Demilitarization for a day

Short-lived demilitarization joy in Langate Greater Kashmir Sept 20, 2009 UMER MAQBOOL DAR Langate, Sept 19: When Ghulam Hassan Wani walked in his orchards Saturday morning, he felt as if he walked on moon. He could not hide his emotions and kissed the soil in elation. Army’s 30-Rashtriya Rifles Friday removed their camp from the orchards of Deedarpora village spread over 79 Kanals, including Wani’s, after occupying them for three and a half years. But the joy of the villagers, comprising a reasonable number of Sikh families too, proved short-lived. “We have heard that a new company is taking over within days. But we would not allow them to take our lands at any cost,” locals said. DIG north Kashmir, AQ Manhas, confirmed what the villagers feared. “No camp has been removed. This is routine matter, one company leaves, other comes,” he told Greater Kashmir. “Army has vandalized our orchards. The soldiers have chopped off the trees for firewood and ruined the land by digging trenches for construction of bunkers and underground cells. Our survival depends on this land, we won’t allow them to re-occupy our orchards,” said the villagers in unison. The residents have decided to launch an agitation if troops again occupy their lands.

The Occupation, in numbers

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'Troops occupy 10.40 lakh kanals in JK'

8.55 Lakh Kanals Held Illegally: Government Greater Kashmir August 25, 2009 ARIF SHAFI WANI/MUDDASIR ALI Srinagar, Aug 24: The Government on Monday revealed that different security agencies have occupied 10,54,721 kanals of land in Jammu and Kashmir. It includes 8,55,407 kanals under illegal occupation and 1,99,314 kanals occupied by the agencies on the basis of lease, licenses and acquisitions under the provision of Land Acquisition Act, government informed the Legislative Assembly. Kashmir Valley tops the list with 5,33455.78 kanals illegally occupied by the security agencies including Army, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Force and Border Security Force, followed by Jammu with 3,21951.4 kanals of land under occupation. Out of 5,33455.78 kanals in Kashmir region, 26,3376 kanals are under illegal occupation in Leh while 13,3804 kanals are in Nobra. In response to a question by National Conference legislator, Rafi Ahmad Mir, the government in a written reply said 8,55407 kanals of land were under occupation in 80 tehsils of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh. In Kashmir, the Budgam has 20,959.18 kanals of land under occupation followed by Uri and north and south tehsils in Srinagar respectively with 15,602.12 kanals, 15,364 kanals and 12,949 kanals of land. The security agencies have occupied 12935.17 kanals of land in Karnah, 7415.05 kanals in Pulwama, 5563.01 kanals in Kupwara, 5368.14 kanals in Handwara, 4248.12 kanals in Shangus, 3636.14 kanals in Awantipora, 3624 kanals in Khaltsi, 2816.15 kanals in Lar, 2751.18 kanals in Islamabad, 2555.13 kanals in Kargil, 1665.02 kanals in Bandipore, 1250.08 kanals in Sonawari, 1487.08 in Varmul, 1213.13 in Sopur, 1433.10 in Kangan, 1647.12 in Pampore, besides several hundred kanals of land under occupation in different tehsils. In Jammu region 56862.11 kanals of land have been occupied in Mendhar, 56144.11 kanals in Jammu, 32397.18 kanals in Udhampur, 31525.06 kanals in Samba, 14864.10 kanals in Hiranagar, 13311 kanals in Haveli, 11278.11 kanals in RS Pora, 9958 kanals in Kathua, 7866.06 kanals in Baderwah, 3335 kanals in Reasi, 2194.05 kanals in Mahore, 2569.03 kanals in Bishnah, 2272.16 kanals in Doda, 1002.05 kanals in Bani. In mnay other tehsils of Jammu the measurement of land under occupation runs in hundreds of kanals. Replying to another question, government said 1,99314 kanals of land had been occupied by the security agencies on the basis of lease, licences and acquisitions under the provision of Land Acquistion Act, which includes, 36,397.24 kanals of land in Kashmir and rest in Jammu. Under the category, in Kashmir division, Budgam tops the list with 16,698 kanals of land acquired under land acquisition act by the Army, BSF, CRPF and Beacon besides 1048 kanals and 1000.09 kanals of land by the army in Pulwama and Pampore. In northern tehsil of Srinagar, Varmul and Leh 10,656 kanals and 31629.19 kanals and 1508 kanals of land have been respectively leased out to Army and BSF. In addition hundreds of kanals of land have been either leased out or acquired by the security agencies. In Mendhar tehsil of Jammu, army has unauthorizedly occupied 49825.08 kanals of land and out of 32375.05 kanals of land under them, army and BSF have occupied 875.09 kanals and 1483.08 kanals of land respectively. Out of 19370.14 kanals of land under its custody in Akhnoor, Army and BSF have unauthorized occupation over 7620 kanals and 4895 kanals of land. In Samba, Hiranagar, Kathua and Bhaderwah, the government has leased out 16988.10 kanals, 15599.14 kanals, 5283.07 kanals and 7684 kanals of land to security agencies. In Haveli Tehsil of Poonch, the government had accorded sanction for transfer of 69 kanals of land to the Army however it has unauthorizedly occupied 1984 kanals. Responding to a question the government said the land acquired under the Land Acquisition Act becomes the property of the party which had acquired it. “The question of restoration of land to the rightful owners or proprietors doesn’t arise. The land under lease continues with the lessee till the expiry of the lease, after which it can be extended or the land resumed.” From last year, the government said the land requisitioned under the Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property Act, rental compensation is being released to the land owners under revised rates. “And in case of agricultural land, the compensation is paid on a six monthly basis or on release of the land, whichever is earlier,” the government claimed. The government said the requisition for the land and request for the acquisition of requisitioned land received from government of India departments and organisations, army were processed in terms of provisions of the Requisitions and Acquisitions of Immovable Property Act.

