Kunan-Poshpora victims narrate nightmarish ordeal ‘We Will Never Forget The Horrific Night When We Lost Everything’ ARIF SHAFI WANI Smaller Default Larger Srinagar, June 22: Tears trickled down from every eye when victims of Kunan-Poshpora mass rape recounted the bone-chilling incident here today and sought support of people of Kashmir to bring the perpetrators to justice. “We were ruthlessly raped by the soldiers. We have been stigmatized, left alone by our own people and denied justice by successive regimes for the past 22 years,” one of the victims of 1991 mass rape case narrated during a programme here leaving every eye moist. This was a maiden programme where the victims openly spoke their heart out before journalists and civil society members. The programme ‘Kunan-Poshpora mass rape and torture: Case reopening and future struggle for justice’ was organized by Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) here in the backdrop of recent order of a local court in Kupwara to reinvestigate the case. Twin Kunan and Poshpora villages in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district witnessed mass rape of over 40 women allegedly by the soldiers of the Army’s 4 Rajputana Rifles of 68 Brigade during the intervening night of February 23 and 24 in 1991. “We can never forget the horrific night when we lost everything - our chastity, dignity and self-respect. Army personnel cordoned our village and ordered all men out of homes. They barged into out homes...we resisted, cried for help but to no avail. That night seemed too long and unending and they raped us one by one brutally,” recounted one of the victims. “For many days we were lying in the same condition as Army continued the cordon around our village. Many young girls were bleeding profusely, some were crying and others left shell shocked. It was like a hell all around.” For some minutes there was complete silence in the audience at a local hotel here. After some moments only sobs could be heard. “Due to gang-rape uterus of 18 young victims were damaged and had to be surgically removed. We faced social boycott for no fault of ours. Successive regimes left no stone unturned to hush up the case by changing our statements. Since 1991 no one came to our rescue. We have been fighting a lone battle,” the victims said. The audience stood up and gave a standing ovation as a mark of tribute to resilience and courage of these victims. “When a girl was gang-raped in Delhi whole country rose against it. But in our case there was total silence. We don’t want any women to suffer like us. We don’t want money or jobs but justice. We were raped but through our struggle we will expose and dishonor the accused. It is our last wish to get the accused punished,” the victims said. “Don’t feel alone or stigmatized. We will extend moral and legal support to you in your pursuit for justice. It is a collective responsibility of every Kashmiri to support these victims and bring the perpetrators to justice,” senior civil society member Dr Altaf Hussain told the victims. On the occasion Ifrah Mushtaq one of the representatives of the support group for Kunan-Poshpora victims said for 22 years the people of these villages have lived with injustice. “For over two decades, civil society, human rights activists, journalists, lawyers, social workers came, heard their story, clicked their pictures and left. There have been contributions along the way, but mostly, it has been 22 years of absolute and continued injustice,” Ifrah said. She termed the recent order of Judicial Magistrate Kupwara for further investigation into the case as an achievement. “But it is the same JK police which will carryout investigation and the same Army from whom cooperation for probe will be sought. We will monitor the police investigations closely. We commit to hold accountable anyone who supported the atrocities in Kunan-Poshpora in February 199,” she said. “To begin with we urge that BG Verghese who headed the Press Council of India (PCI) team that covered the crimes and sought to malign the survivors of Kunan-Poshpora and other such individuals be declared as persona non-grata by civil society and be socially boycotted until they are criminally prosecuted and handed out appropriate punishment,” Irfah said. A resolution in this regard was unanimously passed by the audience. President JKCCC Parvez Imroz who is also counsel for the victims dwelt in detail on the legal aspects of the case. “This case is a big challenge for the Kashmiri civil society. These victims have been suffering with many difficulties. We need to rise to the occasion and help them in their pursuit for justice,” Imroz said. He was seconded by civil society members Javaid Iqbal and Abdul Majid Zargar. Kunan-Poshpora victims narrate nightmarish ordeal ‘We Will Never