The State of Jammu and Kashmir is located in the heart of Asia. It is situated between 32.17 degree and 36.58-degree north latitude and 37.26 degree and 80.30-degree east longitude. The State is bounded by Pakistan in west, by China in northeast, by Afghanistan in northwest and shares borders with India in the south. The area of State of Jammu & Kashmir spreads over 85,806 square miles (222,236 square kilometers) Total population of the state stands at 13379917. The State of Jammu and Kashmir comprises 26 districts---14 districts of occupied Kashmir, 7 of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 5 of Northern Areas. Kashmir is a land of fableced beauty and elemal romance, blessed by nature with breath-taking. scenery and a glorious climate, the Kashmir valley, a fertile well-watered spot, surrounded by high mountains has been described with justification a heaven on earth, a produce rich oasis an area not noted for its abundance,Kashmir a land of lakes, clear streams, green turf,herbels magnificent trees and mighty mountains. Kashmir has a rich heritage of poets, writers, philosophers, intellectuals and craftsmen, but it has basically established itself as an agricultural economy. Kashmir is a place of saints, Sufis and its lot of historical Mosques, Tombs, Temples and Churches as well. Its place of great woman saint Lella Arifa and princess of Kashmiri poetry Habba Khatoon. Kashmiris form a distinct cultural & ethnic in the administrative unit of the Himalayan highest mountain range. Kashmir has been a highest learning centre of Persian and sansikrit.It is also been embracing point of advent of Islam bringing its fold finest traditions of Persian Civiliasation,tolerance,brotherhood and sacrifice.Ladakh has been the highest and living centre of Santayana Buddhism from hundred of years. Kashmir had 8 highest mountain range, the nanga Parbat is 270,00 feet and Nun ku & Nubr is 240,00 at most of mountains 180,00 feet and over. I bulous valleys and 4 margs in it. As the subcontinent was partitioned in 1947. The India occupied Jammu & Kashmir against its peoples will. Historically Kashmir was Independent state but under British ruled Kashmir had autonomy. The Britain sold this land to Hindu Maharaja Ghulab Singh for 7.5 millions Nanak shahi currencies in 1845. After that Kashmiri treated as chattels. He made their life miserable and crushed any resistance from them with a heavy hand. After him, his successor followed suiet.The Kashmir’s started resisting collectively in earlier 19th century. How ever, the Dogra ruler’s barbarity remained relentless. In 1947, his soldiers killed hundred of thousands of Muslims. India also send its troops and occupied the State of Jammu & Kashmir forcibly.Kashmiris revolted and got some areas of the state liberated, Which is calked Azad (Independent)Jammu & Kashmir. The United Nations Security Council and United Nations Commission for India & Pakistan (UNICP) in their resolutions called for holding a plebiscite in the state to determine the wishes of Kashmiris,whether they want to join India or Pakistan. India accepted these resolutions but, on one pretext is the other, did not implement the same. This further frustrated Kashmiris, fuelling the fire of their resentment. In the letter to United Nations on 31st December 1947, Indian Government promised That; “The people of Jammu & Kashmir would be free to decide their future by the recognized democratic method of plebiscite.” Since then, the peoples of Kashmir are struggling for their political and birth rights. Indian forces of occupation have committed massive human rights violation in Kashmir. Presently, the situation in Kashmir, according to international organizations & global media has not changed yet very much. It’s still alarming and sparking flames in South Asia, that more then seven hundred thousand Indian army deployed in a small 40 -80 square miles area is the heaviest concentration in human history, and its all without any moral, political and legal code. The 92 thousand Kashmiris are killed by Indian army in 17th Years. This epic struggle of the Kashmiri people for realization of their internationally acclaimed and inalienable rights to self-determination. It’s very much recognized in United Nations Security Council resolutions from 1947. When we are talking about Kashmir, its really very grieved and dangerous situation their. The widespread violations of international humanitarian law, Human & Civil rights and Geneva Convention in Kashmir. In United Nations resolution on April 21 1948 said that. “Both India & Pakistan desire that the question of the accession of Jammu & Kashmir to India and Pakistan should be decided through the democratic way of a free impartial plebiscite.” I just want to give you some very essential detail of Human rights violations committed by Indian armed forces in occupied Kashmir Since from January 1989 to April 30, 2007. Total killing. 9I8 65 Custodial Killing 6,899 Women gang raped & Molested 9,708 Civilian arrested 113798 Structures arsoned / Destroyed 105353 Children orphaned 106,930 Women widowed 22,530 The International NGO’s Amnesty International, Human rights watch, Asia watch, Red Cross, Medicine sans frontier and all others are not allowed to visit Kashmir, beside that Asia Watch said in a report “Kashmir is under siege” Torture is widespread, particularly in the temporary detention centers, methods of torture include electric shock, prolonged beatings and sexual molestation of innocent women. Kashmir is a disputed territory. Presently, the cease¬fire line between the forces of India and Pakistan has divided Kashmir into two parts. One part is under Indian occupation: this comprises 63% of the whole territory and includes the Vale; it has a population 7.5 million. The other part, with approximately 3 million people, includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern region of Gilgit and Baltistan and is administered by Pakistan. About 1.5 million Kashmiris are refugees in Pakistan, some 400,000 live in Britain, and about 250,000 are scattered around the world. The present arbitrary bifurcation of Kashmir has resulted in the division of thousands of Kashmiri families. India is a big democratic and so call secular country; we are not against India, We just struggling for our own birth right to self-determination. The first Prime Minister of India Mr.Jawahar Lal Nehru promised 20 times in front of International community