US complicit in India’s systematic use of torture in Kashmir

By Deepal Jayasekera
New Delhi, Dec 24 : US diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks show that Washington has long had evidence of Indian authorities’ systematic use of torture against opponents of Indian rule over Jammu and Kashmir, but has chosen not to speak out against New Delhi’s gross human rights violations.

In a classified cable sent in April 2005, the then-US ambassador to New Delhi, David C. Mulford, reported to the US State Department on a “confidential briefing” embassy officials had received from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) “on widespread severe torture in Indian prisons in Kashmir between 2002 and 2004.”

“The continued ill-treatment of detainees,” reported Mulford, “despite longstanding ICRC-GOI (Government of India] dialogue, have led the ICRC to conclude” that New Delhi “condones torture.”

In their briefing, the ICRC officials emphasized that those subjected to torture by Indian authorities were generally not anti-Indian insurgents—since Indian security forces have a standard practice of summarily executing suspected insurgents. Rather they were noncombatants, those accused of providing the insurgents support or suspected of having useful information: the “detainees were rarely militants (they are routinely killed), but persons connected to or believed to have information about the insurgency.”

The ICRC officials said they had made more than 177 visits to detention centers and had interviewed 1,491 detainees. Of these, according to the US embassy’s summation of the ICRC findings, 852, or well over half, had suffered abuse. 171 were beaten and 681 were “subjected to one or more of six forms of torture.” 498 persons were subjected to electric shocks; 381 to suspension from a ceiling; 294 to crushing of leg muscles through use of a “roller”; 181 to 180-degree leg-splitting; 234 to various forms of water torture; and 302 to sexual abuse.

The “numbers add up to more than 681,” says the cable “as many detainees were subjected to more than one form of IT (ill-treatment.) ICRC stressed that all the branches of the security forces used these forms of IT and torture.”

Indian and international human rights organizations have presented numerous reports documenting Indian authorities’ horrific human right abuses in the two-decades-old counterinsurgency war in Jammu and Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority state.

Nevertheless, the evidence presented by the ICRC to the US diplomats was both damning—given the access the ICRC had had to Indian detention centers—and highly significant. As a rule, the ICRC does not make its findings known to anyone but the government having jurisdiction over the facilities it inspects. It argues that if it assumes a public advocacy role, its status as a neutral organization will be jeopardized and governments will deny access to prisoners, making it impossible for the ICRC to fulfill its humanitarian mission.

But in this case, ICRC officials had apparently become so frustrated and angered by the stance of the Indian government they chose to reveal their findings to US officials. The cable reports, “There is a regular and widespread use of IT and torture by the security forces during interrogation; -- This always takes place in the presence of officers; -- ICRC has raised these issues with the GOI for more than 10 years; -- Because practice continues, ICRC is forced to conclude that GOI condones torture.”

Horrific as were the ICRC’s findings, its officials reported that conditions had improved from the mid-1990s, when security forces invaded villages in the middle of the night and arbitrarily and indefinitely detained many of their residents.

Still, the ICRC had never been allowed right to speak with prisoners at the most “notorious” detention center, the “Cargo Building” in Srinagar. And increasingly the Indian government was seeking to curb the ICRC’s activities, even though, in keeping with its traditional mode of operation, it had not made any of its findings public. According to the April 2005 cable, the ICRC had told the US diplomats, “the MEA [Indian ministry of external affairs] also protested the ICRC’s presence in Srinagar [the capital of Jammu and Kashmir], asking it to ‘wind up’ its operations, advising that its ‘public activities must stop’ (believed to be a reference to a seminar ICRC staff held at Kashmir University on IHL in 2004), and warning against ‘unauthorized contacts with separatist elements’.”

In another cable from 2007, the US’s Indian embassy noted that a member of the Jammu and Kashmir legislature, Usman Abdul Majid, was the leader a pro-Indian government militia “notorious for its use of torture, extra-judicial killing, rape and extortion of Kashmiri civilians suspected of harbouring or facilitating terrorists.”

