New Delhi, Jan 25: Underscoring the need to punish the military and para military forces for the heinous crimes they have allegedly committed in Kashmir, renowned writer and social activist Arundhati Roy said that Indians will have to suffer in future what the people of Kashmir have gone through over last two decades. She accused India of not being serious in punishing the military, paramilitary, police and government backed gunmen who had been declared accused in the various heinous crimes.
"Security forces involved in various heinous crimes including custodial killings and disappearances, rapes and declared accused through FIR's and other reports have evaded action which has resulted in making them (Security Forces) habitual offenders. These habitual offenders when deployed in other states will commit the same offences against innocent people", opined Roy while speaking during a debate over the recent report released by Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), at Gandhi Peace Foundation Delhi organized by Peoples Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR). "To continue its occupation in Kashmir India has made its forces immune from every law there. If civil society of India and other human rights activist do not take appropriate steps after going through the report of APDP, we will feel ashamed in future", she added.
She said that the State High Court and government established human rights commissions have held that military and Para military forces are involved in various heinous crimes but both State and Central governments have not shown any seriousness in punishing them.
APDP's Parvez Imroz, while representing the report said that India has set free its forces in Kashmir to commit human rights violations and no action is taken against the personnel involved in heinous and gruesome human rights violations.
Quoting reference from APDP's report, he said that more than 500 accused security forces personnel involved in 214 cases have not been brought to book.
Terming the APDP report based on facts, Human Rights Activist Kartik Markotla said that the report was prepared after obtaining official records through RTI Act and the reports filed in FIR's. He said that the registered FIR's in various Police stations had held 500 military, paramilitary, policemen and government backed gunmen accused, adding, "India is neither serious nor sincere in punishing these accused persons".
He said that the deliberate silence of India against Human Rights violations committed by security forces in Kashmir is unfortunate and the role of national media has been partial or irresponsible regarding it.
Expressing his views on the report, Nivedita Menon said, "Since day one India has closed its eyes from the facts pertaining to human rights violations in Kashmir that is why the violations continue to occur in Valley. "Facts are being distorted in the FIR's regarding custodial killings, forced disappearances or rape and other heinous crimes", said Menon.
Pertinently, APDP headed by Advocate Parvez Imroz in a press conference at Srinagar had made a report public about the alleged human rights violation committed by the security forces. In its report it had alleged that 500 security forces are involved in the 214 cases of custodial killings and disappearances and other heinous crimes. "235 Army men, 123 para military forces, 111 Policemen and 31 government backed gun men are involved in these human right violation cases", read the report.
The report was debated in Delhi and the debate was organized at Gandhi Peace Foundation and organized by peoples union for Democratic rights. The second debate on the report will be held in Brislin on 26th January while various prominent including APDP members and Advocate Qadeer Dar of Voice of Victims have been invited to participate in the debate.
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