Shopian rape and murder - NYT finally reports Kashmir abuses

2 Killings Stoke Kashmiri Rage at Indian Force

By LYDIA POLGREEN

Published: August 15, 2009

SHOPIAN, Kashmir — On a sunny late spring afternoon, Asiya and Nilofar Jan left home to tend to their family’s apple orchard. Along the way they passed a gantlet of police camps wreathed in razor wire as they crossed the bridge over the ankle-deep Rambi River.

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Candace Feit

Nilofar Jan’s husband, Shakeel Ahmad Ahanger, left, with Nilofar’s father. Nilofar and Asiya Jan vanished on May 29. More Photos »

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Violence in Kashmir

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Candace Feit

A sister of Nilofar Jan, with Nilofar’s son, Suzain. Nilofar and her sister-in-law Asiya Jan were found dead this spring. More Photos >

Little more than 12 hours later their battered bodies were found in the stream. Asiya, a 17-year-old high school student, had been badly beaten. Blood streamed from her nose and a sharp gash in her forehead. She and her 22-year-old sister-in-law, Nilofar, had been gang raped before their deaths.

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Ikhwani camp shifted after 16 yrs

GK NEWS NETWORK August 24, 2009 Srinagar, Aug 23: The Ikhwani (pro-government gunmen) camp located near the Sadr police station on Nai Basti Road in the south Kashmir town of Islamabad has been vacated after 16 years following court orders. Established in early nineties with the eruption of militancy, a migrant house had been occupied by the pro-government gunmen for use at their camp. During the past 16 years, locals said, the camp was used as a Joint Interrogation Centre where civilians were subjected torture and, in several cases, even done to death. The camp was under the occupation of the pro-government gunmen, who were subsequently merged into the Territorial Army, but continued to operate from it. Locals said the Nai Basti camp was one of the three camps the pro-government gunmen had in the town. Another camp is located near the Khanabal bridge while the one in the Heewan Cinema houses the headquarters of the pro-government gunmen. Pertinently, Islamabad town was the bastion of Ikhtwanis (pro-government gunmen) after they started their activities in 1993. “During their heyday, hundreds of civilians were brought to the camps and subjected to physical and mental torture and even killed. For several years, they virtually ruled the area,” a resident, pleading anonymity, told Greater Kashmir. He said death warrants were also issued from the camp. However, a petition had been filed before the district and sessions judge, Sheikh Altaf, and following the court orders the camp has been shifted to army headquarters’ high ground where the pro-government gunmen will operate now.

