SHRC: The Salian Massacre Report

J&K the State Human Rights Commission, Camp Surankot, Poonch

Dated: 09-09-1998
Present: Hon’ble Justice G A Kuchhai- chairperson

Consequent to D.O letter from commissioner/ secretary home department J&K government dated 04-09-1998 to the address of u/s as chairperson State Human Rights Commission for spot visit to Sailan, Surankot for probe into the killing of 19 persons. I along with two staff members flew to the destination indicated in D.O.

In addition a complaint was presented on xxxx regarding the same matter. The complaint presented at surankot by the residents of Sailin village through xxxx Aftab Azad straight way in unambiguous words lay the xxxx on 9 paras, an army unit ticketing in the village, who are alleged to have run xxxxx on the day of occurrence, that is, 3/4th August, 1998 having committed the heinous crime by killing 19 innocent persons in a barbarous manner in association of Zakir’s associates, SPOs on getting provoked due to his killings by militants on the same day. Zakir as said was chief informer about militants to the army. The villagers have alleged jawans of 9 paras and associates of Zakir Hussain slain SPO had openly declared they will take a revenge by killing all near relatives of Imtiyaz, militant, who was suspected behind the killing of Zakir SPO. The complaint has been forwarded by the public to eight addresses including the defense minister of India, Sh George Fernandes.

On  reaching Surankot, Ponch at 9:30 am, I along with the district development commissioner, Mr M S Khan, SP (OPNS) Surankot, Mr Sewak Sing. Some other officials, near relatives of killed and some local residents of Surankot proceeded to the spot at Sailin, where killing had taken place. The commission had to foot the distance of more than xxxx Kms on a hilly path quite steep to the place of occurrence. The house of Hassan Muhammad deceased where the entire killings had take place was inspected though the near ones of the deceased people had mud plastered walls and floor of the house for religious ceremony “chehlum” of the deceased. The walls were exhibiting bullet holes.  The residents on spot exhibited a blanket which was bearing numerous bullet holes possibly bullets having being showered on some inmate who was intended to be killed, may be in sleeping state. Two metal utensils, one used for flour mixing were exhibited bearing bullet holes attempted by some deceased as a shield to protect themselves from rain of bullets. One dirty quilt drenched in blood was also shown on the spot. more

Lest We Forget

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has breathed a fresh life into the 1998 Massacre after it directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to reinvestigate the case. The massacre in Surankote, Poonch happened on the intervening night August 3 – 4 in 1998 when 19 members of three related families, including 13 women (one of whom was pregnant) were shot and axed to death in a span of seven to eight minutes.

The J&K police had then blamed ‘foreign militants’ for the massacre but an inquiry conducted by the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in October 1998 ruled out the involvement of militants and implicated the Army and the state police in their report.

The SHRC investigation mentioned in its 17-page report that despite giving oral statements, written hand notices were put in the village, police station and district office, asking the local Army unit to be present for information collection, the Army did not participate. The SHRC team was informed through Superintendent of Police (SP), Surankot that ‘Army will not participate but wants independent inquiry to be conducted once the commission returns back’.

In its report, the then SHRC Chairman, Justice GA Kuchhai, had reported that the 19 innocent persons were killed in a barbarous manner in association with special police officer (SPO) Zakir Hussain’s death, who was killed by some unidentified militants on the same day.

The Sailan villagers had claimed that Sevak Singh, the then SP, Surankote (himself jailed on charges of involvement in killing of his young subordinate sub-inspector, Ajay Gupta, who had criticized Singh in front of many people that he was victimizing and killing innocent people), told the local Army unit that Imtiyaz, a militant and a relative of the slain villagers, was behind the killing of Zakir. more

Abused Childhood

Shazia, 25, was in Class 10 when her father died in a road accident. She was her father’s daughter and used to sleep with her parents. Soon after the tragic accident, Shazia’s mother married her brother-in-law as per the wishes of her family. The marriage was solemnized in the same year and it became a turning point in Shazia’s life.

As the days passed, Shazia’s health deteriorated. She stayed aloof from her parents and was silent all the time. Her parents were worried and they consulted a doctor who advised them to take her to a psychiatrist who made a shocking disclosure about the problems Shazia was facing and what was eating her up internally. “I was 16 when my father died. Since I had a habit of sleeping with my mother and father, I continued this habit after my father’s death. Once I became mature, I realized I was being abused by my stepfather in the nights.”

“He raped me for six long years. My mother was witness to everything” says Shazia in a corridor of Government Psychiatric Hospital in Srinagar, J&K’s summer capital, where she had come for a routine checkup. “When I shared my ordeal with my mother, she asked me not to reveal it to anyone” she says. Her mother’s insistence pushed Shazia further towards isolation. She now lives with her grandparents. “My mother told me she was afraid of people, that what they would think if they come to know about it. When your mother doesn’t support you in such times, how can one expect any relative or a friend to be a well-wisher?”

“I still wake up at least once in the night to ensure that nobody is sleeping on my side. I prefer to sleep alone. If anything touches my skin during sleep, I feel threatened and shout like a maniac,” she says. more

A Deceptive Calm

Ladakhi students protesting for Zanskar

W
ith a deceptive normalcy steadily returning to Zanskar’s Padum area where communal riots broke out last month, the minority Muslims are demanding security in the winters when the area remains cut off from the rest of the world. The area was attacked by a mob of majority Buddhists who sought custody of 26 members of the families of six low caste Buddhists (Garbas) who had converted to Islam in a local Masjid on September 24. While one family living in Zangla area returned to Buddhist fold, the five families of Padum refused which resulted in communal clashes between the two groups.

