APDP to continue struggle for tracing disappeared persons
01 August, 2012
Srinagar: In occupied Kashmir, the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) at a meeting in Srinagar, today, vowed to continue the struggle to trace the whereabouts of the innocent Kashmiris, who have been subjected to custodial disappearance by Indian troops and police personnel during the past 23 years.
During the meeting various issues confronting the struggle of the family members of the disappeared were discussed. Besides other issues, the recent suo-moto cognizance of the Supreme Court of India regarding the deaths of Amarnath pilgrims and its continued indifference towards the sufferings of the family members of the disappeared were raised.
A statement issued after the meeting said that on 15 July, 2012, the Supreme Court took suo-moto cognizance of the deaths of 67 Amarnath pilgrims over the first 17 days of the Amarnath Yatra and issued notices to the Indian government, the puppet administration of occupied Kashmir and the head of the Amarnath Shrine Board. Subsequently, a high-powered committee was constituted to investigate the reasons behind the deaths, it stated.
The statement maintained that this pro-active approach of the Supreme Court when compared with its past record in occupied Kashmir related to human rights matters raised serious questions on the manner in which human rights violations in the occupied territory since 1989 to date were viewed in New Delhi.
It said that the custodial disappearance of approximately 8000 persons, killing of hundreds of thousands of people, at least 120 of protesters in 2010 alone, disclosures of 6217 unmarked graves largely authenticated by the puppet administration, rape, widespread torture and other human rights violations should surely have merited similar pro-active action from the Supreme Court. "On the contrary, cases that have been litigated before the Supreme Court have been dealt with disappointing and problematic ways," it deplored.
The statement said that response of the Indian apex court towards the human rights violations in the occupied territory was shocking and a damning indictment of the Indian state and all its functionaries. This prioritization of some lives over others is condemnable, it added.
End.
|