Remembering Zakura, Tengpura massacres, 19 years later

will the history books someday record these alongside the Jallianwallah Bagh massacre? will they also record that the people who fought for their freedom from the British then turned around and denied that freedom to others?

Zakura, Tengpora carnages haunt survivors

Greater Kashmir March 1, 2009
1 March 1990, When Troopers Massacred 51 Unarmed Protesters

FAHEEM ASLAM

Srinagar, Feb 28: Memories of the carnages carried out by Army at Zakoora Crossing and Tengpora in the city outskirts 19 years ago are still fresh in the minds of the eyewitnesses and survivors of the tragedy. Fifty-one unarmed civilians were killed and dozens more injured when the Army soldiers fired indiscriminately on them on March 1, 1990.
It was the time when the entire Valley was demanding freedom from India and protesting against the atrocities of Jagmohan regime, that a procession of over 1500 protesters headed towards the Srinagar office of the United Nations to submit a memorandum seeking freedom from India.
Eyewitnesses, most of them shopkeepers at the crossing, said the protesters, clad in shrouds, were immersed in the din of Azadi (Freedom) slogans when a convoy of five Army vehicles led by three Junior Commissioned Officers was returning from Sonamarg to Srinagar but found the road blocked near the crossing.
They said three policemen, guarding the crossing, asked the soldiers to wait till the protesters pass. This led to a heated argument between the policemen and soldiers, they added.
“An Army official told the cops ‘give way or we’ll shoot you’,” the shopkeepers said. “Within minutes, the convoy turned towards the demonstration and the soldiers opened fire from three machine guns fitted over the vehicles.”
A survivor of the massacre, Muhammad Iqbal (name changed) of Zakoora, said 11 people died on the spot, and many more succumbed to their injuries on way to the SK Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura.
Iqbal said 26 civilians were killed and some 50 more injured in the incident, which is today remembered as the Zakoora massacre.
“The mayhem lasted for three hours. None from the civil administration came to the rescue of people,” he added.
Only the locals rushed there ferrying the injured to hospitals, said Ali Muhammad Mir, one of the eyewitnesses, insisting that the protesters had no clash or argument with the Army. “The firing was simply unprovoked,” he recounted.
Until recently, Mir said a 50-year-old survivor of the carnage, a deaf would often visit the tragic place as his son was one among the killed protesters. “But for the past two years, he too didn’t turn up,” Mir added.

Militant's brother tortured, killed by 51 RR

Greater Kashmir Feb 4, 2009

Militant’s brother killed in ‘custody’

AZIM JAN

Bandipore, Feb 3: Residents of Dewan in this north Kashmir district on Tuesday alleged that troopers of 51 Rashtriya Rifles killed a brother of a militant in custody last week.
Locals pleading anonymity told Greater Kashmir that Waleed Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Rasool crossed over to other side for arms training eight years back and didn’t return. They said during all these years troopers have been repeatedly torturing his family members on one or other pretext.
They said that recently 51-RR replaced the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry personnel, camping at a hilltop on Bandipore-Gurez Road. “The new unit after receiving information about Waleed, picked up his father Ghulam Rasool Bhat and his brother Ali Muhammad Bhat, 20, on January 29 for questioning,” they added.
The troopers released Ghulam Rasool Bhat after subjecting him to third degree torture on January 30, but detained his son.
Locals said the troopers handed over the body of Ali Muhammad to the family on January 31 and threatened them of dire consequences, if they disclosed the killing to anyone.
The family later buried the body in a local graveyard. “The troopers threatened the villagers not to register a case with police,” they added.
When contacted, the Superintendent of Police Bandipore, Sheikh Junaid, feigned ignorance about the matter. “Nobody has filed any complaint in this regard. If any such incident has happened police will look into it,” he added.

