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Human Rights Commission

urged to stop abuse

of Kashmiri women

ISLAMABAD: Attiya Inayatullah Tuesday called

upon Human Rights Commission to apply its legal and moral

pressure to stop "rape, sexual abuse and other forms of torture of women" in Indian occupied Kashmir.

She was addressing the 52nd session of the Commission on Human Rights at Geneva Tuesday, said a message received from Geneva.

She said it is imperative that prompt, impartial and exhaustive investigations into the facts, trial punishment of those found responsible must be guaranteed. Justice must be done to 46 years old Saja, wife of Ghulam Rasool Wani of Shekar Gah village who is no more with us. She was recently shot dead point blank by a BSF officer Jai Singh in her bid to protect her two daughters from assault. In police station Tral the Indian Security Force lodged an FIR that a hand grenade was recovered from her house,while in truth, on hearing of the incident, residents of the area came out on the streets raising slogans against the security Forces and demanded an immediate probe into the incident.

Indeed today after six years of unabated mass destruction, and inhuman genocide by India's state apparatus, the alienation from India of 12 million subjugated Kashmiris is complete.

Kashmir belongs to Kashmiris. Today before the Human Rights Commission we demand our fundamental human right of freedom. The late Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi was right when he said "Kashmiris have changed beyond recognition, they have lost fear, Kashmir is lost to us". And yet this truth is lost on Delhi's state apparatus.

At about this time in 1995 the 600 year old Charar Sharif was vandalized. About this incident an Asia Watch Report of May 9, 1995 said "India has been using rape as a war weapon, that weapon failed, the Charar Sharif shock therapy was invented." The collective loss of kashmir's most valuable symbol of cultural identity has added to India's ignominious list of burials of its secular claims. The people of Kashmir thank international and particularly India based Human Rights Organizations for their fearless reporting on the continuing indigenous freedom struggle of the people of Indian Held Kashmir since january 1990. Each day brings more confrontation, a few more dead and a lot more hatred. Kashmir is mutilated and humiliated but we will not be intimidated.

We have every expectation that the Human Rights Commission will not be seen as a silent spectator and it is called upon to take the following action:-

1. Women's concerns are for us all a priority, because when a mother is raped, beaten and killed, you do not turn and walk away. We urge the Human Rights Commission to apply its legal and moral pressure and call for a stop to rape, sexual abuse and other forms of torture of women by Indian Security Forces.

2. We request the Human Rights Commission to use its good offices through High Commissioner Lasso to urge India to put an end to Indian State Terrorism.

3. Further, invite the United Nations to take "appropriate action" as provided in the Genocide Convention of 1951 for the withdrawal of all draconian emergency regulations and stoppage of genocidal acts in Indian Held Kashmir.

4. Today the We call upon the Commission to condemn the human tragedy in India Held Kashmir and establish as mandated, a Rapporteur to investigate the situation and present a report. Further, mandate the Rapporteur to investigate extra-judicial custodial deaths such as that of Jalil Andrabi and all other such innocent victims. We invite all member states attending this 52nd session of the Human Rights Commission and human rights organizations to put their weight behind the deliverance of Kashmir. This support will carry with it the weight of the highest moral values of humanity. May God be with us in our endeavours. Ameen.-APP