UN concerned over HR abuse in Kashmir

“The Working Group remains concerned about allegations of a widespread practice of enforced disappearances between 1989 and 2009 and the existence of mass graves,” read the group’s annual report issued on February 6, 2012.

“According to the Declaration, the Government is under obligation to investigate those allegations and bring to justice those responsible,” the report added.

The Working group also noted that between 1989 and 2009, the actions of military and paramilitary forces in Indian-administered Kashmir led to more than 8,000 enforced and involuntary disappearances.

“It was reported that in the majority of instances related to enforced disappearances, civilians have been detained during cordon and search operations. In certain instances, non-combatant persons were extra-judicially executed following detention, and labeled afterwards by the Government of India, and the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir as militants who emigrated to Azad Kashmir in Pakistan to seek arms training.”

The report added that the government of India did not respond to general allegation forwarded to it in February 2011.

Referring to the existence of about 2,700 unmarked graves in 55 villages of northwest of Srinagar, the group noted that, “The remains of the person should be clearly and indisputably identified, including through DNA analysis securing the full participation of the family and without fully informing the general public of such measures.”

Human rights groups have repeatedly accused India of human rights violations in Kashmir but so far, India has not come up with any firm investigation.

“India would be reviewed in the United Nations. There is the Universal Periodic Review of India happening this year. This report by the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances would also form the opinion of the member states regarding what India has been doing on the human rights situation,” Khurram Parvez of the International Human Rights Tribunal told Press TV.

The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances annual report will be presented during the 96th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which will be held in Geneva from March 12 to 16, 2012.

TNP/JR

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