Weapon of Molestation

The Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights (UDHR) 1948, urges that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment”. Contrary to that, even in the modern world the women living in the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are facing atrocities at the hand of Indian occupying forces.

According to an analytical report released by Kashmir Media Service, over twenty three hundred (2,300) women had martyred while eleven thousand two hundred forty six (11,246) sexually assaulted by Indian troops since 1989.

It is pertinent to note that Indian state terrorism has rendered twenty three thousand (23,000) Kashmiri women widowed in the most recent 33 years. However, the report deplored that India is using mass molestation of women as a “weapon of war” in illegally occupied valley (IIOJK).

Women's issues are always exacerbated in warlike situations. The first issue is migration. Since women spend most of their time at home, when they have to migrate, they have to endure more physical and mental anguish than men. The second problem is that they are used as weapons during the war and fall prey to the nefarious intentions of the enemy, as this is happening with Kashmiri women in the case of Indian terrorism. This is pointed out by the Human Rights Watch reports, released in 1993 and 1996.

Agreeing with this, Seema Qazi, a well-known author on the oppression of Kashmiri women, says, "Rape in Kashmir is a cultural weapon of war, a failed attempt by Indian security forces to stop Kashmiri men from fighting for freedom,” Indian soldier have confess that they are formally ordered to rape Kashmiri women. An example of this is the “Kunan Poshpora incident” wherein the mass rape committed by the Indian Occupying forces on February 23, 1991, under the guise of search operation in the twin villages of Kunan and Poshpora, located in IIOJK’s remote Kupwara District.

Although the advancement of technology has exposed the oppression of the Kashmiri people, including women, the relentless abuse has not been cured and rape survivors are still awaiting for justice.

In my opinion, when countries do commit war crimes without any international obligation, the situation worsens, as this is happening in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The main reason for this is the Special Powers Act of 1990, which prohibits taking legal action against security officials without the prior approval of the Government of India. Under the Act, Indian forces are not accountable for their offences.

The 'State Sponsorship' of violence is in fact a violation of human rights in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). In the last 30 years, despite numerous media reports of atrocities and killings, not a single Indian officer has ever had tried or convicted. Although the national and international media continue to draw attention to this, India is not held accountable, sans international pressure.

In conclusion, the world needs to understand the grave human rights situation in Kashmir. The time is running out and Indian atrocities need to be stopped immediately to avoid a catastrophe in the region. In this regard, Pakistan is constantly raising its voice for the rights of Kashmiris in other international justice institutions, but the international powers need to rise to the occasion and by taking concrete measures to put an end to Indian atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir. Otherwise, history will always remember these countries as an equal contributor in the mass human rights violations.