and United Nations for plebiscite in Kashmir, he said in 1957 that “We have given our pledge to the people of Kashmir and subsequently to the United Nations. We stood by it and we stand by it today. Let the people of Kashmir decide.”Kashmiri have no life safety and human honor their. Women are degraded and humiliated, almost 10 thousands women are raped, not only adult aged women even that eight years innocent girl is victimized. Every body know very well all Women have been a driving force in any nation and history bears testimony to the fact that they have played a vital role in shaping a nation’s future. I think it is also every women inner voice too; women have been accredited with the honor of making or breaking a country. Since the Indian government crackdown against Kashmiris in the disputed territory of Kashmir began in earnest in January 1990, security forces and Indian army have used rape as a weapon: to punish, intimidate, coerce, humiliate and degrade. Rape by Indian security forces most often occurs during crackdowns, cordon-and-search operations during which men are held for identification in parks or schoolyards while security forces search their homes. In these situations, the security forces frequently engage in collective punishment against the civilian population by assaulting residents and burning their homes. Rape is used as a means of targeting women whom the security forces accuse raping them, the security forces are attempting to punish and humiliate the entire community. Rape has also occurred frequently during reprisal attacks on civilians. In many of these attacks, the selection of victims is seemingly arbitrary and the women, like other civilians assaulted or killed, are targeted simply because they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The significance of rape as a gender-specific form of abuse in Kashmir must be understood in the context of the subordinate status of women generally in South Asia, as in much of the rest of the world. Women who are the victims of rape are often stigmatized, and their testimony and integrity impugned. Social attitudes which cast the woman, and not her attacker, as the guilty party pervade the judiciary, making rape cases difficult to prosecute and leaving women unwilling to press charges. This topic will consider the international legal response to rape and other forms of sexual abuse committed against women during the course of an armed conflict, its incidence, impact and consequences. Although both children and women can be and are raped, causing severe injury for both, in terms of numbers rape is essentially a crime committed against women. Further, women suffer from particular after-effects in rape that are not shared by men. Different examples by international media can be given for the exposing victimized Kashmiri women situation, like inBadasgam Village - during the intervening night of 17/18th May, 1990, bus #1317 carrying 27 persons holding valid permission from BSF, of a marriage party, was stopped near Badasgam village, district Islamabad crossing about 23.30 hours by BSF patrolling party. The BSF personnel opened indiscriminate firing upon the bus. M. Abdullah S/O Gani Malik R/O Lisser died instantaneously. Bridegroom and eight other persons accompanying him received injuries. Bride and her chamber-maid was gang raped by the BSF personnel. The bride was taken away by them leaving behind chamber-maid and subsequently released after 48 hours. The bus was removed to district Police lines; it had seventy-eight bullet-hole marks. A case was duly registered in the concerned Police station and an inquiry was conducted by the then DIG Kashmir and a medical report also obtained duly proved the lady was raped. However despite the assurances given by the Government from time to time for taking necessary action against the culprits, Government authorities have failed to bring the culprits on record. The normal trend of the Government during these years is to hide the atrocities committed by the Indian armed and paramilitary forces in order to dodge the Amnesty International and the world Human Rights Organization. Various NGOs and human rights organizations are working for feminism and other civil & social rights, but in my opinion no satisfied work regarding Kashmiri women‘s safety and modesty. Women and Children are the victim of the worst human rights violations in this area of armed conflicts and ethnic war. It is crystal clear that sexual violence, which was used to subjugate and destroy a people as a form of ethnic cleansing, was an abhorrent and heinous war crime. These persistent and gross abuses, flagrant denials of the human rights of women and their right to life itself, demanded an urgent response from international human rights bodies. Different reports shows us clear picture of this sensitive situation in Kashmir. NGO Counter Currents has reported that painful circumstances 31 March 2007,However, records suggest that during the last seventeen years state government did initiate judicial inquiry in two cases of rape from Kashmir province, reports of which have been submitted to the government but action is yet to be taken. All the five committees of department of crime and railways which were entrusted with the job of finding truth about five allegations of rape have submitted their report since long but action is yet to be taken over them. According to data maintained by a media portal of United Kingdom (UK) on reported cases of rape and molestation in which security forces were allegedly involved, nearly 500 women Sewer raped in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir between 1990-1994. Media portal maintains that it has compiled the reports from what was reported by state media. The portal maintains that non-governmental organizations (NGO) hardly took interest in documenting the plight of these silent sufferers of Jammu and Kashmir. According to the newspaper reports, take the case of alleged gang-rape and molestation of seven ladies at Hyhama, Batapora in District Kupwara. As per a report, on June 17, 1994, troops of Rashtriya Rifles accompanied by two officers Major Ramesh and Raj Kumar entered into village Hyhama and allegedly raped and molested seven women. Reports maintain that next day; people took to streets to protest against the incident. Even the insane were not spared. According to reports, security forces allegedly raped an old lady who was