But while US officials in India have been keeping the State Department informed of the conduct of the Indian security forces and allied militia in Kashmir and of the support this enjoys from the highest levels of the Indian government, neither they nor their superiors in Washington have publicly condemned the Indian authorities. On the contrary, under both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, India has been touted as the world’s most populous democracy and a “natural ally” of the US in promoting “democratic values” around the world. When Obama visited India last month, in deference to his hosts, he studiously avoided any mention of Kashmir.

The US’s silence on the Indian state’s repression in Kashmir is yet another example of the cynicism and hypocrisy of US foreign policy under Republican and Democratic administrations alike. Washington routinely issues ringing condemnations of the human rights violations of foreign governments whose interests and policies are cutting across those of the US corporate elite—condemnations that are then amplified by a pliant media. But India is being assiduously courted by Washington and Wall Street, because it is viewed as a counterweight to a rising China. Hence the US silence on the repression in Kashmir.

Declaring that the US wants to assist India in becoming a “world power,” the US, under George W. Bush, secured India special status in the world nuclear regulatory regime, giving it the right to purchase civilian nuclear technology and fuel, although New Delhi developed nuclear weapons in defiance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. And Obama, also touting the US’s support for India’s global aspirations, announced during his recent trip to India that Washington supports India becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The Indian elite’s reaction to the WikiLeaks cables about Kashmir has been telling. A spokesman for the India’s Congress Party-led coalition government brushed the ICRC findings aside, declaring “India is an open and democratic nation which adheres to the rule of law. If and when an aberration occurs, it is promptly and firmly dealt with under existing legal mechanisms in an effective and transparent manner.”

The reality is India’s security forces have and continue to enjoy impunity.

Not surprisingly, the Hindu supremacist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which led India’s government from 1998 to 2004 and presided over much of the repression in Kashmir, had nothing to say about the ICRC findings.

As for the Indian press, it gave the matter short shrift. In some of the major dailies, such as the Hindu and the Indian Express, there were perfunctory reports, but there were no editorials demanding that the government and security forces be held to account. The attitude of the press and the ruling class toward the Kashmir question is exemplified by the recent widespread calls for the writer Arundhati Roy to be charged with treason for suggesting that the people of Jammu and Kashmir should have the right to choose to leave the Indian Union.

In response to the WikiLeaks revelations, the head of the National Conference (NC)— which leads the current state government in Jammu and Kashmir in a coalition with the Congress Party and is also a partner of the Congress in India’s national government—tried to shift the blame on his political rivals.

“We don’t condone torture and will not turn a blind eye to reports of human rights violations,” declared Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. “Not only the state government, but the Center too has a policy of zero tolerance to human rights abuses.”

Refusing to comment directly on the WikiLeaks’ exposure, Abdullah said, “I am not getting into it… It pertains to 2005 and you know who was in power that time.” Abdullah was referring to the fact that the state was then ruled by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), also in a coalition with the Congress Party.

Abdullah’s claims to uphold democratic rights are belied by the actions of his government. Under its direction, security forces killed more than a hundred unarmed demonstrators this summer in a bid to quell a popular mobilization in the Kashmir Valley provoked by the police killing of a youth. (See Kashmir seethes: Indian elite resorts to repression and political maneuvers)

In answer to Abdullah, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti said, “Omar Abdullah should be the last person talking about human rights abuse. The PDP’s tenure is for everybody to see and we don’t need any certificate from anybody but the people.” Turning the tables on the NC, she added: “We inherited from the National Conference (in 2002) a Kashmir in which human rights violations were at their peak.”

Both Kashmir regional parties have served as junior partners of the Indian state and the principal parties of the Indian bourgeoisie, the Congress Party and the BJP, in the systematic violation of democratic and human rights in Kashmir, including the torture of political prisoners as documented in the diplomatic cables exposed by WikiLeaks.

Sheikh GULZAAR

Our Agenda Settlement Of Kashmir Dispute: Panel

Srinagar, Oct 20:  New Delhi’s panel of interlocutors for Kashmir, which kickstarted its mission on Wednesday with a formal briefing by the union home minister, P Chidambaram, about its mandate, said its agenda was for a comprehensive and political settlement of the Kashmir "dispute", reports Kashmir Observer.