The local Muslim minority led a procession of jubilation in the market which triggered communal tension. Initially, Buddhists enforced a strike and started social boycott of the minority Muslims and the converts. Zanskar Buddhist Association, the main party of the majority community, led a campaign against the conversions. Apart from writing letters, they threatened to carry a larger agitation in case the conversions didn’t stop and accused Muslims of luring the families to Islam, an allegation that the local clergy rejects.

“There are weaker sections in every community. There are lacunas and they are in Ladakh as well. We accept them but that doesn’t mean Sunni Muslims of Zanskar will lure our people in the name of land, money and education,” Dr Tondup Tsewang, president Leh Buddhist Association (LBA) said.

But it is not only Buddhists who have converted to Islam. There have been cases when Muslims from Kargil also changed their religion to Buddhism. “It is not for the first time that low caste Buddhists embraced Islam. It has been happening from a long time. But this time, it has become an issue because 26 people converted at one time and most importantly, council and MP elections are near. But we never made that an issue. LBA is making it a national and political issue to gain votebank,” Sheikh Mohammad Hussain Lotfi, Chairman Imam Khomini Memorial Trust, Kargil, said. more

Meaty Needs

Goats being sold for sacrificial purpose on Eid-ul-Azha – Photo:Bilal Bahadur.

As Eid-ul-Azha, a Muslim holy day marked by sacrificing animals sets in,  all play grounds, public parks, parking places and even roadsides have become market places for sacrificial animals. Besides the usual phenomenon of shopping, people are found bargaining at these places usually a week ahead of Eid with the dealers of different varieties of sacrificial animals (goats and sheep).

To serve the purpose of Eid-ul-Azha, people always prefer to buy most beautiful and healthy animals. Jumma, a 110-kg, pure white colour sheep attracted the crowd at Eidgah Park in Srinagar on Wednesday where he was put up for sale by its owner. People who had come to buy sacrificial animals were so fascinated that they started the bid for the white sheep from Rs 55, 000. Due to continuous bidding, Jumma was not sold till this report was filed.

Animals with beauty and elegance are always eye-catchers on such festivities as people prefer to buy special ones.  “Muslims all over the world don’t sell or buy sacrificial animals according to weight. It is the looks and the strength that matter while buying an animal. It involves religious sentiments”, says Khazir Muhammad Rigoo, president, All Kashmir Wholesale Mutton Dealers Union.

Few years back, the introduction of camel in the sacrificial animal market took everyone in Kashmir by surprise. The desert animal gave people one more option since the meat of camel is not available in Kashmir. The arrival of camel was well taken and last year few local dealers imported around 100 camels for sacrificial purposes in J&K. This year, due to high rates, only two camels were seen in Kashmir. more

Probing a Grab

Members of House Comittee who are probing charges against Taj Mohi-ud-Din

In the wake of high drama in the concluding session of Legislative Council over alleged ‘land grabbing’ by PHE minister, Taj Mohiuddin, a house committee has been constituted to enquire into the issue. The committee will investigate the allegations of forest land grab in Sedov, Shopian, on the road leading to Ahrabal picnic spot.  “There is a strong prima facie case that warrants a thorough and detailed investigation by a Committee of this House” reads the three-page order.
The five member committee will be headed by PDP lawmaker Murtaza Khan. Syed Mohammad Rafiq Shah, who had made the allegations is also the member of the committee. He has already submitted a number of documents to the Chairman to substantiate his allegations.  The documents include the report of Tehsildar Shopian that suggests the land under survey number 4/1 (10 Kanals and 16 Marlas) and 1162/709 (3 Kanals) is under unauthorized occupation of Taj Mohiuddin since ‘prior’ to Kharief 1987. The report also reads that as per the enquiry conducted on spot, it has been observed that the occupant has fenced the said land alongwith his proprietary land under survey number 03 some 27 years ago.

However, the extract of Jamabandi (1966-67) and Khasra-e-Gridawari for these survey numbers has been prepared from kharif 1987 to kharif 2010.  However the letters of Halqa Patwari and Naib Tehsildar, dated Feb 28, 2011, annexed with the report give two contradictory statements. The Tehsildar states that the land in question has been under illegal occupation of Taj Mohiuddin ‘prior’ to 1987, while as the patwari maintains that the land was occupied by Taj since Kharief 1987. more

Working For Change

Hilal Rasool Parray sharing a joyous moment with budding footballers

Hilal Rasool Parray has become the first football coach from Kashmir who was selected by FIFA for its instructor’s course conducted in Bengaluru for six days. There were 18 participants including 12 coaches from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and six coaches from the India who were nominated by All India Football Federation (AIFF). All coaches are expected to promote football at grassroots level in South Asia and develop the game at par with European football.

Hilal is one of the two Kashmiri coaches who has got ‘A’ license from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). In India, there are only 47 ‘A’ license bearing coaches. He has the privilege of being a coach and selector of under-14 national football team. Earlier this year, he was also selected by AIFF for under-16 coaching camp, selection process and in its various developmental programs.

“I want to serve the football at grassroot level. I want to broaden the basic platform. Once we reach there, only then will the game reach new heights. To achieve this goal, I am training young boys to build a stronger base” says Hilal. Born in a middle class family, Hilal has been playing football since 1985 when he was just 10. Like many other kids, Hilal was interested in sports. His first cousin, Showkat Parray, who was playing football locally, taught him. Hilal wanted to become a lawyer but he learnt football without knowing that one day the game will become his profession. more