mentally ill in a house at Barbar Shah in Srinagar on January 5, 1991. Perturbed over the incident, locals lodged an FIR with concerned police station. Medical reports confirmed that she had been raped. She died in 1998 with her FIR awaiting action from the state government. Media reports maintain that at Wanagam Kokernag in Anantnag, women who were collecting fire wood in nearby forest were allegedly molested by the forces during crackdown on May 9, 1994. In another case, reports said that at Manigah in Kupwara, three ladies were raped during crackdown in a house on May 14, 1994. An FIR stands registered in the concerned Police station concerned. Apart from this, Locals also protested and demonstrated against this incident.There are many other such cases which have been reported by state media. But with victims reluctant to come forward; Documentation of these cases could never take place. Failure in documentation of these cases has worsened the situation. According to a 1994 United Nations publication from 1990 to 1996, 882 women were reportedly gang-raped by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. But Social Stigma associated with word Rape has made work of human rights and women NGOs cumbersome. They say that women are reluctant to come forward. They maintain that the sordid story of Konan-Poshpura in Kupwara has been repeated over and again. According to reports, in the year 1991, on the night of February 22-23 troops of 5th Rajputana rifles allegedly raped 30 women in Kunan-Poshpura in Kupwara aged between 18 to 85 years.16 years have passed since the incident took place; no marriage has taken place in Kunan Poshpura. Reports indicate that a few have been psychologically affected. Awaiting justice, these unfortunate mothers and daughters get a mention every where no support. And in the recent times, in November 2004 the alleged rape of a mother-daughter duo by security forces in Badar payein, Handwara sparked protests across Kashmir. The incident was preceded by another one in Mattan Anantnag where a woman was allegedly gang raped by troops of Indian Rashtriya Rifles. Various female Social workers say that state media and human rights groups have not reported the incidents of rape and molestation with greater interest, hence expecting the same from international groups becomes a little harsh. Deeply Painful circumstances in Kashmir, women have no right to go court, it is absolutely damage their legal rights. Extra Judicial killings, rapes, custodial killings, kidnappings, burning of houses by Indian security forces within IHK remain a common practice. The whole IHK has risen against the Indian Army and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act AFSPA and POTA that enables the Indian Army to arrest and kill anyone, anytime, anywhere, in a bid to suppress the ongoing Kashmir liberation movement, the Indian authorities have laid a network of torture cells to practice human rights violations. In these torture cells, the worst repressive means such as electric shocks, ironing of sensitive parts of body, are practiced against the innocent Kashmiris without caring for the age and health conditions. Besides, the female folk are also taken to these centers where they are reportedly gang-raped for protesting against the Indian brutalities or filing complaints against terrorizing of their near and dear ones. This poverty struck women have nothing to feed their children. A number of insecurities hunt them in the absence of their husband. Their husbands went missing and they could not even wail over their missing husbands.1000half-widows, whose husbands have disappeared but not been proven dead. Their children were killed in front of their eyes and yet they are doing rounds of the government offices to prove that their children were killed in cold blood. The dreaded attack by soldiers and an assault on their honor and body remains in the minds of every woman in Kashmir; at all times.The young widows and teenaged orphan girls are facing more problems due to their youth as they are always at danger of getting molested or raped. It is matter of concern that most of the married women face the problem of miscarriages, which is one of the fastest growing problem in the rural and border areas of Kashmir. Reasons could be many but with health department virtually unaware of this new problem, speculating anything might be problematical. No body enjoys the safety of honor as human being, this is not related with Muslims, and all other religious minorities are facing these credible things. Last week on Sikh woman is burnt with her innocent child by Indian army. Indian security forces have also repeatedly raided hospitals and other medical facilities, even pediatric and obstetric hospitals. Injured patients have been arrested from hospitals, in some cases after being disconnected from life-sustaining treatments. The security forces have also discharged their weapons within hospital grounds and inside hospitals, and have entered operating theatres and destroyed or damaged medical supplies, transports and equipment. Doctors and other medical staff frequently have been threatened, beaten and detained. Several have been shot dead while on duty; others have been tortured. Many of those seeking medical care are released detainees who have been subjected to torture. In fact, virtually everyone taken into custody by the security forces in Kashmir is tortured. Torture is practiced to coerce detainees to reveal information about suspected militants or to confess to militant activity. It is also used to punish detainees who are believed to support or sympathize with the militants and to create a climate of political repression. The practice of torture is facilitated by the fact that detainees are generally held in temporary detention centers, controlled by the various security forces, without access to the courts, relatives or medical care. Methods of torture include severe beatings, electric shock, and suspension by the feet or hands, stretching the legs apart, burning with heated objects and sexual molestation. One common form of torture involves crushing the leg muscles with a heavy wooden roller. This practice results in the release of toxins from the damaged muscles that may cause acute renal (kidney) failure. This report documents a number of such cases which required dialysis. Since 1990, doctors in Kashmir have documented 37 cases of torture-related acute renal