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State terror as usual: Troops shoot youth; protestors booked under Public Safety Act

Greater Kashmir Feb 3, 2009

Troops kill youth in Kupwara

Police Registers Murder Case

SHAHID RAFIQ

Srinagar, Feb 2: Troops shot dead a youth in Kupwara district of North Kashmir yesterday. Fayaz Ahmad Mir (28), a resident of Zab village of Khurhama, was shot by the troops when he came out of his house to ease himself last night.
Sources said Mir, who had received three bullet injuries, was rushed to nearby hospital from where he was referred to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, here, where he succumbed to his injuries late last night.
As soon as his body reached his residence this morning, thousands of people took to streets and staged a demonstration to protest the incident, the sources said.
Shouting slogans against the Army, protestors blocked the main road, demanding an inquiry into the incident and punishment to the erring personnel, the sources added.
Senior police and civil officers rushed to the scene and assured them that the incident would be looked into and those found involved would be brought to the book. The situation in the village was tense and senior officers were still camping in the area to maintain law and order.
However, an army spokesman denied the allegations of the locals and said the youth was killed when militants opened fire on an ambush party of security forces.
“Army has laid an ambush in the village when militants opened fire on the troops from a nearby hillock,” the spokesman said.
“It was the militant firing which left the youth dead,” the spokesman said.
However, the locals did not buy the Army version and said the troops killed the youth without any provocation.
“Fayaz was hit from a point blank range. We saw troops sitting on the same spot where Fayaz was hit by bullets. Three bullets had pierced his arms and chest,” Fayaz’s close relatives said.
Fayaz’s wife Tahira said in a broken voice, “My husband was innocent and has been killed in cold blood. I want the troopers to be punished.”
Police has registered a case FIR no. 03/09 under section 302 RPC.
When contacted, SP kupwara Uttam Chand told GK, “On the basis of the version of deceased’s father we have registered a case and the killing will be probed by a DSP rank police officer.”

Srinagar protester booked under PSA

MUHAMMAD YOUSUF

Srinagar, Feb 2: A day after SSP Srinagar warned the Srinagar youth of strong action against those who hold anti-Government protests in old city, the Government today booked a youth of Nowhatta for being ‘in contact with’ a dead militant under the draconian public safety act.
In the grounds of detention the Government said Ashiq Hussain Rangraiz, 24, son of Bashir Ahmad Rangraiz of Jamia Masjid has remained close associate of Noor Hussain, a slain militant of Harkat-e-Jehadi Islami. However the family ridicules the charge and says he was booked for lodging protest on Fridays.
The dossier prepared by the deputy commissioner Varmul, Baseer Ahmad Khan, says that Ashiq Hussain was close associate of Noor Hussain before the latter was killed. It says that Ashiq Hussain was providing information and transportation to the militants.
The family members say that he was arrested by the police in civvies on January 15. However, they said the Nowhatta police didn’t register their report about his arrest on the same day. Instead, they said, police in daily diary put the date of his arrest as January 17. They said they were informed that he has been shifted to Varmul joint interrogation centre. They said he remained in the joint interrogation centre and with 29 RR for five days.
On January 20, the family approached the District Judge Varmul, they said. The Court granted bail to Ashiq Hussain. Meanwhile, he was shifted to CIK Humhama and he was kept there for four days. On January 29, he was released. This time from police station Pattan. However next day the police phoned the family and asked them to bring Ashiq to police station for signing necessary documents. The family took Ashiq to police station. There they were handed over the order of Deputy Commissioner Varmul, Baseer Ahmad Khan, booking Ashiq under the PSA.
The brother of Ashiq says that his brother was booked under PSA for lodging protests on Fridays. He said his brother participated in protests during the land transfer controversy when the whole valley was on roads, and even political parties supported the cause at that time. “That is sole reason he was booked under PSA,” they he said.