Forget The Horrific Night When We Lost Everything’ ARIF SHAFI WANI Smaller Default Larger Srinagar, June 22: Tears trickled down from every eye when victims of Kunan-Poshpora mass rape recounted the bone-chilling incident here today and sought support of people of Kashmir to bring the perpetrators to justice. “We were ruthlessly raped by the soldiers. We have been stigmatized, left alone by our own people and denied justice by successive regimes for the past 22 years,” one of the victims of 1991 mass rape case narrated during a programme here leaving every eye moist. This was a maiden programme where the victims openly spoke their heart out before journalists and civil society members. The programme ‘Kunan-Poshpora mass rape and torture: Case reopening and future struggle for justice’ was organized by Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) here in the backdrop of recent order of a local court in Kupwara to reinvestigate the case. Twin Kunan and Poshpora villages in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district witnessed mass rape of over 40 women allegedly by the soldiers of the Army’s 4 Rajputana Rifles of 68 Brigade during the intervening night of February 23 and 24 in 1991. “We can never forget the horrific night when we lost everything - our chastity, dignity and self-respect. Army personnel cordoned our village and ordered all men out of homes. They barged into out homes...we resisted, cried for help but to no avail. That night seemed too long and unending and they raped us one by one brutally,” recounted one of the victims. “For many days we were lying in the same condition as Army continued the cordon around our village. Many young girls were bleeding profusely, some were crying and others left shell shocked. It was like a hell all around.” For some minutes there was complete silence in the audience at a local hotel here. After some moments only sobs could be heard. “Due to gang-rape uterus of 18 young victims were damaged and had to be surgically removed. We faced social boycott for no fault of ours. Successive regimes left no stone unturned to hush up the case by changing our statements. Since 1991 no one came to our rescue. We have been fighting a lone battle,” the victims said. The audience stood up and gave a standing ovation as a mark of tribute to resilience and courage of these victims. “When a girl was gang-raped in Delhi whole country rose against it. But in our case there was total silence. We don’t want any women to suffer like us. We don’t want money or jobs but justice. We were raped but through our struggle we will expose and dishonor the accused. It is our last wish to get the accused punished,” the victims said. “Don’t feel alone or stigmatized. We will extend moral and legal support to you in your pursuit for justice. It is a collective responsibility of every Kashmiri to support these victims and bring the perpetrators to justice,” senior civil society member Dr Altaf Hussain told the victims. On the occasion Ifrah Mushtaq one of the representatives of the support group for Kunan-Poshpora victims said for 22 years the people of these villages have lived with injustice. “For over two decades, civil society, human rights activists, journalists, lawyers, social workers came, heard their story, clicked their pictures and left. There have been contributions along the way, but mostly, it has been 22 years of absolute and continued injustice,” Ifrah said. She termed the recent order of Judicial Magistrate Kupwara for further investigation into the case as an achievement. “But it is the same JK police which will carryout investigation and the same Army from whom cooperation for probe will be sought. We will monitor the police investigations closely. We commit to hold accountable anyone who supported the atrocities in Kunan-Poshpora in February 199,” she said. “To begin with we urge that BG Verghese who headed the Press Council of India (PCI) team that covered the crimes and sought to malign the survivors of Kunan-Poshpora and other such individuals be declared as persona non-grata by civil society and be socially boycotted until they are criminally prosecuted and handed out appropriate punishment,” Irfah said. A resolution in this regard was unanimously passed by the audience. President JKCCC Parvez Imroz who is also counsel for the victims dwelt in detail on the legal aspects of the case. “This case is a big challenge for the Kashmiri civil society. These victims have been suffering with many difficulties. We need to rise to the occasion and help them in their pursuit for justice,” Imroz said. He was seconded by civil society members Javaid Iqbal and Abdul Majid Zargar.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Jun 2013 06:36:33 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015