By
Sajjad Shaukat
Gross human rights
violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir have become a permanent feature of the
Indian security forces.
Since 1947, in order to
maintain its illegal control, India has continued its repressive regime in the
Occupied Kashmir through various machinations.
In this regard, various
forms of state terrorism have been part of a deliberate campaign by the Indian
army and paramilitary forces against Muslim Kashmiris, especially since 1989.
It has been manifested in brutal tactics like crackdowns, curfews, illegal
detentions, massacre, targeted killings, sieges, burning the houses, torture,
disappearances, rape, breaking the legs, molestation of Muslim women and
killing of persons through fake encounter.
According to a report on
human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, since 1989, there have
been deaths of 1,00000 innocent Kashmiris, 7,023 custodial killings, 1,22,771
arrests, 1,05,996 destruction of houses or buildings, 22,776 women widowed,
1,07,466 children orphaned and 10,086 women gang-raped/molested. Indian brutal
securities forces have continue these atrocities.
In fact, Indian forces
have employed various draconian laws like the Jammu and Kashmir Disturbed Areas
Act, and the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act and Public
Safety Act in killing the Kashmiri people, and for the arbitrarily arrest of any
individual for an indefinite period.
Besides Human Rights
Watch, in its various reports, Amnesty International has also pointed out grave
human rights violations in the Indian controlled Kashmir, indicating, “The
Muslim majority population in the Kashmir Valley suffers from the repressive
tactics of the security forces.”
In its report on July 2,
2015, the Amnesty International has highlighted extrajudicial killings of the
innocent persons at the hands of Indian security forces in the Indian Held
Kashmir. The report points out, “Tens of thousands of security forces are
deployed in Indian-administered Kashmir…the Armed Forces Special Powers Act
allows troops to shoot to kill suspected militants or arrest them without a
warrant…not a single member of the armed forces has been tried in a civilian
court for violating human rights in Kashmir…this lack of accountability has in
turn facilitated other serious abuses…India has martyred one 100,000 people.
More than 8,000 disappeared (while) in the custody of army and state police.”
In this respect,
European Union has passed a resolution about human rights abuses committed by
Indian forces in the Indian held Kashmir.
It is of particular
attention that in 2008, a rights group reported unmarked graves in 55 villages
across the northern regions of the Indian-held Kashmir. Then researchers and
other groups reported finding thousands of mass graves without markers. In this
respect, in August, 2011, Indian Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights
Commission officially acknowledged in its report that innocent civilians killed
in the two-decade conflict have been buried in unmarked graves.
And foreign sources and
human rights organisations have revealed that unnamed graves include those
innocent persons, killed by the Indian military and paramilitary troops in the
fake encounters including those who were tortured to death by the Indian secret
agency RAW.
Indian authorities are
not willing to talk with Kashmiri people on political grounds. New Delhi
reached to a conclusion that only bullet is the right way of dealing with
Kashmiris, demanding their right of self-determination. Surprisingly, Indian
successive governments are trying to ignore the dynamics of the freedom
movement of Kashmiris for the sake of their alien rule.
But, New Delhi is still
showing its intransigence in order to resolve Kashmir dispute with Pakistan by
neglecting the fact that Kashmir remains a nuclear flashpoint between both the
neighbouring countries.
In this context,
Egbert Jahn in his book, “Kashmir: Flashpoint for a Nuclear War or Even a
Third World War?” has pointed out, “The Kashmir conflict is embedded in the
wider conflict over the incomplete creation of nations and states on the Indian
subcontinent, which during the east-west conflict even threatened at times to
escalate into a nuclear world war between Pakistan and the USA on the one side
and India and the USSR on the other. Until now, there have been three wars
between India and Pakistan over the Jammu and Kashmir: in 1947–49, 1965 and
1999… finally, the Indo-Chinese border war of 1962…after these wars…and could
unexpectedly again lead to a regional and under certain circumstances…even a
major nuclear war or a Third World War.”
Meanwhile, like the
previous year, Pakistan’s recent serious and sincere effort at the annual
session of the United Nations—the recent speech of Pakistan’s prime minister
and his meeting with the American president, highlighting the Kashmir dispute
and demanding its solution has infused a new spirit among the Kashmiri people.
Kashmir dispute cannot
be seen in isolation it is part of New Delhi’s other developments against
Pakistan and the Muslims. In this respect, as part of anti-Muslim and
anti-Pakistan approach, leader of the BJP and Prime Minister of India Narendra
Modi is giving impetus to Hindu chauvinism which has resulted into a number of
assaults on the Muslims and Pakistanis inside India. Under his rule, Indian
security forces have also accelerated unprovoked firing at the Line of Control in
Kashmir including Working Boundary.
