Video appears to show Kashmir detainee abuse : Amnesty International

London, 14 September: Amnesty International has urged Indian authorities to carry out an effective investigation into a video clip that appears to show detainees in Kashmir being stripped and humiliated by security forces.

The three-minute clip, described on social networking sites as "Kashmir’s Abu Ghraib video", apparently shows Jammu and Kashmir police and Central Reserve Police Force personnel herding at least four naked young men to a nearby police station.

"This behaviour is in clear violation of the universal and absolute right to freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment," said Donna Guest, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific programme.

The video, apparently recorded by one of the security personnel, has since been removed from social networking sites, including Facebook and YouTube, after the Jammu and Kashmir police reportedly began legal action against the publishers of what it termed a “baseless and malicious clip”.

It is unclear when the clip was recorded, although it was reportedly taken in the north-western town of Sopore.The recorded conversation in Hindi-Urdu suggests that the security force personnel suspected the young men of being involved in throwing stones at the security forces, and that they had been caught after a long chase.

Amnesty International has consistently received reports of torture and other ill-treatment of detainees in various police stations and interrogation centres in Jammu and Kashmir. Such accounts have often included men being stripped naked and humiliated by security force personnel.

The Indian Parliament is currently debating new legislation criminalising torture and the Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram has said the video will be investigated.

However, a statement by Jammu and Kashmir Police to local media indicated that a formal case had been registered against the clip's distributors.

“The approach of the local police raises serious concerns. Instead of investigating and identifying the perpetrators of the humiliating treatment, the police appear to be more concerned about who uploaded and circulated the video clip," said Donna Guest.

"The Indian and Jammu and Kashmir authorities must ensure that the content of the clip is subjected to an independent, impartial and effective investigation. Any officials who are suspected of offences involving human rights violations should be prosecuted in fair trials. (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)

Joint Statement of Indian Muslim leaders

Joint Statement of Indian Muslim leaders
on the attacks and burning of Christian properties

New Delhi, 14 September: "We disapprove disrespect to any religion or desecration of any sacred scripture or vilification of any religious personality or attack on any religious place, anywhere in the world, and consider it a despicable and uncivilized act. Islam specifically prohibits such acts and behaviour. Therefore, whatever the provocation, we strongly condemn the attacks on Christian properties and institutions in some places in Kashmir and in Maler Kotla in the Indian state of Punjab. We urge the authorities concerned to take stern legal action against the culprits.

We also appeal to our Muslim brethren in India, in particular, and elsewhere, in general, to show restraint in such situations and limit their disapproval and protest against such incidents to peaceful demonstrations, press statements and memoranda to the authorities concerned." (Writer-South Asia)

Indian troops kill 19 civilians in Kashmir

Srinagar, September 14 In Jammu and  Kashmir, Indian paramilitary personnel killed at least 19 civilians and injured over 200 others when hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in several parts of the held valley, demanding of India to vacate the territory without any further delay. Those killed included three teenaged boys, a woman and district president of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front-R.

The killings took place in Bandipore, Tangmarg, Cherare Sherief, Budgam, Pampore, Sopore and Islamabad on Monday. Another youth who was injured on September 6 in the firing of police personnel succumbed to injuries in a Srinagar hospital on September 12.

With fresh killings the death toll of protesters in the ongoing uprising mounted to 96 since June 11.

On the other hand, Indian troops during crackdown operations martyred three innocent civilians at Lashkoot in Bandipore.

Meanwhile, an indefinite curfew was imposed in Poonch town while protest demonstrations were also held in Jammu, Doda, Ramban, Banihal, Batote, Kastigar and Mandi areas.

The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has demanded of India to stop killings of innocent Kashmiris and take solid steps for resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with Kashmiris’ aspirations.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement issued in Srinagar said that the people of occupied Kashmir were demanding their birthright to self-determination but the Indian troops and police personnel were showering bullets and teargas shells on peaceful demonstrators.

He said that the massive anti-India demonstrations by the people of the occupied territory was a referendum against India. He said that the Indian government was hoodwinking Indian people regarding the Kashmir situation and they were not being apprised of the real situation.

The APHC Chairman said that the Indian government was giving the impression that the Kashmir dispute was a non-issue and Pakistan was involved in the deteriorating situation of occupied Kashmir. He said Kashmiris from 10 years to 70 years of age were demanding for their right guaranteed by the United Nations.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq urged India to give up its rigid stance on Kashmir, realise the ground reality and settle the Kashmir dispute through meaningful tripartite talks including Pakistan, India and the real leadership of Kashmiri people.

He also appealed the international human rights organisations to put pressure on India to stop continued killings of innocent Kashmiris and amicably resolve the dispute so that permanent peace could be established in South Asia.(Writer-South Asia)