Indian army involved in extra-judicial killings in Kashmir: WikiLeaks

The latest leaked cables by the WikiLeaks reveals that Indian army tried to link Kashmiris with Pakistan after killing them in 2007.

A WikiLeaks cable reveals that Kashmiris were in a state of anguish and grief over extra-judicial killings during 2007. The Indian army labeled the victims as Pakistanis after killing them.

In a recently leaked cable, the website said that a Kashmiri carpenter, who was killed in 2007, was labeled as a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba and a resident of Multan.

The cable (ID 95785) issued on 2/8/2007 issued from the US embassy in New Delhi stated that Srinagar was once again gripped with protests on February 7th, as police officials announced that they had dug up five unmarked graves in an ongoing investigation of custodial killings.

Our interlocutors say Prime Minister Singh is influencing the investigations as a confidence building measure with Islamabad by urging security forces and the judiciary to address longstanding accusations that Indian police and security officials have tortured, killed, and disappeared thousands of Kashmiri civilians in the course of the 17 year long insurgency. While staged encounters and extrajudicial killings are by no means uncommon in India, the case has also prompted clashes in the J&K General Assembly between ruling coalition leaders Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad, of the Congress Party, and former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Said’s daughter, Mehbooba, of the People’s Democratic Party.

Widespread protests began in Srinagar on January 28th after the GOI began an inquiry into the custodial death of Abdur Rahman Padder, a Kashmiri carpenter. Press reports say the carpenter was arrested on December 8th and killed in a fake encounter staged by the Special Operations Group of the J&K Police. The police officers then announced to the press that he was a Lashkar-i-Taiba terrorist from Multan, Pakistan, claiming they had recovered an AK-47 rifle, three magazines, 36 rounds of ammunition, and a grenade from his body.

Police investigators later uncovered the killing because an officer involved in the incident gave the victim’s cell phone to a “surrendered” former terrorist as a reward for information. Investigators say the police were motivated by a desire for the recognition and rewards doled out to officers who arrest or kill a suspected terrorist and that the weapons were likely planted on the victim. The Police have now widened the investigation, digging up four more unmarked graves of terrorist suspects killed in similar encounters to see if their DNA matches those of other Kashmiri civilians who recently went missing. Press reports say the Senior Superintendent of Police, Ganderbal Hans Raj — who has a particularly brutal eputation for encounter killings — as well as his Deputy and the two junior officers directly implicated in the case are being held in police custody during the pending investigation.

Ravi Nair explained further that the Prime Minister had launched a policy to end the “scorched earth” method of putting down the insurgency in Kashmir, and that this was a key confidence building measure India was putting in place in talks with Pakistan. He said there has been a reexamination of the way India deals withadvantage over China, internal army corruption, distrust of Pakistan and a desire to keep hold of advantageous territory that thousands of Indian soldiers have died protecting.

The cable stated that every time India and Pakistan came “very close” to an agreement on the Siachen issue, the prime minister of the day would be forced to back out by the Indian defence establishment, the Congress Party hardline and opposition leaders.

When the 2006 India-Pakistan Foreign Secretary talks set up a joint mechanism for discussing counter-terrorism issues ended with rumours that Pakistan had made a concession on Siachen, observers had said that the prime minister will be significantly constrained in any part of his agenda with Pakistan in the coming months, especially in the face of significant opposition from within his own party and an emboldened BJP that viewed the joint mechanism as an opportunity to portray the Congress Party as soft on terrorism.

New Delhi And State Govt. Prolonging The Detention Of Hurriyat leaders : Sayed Ali Shah Geelani

