DOST KHAN
Jammu: But for Syed Ali Geelani, Kashmir has generally welcomed the conviction of five army personnel by Summary General Court Martial for killing three civilians in the Machil sector four years ago. The mainstream leaders and the separatists seem to be on the same page in hailing the decision because it somehow nails the armed forces and paints them in dark. There is a sort of vicarious pleasure in a section of opinion leaders to see the army on back foot, be it apologies for Chattergham incident or the verdict on Machil fake encounter.
Crying hoarse over human rights violations is not new in the Valley of strife. The secessionists and their softer version in the mainstream leadership miss no opportunity to malign India and Indian forces. They do it by wearing mask of humanism but beneath the veil lay most cruel faces which carry not even a shade of wrinkle over the massacres committed by terrorists whom they eulogies as Jihadis.
The mainstream camp comprising major political parties like National Conference, Congress and Peoples Democratic Party, which have ruled the State in different spells since 1996, did virtually nothing to pursue the cases of most heinous massacres by lunatic terrorists at the behest of Pakistan and its lackeys in the Valley. The successive governments have been seen wanting in pursuing cases with an objective of seeking justice for victims of barbaric terrorists. The observations of the then Presiding Officer TADA/POTA Court N. D. Wani on 31st October 2006 stand testimony to the fact how prosecution failed to prepare foolproof cases against chronic terrorists. The Judge had heavily come down on the investigating agencies for their total failure in producing evidence, which had resulted in the acquittal of six persons in the 2002 Raghunath temple terror attack case in which 11 people were killed. This is one of the numerous cases which have fallen flat due to administrative apathy. In this backdrop, the army deserves a big pat for administering justice to the families of innocent victims.
But, this does not impress the ‘mainstreamists’ or the secessionists. The self-proclaimed moderate Mirwaiz Umar has asked the Centre to open all cases of human rights violations over the last more than two decades in Kashmir, including alleged disappearance cases besides Pathribal and Kunan Poshpora cases. Apart from being a separatist, the Mirwaiz is also a religious scholar who is expected to take up the cause of humanity, irrespective of religion, race or region. Has he or anyone else from the separatist camp ever talked about thousands of innocents who have been butchered by terrorists in cold blooded attacks? To quote few, 15 Hindu passengers were massacred in Kishtwar on 14 August 1993; seven Pandits were kidnapped and killed in Sangrampora on 21 March 1997, 23 Kashmiri Hindus were murdered in Wandhama on 25 January 1998, 18 members of a Hindu family were shot dead in Pranakote village of Udhampur district on 17 April 1998 followed by assassination of 20 wedding guests at Chapnari mountains of Doda on June 1998; 15 persons including eight women died in a terrorist attack in Doda district on 19 July 1999; 34 Sikhs were segregated from the residents forced out in Chattisingpora, Kashmir on 20 March 2000 and killed selectively. Who has forgotten killing of 48 persons at the base camp of Shri Amarnathji Yatra at Pahalgam on 1 August 2000 or massacre of four pilgrims and three security guards in a terrorist attack on Raghunath temple in Jammu on 30 March 2002. These are few of the terror incidents which still haunt the people of Jammu and Kashmir. But, the Mirwaiz will not talk about all these gruesome incidents as he can’t even seek justice for his father who was assassinated by Jihadis.