failure; in three cases the victims died. Daily Kashmir Times Executive Editor Anuradha Bhasin Janwala said on March 26th 2006 that,” In the last 16 years the women of Kashmir have had to bear male vengeance in silence and they have been unable to find spare to transcend that. While I don’t have exact statistics, estimates given by various organizations place widowed between 30 000 to 40 000 and Orphans between 50 000 to 80 000.the raped women are doubly victimized and have to live the rest of their carrying to stamp of stigma in silence.” In Kashmir 70 per cent increase in graveyards area in past 10 years of militancy. Youth have been about 80 per cent of the victims in the age of 15 to 30 years. Even girls have been killed the number of rapes is alarming even though no data of rapes is available as most of these were not reported threats and extortions have been strong and numerous allegations of human rights abuses against security forces. The Human rights Watch reported that “Events in occupied Kashmir remained among the most serious Human rights situation in Asia.” The European Parliament 4 members delegation headed by Ms.Anita Pollack of Socialist Party said in her report that.” The European Parliament is deeply concerned about Human rights situation in Occupied Kashmir.” New UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon last month said that.” Kashmir is a long standing issue, while should be resolved through peaceful means. The UN military observer group in India and Pakistan monitors the situation in Kashmir and keep the UN informed of the development.” The peace process is begin from three years between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, Its dozens of talks going on since from 60 years, In three wars in 1947,1965 and in 1971 , thousand of innocent peoples from both sides have been killed, In international boarder every day firing incidents committed by Indian army continuesly.Four agreements the Tashkent declaration on 10 Jan 1966,The Simla Agreement in 1972,The Islamabad Agreement in 23 Jan 1997,The Lahore Declaration on 21 Feb. 1999 and the Agra Summit on 6 of January 2004 had have been decided but just on papers and luxury discussions not in practical. The United Nations had 6 resolutions passed time to time but justice, implementation of these resolutions been still delayed. From day of first Indian leadership, premiers Presidents and all parties heads even the Father of India Mr. Mahatma Gandhi also Said on 29th July 1947 that,” The People of Kashmir should be asked whether they want to join Pakistan and India. Let then do as they want. The ruler is nothing. People are every thing.” The people of Kashmir demanded an end to the military occupation of their land. Because they demand what they have been pledged by both India and Pakistan and guaranteed by the United Nations Security Council with the unequivocal endorsement of the United States,demilitrisation of Kashmir and a free plebiscite vote organized impartially. Peoples of Kashmir still are boutures by Indian army and day by day the situation increasing, The creak downs and bloodshed going on every day and every where in Kashmir. This is a right time for United Nations, European Union and Organization of Islamic Conference and other powers to start the negotiation and mediation with Kashmiri leadership and influential organizations from both sides of Kashmir. Because both Countries Pakistan and India have got nuclear capacity because of Kashmir. If Kashmiris not getting their birth right in near future, it can be nuclear war in South Asia and 100 millions peoples can die in that war. Political pundits predict cloud of nuclear war is seeing on sky of South Asia clearly. In these difficult circumstances, this dress code edict is simply misplaced, if not a deliberately planted red herring. More pain for the Kashmiri women, thousands of whom have already lost their husbands, sons and loved ones to the bullets and atrocities of the marauding Indian soldiers and many of whom have also fallen victim to their sexual harassment and molestation. The European parliament has adopted MEP Ms.Emma Nicholson report titled” Kashmir; Present situation and future prospects” on 25 of May 2007, by an overwhelming 522 votes in favor to 19 votes against. The report recognized Kashmiris right to self-determination, deploring massive human rights abuses in Jammu & Kashmir, encouraging the Peace process between India and Pakistan and emphasizing inclusion of Kashmiris in the Peace process. The Amnesty International released a latest Global report 2007 said in that there is many violence, torture, custodial deaths enforced disappearances and extra-judicial executions continued in Jammu & Kashmir in the year 2006.The topic of Kashmir is very long and most sympathetic; if we talk on this many days will take for this, now I am going to close this discussion. I would like to say about this panic topic, Rape in war is not merely a matter of chance, of women victims being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nor is it a question of sex. It is rather a question of power and control which is `structured by male soldiers' notions of their masculine privilege, by the strength of the military's lines of command and by class and ethnic inequalities among women. Integrity and progress of Kashmir is not central question but most important figure freedom is greatest blessing of the world. After a long struggle of sacrificing, they don’t adopting another way. I like to say at the end, Kashmir is raising flame, which is increasing speedily. If United Nations, European Union and other world wide NGO’s are not succeeded to find out acceptable solution without the participation of kashmiris ,so this flame is alarming world peace, will cause disaster of this part of South Asia, may be it will demolish at all. World powers and Global Institutions to understand absolute this burning issue. Every Institution gives message of peace and tolerance, but its need of time go-ahead, recognize the humanity, every Kashmiri is waiting you with anxiously, to somebody come and help for attaining the taste of freedom. God may give us a strength and spirit to uplift justice and peace, and upgrade our voice against cruel and injustice in Kashmir and else where, I am a women so I understand feelings and emotions, inner voice of every Kashmiri woman.Monday, May 10, 2010
Molestation of Kashmiri Women and Peace Process in South Asia
