By Fahad Shah
A new 800-page report catalogues human rights violations in India-administered Kashmir.
While India is trying its best to secure a permanent seat at the United Nations, back in Kashmir its armed forces are introducing new weapons to be used on civilians. In October, a flash grenade was used during protests in the capital city of Srinagar. The grenade burned nine-year-old Aamir’s face and arm. He is another casualty of the continuous and violent repression India has been using against the people of Kashmir for more than two decades now.
The situation in the Valley has been grim ever since the first bomb blasts in 1988; the attacks marked the beginning of an armed rebellion for the right to self-determination that still continues. During the 1990s, India used torture, coercion, killings, enforced disappearances, kidnappings, and government corruption to maintain its control over Kashmir.
Despite the thousands of human rights violations in the region, few men in uniform involved have faced justice. Rights’ groups have been demanding investigations into these cases by an impartial international body. A local human rights group, the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), run by Parvez Imroz, a lawyer, has documented human rights violations committed by the Indian armed forces. The group has also exposed more than 7,000 mass graves over the years. Despite these revelations, the government has yet to take action.
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