Emerging from the hour long meeting, eminent journalist Dileep Padgaonkar said, "The tight focus will be for seeking a political outcome so that we put this dispute well and truly behind us."

Padgaonkar was accompanied by two other panel members, noted academician Radha Kumar and former CIC member MM Ansari.

Padgaonkar said the home minister gave an extensive idea of the mandate for the group.

"The mandate, to put very simply, is that our group will hold the largest possible consultations with all sections of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir and the focus of this dialogue is to seek as large area of agreement as you can to get to arrive at a comprehensive, political settlement of the Kashmir dispute, PTI quoted him as saying.

"We are obviously aware of the history of many initiatives that have been taken but now we have been given a wide mandate.

No red lines have been drawn. We have not been told to do this or do that.

Padgaonkar said panel will soon call on the Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh), UPA chairperson (Sonia Gandhi) and the leader of the opposition (Sushma Swaraj) besides members of the All Party delegation that traveled to Kashmir recently.

With a year-long timeframe to hold its discussions and submit a report, the group’s composition was the subject of severe criticism because of its non-political nature.

Though the fourth member of the group is yet to be nominated, the interlocutors are gearing up to get down to business, scepticism and criticism notwithstanding.

Earlier talking to the press Padgaonkar had said that extreme caution was necessary for a “delicate” issue like Kashmir.

“Premature comments on our mission or personal criticism will not dishearten me or tell adversely on our mission,” Padgaonkar said.

“We will be prepared to talk on any issue, and will discuss anything that is brought to the table,” he said.

The group was learnt to be planning week-long visits to the valley every month for discussions with every possible section, with particular emphasis on engaging the youth and students of the valley.

Top separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq have already termed the nomination of the interlocutors as a futile exercise not matching their expectations of a major political initiative.

Though mainstream forces repose some hopes in the group, they are not entirely happy with its composition.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah has asked the union home minister to nominate the fourth member keeping in view the expectations of Kashmiris to uphold the credibility of the group.

US should impress upon India, Pak to resolve Kashmir: Yaseen Malik

Srinagar, Oct 3: Ahead of the United States President, Barrack Obama’s scheduled visit to India next month, two officials from the American Embassy in New Delhi on Sunday met the front The Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, here to know his views and assess the situation in the disputed state of Kashmir.

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Mr. Yaseen Malik maintained that as a strategic alliance of India and Pakistan, the United States could impress upon both the countries to resolve the long-standing Kashmir dispute. 

The officials, Kailash Jha and Pushpinder Dhillon met Malik for nearly an hour and discussed several issues including the situation in Valley. “The Valley has been turned into a jail from the last four months. The people are reeling under continuous curfew since Eid. 110 civilians mostly teenagers have been killed by the troopers and cops. Hundreds of youth have been arrested and are languishing in jails. There is no accountability and rule of law and the men in uniform have been given license to kill,” Malik told the visiting officials.

Yaseen Malik said the Kashmir dispute had consumed four generations. “Kashmiris were forced to take guns in 1989 when government of India used its military might to crush their non-violent movement for the right to self-determination. The US had played an imperative role in motivating the Kashmiris to shun the gun and start a peaceful process for the resolution of Kashmir. But India is leaving no stone unturned to suppress the aspirations of Kashmiris,” Yaseen Malik said.

Yaseen Malik maintained that the ongoing movement was being led by Kashmiri youth. “India has even snatched a space for them to register their protests peacefully. If the suppressive policies continue, Kashmiri youth will be forced to take the violent path again to achieve their goal. It is high time to acknowledge and respect the aspirations and sacrifices of Kashmiris and resolve the dispute in accordance with their wishes,” he said.

Malik told the officials that by virtue of being in strategic alliance of India and Pakistan, the US act could be a catalyst to resolve the dispute.

“The US can use its rapport and friendly relations with Islamabad and New Delhi and impress upon them to resolve the dispute permanently for restoring peace in Valley and south Asia,” he said.

The diplomats however refused to talk to the media. Malik also reserved his comments on whether the diplomats met him in the backdrop of Obama’s visit to India.