Insisting on the immediate release of detained Hurriyat leaders and works Syed Ali Geelani Chairman of Hurriyat conference said that, puppet regime is prolonging the detention of Hurriyat leaders with out any justification. This situation has made the whole valley like prison cell. The chairman of Hurriyat conference pays tributes to the martyred children and other people of the wullar tragedy on the eve of the fifth anivisory.He also felt sorry that the people who done this crime are not brought to justice till date. This is the reason that the parents of those diseased are living with sufferings. The chairman yesterdas went saidakadal srinagar where he shows sympathy to the old aged and ailing mother of Hurriyat leader Genral Mousa and pay the special blessings to his mother. In a press release the Hurriyat chairman said that the General Mousa has spent almost last twenty years in jail.During this period he suffered from various shocks.He was in jail when his father Moulana Sadiq sahib was martyred and he is also in prison till date when his old mother is near to death. The puppet regime is prolonging the detention of General Mousa..He also pays tribute to the General Mousa for his steadfastness. He also said that one of the brothers of Generaal Mousa has also got martyred in the freedom struggle of Kashmir. He himself has given immense Sacrifices during this struggle. He also suffered from numerous diseases in the detention center. By not providing the proper treatment in the jail he looks like premature aged person.The Hurriyat chairman said today no war charges is against the detained Hurriyat leader but has been detained by the puppet regime only because of draconian laws. The Hurriyat chairman also said that the general secretary of Hrriyat conference Mr. Ghulam Nabi Sumji is also detained from several years. On the other hand his daughter is suffering from deadly cancer. His health has also badly suffered and is at dangerous leavel.Instead of issuing releasing orders in favour of Mr. Sumji the puppet government has kept him imprisoned only because of taking revenge. The chairman said that another person namely manzoor ahammad khan is also detained for the last two and a half years. During this detained period his mother, wife died. Suffered from this major tragedy, still the puppet authorities did not released him so far. Instead of releasing him the puppet government is searching for the reasons to prolong his detention. The chairman also said about the Mukhtar ahammad kumar of wanihama hazratbal who has been detained this time at Udhampur jail on the other hand some days back his father Ghulam Mohammad kumar died.The deatined person was the only earning hand of the five sisters and old aged mother. His family is living in miserable conditions. Despite all these happenings the government is not releasing him so far. Due to this their family is starving. The Hurriyat chairman said that the issue of detainees is not only the political but also a human one, and all those, detained from Kashmir are political prisioners.and illegally detained without any crime. They are honorable citizens of the society. They have been kept imprisoned only just for their political ideology. And this is the serious violation of human rights. The chairman also said that the Government has chosen the path of rigidity towards the political prisoners and is not releasing those prisoners whose family members have died or suffered from deadly diseases during the detention period. Chairman of Hurriyat Conference said that even though the releas orders are issued from New Delhi, but the puppets here are so unconscious they do not bother to talk about the hot and burning issue. The Hurriyat chairman appealed to the Amnesty international and other groups that they should took the serious note of this issue and force the Indian Government to release all the detainees with no more delay.

Held Kashmir and introspections

By: Naveed Qazi

Indian-Held Kashmir has been transformed from a beautiful vale to a wretched conflict, like a despondent poet, blossoming in pain, reciting ballads of war and violence. It has been torn to pieces by the many ill facets of ghastly wars. Only failures have made a political history here, awakening the memory of death and suffering every hour amidst the countless helpless victims of the conflict.

Indian-Held Kashmir is a land of failed political conjectures, broken dreams and frenzied mistrust. Words like ‘hope’, ‘agreements’, ‘developments’ have existed here, but only as rich rhetoric, through various political commentators and stillborn leaders. Ever since the conflict intensified, Held Kashmir has become the literary obsession of various observers, historians and activists, whose dissent has been faced with strong confrontation. The scope for visionary introspection has been weakening, like a senile old man struggling to resist. As time passes, India is now attempting to completely move away from calling the Kashmir issue as any dispute at all. In recent years, governance and elections have been taken as a final resolution. Any discourse attempted is taken into consideration only under the ambit of the Indian constitution. Western countries and Indian allies are viewing the problem as silent spectators due to their geo-strategical and economic interests. Reasoned debate has also started to get eroded. Many Hindu nationalist intellectuals have been rewriting history and projecting India as a Hindu country rather than a secular country. This propaganda has concerned Pakistan about the Muslim brethren across the Line of Control. A clear and coherent public opinion needs to be institutionalised and revolutionised. The psychological attitude pertaining among Kashmiris in Indian-held territory is that they feel occupied.