Besides, in connivance
with New Delhi, Bangladesh government and Awami League have launched a massive
media campaign in order to spread venom against Pakistan and its armed forces
and against all those Bangladeshi nationals who were loyal to the state during
1971 crisis.
In this regard, while
addressing a ceremony during his Bangladesh tour, Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi openly stated on June 7, 2015 that Indian forces helped Mukti
Bahini (Militants) to turn East Pakistan into Bangladesh. He elaborated that
former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had played an active role in
separating Bangladesh from Pakistan, and he had also come to Delhi in 1971 to
participate in the Satyagraha Movement, launched by Jana Sangh as a volunteer
to garner support for the Mukti Bahini members.
It is noteworthy that
since Prime Minister of Bangladesh and leader of the ruling party, Awami
League, Sheikh Hasina Wajid came into power, India has been employing various
tactics to entrap Bangladesh by exploiting her pro-Indian tilt to fulfill its
strategic interests. In this context, Prime Minister Hasina Wajid has
continuously been pursuing Indian directions by conducting anti-Pakistan
campaign. Therefore, after passing of 42 years to the events of 1971, which
resulted into the separation of East Pakistan, Abdul Qadir, the leader of
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) was hanged because of his loyalty to Pakistan.
However, Bangladesh’s
ruling party, under Sheikh Hasina Wajid maintains an anti-Pakistan posture with
sinister designs of expressing animosity, antagonism and unrestrained emotional
flare-up. The aim is to exploit feelings of masses by keeping the “hate
Pakistan” agenda alive. This enables Awami League and Hasina Wajid to remain
significant in Bangladesh’s power politics despite their failure to deliver
good governance to the People. It also helps them to appease their mentors in
India. Using abusive language against Pakistan and its armed forces makes
Hasina Wajid relevant in Indian politics, while she herself prefers those
entities which derive sadistic pleasure by depicting Pakistan in bad light.
By neglecting
Islamabad’s positive approach, Bangladesh government has continued its
anti-Pakistan approach to please India. It could be judged from the statement
of Prime Minister Hasina Wajid who has vocally said, “Bangladesh has no room
for the people loving Pakistan.”
Nevertheless Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina has been following pro-Indian policies. In this respect,
on the secret insistence of India, unlike the past years, a ceremony was held
in Dhaka on March 24, 2013, with full pump and show to honour ‘Foreign Friends
of Bangladesh Award,’ in relation to the separation of East Pakistan. For this
aim, several foreign friends who included various institutions and media
anchors from various countries, particularly India were invited. The main
purpose behind was to distort the image of Pakistan and its armed forces
regarding alleged atrocities, committed against the Bengalis. Notably, in
December, 2012, Prime Minister Hasina had refused to attend D-8 conference in
Islamabad unless Pakistan tendered apology for the alleged genocide of
Bengalis.
While, a famous Bengali
journalist Sarmila Bose authored a book, “Dead Reckoning: Memories of the 1971
Bangladesh War” after thorough investigation. Her book was published in 2011.
While countering exaggerations of the Indian and Bengali Journalists, Bose
argues that the number of Bengalis killed in 1971 was not three million, but
around 50,000, while Bengalis were equally involved in the bloodshed of
Punjabis, Biharis, Pashtoons and Balochis.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
was already in connivance with India for separation of East Pakistan.
Therefore, when East Pakistan was occupied by Indian Army in 1971, he stated with
pleasure that his 24 years old dream of an independent Bangladesh had been
fulfilled. While commenting upon 1971 tragedy, Indra Gandhi clearly divulged
Indian hegemonic designs by saying “Today we have sunken Two Nation Theory in
bay of Bengal.”
Majib had earlier
developed his contacts with Indian rulers and training camps of Mukti Bahini,
established by Indian army and RAW which also funded Mujibur Rehman’s general
elections in 1970.
Undoubtedly, various
anti-Pakistan developments such as Modi’s open confession regarding Indian
support to militants of Mukti Bahini, his arrival in Dhaka to receive award of
Atal Bihari Vajpai, presentation of ‘Surrender Ceremony’ photograph by
Bangladeshi leader to Modi, ruthless death sentences to Jamat-e-Islami Pro-Pakistan
leaders under highly doubtful and objectionable trials etc. show that
Indo-Bangladesh media nexus backed by RAW has become more active for last 4/5
years to create mistrust among people of Bangladesh against Pakistan.
Moreover, Indian
cross-border terrorism in Pakistan, her support to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP) which is responsible for terror-acts in Pakistan—also involved in the
massacre of innocent children at Army Public School, Peshawar might be noted as
instance of anti-Pakistan
Nonetheless, it is due
to lack of action on the part the US-led big powers that India’s human rights
violations continue unabated in the Occupied Kashmir.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on
international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible
Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
Email:
sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
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