Under the Indian State’s militarization of Kashmir among other brutalities, enforced disappearances have been used as a tool to suppress the people and their voices. Nevertheless, APDP has been resisting this suppression for years now and has raised the issue of the enforced disappearances with the world community. 

On 10th of every month, the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) stages a silent sit-in protest in Srinagar against Enforced Disappearances in Jammu and Kashmir. As part of its programme, APDP is holding a sit in protest on 10th October 2017, at Partab Park, Srinagar.

In a situation where India has not ratified the International Convention For Protection of all Persons From Enforced Disappearances and the vagueness of India’s Domestic Law that does not enumerate Enforced Disappearance as an offence, the challenges in pursuing legal struggle is insurmountable. There is an official state policy that ensures impunity to Indian Armed Forces and promotes silencing of the past.

We reiterate our demand for ratification of International Convention for Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances. The ratification will help to bring out the special nature and circumstances in which such crimes are perpetrated and will make more evident the multiple rights that are violated as a result of an enforced disappearance. We also demand that law on enforced disappearance be passed by the Jammu and Kashmir legislature so that the vagueness and ambiguity in the Indian domestic penal provisions can be overcome.

In the recent past, the practice of involuntary disappearance has resurfaced in Kashmir. The latest case being one of Manzoor Ahmed Khan, resident of Devar, Lolab, Kupwara; he was, according to the family, abducted by the by the 27 –RR of Indian Army on 31 August, 2017 and has not returned home since. APDP condemns the abduction and enforced disappearance and demands that an independent investigation be held on this and Manzoor to be returned immediately to his family.   

APDP also condemns the recent incidents of braid chopping and blames the state for showing immense negligence in stopping the incidents.

The braid chopping is an attack on the freedom of women in Kashmir and violates the religious sentiments of the people.

There is a confusion and chaos in the society due to braid chopping, and, the state instead of nabbing the culprits is not doing anything. If the state can stop anti-state and other things so easily and so quickly, why is it not doing anything to stop braid chopping incidents? APDP asks.

APDP condemns the state’s incapability or deliberate incapability in stopping the braid chopping incidents.

APDP also condemns the recurrent mobile internet bans imposed by the state. It is, besides being the attack on and violation of the right to freedom of expression of the people, a tactic to keep people’s dissent under check. APDP demands and urges the world community to pressurize the state to stop banning mobile internet services in Kashmir.

 

Parveena Ahanger

(Chairperson) APDP, Hyderpora, Srinagar

ENDS HERE

********************************************