Kashmiris remember their missing kin on International Day of the Disappeared

Dozens of Kashmiris staged a silent protest here on Thursday on the occasion of International Day of the Disappeared, demanding investigation into the disappearances of their loved ones.

Srinagar, Aug 30 : Dozens of Kashmiris staged a silent protest here on Thursday on the occasion of 'International Day of the Disappeared', demanding investigation into the disappearances of their loved ones.

The parents of the missing persons gathered in the Sher-e-Kashmir Park under the aegis of 'The Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons' (APDP), to put forth their demand of investigation into the alarming rise in the cases of missing.

They alleged that despite assurances from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, more people have been falling prey to fake encounters by the security forces.

The association, with the help of some self-help groups, has now filed cases of their missing kin in the United Nations where they have a special repertoire which looks after such disappearances world over.

"Fortunately, we have this special repertoire in United Nations, which is looking after disappearances, enforced disappearances over the world. And now, we have this draft convention and we are struggling to ask the Government of India to rectify it and make it a law. Once it becomes a law in this country, we will have lot of relief," said Bashir Ahmed, a Social Activist.

According to APDP, an independent group representing parents of missing people in Kashmir, around 7,000 people have disappeared since 1989, after being arrested by security forces.

"We have collected data from the families, from local people, from independent eye-witness accounts. For us, in our own database, it is more than 7,000 that we know people who have remained disappeared over the last 17 years. The actual number, I personally feel, is perhaps lot more," said Tapan Bose, a human rights activist.

Grieving parents demanded fair investigations into the disappearances, and insisted the authorities should at least hand over the bodies of their dear ones if they are dead.

"We have no means and resources to search for our children. Where should we go? We have tried looking for them in every jail in the country to locate our loved ones but to no avail," said Parveen Jaan, mother of a missing person.

"Till the time we get some concrete information on the whereabouts of our people, we will continue our fight against the system. We have asked them (authorities) so many times to set up a commission to look into it or at least give us the bodies if they are dead. But they do not take any notice of it," she added.

ANI