Pertinently Obama has been stressing upon New Delhi to settle the Kashmir dispute if it wanted a ticket in the UN Security Council membership. “Go for a Kashmir solution and help bring stability to the region for a ticket to UN Security Council membership and fulfilling your big power aspirations.” Obama according to reports has conveyed to New Delhi.

11th August Foundation

31 states, 1618 languages, 6400 castes, 6 ethnic groups, 29 festivals only Architecture of constitution  Dr. Baba Ambedkar Sahib.

Sheikh Gulzaar

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POB: 667, GPO Srinagar SGR J&K 190001

Ph: 01933-223705

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Crackdown on Kashmir MEDIA

Srinagar, Sep 20: The participants of the high profile all party delegation will arrive to a ‘no-newspaper state’ when they land in Srinagar Monday morning.

Their arrival and the subsequent engagements, however significant, would will go unnoticed in the Valley as the newspapers here are facing a virtual ban because the stringently imposed curfew, beating and harassment of newspaper staff and repeated cancellation of curfew passes has made their operations impossible. Besides this indirect gag on vernacular press, local TV networks as also a foreign news channel have been banned by an official embargo. To continue with the ban on Kashmir media is ostensibly to keep the members of All Party Delegation in dark. Newspapers would obviously publish the miseries of the people and the un-ending curfew in which millions of people have been caged for last three months particularly after Eid.

Press Guild of Kashmir (PGK) Sunday strongly condemned the ban imposed by the government on the publication of Kashmir-based newspapers and other media institutions.

JK Police/STF/CRPF later the evening ransacked the house of Writer-South Asia, editor Sheikh Gulzaar's residence on the Pampore by the CRPF/Police. The family accused the police of ransacked the our property and Van worth Rs. 5 lac, from the house besides thrashing them and Sheikh Gulzaar seriously injured by troops.

Editor's Conference  strongly condemn the targeting of the journalists in Kashmir and said that while the state government is brining ‘embedded journalists’ from New Delhi to report what the government wants them to report, the local journalists who portray the actual picture of the current situation in Kashmir are being deliberately targeted.

The Kashmir writers/editors Conference strongly condemns the attack on the Pampore residence of the South Asia Stragic Affairs editor of  “Writer-South Asia” .

The Kashmir writers/editors Conference while condemning the attack has termed it as attack on the freedom of the press in the Kashmir which has been under attack from the armed forces since the present turmoil erupted in the Kashmir valley.

At an emergency meeting held here under the chairmanship of PGK president Bashir Ahmad Bashir the meeting deplored the government action to create a situation under which the newspaper publication had been put to halt from September 13 to 18, 2010. A statement issued here by the PGK said even as some of the media houses tried to resume the publication on Saturday but a reign of terror was let loose on them making the distribution of newspapers impossible. “Several journalists and workers of Greater Kashmir, Rising Kashmir, Kashmir Uzma and Buland Kashmir were ruthlessly beaten by the police and some of them were taken to hospital,” the statement said.

It further said that several thousand newspapers are lying in the respective offices as the police chased the distributors and hawkers in their offices during wee hours in the morning. “This has made the intentions of government clear that it does not want that the newspapers are published from Kashmir,” the statement said, adding, “This has not only resulted in huge losses to this industry but also deprived the masses of necessary information during this situation of crisis.”

The meeting, statement said, also condemned the recent attacks on the journalists and ban of local TV news networks. “The meeting was attended by the representatives of Greater Kashmir, Rising Kashmir, Kashmir Uzma, Srinagar Times, Aftab, Uqab, Nida-e-Mashriq, Chattan, Kashmir Images, Kashmir Monitor, Buland Kashmir and Kashmir Life,” the statement said.

