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April 10, 2000
NEWSLINKS |
Kashmir's grounds make room for graveyards
There has been an alarming 70 per cent increase in the area under graveyards in Kashmir Valley during the past ten years of militancy, and people have to wait for at least four months before they get a tombstone made for a grave of any of their kin. ''Previously, 17 or 18 mohallas (localities) had one graveyard but now a graveyard has come up in every mohalla. Roughly every fifth or sixth family has had one casualty,'' says Bashir Malik, a senior official working in Srinagar Doordarshan. The total number of orphans during the ten years of militancy has totalled about 15,000 and that of widows 8,000. The number has been steadily increasing and threatens to cause a serious imbalance in male-female ratio in the coming years. ''We are already facing serious problems in finding good grooms for girls of marriageable age. Privately every parent puts the first question whether boy was or is a militant. It is a strict no no.'' Incidentally, Malik was the only person who agreed to go on record while at least 12 other officials of various departments spoke on condition of anonymity. There are only three tombstone makers in Srinagar city and they are in much demand. ''Previously we used to get orders for two or three tombstones a day but now there are orders for more than 40. We are overworked,'' a tombstone maker said, visibly pained at the increasing number of deaths taking place. Youths, in the age group of 15 to 30 years, account for about 80 per cent of the victims. An official of the department which maintains records of deaths and births admitted that they were not able to keep a record of all the deaths taking place in the Valley. ''It is very difficult to keep a record because many deaths go unreported and many bodies are exhumed unclaimed or unrecorded. Youths are the maximum casualties. One can imagine the situation after another ten or 15 years. A whole generation could be wiped out.'' He said the total number of deaths could be between 30,000 and 35,000 even though the government claims that about 25,000 people have been killed. The Hurriyat, a local politico-secessionist outfit, however says 60,000 people have been killed. The figure is nevertheless more than the number of casualties that has taken place in all the previous wars between India and Pakistan. Even girls have been killed. However, their number is very less. But the number of rapes is ''alarming'' even though no data of rapes was available as most of these were not reported. Threats and extortion have also been on the increase. Recently in Chadoora village of Badgam district three militants asked a local policeman who had taken part in this year's Republic Day parade, to either pay a ransom of Rs 300,000 or leave the job. However, the militants were nabbed by the villagers and handed over to the police. The villagers even brought their own camera and filmed them before a crew from Srinagar Doordarshan arrived. A lady doctor of a local hospital said women have been the worst affected during the past ten years of militancy. ''There are multiple pressures on women and they suffer mostly from psychological disorders.'' There have been allegations of human rights abuses against security forces as well. However officials say that any such complaint is taken very seriously and guilty are punished. The state government appointed a human rights commission in 1997 to look into such allegations. The commission is headed by a retired judge of the state high court, Justice G A Kuchai, and includes senior police and civil officials as members. The commission received 236 cases in 1998 which shot up to 470 in 1999. On an average three cases are reported almost every day. The complaints include custodial killings, torture, blasting of property etc. An inspector general of police is appointed for investigation. UNI |
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