We heard women after women Complain of humiliating treatment during search and cordon operations in the name of searching for Militants or armaments, the (Indian) security forces subject the Public to harassment and humiliation breeding greater hatred for India.
This is an extract from a reported “Women’s Initiative 1994: The Green of the Valley turns Khaki.” Liberally interspersed with eyewitness accounts and testimonies, it asserts that security have used rape and sexual molestation to terrorize and humiliate women whom they accuse of being militant sympathizers.
National media coverage has largely been restricted to “law and Order situations, and allegations,” States the team in the preface of the import. “We set out to Kashmir to become eyes and ears of what is actually happening to ordinary Kashmiris, especially women.”
The report’s ambitious purpose is to voice the predicament of the Kashmiris but it unfonunately sounds like a litany of charges the security forces, a complete outsider’s view. It gives the government enough opportunity to launch a diatribe against Pakistan instead of taking the allegations seriously.
The report has been compiled by a four member team of women: Rith Dewan, a professor at the University of Bombay, Manimala, a leading journalist, Gouri Choudhury, veteran activist and Sheva Chhachhi, artist and photographer, The team visited the Valley in mid-May.
The Indian government’s reaction to ¢earlier reports by human rights organizations like the USA- based Asia Watch, and the recently released Amnesty Report 1994, has been dismissive.
The Border Security Force (BSF), “the Army and the Ministry of Home were ignorant about this
report too, although it was released by the team all a Press conference New Delhi.
Despite being furnished with a copy of the report, home ministry officials would not comment on it.
The ministry is feet-dragging in investigating atrocities too.
Kashmir Valley has half of India’s BSF and thousands of personnel from the Indian Army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the state police.
There is no doubt that the situation in Kashmir is a complex one in which Pakistan plays an ominous role. The British MP, Jack Cunningham, who visited the Valley following government’s policy of allowing some transparency, described the situation as a provisioned, well-supplied insurrection, one that is clearly supported by external powers and sustained from across the border.”
However, no violence by militant resistance groups can justify he widespread human rights violations by the security forces documented in this and other reports.
he Women’s Initiative team Visited several villages and towns in the Valley, In Malangam village in district Baranulla, the team met Maraim whose husband had been publicly killed by the BSF in early 1993, She was raped and today has a child conceived during the rape. Extremely poor, she survives by field labor.
The Trigram village, the report says, because of the proximity of the border over 60 crackdowns have taken place since 1990, Ina crackdown on 25 April 1994, over 70 men and women were tortured and molested.
The number of unmarried girls is increasing because a large number of boys have joined the movement ‘or have been arrested, maimed, tortured or are missing.
In Kunan Poshpora village where over 30 women were allegedly raped by the 5th Rajputana Rifles in February 1991, no marriages have taken place since the incident, the report says.
BSF deputy inspector general, BS Bisht, does not deny that there have been some “over-reactions” by the force. But he was unwilling to comment on the incidents documented in the report.
He asserted that if any deliberate acts of excesses do get noticed, BSF does not hesitate to take action. However, he failed to provide details regarding the nature of offences and the punishments ordered.
Army officials described the report as a “fabrication”, “Rape has never been able to stand the test of scrutiny,” Says Lt, Col Anll Bhatt, Amy Public Relations Officer. Migrants from Kashmir, present at the team’s Press conference, also asserted that atrocities by the militants have increased over the years.
The report too suggests that although the “Azadi movement” in Kashmir started with wide ideological support, now there are “fake militants, lumen, anti-social elements who use the movement to cover up their activities.” Rival groups abduct women; threaten to Shoot families and assault women, fear of reprisal by these groups forces the people (0 refer to these assaults as just forced marriages.” Other human rights reports too State that militants Kidnap extort and rape.
The women’s initiative report serves as an important documentation of the situation of Kashmiri women surrounded by guns of both militants and security forces.
The team visited several hospitals in Srinagar and reported how persistent violence has increased emotional stress. High blood pressure among pregnant women has become common. Maternal and infant mortality rates are rising, and there is an increase in the rate of spontaneous abortions.
In October 1989, some militant groups opposed sterilization and abortion. The team found banners and leaflets to this effect still pasted ‘on the wall of the hospital. The report says that cases of septicemia have increased since women now attempt to abort themselves or go.to untrained midwives.
The hospitals are flooded with the wounded. The team witnessed shooting in the crowded Bone and Joint Hospital in Srinagar because of shortage of blood.
Another issue now facing Kashmiri society is the economic Survival of widows and fatherless children. Most widows are forced to eke out a living by selling their labor.
The report says that the Government of India is perceived as “the most important progenitor of militancy. It is, people say, delivering Kashmiris into the hands of foreign agent’s pro-Pak militants and Pan Islamic forces, whoever appears to be the savior.
One move that could instill some measure of trust In the Kashmiris is swift judicial review of the alleged excesses committed by the security forces. While this could protect the security forces from mud:-slinging, it would also prepare the ground for initiating the political process in the state.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 5, 1994