Responding sharply to the undeclared ban on local media in Kashmir, Srinagar-based newspapers today expressed inability to publish the newspapers. Online editions of only a few newspapers are being updated but they hardly reach to the majority of population. Hence the people have no choice but to be contended with the “filtered” flow of information from Delhi based channels and newspapers. Press Guild of Kashmir, a noted representative body comprising prominent Srinagar newspapers held a crucial meeting of the editors here on Sunday. “It’s an undeclared ban. The government issues passes, which the police and other forces do not honor. Several newspaper journalists and other staffers have been beaten. The administration has broken its own promise which it had made in July when we suspended publications in protest,” said a PGK functionary adding that it was impossible to publish newspapers. The Journalists are aghast at the indifference exhibited by the government, which is supposed to be a “popularly elected one”. Even as the State Information department does not lose any moment to mount pressure on media to accommodate the press releases of Chief Minister and Ministers but it does not have courtesy to ask about the welfare of the staff of newspaper offices who are facing the wrath of government forces. On Sunday also the department had cheeks to call the newspaper offices to cover the press conference of Law Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar showing disrespect to the institution of Journalism, which is facing worst ever onslaught of government in past 20 years.“This is worse than what we saw in early 90’s when then Governor Jagmohan took on us” said a senior journalist. Kashmir Press Association too has expressed anguish over what it described an “unwritten ban” on local media outlets. “It is ironical to note that the government has adopted a discriminatory attitude and not only facilitated entry of Delhi based journalists but has put all help, assistance and full government hospitality at their disposal so as to ensure the coverage of the events, as it deems suitable. And on contrary scores of local journalists have been thrashed while discharging their professional duties,” said a KPA functionary. The recurrent ban on Kashmir press and discriminatory treatment meted out to the local journalists is being widely condemned by the Kashmir-based media bodies. Five representative bodies of media fraternity of Kashmir viz Kashmir Press Association, Press Guild of Kashmir, Kashmir Writers/editors Conference, Kashmir Journalists Corps, Kashmir Press Photographers Association and Kashmir Video Journalists Association had in July unanimously decided to suspend publications as long as the government continues with its restrictive attitude toward Kashmir press. This is for the third time in last three months that newspapers could not be published due to restrictions imposed by the government. The industry is facing huge losses and many publications had to lay off the staff. “We are at the brink of closure as the strikes called by separatists are continuing coupled with this war on Kashmir media by the government” said an editor of a local daily (Writer-South Asia)

PPP urges the civil society, leaders to register a complete boycott against All Party Delegation.

Sanjay Kashmiri

Srinagar, September 19: People’s Political Party ( PPP) , Hilal Ahmad War , before Press Conference At  his  Maisuma residence ,on September 19,2010. Kashmir is in the middle of one of the worst crisis since 1947 – a crisis that is humongous both in terms of its impact and the far reaching fallouts that it carries along. This fresh round of uprising against the Indian occupation has already consumed more than a hundred lives in just 100 days and the worst part is that the victims are being projected as perpetrators by the Indian State.  Through sheer might of its military, police, media and other wherewithal, government of India is crushing our legitimate movement and also trying to portray us as troublemakers who can’t rest in peace. India wants to continue with its oppressive policy   by arming its forces with “unimaginable” powers to kill anybody, anywhere, at any point of time just to make sure that this Intifada passes off as a matter of misgovernance and misgivings between Kashmiris rather than an independence movement.

The post-Eid persecution that the Kashmiris are facing is something that isn’t spontaneous but it is a sinister plot that was hatched before the auspicious day after the Indian agencies started seeing the writing on the wall. A couple of incidents of arson where blown out of proportion and given prominence in the media to overshadow a mega show of people’s sentiment for the independence on Eid. An abrupt war hysteria was created through the news channels and a vicious propaganda was unleashed against the peaceful Kashmiris to discredit our genuine struggle and just cause.

Any political & economic packages or other sorts of appeasements or nefarious plans implemented through K. C. Pant, Dulat, Jethmalani, Wajahat Habibullah, Advocate Ashok Bhan etc by Govt. of India are destined to meet a disgraceful failure. By buying loyalties using traitors and pseudo-freedom fighters for elections or dialogue will get India nowhere and neither will it help in creating peace in Kashmir. It is highly advisable for Dr. Manmohan Singh & other Indian leaders to accept the hardest realities of Kashmir problem & concede the right of self-determination to the people of J & K State, so that the South Asia gets guarded against the otherwise inevitable horrors of nuclear war.