The State of Jammu and Kashmir is located in the heart of Asia. It is situated between 32.17 degree and 36.58-degree north latitude and 37.26 degree and 80.30-degree east longitude. The State is bounded by Pakistan in west, by China in northeast, by Afghanistan in northwest and shares borders with India in the south. The area of State of Jammu & Kashmir spreads over 85,806 square miles (222,236 square kilometers) Total population of the state stands at 13379917. The State of Jammu and Kashmir comprises 26 districts---14 districts of occupied Kashmir, 7 of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 5 of Northern Areas. Kashmir is a land of fableced beauty and elemal romance, blessed by nature with breath-taking. scenery and a glorious climate, the Kashmir valley, a fertile well-watered spot, surrounded by high mountains has been described with justification a heaven on earth, a produce rich oasis an area not noted for its abundance,Kashmir a land of lakes, clear streams, green turf,herbels magnificent trees and mighty mountains. Kashmir has a rich heritage of poets, writers, philosophers, intellectuals and craftsmen, but it has basically established itself as an agricultural economy. Kashmir is a place of saints, Sufis and its lot of historical Mosques, Tombs, Temples and Churches as well. Its place of great woman saint Lella Arifa and princess of Kashmiri poetry Habba Khatoon. Kashmiris form a distinct cultural & ethnic in the administrative unit of the Himalayan highest mountain range. Kashmir has been a highest learning centre of Persian and sansikrit.It is also been embracing point of advent of Islam bringing its fold finest traditions of Persian Civiliasation,tolerance,brotherhood and sacrifice.Ladakh has been the highest and living centre of Santayana Buddhism from hundred of years. Kashmir had 8 highest mountain range, the nanga Parbat is 270,00 feet and Nun ku & Nubr is 240,00 at most of mountains 180,00 feet and over. I bulous valleys and 4 margs in it. As the subcontinent was partitioned in 1947. The India occupied Jammu & Kashmir against its peoples will. Historically Kashmir was Independent state but under British ruled Kashmir had autonomy. The Britain sold this land to Hindu Maharaja Ghulab Singh for 7.5 millions Nanak shahi currencies in 1845. After that Kashmiri treated as chattels. He made their life miserable and crushed any resistance from them with a heavy hand. After him, his successor followed suiet.The Kashmir’s started resisting collectively in earlier 19th century. How ever, the Dogra ruler’s barbarity remained relentless. In 1947, his soldiers killed hundred of thousands of Muslims. India also send its troops and occupied the State of Jammu & Kashmir forcibly.Kashmiris revolted and got some areas of the state liberated, Which is calked Azad (Independent)Jammu & Kashmir. The United Nations Security Council and United Nations Commission for India & Pakistan (UNICP) in their resolutions called for holding a plebiscite in the state to determine the wishes of Kashmiris,whether they want to join India or Pakistan. India accepted these resolutions but, on one pretext is the other, did not implement the same. This further frustrated Kashmiris, fuelling the fire of their resentment. In the letter to United Nations on 31st December 1947, Indian Government promised That; “The people of Jammu & Kashmir would be free to decide their future by the recognized democratic method of plebiscite.” Since then, the peoples of Kashmir are struggling for their political and birth rights. Indian forces of occupation have committed massive human rights violation in Kashmir. Presently, the situation in Kashmir, according to international organizations & global media has not changed yet very much. It’s still alarming and sparking flames in South Asia, that more then seven hundred thousand Indian army deployed in a small 40 -80 square miles area is the heaviest concentration in human history, and its all without any moral, political and legal code. The 92 thousand Kashmiris are killed by Indian army in 17th Years. This epic struggle of the Kashmiri people for realization of their internationally acclaimed and inalienable rights to self-determination. It’s very much recognized in United Nations Security Council resolutions from 1947. When we are talking about Kashmir, its really very grieved and dangerous situation their. The widespread violations of international humanitarian law, Human & Civil rights and Geneva Convention in Kashmir. In United Nations resolution on April 21 1948 said that. “Both India & Pakistan desire that the question of the accession of Jammu & Kashmir to India and Pakistan should be decided through the democratic way of a free impartial plebiscite.” I just want to give you some very essential detail of Human rights violations committed by Indian armed forces in occupied Kashmir Since from January 1989 to April 30, 2007. Total killing. 9I8 65 Custodial Killing 6,899 Women gang raped & Molested 9,708 Civilian arrested 113798 Structures arsoned / Destroyed 105353 Children orphaned 106,930 Women widowed 22,530 The International NGO’s Amnesty International, Human rights watch, Asia watch, Red Cross, Medicine sans frontier and all others are not allowed to visit Kashmir, beside that Asia Watch said in a report “Kashmir is under siege” Torture is widespread, particularly in the temporary detention centers, methods of torture include electric shock, prolonged beatings and sexual molestation of innocent women. Kashmir is a disputed territory. Presently, the cease¬fire line between the forces of India and Pakistan has divided Kashmir into two parts. One part is under Indian occupation: this comprises 63% of the whole territory and includes the Vale; it has a population 7.5 million. The other part, with approximately 3 million people, includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern region of Gilgit and Baltistan and is administered by Pakistan. About 1.5 million Kashmiris are refugees in Pakistan, some 400,000 live in Britain, and about 250,000 are scattered around the world. The present arbitrary bifurcation of Kashmir has resulted in the division of thousands of Kashmiri families. India is a big democratic and so call secular country; we are not against India, We just struggling for our own birth right to self-determination. The first Prime Minister of India Mr.Jawahar Lal Nehru promised 20 times in front of