Rakib Altaf
SRINAGAR: A group of students on Saturday held a candlelight protest to demand justice for three dozen women who were allegedly raped by security forces in north Kashmir on this day 22 years ago.
The women belonged to Kunan and Poshpora villages in the frontier district of Kupwara.
This evening nearly 15 students sat at the Press colony in Srinagar, candles lit in front of them, and held a banner which read: “Justice for Kunan-Poshpora”.
One of the students, Shayan Nabi said: “When in Delhi there was hue and cry and the government was forced to speed up justice for the gang rape victim, why are they showing double standards when it comes to Kashmir.”
“It is a shame that even after 22 years, these women are yet to receive justice. Why do they turn a blind eye towards the atrocities committed on our mothers, sisters and daughters,” said Nabi, who has also sung to demand justice in the case.
A Kashmiri film-maker whose “Ocean of Tears” was recently selected for the Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival also joined the protest.
His film highlights violence against women during more than two decades of conflict in the state.
No Probe
The army soldiers are alleged to have raped 36 women after they cordoned off the Kunan-Poshpora villages and launched a house-to-house search for militants.
According to the villagers the troops ordered menfolk out of their homes and then raped the hapless women.
A team of the Press Council Of India headed by B G Verghese gave a clean chit to the troops and said there were inconsistencies in testimonies of the women. It also called the charges against the army men “a well-concocted bundle of fabricated lies”.
However Kashmir-based media persons as also human rights activists dismissed the report as a “cover up”.
Two years ago the State Human Rights Commission recommended to the state government to reopen the case and compensate the victims.
The state government has made no response so far.
Early this month, the President of India promulgated an ordinance that provides for stricter punishment for sexual assault against women.
However the union government dismissed J S Verma commission’s recommendation that security force personnel operating in conflict areas like Kashmir and North-East should have no immunity against prosecution for crimes like rape.
Under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, prosecution cannot be brought against any Indian soldier for any crime without prior sanction of the central government.
