Report predicts a ‘dangerous future’ for the State
Kabir Agarwal
The Wire India
New Delhi, April 2, 2018
A Report released by the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) on Friday (March 31, 2018) has revealed that 318 children aged one to 17 have been killed in conflict-related violence in Jammu and Kashmir since 2003.
Of these, 144 children were killed by the security forces and J&K Police, 12 were killed by militants, 147 by unidentified gunmen and 15 died in cross LoC shelling, the Report said.
It also found that of the 318 children killed, 121 were below the age of 12.
Youngest Victim
Going by the description of some of the incidents involving “unidentified gunmen,” some of these are likely to be from militant groups.
“The youngest victim of violence in the last 15 years was a ten-month-old baby Irfan who was killed in 2010, when his mother was caught between government forces and protesters in Dangiwacha, Baramulla,” the Report said.
JKCCS has used a combination of field work and newspaper reports to compile data for the Report.
No arrests so far
Khurram Parvez, noted human rights activist and coordinator of JKCCS said that no one has been brought to book.
“147 killed by unidentified gunmen could mean anything. So, there is anyway no hope for any justice in these cases. But, even in the cases of 144 children who were killed by the armed forces and the police, there has been no justice. No one has been punished,” Mr Parvez told The Wire.
The JKCCS Report also mentioned specific incidents of targeted mass violence.
In February 2006, four persons including two minors were killed while playing cricket by army troops in Handwara.
In an incident of violence against the minority Hindu community in the state, 24 people were massacred by ‘unidentified gunmen.’ Two among the 24 were infants – aged two years.
No Justice for any
“There has been no justice for any community in J&K – be it Hindus, Sikhs or Muslims. We have always raised this issue. The state has never prioritised justice. The state is more concerned about its militaristic objective. They want to control Kashmir using their security forces,” Mr Parvez said.
The Report also noted that seven children have been killed due to torture by the armed forces in the last 15 years.
“Torture continues to be practiced by the armed forces as a method to inflict serious injury and cause death,” the Report said.
“Children have not been protected from this practice as they have been viewed and treated as adults by the armed forces, who are contemptuous and suspicious of every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir. All the torture-related deaths have been caused after victims were brutally tortured in the custody of Indian armed forces and Jammu & Kashmir Police,” it added.
Children affected
The Report noted that seven children were killed due to tear gas shelling, and eight died as a result of injuries caused by pellet gun fire. Lead pellets fired from a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, better known as a pellet gun, have caused grievous injuries to thousands since 2010 when it was introduced in the Kashmir valley as a means of ‘crowd control.’ Many of the victims of pellet gun fire have been children who sustained critical injuries.
Moin Mushtaq was 12 years old in October 2016 when he was hit by pellets while playing cricket in Radpora, Srinagar. Pellets entered his eyes, face and skull, damaging both his eyes grievously. Over the course of the 17 months since the incident, Moin has gone under the knife four times at a significant cost for his family which earns about Rs 5000 a month. The vision in his left eye has improved slightly but he is still only able to see shadows from his right eye. He is slated to go in for surgery again in October 2018.
“I am unable to focus with my vision for a long time. I cannot read for more than 30 minutes as my eyes start hurting. I cannot study for long and have not been able to do well in exams,” Moin told The Wire over the phone.
Severe impact
“That day changed our lives forever. The security forces have not just destroyed the vision of our son, but they have destroyed our entire family,” said Tariq Mushtaq, Moin’s father.
Dr S Natarajan, a Mumbai-based ophthalmologist who has flown to Srinagar several times since July 2016 to treat eye injuries, believes the impact of these injuries on children is particularly severe.
“It is a horrible injury for anyone to have. It should not happen at all. But the impact on children is particularly severe. There is mental trauma associated with these injuries which can be really difficult for children to deal with it,” Natarajan said.
Natarajan gave the example of Insha Mushtaq, who was 14 years old when she was hit by pellets in both her eyes blinding her permanently.
“Initially, Insha did not quite understand the extent of damage caused. She had false hope that she will be able to see again. We had to tell her the truth. She was quite distraught after that and needed a lot of counselling,” Dr Natarajan said.
Mental health issues
Mental health of the ‘conflict children’ – as those born after the start of armed conflict in 1990 are called in the Valley – is a major cause for worry. “They have never seen peace. They have seen violence their entire life. Violence gains a level of acceptability for them. That is very worrying,” Mr Parvez said.
Dr Rouf has worked with children in the Kashmir valley for over two decades and believes that youngsters and children in the valley have a level of fearlessness which is extremely worrying. “They are not scared of anything. When we were young, we would run away after listening to the sound of an approaching police van. But, now the youngsters feel ‘what will the police do? At the most they will kill us’. This scares me a lot,” said he said.
Fearful future
Dr Rouf also fears for the future of Kashmir given the sense of fearlessness among the youth. “It is going to be extremely dangerous. Earlier, an issue could be resolved with talks. Now, it can’t even be resolved with bullets because young people are not afraid of bullets. Everyone knows someone who has been killed by bullets and they feel that they too have to meet the same fate one day. That is why they have no fear,” he said.
Schooling Problem
The JKCCS Report also highlights the worrying state of education in the state.
“Schools, colleges, and other educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir have been used as military bases, interrogation centres, and military posts. The continued military use of schools in Jammu and Kashmir not only violates children’s right to education but also forces them to be in risk of sexual violence, surveillance, and harassment at the hands of armed forces,” the Report stated.
Citing a 2006 Report by the Public Commission on Human Rights (PCHR), it provides a list of 46 schools and educational establishments occupied by the armed forces at the time.
“When we have asked J&K school education department under J&K Right to Information Act for information on the number of schools and educational establishments currently occupied by the armed forces, we have been denied the information. They have said that no such data has been maintained,” Mr Parvez said.
Citing the PCHR Report, Mr Parvez also expressed concern over the high rate of school dropout in the state. “The estimated dropout is as high as 55% in primary schools. Throughout the conflict, education has not been the focus. Education has suffered massively,” he said.
Education suffers
Dr Rouf concurs with Mr Parvez and believes that education has taken a backseat. He also points out the increasing trend of militants being highly educated as a cause for concern. “In the 1990s, in the first phase of militancy, most of the militants were not well educated. Now, since 2010, we have been seeing an increasing trend of graduates, engineers and PhDs joining militancy,” he said.
“So, the situation is so complex in Kashmir that even having a good education and a good degree does not guarantee anything,” Dr Rouf added.
Preventive Detention
The JKCCS Report also notes its opposition to the use of the Public Safety Act (PSA) to “detain youth, leaders of Hurriyat or anyone challenging or criticising the government.” The PSA grants the police the authority to put in preventive detention individuals for a period up to two years without any legal recourse.
When contacted by The Wire, State Works Minister and Government Spokesman Naeem Akhtar declined to comment.
Jammu & Kashmir Director General of Police S P Vaid said, “I have not seen the Report and cannot comment on it.”
Kabir Agarwal is a Journalist and Writer for The Wire India, based in New Delhi. The above article appeared in ‘The Wire,’ (thewire.in) Web Edition on April 1, 2018. It has been reproduced here with the permission of Siddharth Varadarajan, one of its Founding Editors. Established in India on May 10, 2015, as an editorially and financially independent entity, ‘The Wire’ is committed to promoting the values of democracy and journalism.
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Photo Caption:
Children are as vulnerable as adults in the violence-torn Kashmir.
(PTI Picture as published in The Wire India Article)