International community and United Nations for plebiscite in Kashmir, he said in 1957 that “We have given our pledge to the people of Kashmir and subsequently to the United Nations. We stood by it and we stand by it today. Let the people of Kashmir decide.”Kashmiri have no life safety and human honor their. Women are degraded and humiliated, almost 10 thousands women are raped, not only adult aged women even that eight years innocent girl is victimized. Every body know very well all Women have been a driving force in any nation and history bears testimony to the fact that they have played a vital role in shaping a nation’s future. I think it is also every women inner voice too; women have been accredited with the honor of making or breaking a country. Since the Indian government crackdown against Kashmiris in the disputed territory of Kashmir began in earnest in January 1990, security forces and Indian army have used rape as a weapon: to punish, intimidate, coerce, humiliate and degrade. Rape by Indian security forces most often occurs during crackdowns, cordon-and-search operations during which men are held for identification in parks or schoolyards while security forces search their homes. In these situations, the security forces frequently engage in collective punishment against the civilian population by assaulting residents and burning their homes. Rape is used as a means of targeting women whom the security forces accuse raping them, the security forces are attempting to punish and humiliate the entire community. Rape has also occurred frequently during reprisal attacks on civilians. In many of these attacks, the selection of victims is seemingly arbitrary and the women, like other civilians assaulted or killed, are targeted simply because they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The significance of rape as a gender-specific form of abuse in Kashmir must be understood in the context of the subordinate status of women generally in South Asia, as in much of the rest of the world. Women who are the victims of rape are often stigmatized, and their testimony and integrity impugned. Social attitudes which cast the woman, and not her attacker, as the guilty party pervade the judiciary, making rape cases difficult to prosecute and leaving women unwilling to press charges. This topic will consider the international legal response to rape and other forms of sexual abuse committed against women during the course of an armed conflict, its incidence, impact and consequences. Although both children and women can be and are raped, causing severe injury for both, in terms of numbers rape is essentially a crime committed against women. Further, women suffer from particular after-effects in rape that are not shared by men. Different examples by international media can be given for the exposing victimized Kashmiri women situation, like inBadasgam Village - during the intervening night of 17/18th May, 1990, bus #1317 carrying 27 persons holding valid permission from BSF, of a marriage party, was stopped near Badasgam village, district Islamabad crossing about 23.30 hours by BSF patrolling party. The BSF personnel opened indiscriminate firing upon the bus. M. Abdullah S/O Gani Malik R/O Lisser died instantaneously. Bridegroom and eight other persons accompanying him received injuries. Bride and her chamber-maid was gang raped by the BSF personnel. The bride was taken away by them leaving behind chamber-maid and subsequently released after 48 hours. The bus was removed to district Police lines; it had seventy-eight bullet-hole marks. A case was duly registered in the concerned Police station and an inquiry was conducted by the then DIG Kashmir and a medical report also obtained duly proved the lady was raped. However despite the assurances given by the Government from time to time for taking necessary action against the culprits, Government authorities have failed to bring the culprits on record. The normal trend of the Government during these years is to hide the atrocities committed by the Indian armed and paramilitary forces in order to dodge the Amnesty International and the world Human Rights Organization. Various NGOs and human rights organizations are working for feminism and other civil & social rights, but in my opinion no satisfied work regarding Kashmiri women‘s safety and modesty. Women and Children are the victim of the worst human rights violations in this area of armed conflicts and ethnic war. It is crystal clear that sexual violence, which was used to subjugate and destroy a people as a form of ethnic cleansing, was an abhorrent and heinous war crime. These persistent and gross abuses, flagrant denials of the human rights of women and their right to life itself, demanded an urgent response from international human rights bodies. Different reports shows us clear picture of this sensitive situation in Kashmir. NGO Counter Currents has reported that painful circumstances 31 March 2007,However, records suggest that during the last seventeen years state government did initiate judicial inquiry in two cases of rape from Kashmir province, reports of which have been submitted to the government but action is yet to be taken. All the five committees of department of crime and railways which were entrusted with the job of finding truth about five allegations of rape have submitted their report since long but action is yet to be taken over them. According to data maintained by a media portal of United Kingdom (UK) on reported cases of rape and molestation in which security forces were allegedly involved, nearly 500 women Sewer raped in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir between 1990-1994. Media portal maintains that it has compiled the reports from what was reported by state media. The portal maintains that non-governmental organizations (NGO) hardly took interest in documenting the plight of these silent sufferers of Jammu and Kashmir. According to the newspaper reports, take the case of alleged gang-rape and molestation of seven ladies at Hyhama, Batapora in District Kupwara. As per a report, on June 17, 1994, troops of Rashtriya Rifles accompanied by two officers Major Ramesh and Raj Kumar entered into village Hyhama and allegedly raped and molested seven women. Reports maintain that next day; people took to streets to protest against the incident. Even the insane were not spared. According to reports, security forces allegedly raped an old