WASHINGTON DC: New York Times reports of Indias system of abuse against Kashmiris. Ina special report published Nov.81992 Journalist Barbara Crossett wrote: A new Indian Government drive on separatists in the Kashmir Valley has resulted in dozens of killings of suspected militants by military forces and the widespread terrorizing of civilians according to two American human rights organizations that sent representatives to the area in October.

A military campaign called Operation Tiger which began in August has also resulted in the sexual abuse and murder of noncombatants a preliminary report from Asia Watch and Physicians for Human Rights concludes it says that patients are dragged from hospital beds and medical staff detained and assaulted in raids.

An armed rebellion has been growing in the Kashmir Valley since 1989 prompting harsh retaliatory measures from New Delhi which accuses Pakistan of tormenting terrorism in the disputed territory Kashmir has been under martial law since 1990 with all civil rights suspended and troops empowered to shoot on sight during curfews.

Kashmiris are predominantly Muslim and most leaders are Hindu but the dispute is not a religious one. It has its roots in political and economic alienation residents of the valley say. The separatists have wide middleclass support as well as the backing of virtually all political factions in neighboring Pakistan which has controlled another part of the former princely state of Kashmir since 1947.

“Little is done to punish those responsible for extrajudicial killing” the State Department said.

It also found official abuses in Punjab state where Sikhs arc fighting New Delhi.

Although the Indian Government bars official visits to Kashmir by international rights organization representatives from Asia Watch and Physicians for Human Rights were able to travel in the valley as tourists for a week interviewing victims or relatives of security operations in Srinagar the Kashmiri summer capital and other towns.

“In one case four students who were arrested during a search operation on Oct.14 in the Dal Gate area of Srinagar were shot dead that night and their bodies handed over to the families the next day” according to the preliminary report made available to The New York Times. “The security forces also broke up peaceful protests against these killings by beating teargasing and shooting demonstrators.”

Among other incidents investigated by the two organizations” representatives were these:

On Oct. 1 after an attack by militants on a patrol near the village of Bathekut in which one soldier died troops “rampaged through the village killing 10 villagers raping 4 women and burning houses and stores.”

On Oct. 15 a man and woman were burned alive in the town of Budsagam after Border Security Forces troops locked them in their shop and set fire to it.

In a search operation by an army unit near Shopian also on Oct.15 eight women and an 11yearold girl were raped the human rights groups were told.

“Throughout the conflict the Indian Army and other security forces in Kashmir continued to exhibit blatant disregard for international norms of medical” the report says.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 20, 1992