Human Rights Violations In Kashmir

A region riddled by separatist insurgencies for almost 30 years, Kashmir finds itself to be the most militarized zone in the world. Above Iraq and Syria, the territory stations more than 600,000 soldiers, many of whom have been accused of decades of murder, torture, rape and other human right violations. With the government’s frequent violent crackdowns, the people of the Indian-administered Kashmir have found themselves under great scrutiny. Separatist leaders are warning that the government’s hard-line policies are radicalizing Kashmir’s youth.

In the heart of marketplaces, many peaceful demonstrations take place, with chants of freedom echoing the valley of Kashmir for hours. Driven by their motives for freedom from Indian occupation, the protesters fight to either rejoin Pakistan or to create their own independent, sovereign nation. In response, India has sent army trucks equipped with tear gas and pellet shotguns to disperse the crowds. The harsh climate that the Indian government has set in Indian controlled Kashmir has been boiling for decades, and it’s ramifications can be seen present through the multiple rebellion groups throughout the region. Many reports of policemen and soldiers torturing and raping women and children have left a bitter taste in the mouths of many young and educated Kashmiri’s, further galvanizing the radical support.  

Additionally, the recent death of an educated rebel commander, Burhan Wani, was met with over a hundred thousand people flooding the streets. His body covered with cloth and held high above the shoulders of the separatists, his legacy was met with overwhelming support for his cause. Much like Wani, martyrs have become the face of the war, further fueling a fire that is soon to erupt. No death goes unnoticed, with extra judicial killings, especially of women and children, seen as commonplace in the region. Moreover, there are reports of a valley village missing 8,000 people, all presumed to be buried in unmarked graves by the hands of the Indian soldiers. However, the most striking aspect is the law set in place to protect the very people that are committing human right infractions; No soldier can be prosecuted without the permission of the Indian government. The Armed Forces Special Power Act grants immunity to every soldier in the region, further incentivizing an iron-fist approach to their occupation.

A war that seems to have transcended time, India and Pakistan have been in conflict over the region since their partition in 1947. With no clear timeline of when the hostilities will end, the people of Kashmir can only turn to their mosques in search of answers of resolution and to find peace within their lifetime.

S.M. Murtasim Shah

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