lady who was mentally ill in a house at Barbar Shah in Srinagar on January 5, 1991. Perturbed over the incident, locals lodged an FIR with concerned police station. Medical reports confirmed that she had been raped. She died in 1998 with her FIR awaiting action from the state government. Media reports maintain that at Wanagam Kokernag in Anantnag, women who were collecting fire wood in nearby forest were allegedly molested by the forces during crackdown on May 9, 1994. In another case, reports said that at Manigah in Kupwara, three ladies were raped during crackdown in a house on May 14, 1994. An FIR stands registered in the concerned Police station concerned. Apart from this, Locals also protested and demonstrated against this incident.There are many other such cases which have been reported by state media. But with victims reluctant to come forward; Documentation of these cases could never take place. Failure in documentation of these cases has worsened the situation. According to a 1994 United Nations publication from 1990 to 1996, 882 women were reportedly gang-raped by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. But Social Stigma associated with word Rape has made work of human rights and women NGOs cumbersome. They say that women are reluctant to come forward. They maintain that the sordid story of Konan-Poshpura in Kupwara has been repeated over and again. According to reports, in the year 1991, on the night of February 22-23 troops of 5th Rajputana rifles allegedly raped 30 women in Kunan-Poshpura in Kupwara aged between 18 to 85 years.16 years have passed since the incident took place; no marriage has taken place in Kunan Poshpura. Reports indicate that a few have been psychologically affected. Awaiting justice, these unfortunate mothers and daughters get a mention every where no support. And in the recent times, in November 2004 the alleged rape of a mother-daughter duo by security forces in Badar payein, Handwara sparked protests across Kashmir. The incident was preceded by another one in Mattan Anantnag where a woman was allegedly gang raped by troops of Indian Rashtriya Rifles. Various female Social workers say that state media and human rights groups have not reported the incidents of rape and molestation with greater interest, hence expecting the same from international groups becomes a little harsh. Deeply Painful circumstances in Kashmir, women have no right to go court, it is absolutely damage their legal rights. Extra Judicial killings, rapes, custodial killings, kidnappings, burning of houses by Indian security forces within IHK remain a common practice. The whole IHK has risen against the Indian Army and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act AFSPA and POTA that enables the Indian Army to arrest and kill anyone, anytime, anywhere, in a bid to suppress the ongoing Kashmir liberation movement, the Indian authorities have laid a network of torture cells to practice human rights violations. In these torture cells, the worst repressive means such as electric shocks, ironing of sensitive parts of body, are practiced against the innocent Kashmiris without caring for the age and health conditions. Besides, the female folk are also taken to these centers where they are reportedly gang-raped for protesting against the Indian brutalities or filing complaints against terrorizing of their near and dear ones. This poverty struck women have nothing to feed their children. A number of insecurities hunt them in the absence of their husband. Their husbands went missing and they could not even wail over their missing husbands.1000half-widows, whose husbands have disappeared but not been proven dead. Their children were killed in front of their eyes and yet they are doing rounds of the government offices to prove that their children were killed in cold blood. The dreaded attack by soldiers and an assault on their honor and body remains in the minds of every woman in Kashmir; at all times.The young widows and teenaged orphan girls are facing more problems due to their youth as they are always at danger of getting molested or raped. It is matter of concern that most of the married women face the problem of miscarriages, which is one of the fastest growing problem in the rural and border areas of Kashmir. Reasons could be many but with health department virtually unaware of this new problem, speculating anything might be problematical. No body enjoys the safety of honor as human being, this is not related with Muslims, and all other religious minorities are facing these credible things. Last week on Sikh woman is burnt with her innocent child by Indian army. Indian security forces have also repeatedly raided hospitals and other medical facilities, even pediatric and obstetric hospitals. Injured patients have been arrested from hospitals, in some cases after being disconnected from life-sustaining treatments. The security forces have also discharged their weapons within hospital grounds and inside hospitals, and have entered operating theatres and destroyed or damaged medical supplies, transports and equipment. Doctors and other medical staff frequently have been threatened, beaten and detained. Several have been shot dead while on duty; others have been tortured. Many of those seeking medical care are released detainees who have been subjected to torture. In fact, virtually everyone taken into custody by the security forces in Kashmir is tortured. Torture is practiced to coerce detainees to reveal information about suspected militants or to confess to militant activity. It is also used to punish detainees who are believed to support or sympathize with the militants and to create a climate of political repression. The practice of torture is facilitated by the fact that detainees are generally held in temporary detention centers, controlled by the various security forces, without access to the courts, relatives or medical care. Methods of torture include severe beatings, electric shock, and suspension by the feet or hands, stretching the legs apart, burning with heated objects and sexual molestation. One common form of torture involves crushing the leg muscles with a heavy wooden roller. This practice results in the release of toxins from the damaged muscles that may cause acute renal (kidney) failure. This report documents a number of such cases which required dialysis. Since 1990, doctors in Kashmir have documented 37 cases of torture-related