In view of the aforesaid position and ground realities our party PPP has rightly and thoughtfully advocated a 3-point formula since 10th August , 1996 which if acted upon, shall save J & K State from armed turmoil & also ensure peace & prosperity in the subcontinent of India & Pakistan. People of J & K State shall never allow any person, political party or conglomerate to act as their political attorney in connection with the settlement of Kashmir dispute. The Kashmir problem is the question of life & death for the people of J & K State who alone can directly settle this problem through fair & impartial referendum. The role of India & Pakistan is the role of co-operation only but the role of adjudication is the prerogative & inherent right of the people of both sides of control line. Let Indian leaders learn a lesson from Algerian liberation war against France, American war of Independence from Britain, Indian war of Independence commanded by Subhash Chander Bose, Irish war of Independence from Britain etc. and bow before the aspirations of J & K people by conceding their right of self-determination before it is too late.

A slew of lies, fabrications and cooked stories has now been topped by a typical Chanakya policy of deceit and cunning formation of the All Party Delegation to visit Kashmir. May I ask the UPA Chairperson and the Prime Minister of India what purpose this delegation will serve in calming the tempers and bringing about peace except it being a time biding tactic and an attempt to co-opt a handful of people secretly by the use of money and other sops. We warn the Indian government that it should face the ground realities and understand no peace is possible unless the burning Kashmir issue is resolved. Kashmiris won’t settle for anything less than Azadi and the sooner India realizes it, the better it would be for all the parties involved i.e. India, Pakistan and the principal party Kashmir. We didn’t sacrifice a hundred thousand youth in the last twenty years, and many thousands before that, to go for a sell out or accept a solution within the Indian constitution that the Kashmiris have never accepted.

Can the All Party Delegation walk on the streets of Srinagar and talk to the youths? No. Can it reach out to the people? No. Because it knows if it does, the reality will dawn before the world once more. Kashmiris who have been taking to streets by tens of thousands continuously for more than three months now have an unshakable resolve to fight India within the jurisprudence of United Nations Charter for the legitimate right of Self-determination and get freedom.

It’s such a shame that these people are coming here to rub salt into our wounds by unleashing their forces on us on one hand and trying to sweet talk us into their trap on the other. This show of hypocrisy and subterfuge must end and it should occur to India that the only resolution to the crisis is giving Kashmiris their right to self-determination.

This visit of the delegation is nothing but another drama in the political theatre of Kashmir directed and produced by the Indian Home Department. No pro-freedom leader is going to meet them and they are seen as unwelcome guests by the Kashmiris. I request all the Kashmiris and our pro-freedom friends too to completely stay away from this deceitful exercise and not fall in the Indian snare. Let India come out with a concrete, honest and genuine initiative to resolve the issue, every Kashmiri would welcome it. We’ve nothing against India except that she has subjugated us and is unwilling to set us free. But India must know freedom is a birth right and nobody, however mighty, can snatch it. (Writer-South Asia)  

KWEC- condemns attack on Sheikh Gulzaar's residence on the Pampore

Shakil Ahmad Khan

Pampore, 14 September: JK Police/STF/CRPF later the evening ransacked the house of Writer-South Asia, editor Sheikh Gulzaar's residence on the Pampore by the CRPF/Police. The family accused the police of ransacked the our property and Van, from the house besides thrashing them and Sheikh Gulzaar seriously injured by troops.

Editor's Conference  strongly condemn the targeting of the journalists in Kashmir and said that while the state government is brining ‘embedded journalists’ from New Delhi to report what the government wants them to report, the local journalists who portray the actual picture of the current situation in Kashmir are being deliberately targeted.

The Kashmir writers/editors Conference strongly condemns the attack on the Pampore residence of the South Asia Stragic Affairs editor of  “Writer-South Asia” .

The Kashmir writers/editors Conference while condemning the attack has termed it as attack on the freedom of the press in the Kashmir which has been under attack from the armed forces since the present turmoil erupted in the Kashmir valley.

Residents of Namlabal and Kadalbal, Drangbal  Pampore on Tuesday accused CRPF men of barging into houses and beating up the inmates.Two  vehicles of Sheikh Ashraf, Sheikh Reyaz were completely damaged by the CRPF and near about 200 houses also ransacked by forces in Pampore area.

