Press Release for 10 April, 2018
On the occasion of the monthly sit-in on 10th April, Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) commemorates the struggle of Dilshada Sheikh, an active member of APDP, who passed away on 31 March, 2018.
Dilshada Sheikh who lived in Zakura, Srinagar, was the ‘half-widow’ of Bashir Ahmad Sheikh. Bashir Ahmad Sheikh was a daily wage laborer, who was subjected to enforced disappearance after being abducted by Border Security Force (BSF) of the Indian Army in Lal Chowk, Srinagar on the 16th of June, 1992.
Dilshada was an active member of APDP since 2010, who would regularly participate in the monthly sit-ins at Partap Park. Her dedication to the cause of enforced disappearances remained undeterred until her last breath. Even though her search for her husband remains unfulfilled, we the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), pledge to carry on with her unresolved search for her husband on her behalf.
In its fight against the enforced disappearance, APDP demands whereabouts of all those people who were abducted by the state forces or state backed militia. The practice of enforced disappearance has not stopped.
Last year, on 31 August 2017, Manzoor Ahmed a resident of Devar, Kupwara was abducted by the Indian Army belonging to the 27 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) units, stationed at Trimukh top in Kupwara and the state has not yet been able return Manzoor to his dear one. APDP again reiterates its demand that all those who were disappeared should be returned to their families. On April 10th the APDP organised a sit-in protest, remembering our disappeared, to find their whereabouts and seek justice for them and their families.
APDP on this day reiterates its demand for setting up an independent judicial commission for investigating into the cases of Enforced Disappearances and of ratifying the International Convention of Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances and the Convention against Torture.
APDP condemns the use of violence against the Kashmiris who demand their political rights and presses upon the world community to take note of these rights violation of the Kashmiris by the Indian state.
Since 2016, the state has been using pellet guns on the civilian population blinding—partially or fully—more than 1200 civilians. Last week, the state forces, continuing to use brutal violence on the peaceful protestors killed 4 civilians, injuring hundreds. The use of the pellet guns on the civilian population continues; at least 40 people have serious injuries in the eyes after pellet guns were used in Shopian and other parts of Southern Kashmir last week.
APDP condemns the use of violence by the Indian state on Kashmiri population.
APDP Chairperson