After rape horror, social stigma haunts Kunan Poshpora victims.. Twenty-two years have passed since Kunan Poshpora first caught the attention of media and human rights organizations after shocking reports of mass rape of over 30 local women allegedly by army men. It has been a traumatic experience for the victims and their hapless families ever since.Habibullah’s mother Ruma and married sister Naseema were among the victims. Army men had cordoned off the twin villages in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on February 23, 1991 and launched a house-to-house search for militants. According to the villagers the troops ordered menfolk out of their homes and then raped the hapless women. Habibullah was studying in class 9. Habibullah, 35, still reels under the shock of that fateful night. He was in the gathering at a press briefing held on Saturday here in connection with the Kunan Poshpora incident. He looked down for most part of the event. The ordeal his family has gone through all these years reflects in his words and expressions. “My life has been completely ruined. I am dying every minute as we are alienated socially and shattered economically after army men raped my mother and sister along with 40 other women in the dark of night,” said Habibullah, as he continuously evaded eye contact with other people in the auditorium during Saturday’s press conference. Recalling the fateful day, he said while returning home next morning after the crackdown, he spotted his mother and sister stripped in two rooms of the house “where army men had raped them”. “After the tragedy, they used to avoid the eyes of rest of family members. My mother developed heart ailment. Her blood pressure became unstable and she developed some other stress related problems. She is still under treatment. It is difficult to bear the expenses of her medicines,” said Habibullah who is a labourer. The social stigma attached with the incident compounded the family’s woes. Till last year Habibullah was not able to find a match as people looked down on the family for two of its members being rape victims. After all the failed attempts, he got engaged to his cousin in the same village and is likely to marry in next few months. “You can’t imagine how life has turned hell for us. I pray to die rather to live this humiliating and embarrassing life. I can’t mingle with people in my locality; can’t argue with anyone as they start taunting me,” Habibullah said. He said there are around ten women who were divorced by their husbands after being raped by army men. According to him there are still around 20 men and women struggling to find matches owing to the social stigma. Habibullah was part of the delegation of rape victims that had come all the way from Kunan Poshpora in Kupwara to address media where they pledged to continue fight for justice. “My mother couldn’t come so I am representing her here and we will fight till we get justice.”
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 05:28:13 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015