There is no substitute for a resolution other than a sincere dialogue and process of self-determination. Kashmiris are frustrated due to lack of political freedom for decades and are saddled in social and economic grievances. It has made the need for a resolute resolution more pressing. Unless someone won’t recognise the depths of these wounds, it will only help in facilitating brinkmanship and belligerence. –Countercurrents

Shopian tragedy: Asiya, Neelofer die every day for us, says family

Shakeel (husband of Neelofar) and her 3 years old son praying for her on her grave at her 3rd martyrdom anniversary

The family of Neelofar and Asiya Jan, the Shopian women, who died mysteriously except for Central Bureau of Investigations CBI, says that justice has been brazenly denied.

“Two years have been completed since my wife Nelofer and sister Asiya Jan were killed and there is no day when we don’t remembered them, they die every day for us,” Shakeel Ahmad Ahanger, head of the victim family, says.

“We futilely went to every forum for justice,” he adds.

Shakeel also hit at mainstream as well as the separatist parties in Kashmir.

“While government sabotaged the entire incident, the face of those who claim to be inheritors of martyrs was also bared. Martyr dies for their family only,”

Meanwhile, the Shopian district observed strike against the alleged rape and murder of the two women in 2009.

The bodies were recovered on May 30, 2009. While people maintain that the sisters-in-law were raped and murder, the Central Bureau of Investigation claimed that the duo died of drowning.

Wullar Tragedy: 'Tell father to save me'

Published at Kashmir dispatch

Bilques was waiting for her turn, on the banks of Wullar Lake, to take a joyride when the boat capsized. Moments later she saw her sister Rehana drowning. “Her last words to me were- papas wanta mi bachaw” (Tell father to save me),” she says.

                      A picture of graveyard where 20 children are buride. Children share graves here.

The vast lake was abuzz with activity on a bright summer day. Girls running around, boys playing hide-and-seek in nearby thickets and teachers disciplining tots to sing poems of hope and brighter tomorrow, the usually silent Wullar had come to life. In the afternoon, children were goaded at a place for lunch. Almost everyone spoke of the joyride that was to be taken once the lunch over.

A Boat Assault Universal Type (BAUT) speedboat came cruising towards the banks and the children thumped the ground in jubilation. It belonged to Marcos- highly trained marine commandoes belonging to Indian Navy, who are stationed at the lake since the outbreak of insurgency in the state in 1989.

The first batch of students and teachers boarded the boat and it set for a joyride that was a “gesture of friendship” offered by the Marcos. While a group of children and their teachers got off safely from the first two rides, the small speedboat, with over 30 aboard, and which is meant for 16 fully equipped combat troops and two crew members, capsized in the midst of the lake. The negligence on part of Marcos cost 22 lives including 20 children.

Shaista, was among the children from Burning Candle School who were in the boat when it capsized. “We were almost 35 people in the boat. There was a hole in the bottom of the boat wherefrom water was continuously piercing,” she says.
Contrary to the Navy claim that the children had assembled on oneside and the boat lost balance when it took a sharp turn, she says, “Water had seeped into the boat through the hole and it lost balance and collapsed.”

Abdul Hamid, a resident of Watlab- situated on the banks of the lake says, “I was watching these kids from other side of the lake. They were very happy. Once they reached at centre, boat collapsed.” He adds the boat ‘didn’t take any steep turn’.

Locals here say, these deaths could have been prevented if men from Navy would not have stopped them. “When kids shouted for help people from all adjacent areas gathered. But Navy force didn’t allow us to interfere. Despite that we rescued 6 kids. If Navy would not have stopped us we could have saved more,” says Hamid’s friend Mohammad Ramzan.

FAMILIES KEPT IN DARK:

“I compelled my husband to permit kids for an excursion”

Classmates, friends and siblings died in the boat capsize in Wullar on May 30, 2006. Not far away from the Handwara market in a desolate alley is the house of Aesha Bano, who lost her 6-year-old son Mehraj-ud-din and 10-year-old daughter Shameema in the tragedy.

