MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): A protest rally was held in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday against the Kunan Poshpora tragedy.
The event was organized by the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir chapter.
According to Kashmir Media Service, besides Hurriyat leaders Mushtaq-ul-Islam and Abdul Majeed Mir, Spokesperson of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister, Javed Shaukat, various political and social figures, civil society representatives, and students in large numbers attended the rally.
The participants of the rally were holding placards and banners in their hands, demanding justice for the victims of the Kunan Poshpora tragedy, accountability for war crimes, and respect for human rights.
Kunan Poshpora tragedy
The protesters strongly condemned the tragic incident that took place on the night of February 23, 1991, calling it a blatant violation of human dignity and international principles of human rights.
The speakers in their addresses said the Kunan Poshpora incident is not just an incident but a tragedy that has left deep impressions on the collective memory of Kashmiri society and the lack of justice for the affected families despite the passage of 35 years is a question mark for the international conscience.
They said delay in justice is actually tantamount to denial of justice. They expressed concern over the increasing incidents of human rights violations, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and restrictions on civil liberties in occupied Jammu and Kashmir and termed them as contrary to international human rights principles.
The speakers said the protection of human dignity and fundamental rights is the shared responsibility of the international community, which should be fulfilled above political interests.
They demanded a transparent, impartial and international standard investigation into all such incidents, including the Kunan Poshpora incident, so that the perpetrators can be brought to justice.
They demanded of the international human rights institutions, relevant United Nations forums, and international human rights organizations to take serious note of the situation and ensure a fact-based monitoring system.
