Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday said that “rape as an instrument of terror and intimidation of communities continues to be used in J&K.”

Addressing a gathering at historic Jamia Masjid during Friday congregational prayers, Mirwaiz said that it has been 27 years when in the twin villages of Kunan and Poshpura in Kupwara the most reprehensible crime against humanity, mass rape, was used as a war weapon by the Indian soldiers against the women and girls in both the villages in order to punish and intimidate people for demanding their political right to self determination.

He said in the dead of night the soldiers entered the village forced the men out of their homes and committed this most heinous crime. “As usual no justice was ever done and the perpetrators went scot free,” he said.

Mirwaiz said “this deliberate beastly assault against these women which destroyed their lives both physically and psychologically forever is etched in our hearts as one of the most painful memory of subjugation and occupation that we are undergoing for the last three decades in particular.”

Mirwaiz said these women are the brave hearts of Kashmir, and people of Kashmir will always remember and honour their great sacrifice.

He further said that “rape as an instrument of terror and intimidation of communities continues to be used in J&K, as is seen in the shocking case of little Asifa from Kathua.”

Mirwaiz said the evil act of raping a child is the most abhorrent act against all humanity. “The beasts who did it, the two SPOs , not only raped 8 yr old little Asifa they drugged her and killed her. While confessing to it they said that they did it to intimidate the community to which she belonged,” he said.

Mirwaiz said “while such a crime shocks all humanity to numbness what is unbelievable is that anyone can support such beastliness by communalizing it for gaining political dividends!”

He said irrespective of the religion of the victim all should have condemned it in one voice and asked for severest punishment for the accused like in the case of Delhi rape victim Nirbhaya.

“But surprisingly a Manch supported by communal forces has been formed, in support of those who have committed the beastly crime and are threatening the Gujjar community to which the innocent child belonged with dire consequences. He said this is the blot on such people and it completely exposes their moral bankruptcy and baseness,” he said.

Mirwaiz appealed the people of Jammu, activists, humanists and justice loving people to stand with humanity and justice. “The culprits should be punished as is natural as per law and justice should be delivered. And the Gujjar community should be provided protection against harm by such opportunists,” he said.

Mirwaiz said the silence of Indian civil society, writers, activists, humanist, leftist and all those who claim to be defenders of human rights is very sad and painful. “No one has spoken or uttered a word about this shocking incident. It seems when it comes to the people of Kashmir all decide to deliberately turn a blind eye,” he said.

Guest