With tears rolling down her eyes she regrets her decision to send her children on picnic despite their father opposing the decision. “I compelled my husband to give permission to the kids for an excursion,” she says amid sobs.
He did not allow, but, Ayseha joined the chorus with her children and made him agree.

“The teachers of Burning Candle Public School assured that they will not take kids to a place where there was a water body,” she says.

Sources say that the school authorities changed their mind after Navy offered them the joyrides as a "friendship gesture". Instead of going to picnic to shrine of a saint in Reshvoor, they headed to Watlab on the banks of Wullar.
“If I would have come to know earlier that school authorities are going for excursion under Indian Navy. I would have never sent my kids with them,” she says adding “It seems that Indian navy and school authorities hadpreplanned for the murder of 20 kids.”

Like Ayesha, Farooq Ahmad who lost his two daughters was not aware of that excursion was taken in collaboration with the Navy. He was also kept in dark about the spot chosen for excursion. The lie cost him his daughters Samreena a student of 9th class and Suraya who was in 2nd class.

“School authorities assured me that they will take kids to Baba Shukur Din Shrine. But notwithstanding their promise they took our kids to Watlab,” he says.

The pain keeps on manifesting for Farooq and his family. “After one month Samreena’s teacher gave me my daughter’s picture and told me that she has clicked it half an hour before this episode” he says.

Had it not been for the local fishermen, Farooq would have lost his third daughter, Shaista. “She was also among the children who drowned but was rescued by local fishermen,” he says.

GRAVEYARD AND JUSTICE

Names of children who drowned inscribed on a stone

All the children have been buried in a graveyard near Handwara where smiling roses ornament the graves. “The children share graves here. Brothers have been buried together, somewhere three children are buried in same grave,” says the caretaker.

Not surprisingly though, the government is yet to initiate action against the Navy personnel indicted by a judicial commission for drowning the children five years ago.

Following massive protests across the Valley, the state government, led by then chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, had ordered judicial inquiry in the case.

The inquiry officer, Tariq Naqashbandi, blamed four Navy officials—Lt K S Nehra, officer in-charge naval Det (Marcos), Watlab, Krishan Khulvi boat operator, Raj Ram and Ganishan—for negligence in the tragedy.

Naqashbandi had recommended that criminal proceedings be launched against the four Navy officials and principal of the school for negligence, which resulted in the tragedy.

Pertinently, then Navy Chief, Admiral Arun Prakash, is on record having said that no one from the Navy would be spared if indicted.

The Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had said that he would write to Naval authorities to initiate action against guilty personnel.

In the hearts of its survivors the tragedy is still fresh. “I also boarded the boat, but my Didi (sister) brought me down saying that it is dangerous to travel in it as it was already overloaded,” recalls Sufiya, who lost her two sisters in the tragedy.

The Mute Spectators, the Hell lickers (Abdullah's)

By Shoaib Kashmirie

Kashmir,illegally Occupied for 63 years, has now buried at least 230 of its people in the last 358 days under brutal military curfew and the spiral continues. Humanity ripped apart and helpless kashmiris left to face the wolves. Nations bear testimony but stand mute spectators to this carnage.Amid all this melancholy,a posse of remorseless souls at the helm of affairs unperturbed,unruffled witnessing this dance of death with sheer delight. Unarguably, the ABDULLAHS (Sheikh, Farooq, Omar) are the worst enemies of kashmiris.Their "LIBIDO" for power is of rampaging magnitude.The Lust for power has blinded them and they are unable to read the writing on wall.

"HELL LICKERS" a term that specifically suits the abdullahs as they are the perpetrators and poor kashmiris 'the victims'. An abdullah wastes no chance to demean the people who have enabled his ascent calling them goons and adding insult to their injuries by nullifyin their sacrifices saying let bygones be bygones when queried by a journo. They've sold their conscience and there's not even a bit of contrition. They've always compromised on our dignity to appease their masters and misguided us to a " cul de sac ". But the struggle has begun and the fight is on, to free ourselves from shackles of bondage and to alleviate the suffering of the aggrieved.

© Shoaib Kashmirie