SRINAGAR (Kashmir English): The civil society members have shed light on the anguish of thousands of mothers in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) who await the return of their sons and husbands missing in the custody of Indian forces since 1989.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the civil society members including Dr Zubair Ahmed Raja, Muhammad Farhan, Muhammad Iqbal Shaheen and Syed Haider Hussain, in a meeting in Srinagar on the occasion of, International Day of Families and International Mother’s Day, emphasized the ordeal faced by those detained in various jails, yearning for the safe return of their sons.
They highlighted the resilience of Kashmiri women against Indian atrocities, with particular emphasis on the oppression and torture, house raids, arrests and state terrorism by the Indian forces in the occupied territory.
The members reiterated that Kashmiri women are among the worst affected by Indian state terrorism, having witnessed their loved ones targeted by Indian bullets and their dearer in jails, adding that several Kashmiri mothers are languishing in jails on fake cases under black laws.
They condemned India’s use of oppression against women as a tool of war, citing numerous examples of humiliation and violence perpetrated by Indian forces in the disputed territory.
They also brought attention to the plight of Kashmiri women who have lost husbands, sons, and brothers to Indian aggression, with many still enduring imprisonments for demanding their right to self-determination.
Hardships faced by Kashmiri mothers
They appealed to the world community, urging the United Nations and other women’s rights organizations to address the hardships faced by Kashmiri mothers.
Shockingly, December 1994 saw 33 extrajudicial killings, including 16 innocent civilians and one government employee.
The daily horrors faced by Kashmiris are exemplified by a surge in custodial killings, arbitrary arrests, and the humiliation and torture of government employees.
The members also denounced the special legal provisions of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), and called to be repealed due to its role in hindering accountability for human rights violations in occupied Kashmir and discussed how the Indian government has intensified its crackdown on Kashmiris without judicial review.
The India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA), and Sate Investigation Agency (SIA) has been wielded as a weapon to target Kashmiris and orchestrate a web of false charges/ perpetrate collective punishment.
Such campaigns perpetuate an atmosphere of fear and injustice, silencing those who dare to advocate for self-determination, human rights, and justice.
The NIA has been systematically suppressing dissent, branding legitimate expressions of apprehension as acts of sedition or terrorism in which families and women facing harassment and injustice on their hands under black laws in the territory, the civil society added.