“CRPF men also barged into the house of late Hurriyat leader Shaheed-e-Azemat Sheikh Abdul Aziz and ransacked it. They also beat up the inmates and misbehaved with the women folk,” locals alleged.
(Writer-South Asia)

General Deepak Kapoor ambitious to author World War III : War

Srinagar, 28 Jan. : People’s Political Party ( PPP) , Chairman, Hilal Ahmad War welcomes the initiatives of two leading media groups of India and Pakistan –Times of India Group and Jang Group and their campaign under the banner of “Aman Ki Aasha “ ( Hope For Peace) to bring peace in this region . War said that the unresolved Kashmir Dispute is the stumbling block in the way of sustainable peace and stability in this region. Terming the resolution of Kashmir issue as key to peace in the region, and said that campaign of Aman Ki Aasha is bound to meet failure if the core issue of Kashmir is ignored. “ If the architects and authors of this peace campaign are sincere in their effort for peace and tranquillity they must declare that Kashmir is dispute and the real bone of contention between India and Pakistan , secondly they should appeal conscious political leaders, highly acclaimed impartial journalists, writers and peace lovers of India and also those who urge for peace in this region , to come forward and unmask the hawks and warmongers of India like Lt. General Deepak Kapoor, Indian Chief of Army Staff and diplomat –cum-debater , Mr. G.Parthasarthy  and declare them enemies of peace,” said War. For this purpose, Times Now, news channel launched by Times of India Group should be utilized as a medium for peace not hatred. If they cannot do that then they must shut their shop of PEACE.

Mr. War stated that recently Indian Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General, Deepak Kapoor stated that Indian troops are ready in case of war that too simultaneously on both fronts with Pakistan and China and end it successfully within 96 hours. General Kapoor also admitted the possibility of a marginal conventional conflict cannot be ruled out. And he further stated that any conventional war between two countries can at any time turn into a nuclear war. Major General Deepak Kapoor’s irresponsible statement gives a clear message that there is some invisible hand behind his statement and the message is an indicator of possible war. Some observers and analysts say that this invisible hand is United States of America and its satellite country Israel. For this purpose they want create an excuse and mastermind another Mumbai attack so that it will pave the way for attacking Pakistan and China simultaneously. The United States of America wants to play same role in China as was played by India in 1971 in detaching East-Pakistan. Therefore, it is presumed that General Deepak Kapoor is ambitious to author the World War III.  

God forbid, if war breaks it will engulf whole world and undoubtedly India will be a Big looser. India is well aware of the Pakistan’s missile programme which is more powerful than India and Pakistan has about 95 atomic bombs while as India has just 60-70. And in case of war both good and bad Taliban will certainly join Pakistan Army. Therefore, if war breaks out between two nuclear powers the Metropolitan cities of India like, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata will be wiped out within no time. In case China joins Pakistan, the Sino-Pak nexus will put India into surprise. This war will prove to be a waterloo for India. Therefore, let’s hope good sense prevails upon Govt. of India and its warmongers so that they understand the dynamics and consequences of this unfortunate war, and will explore other peaceful options to settle all outstanding issues including the core issue of Kashmir Nation. 

The one and half billion people of this region have every legitimate right to intervene as they are the real stakeholders of peace and to discourage warmongers like Lt. General Deepak Kapoor and G.Parthasarthy etc. and impress upon Govt. of India to give diplomacy a full chance to find out ways and means to settle Kashmir Dispute and combat the enemies of peace by exposing them.

In order to prevent the South-Asian Region from erupting to the prejudice and detriment of the global peace the long-standing Kashmir dispute urgently need to be solved amicably within the framework of fundamental Human Rights and justice to the concerned struggling people.  In this connection the PPP’s Roadmap containing 3 Point Formula advocated by our party since August 10, 1996 is the only tunnel to reach the goal and destination of peace and human-brother -hood which shall in turn ipso-facto close the doors and chances of Atomic War.(Writer-South Asia)

Glaucoma awareness low in Chennai, worst among Muslims: Study

By TCN News,

Chennai: Glaucoma is the second leading cause of preventable blindness in the world. According to one study conducted in Chennai Muslims awareness level about this disease is very low compared to other communities.

