After every civilian killing in the Valley, J&K Government orders a “time-bound” probe to bring culprits to the book, but the announcements have never translated into action with hundreds of magisterial inquiries announced in the past yet to see light of the day, explains Neyaz Elahi
|| NEYAZ ELAHI
BUREAU CHIEF CENTRAL KASHMIR:
The incomplete and abandoned probes into killing of civilians by security forces are taking toll on the victims’ families in strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir. People have now started to believe that such probes are being ordered only to “quell the public anger”. “How can a perpetrator of human rights violations investigate his own crimes and penalize his own men. The fact is that these probes always provide clean chit to abusers and instead put blame back on those killed,” asserts Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik. Human Rights defenders argue that probes into civilian killings have always been a “sham”.
“From last six decades justice is being denied to sufferers and every attempt is made by agencies to hamper criminal justice system by its overt and covert operations,” said a renowned human rights defender. Though after every civilian killing a probe is being ordered, till date, neither the outcome of these probes have been made public nor have been culprits punished, a development that has killed the trust of people in democratic institution. Human rights watchers and people have been raising questions about the outcome of the probe like Sopore massacre (6 Januray 1993), Gawkadal massacre (21 January 1990), S alva v illage m assacre ( 21 January 2002), Handwara massacre (25 January 1990), Kupwara massacre (27 January 1994), Kunanposhpora mass rape, (February 23/24 1991), Zakoora and Tengapora Bypass massacre (1 March 1990), Sheeshnag Anantnag massacre (21 July 2001) and Hangal Bachh Kulgam massacre (July 30, 1993). While the list of the massacres and human right abuses has grown over the years, not a single culprit has been brought o book except for some exceptions. Jammu and Kashmir government recently ordered a magisterial inquiry into killing of five civilians by security forces in Kupwara district, the outcome of two similar probes ordered earlier this year into civilian killings elsewhere in Kashmir is yet to be made public.
Despite hue and cry raised by some legislators in the Assembly demanding a statement from the government on the outcome of the Handwara killings, the government has maintained silence. Even the Speaker of the House who had at the beginning of the session in the first week of June ordered the Government to table the report in the House, he too has retracted from his directions. Retired Justice Moti Lal Koul who indicted CRPF personnel for killing few innocent civilians in Gagrin Shopian asserts that his job was to unearth the truth. “I can’t force government to punish the culprits but at the same time it is heartbreaking that my recommendations were not implemented with regard to Shopian killings,” Justice Koul said. Commenting on the situation another human rights defender said those who believe in probes are “living in the fool’s paradise”.
“Leave aside the probes that were ordered recently, if you will peep into history you will find that some probes dating back to 1963 were also given a silent burial when Jawaharlal Nehru sent his intelligence chief, BN Mullick, to Kashmir to probe the theft of holy relic from Hazratbal shrine. The relic was recovered and identified, but the culprits were never brought to justice,” he said. In 1975, a Peoples League activist, GN Bulla, was killed in police custody sparking violent protests. The probe was ordered but its outcome was never made to public” According to the data from Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), the incumbent government has ordered eight probes after it assumed the office early this year. The findings of these probes are awaited. “Till date successive governments have ordered more than 450 magisterial probes and investigations into civilian killings in Kashmir. “These probes are a farce and are only announced to pacify public anger and not to provide justice,” the organization asserted.
(The author is a senior journalist and can be reached at neyazelahi@ gmail.com)
