bodies were found in graves in three northern mountainous regions, while 574 other bodies in the graves were identified as local residents.
The commission’s report is the first official acknowledgment that civilians killed in the two-decade conflict may have been buried in unmarked graves, but stops short of confirming that suspicion, long held by local residents and rights groups.
Previously, officials insisted that all the bodies were of outside militant fighters.
Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah promised has proposed a truth and reconciliation commission be set up to probe all killings since Kashmiri militants launched an armed campaign against Indian rule and New Delhi responded with a military crackdown in 1989.
“The commission should be assigned the task to probe all the killings in the state. Whether the killings were carried out by militants or security forces, it needs to be probed,” Omar Abdullah said.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2011.
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This is why we need Anna Hazare to win. So that matters like this can be investigated without delays and bureaucratic lapses. If Army is given responsibility to guard nation and it's people, they should also be made accountable for their actions. No One is above law and human rights. If certain elements in Army is involved in fake encounters ( which is quite common around the world so no surprise there ) they should be punished under the law of the state. We have to maintain difference between Democracy and Dictatorship.
@ashok sai: I am a pakistani. I said nothing to suggest I view this as an opportunity for political gain for pakistan. I personally harbor no wish that kashmir become a part of pakistan. and i know that my country has done much for me to be ashamed about. This news item concerns the present, not the past. I merely wanted you to see that a grave wrong has been committed by your country and that is what you should concern you right now, not their economy or the situation in karachi or balochistan. If you heard that there was rape and torture in some other indian city would you satisfy yourself by saying that bollywood shoots lots of films there? how do you expect to quell the uprising when this and reports of other smaller crimes keep surfacing.
And add : you have no business to comment on my religion. I know what I believe in. Unlike you, we Indians do not have habit of flaunting our religion. Its my personal understanding with my God. Unlike your coreligionists, I do not go in streets , strapped on with suicide and blast people just for "Mazzey keliye"
@Jamal Lughari: Do not comment on Punjab, if you do not understand the Punjab politics prevailing at the time. Its akin to your strategic assets gone rogue. (You will understand this when your Hafeez Saeed goes wrong). The action was akin to Lal Masjid crackdown. There is no "gairat" involved in it. Militants have to be taken care of. In last week alone 20 militants were killed in Kashmir who tried to infiterate from your side on LOC. They had to be burried somewhere. Pakistan officially denies these people as their citizens (and you talk of honour!) Couple that with four thousand plus Pakistani soldiers and Militants killed in Kargil war (Doubt the figures? - Check rand corporation report. Its objective and very detailed one) Pakistan would not claim their bodies (Like the ten of Kasab's Company). Have to be buried somewhere I guess. Therefore an independent enquiry is called for. And if they are found to be from Pakistan, appropriate action should be taken against ISI and Pakistan Army.
@GetRidOfFeudalPolitics:
I am seeing what future holds for the Kashmiri people, there is no point in ranting about the past. If you are a Kashmiri :- Why not you take offensive in allowing ISI sponsored terrorists to fight for you and what was the situation prevailing before 1989, ie, before the intervention proxy terror camps introduced to trigger trouble ??
If you are a Pakistani :-
Why not you take offensive in your country sending terrorists across the border to create trouble in another country, if you going to say as because of Muslim brother then why not you do the same for Muslims all over the world and especially for Uygurs community since you are having a higher than mountain friendship China.
To summarise, We Indians not denying anything and we welcome any probe and findings with regard to innocent Kashmiris. But using the Kashmir people and territory for political gains by Pakistan is not all acceptable to us.
Best Regards
@ashok sai: in response to allegations of genocide all you have to say is some trivia about call centres and bollywood. tell me brother, as a human being, do you not find your own response disgusting. I find it quite offensive and disturbing.
@Al-Ajal ya Hujjat
I fully agree with your responses to some of the comments made here. But more than that, what I admire most is your ability to stay calm in the face of extremely provocative insinuations and respond with a voice of reason laced with a humane touch. I hope that the authorities will conduct an independent enquiry to establish both the identities and the circumstances of these deaths and all cases of inappropriate,extra judicial killings should be subjected to legal proceedings, so that justice is done.
Such war crimes of Hindia in disputed state jammu o Kashmir are never useful against desire of freedom and occupied peoples never give up their struggle....
@N.S: Again i don't get your point...If mass graves are found in India,and human rights organisations are urging India to investigate the case,WHAT DOES THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE KILLINGS IN PAKISTAN OR ANYWHERE ELSE?????if people are being killed in other parts of the world,does that give indians or any other nations to carry out genocides and mass killings? and then when asked to carry out an investiagtion,what is the point in citing the example of other areas????THIS CANNOT JUSTIFY KILLINGS MY FRIEND.Try to use your brain,before you lose it.peace.
@Al-Ajal ya Hujjat: the growth rate of Indian accupied kashmire is more than 9 percent with the help of centre accisstence whereas in Pakistan not a single district which has this kind of high growth rate so this tells which government cares about common people and this international organistan note only after govt report and this tells that government is series and these things have come down consedrably in the last 6-7 years.
@Tony Singh: agreed that there is a fair chance of finding the bodies of militants,but there s also a possibility of finding the bodies of thousands of missing Kashmiri civilians..atleast the misery and grief of their awaiting families will come to an end. sigh why can't people just accept that injustice needs to be corrected and stopped.EVERYWHERE,that includes Pakistan as well.But our HOLIER-THAN-THOU Indian friends are always more concerned about Pakistan than their homeland.. simply beyond me!
@N.S: what does that has to do with the killings in Kashmir???haha what a pathetic mindset..instead of advocating justice,start mud slinging on others??? EVERY sane,sensitive Pakistani wants to see the murderers of karachiites convicted and hanged,because the killing of even ONE human is not allowed in Islam.ANd please,don't start rhapsodising against Islamic extremism etc,everybody knows that extremists come in all shapes and colors and from all regions like norway to uk to india .They represent a diseased and unbalanced mindset and nothing else
amazing. MASS graves are found, the authorities have been lying through their teeth about genocide and still the Indians come here to pound about their laws, put down pakistan and talk about progress in kashmir. There is no introspection even now (2000 plus unidentified bullet riddled bodies) about how their "vibrant democracy" could let this happen. wah. i have no words.
Ofcourse there should be a fair and impartial probe and guilty should be punished. And if the bodies are found to be of dead militants, the agencies in Pakistan who are responsible in this should also be brought to book.
Some interesting and encouraging things are emerging now from Kashmir,
a) Bollywood has resumed shooting in the valley.
b) Call centres and IT hubs are being opened in Srinagar, providing carrier option for Kashmiri youth.
c) Tourism again flourishing which is a welcome sign for the economy.
d) Tata's new huge hotel provides employment for many local residents.
Of course it needs to be probed. India should not become like Pakistan where the Armed forces can do anything and nobody can ask a single question against it.
India is ruled by its people, Kashmir is ruled by the people. Whatever crime is happening against its people should be probed and the guilty, if any, should be brought to justice.
India has laws and procedures for that. Its time to put them to use.
have they urge for probe of Pak. govt. people responsible for blood shed in karachi??....
I agree as this is to ensure proper function of democracy.
I agree. This needs investigation and confirmation to ensure that democracy in India remains vibrant and fair.