A study conducted by a team of Vision Research Foundation between June 2001 and May 2003 found that Hindus are four times more likely to be aware of glaucoma compared to Muslims.

There are over 65 million people in the world affected by glaucoma. Glaucoma refers to disorders that damage the optic never resulting in vision loss. Though preventable if diagnosed early, it causes irreversible blindness. Late diagnosis is due to lack of awareness about this disease in the population.

The study conducted through questionnaire of 1480 urban and rural residents of Chennai found that only 13% of the study participants were aware of glaucoma. Of those who have heard of the disease 68% could not describe the condition. Women and elderly have more awareness about glaucoma. Education level also affects the glaucoma awareness, study found.

Study concluded that of the entire population under study only 8.7% had knowledge about glaucoma. Only 0.5% can be categorized as having good knowledge about it, 4% had fair knowledge and 4.2% poor knowledge about this disease.

A similar study in 2001 of Urban Hyderabad residents found only 2.4% awareness about glaucoma. Awareness among Chennai urban residents is 13.3%. [Dandona R, Dandona L, John RK, McCarty CA, Rao GN. Awareness of eye diseases in an urban population in southern India. Bull World Health Organ 2001;79:96-102.]

The Chennai study was published in Sept-October 2009 issue of Indian Journal of Ophthalmology.

Study authors Ramesh Ve Sathyamangalam, Pradeep G Paul, George Ronnie, Mani Baskaran, Arvind Hemamalini, Madan Raj V, J Augustian, Raju Prema, and Lingam Vijaya of Glaucoma Project of Vision Research Foundation of Chennai called for urgent health education on glaucoma and initially targeting the population at risk. They suggested regular preventive eye care and setting up patient awareness groups.

Defining knowledge levels of glaucoma:

subject was considered to have good knowledge, if he/she was able to identify the risk factors for glaucoma such as increased IOP, family history, and steroid use and was further able to meaningfully describe the condition and identify therapies for glaucoma such as eye drops, laser peripheral iridectomy, surgery.

Fair knowledge was considered if at least two of the risk factors were identified and a description on at least one treatment option was correctly provided.

Subjects were considered to have poor knowledge, if they were unable to identify even a single risk factor or treatment option for glaucoma. (TCN News)

Youth denied passport for being kin of separatist leader Hilal Ahmad War

Srinagar, December 25: Successive state governments have often been accused of resorting to the pick-and-choose policy, especially in the militancy-scarred Kashmir region, when it comes to clearing people’s names for things like the issuance of passports or jobs. One victim of such policy, Ajaz Ahmad War says he is very much a victim of this official high handedness.

A resident of  Maisuma, a separatist bastion, Ajaz Ahmad War , by proffession working journalist , has lodged requests for a passport at all offices which matter, right from Chief Minister’s to that of CID bigwigs, and received words and letters of sympathy and assurance from everywhere. But he is yet to receive a passport as his police verification done by the CID remains pending. He had applied for a passport on February 27, 2008.

What has apparently gone against Ajaz is that one of his elder brothers, Hilal War, is a separatist leader, Chairman of People’s Political Party (PPP). The victim Ajaz Ahmad War further said holding political belief different from that of State is the birth right of every human being, if this is a sin committed by Paul. Then why should Peter be punished for the sins of Paul.

“It’s all about connections. They have given passports to all sorts of former militants and their kin. And all separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Yasin Malik, Mirwaiz, Shahid-ul-Islam etc.have passports. Why punish me then?,” he asks. He has a clean record and is not involved in any activity,and there is nothing adverse in CID record, he claims.

Police officials say they have kept an index of all militants, present and former, and separatist leaders and their Kith and kins used to be denied passports even if they were not themselves involved in such activities as a matter of precaution.

In fact, the issuance of passports and its renewal used to be seen as a yardstick of how dangerous somebody was perceived by the government. However, things have become liberal, as the police slowly but surely got better of militants. (Writer-South Asia)