acute renal failure; in three cases the victims died. Daily Kashmir Times Executive Editor Anuradha Bhasin Janwala said on March 26th 2006 that,” In the last 16 years the women of Kashmir have had to bear male vengeance in silence and they have been unable to find spare to transcend that. While I don’t have exact statistics, estimates given by various organizations place widowed between 30 000 to 40 000 and Orphans between 50 000 to 80 000.the raped women are doubly victimized and have to live the rest of their carrying to stamp of stigma in silence.” In Kashmir 70 per cent increase in graveyards area in past 10 years of militancy. Youth have been about 80 per cent of the victims in the age of 15 to 30 years. Even girls have been killed the number of rapes is alarming even though no data of rapes is available as most of these were not reported threats and extortions have been strong and numerous allegations of human rights abuses against security forces. The Human rights Watch reported that “Events in occupied Kashmir remained among the most serious Human rights situation in Asia.” The European Parliament 4 members delegation headed by Ms.Anita Pollack of Socialist Party said in her report that.” The European Parliament is deeply concerned about Human rights situation in Occupied Kashmir.” New UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon last month said that.” Kashmir is a long standing issue, while should be resolved through peaceful means. The UN military observer group in India and Pakistan monitors the situation in Kashmir and keep the UN informed of the development.” The peace process is begin from three years between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, Its dozens of talks going on since from 60 years, In three wars in 1947,1965 and in 1971 , thousand of innocent peoples from both sides have been killed, In international boarder every day firing incidents committed by Indian army continuesly.Four agreements the Tashkent declaration on 10 Jan 1966,The Simla Agreement in 1972,The Islamabad Agreement in 23 Jan 1997,The Lahore Declaration on 21 Feb. 1999 and the Agra Summit on 6 of January 2004 had have been decided but just on papers and luxury discussions not in practical. The United Nations had 6 resolutions passed time to time but justice, implementation of these resolutions been still delayed. From day of first Indian leadership, premiers Presidents and all parties heads even the Father of India Mr. Mahatma Gandhi also Said on 29th July 1947 that,” The People of Kashmir should be asked whether they want to join Pakistan and India. Let then do as they want. The ruler is nothing. People are every thing.” The people of Kashmir demanded an end to the military occupation of their land. Because they demand what they have been pledged by both India and Pakistan and guaranteed by the United Nations Security Council with the unequivocal endorsement of the United States,demilitrisation of Kashmir and a free plebiscite vote organized impartially. Peoples of Kashmir still are boutures by Indian army and day by day the situation increasing, The creak downs and bloodshed going on every day and every where in Kashmir. This is a right time for United Nations, European Union and Organization of Islamic Conference and other powers to start the negotiation and mediation with Kashmiri leadership and influential organizations from both sides of Kashmir. Because both Countries Pakistan and India have got nuclear capacity because of Kashmir. If Kashmiris not getting their birth right in near future, it can be nuclear war in South Asia and 100 millions peoples can die in that war. Political pundits predict cloud of nuclear war is seeing on sky of South Asia clearly. In these difficult circumstances, this dress code edict is simply misplaced, if not a deliberately planted red herring. More pain for the Kashmiri women, thousands of whom have already lost their husbands, sons and loved ones to the bullets and atrocities of the marauding Indian soldiers and many of whom have also fallen victim to their sexual harassment and molestation. The European parliament has adopted MEP Ms.Emma Nicholson report titled” Kashmir; Present situation and future prospects” on 25 of May 2007, by an overwhelming 522 votes in favor to 19 votes against. The report recognized Kashmiris right to self-determination, deploring massive human rights abuses in Jammu & Kashmir, encouraging the Peace process between India and Pakistan and emphasizing inclusion of Kashmiris in the Peace process. The Amnesty International released a latest Global report 2007 said in that there is many violence, torture, custodial deaths enforced disappearances and extra-judicial executions continued in Jammu & Kashmir in the year 2006.The topic of Kashmir is very long and most sympathetic; if we talk on this many days will take for this, now I am going to close this discussion. I would like to say about this panic topic, Rape in war is not merely a matter of chance, of women victims being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nor is it a question of sex. It is rather a question of power and control which is `structured by male soldiers' notions of their masculine privilege, by the strength of the military's lines of command and by class and ethnic inequalities among women. Integrity and progress of Kashmir is not central question but most important figure freedom is greatest blessing of the world. After a long struggle of sacrificing, they don’t adopting another way. I like to say at the end, Kashmir is raising flame, which is increasing speedily. If United Nations, European Union and other world wide NGO’s are not succeeded to find out acceptable solution without the participation of kashmiris ,so this flame is alarming world peace, will cause disaster of this part of South Asia, may be it will demolish at all. World powers and Global Institutions to understand absolute this burning issue. Every Institution gives message of peace and tolerance, but its need of time go-ahead, recognize the humanity, every Kashmiri is waiting you with anxiously, to somebody come and help for attaining the taste of freedom. God may give us a strength and spirit to uplift justice and peace, and upgrade our voice against cruel and injustice in Kashmir and else where, I am a women so I understand feelings and emotions, inner voice of every Kashmiri woman.
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