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Kashmir : No let up in terrorist activities

	August 01, 2005

Terrorists continue to strike almost at will in Jammu and Kashmir, raising doubts about Pakistan sticking to its promise to end support to militant elements and about preparedness of the Indian security forces to curb them. In the latest incident, terrorists launched an attack on the security forces right in the centre of the state capital, Srinagar. A twenty-four hour gun-battle between the security forces and militants ensued which ended in the death of two militants and an equal number of jawans of the Border Security Force and the Central Reserve Police Force.

Director General of State Police Gopal Sharma said that the militants belonged to a suicide squad, but their identity is not known yet. They had sneaked into the Lal Chowk-Badshah Chowk area, right in the business centre of Srinagar on Friday evening (July 29), hurling grenades and opening fire. Immediately afterwards the security forces sealed off the whole of the adjoining Civil Lines to apprehend the militants. The area rattled with gunfire and wore a battlefield-look during the encounter with the militants which continued for over twenty-four hours.

The militants had barricaded themselves in a shopping complex and a hotel and fired heavily. While many people managed to flee from the incident site, over 70 persons were trapped in a hotel, a bank and a newspaper office. The security forces helped many of the trapped to come out safely. Twenty-four persons including seven journalists were injured in the encounter.

The militant groups, Al Mansurian and Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, have claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack.

In another dastardly incident, militants kidnapped five persons belonging to the Hindu community in the border district of Rajouri and killed them in cold blood. The incident sent shock waves in the area and additional security forces have been rushed there to hunt for the militants. Reports reaching Jammu said that three militants kidnapped five villagers from Dhar Sankari in Rajouri and later took them to Biram Thub, situated on the upper reaches in a dense forest area. The militants reportedly tied both hands and legs of the five before slitting their throats one by one.



Army regrets killing of three boys

Meanwhile, the Army has regretted the unfortunate and accidental killing of three boys by soldiers in Kupwara district of the state. The Army said that an enquiry has been ordered into the incident to establish the circumstances under which it took place. Instructions have been issued to all formations involved in the counter-insurgency operations to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

The incident comes at a time when the Army is grappling with a huge spurt in infiltration attempts from across the border with the snow melting in the mountain passes. Even the terrorist violence in the hinterland has ratcheted up, with militants aiming at “soft targets.”

According to the Army, the three youngsters were killed and another injured when they entered an ambush laid by the soldiers to trap militants. “They were mistaken as militants since generally there is no civilian movement in the interior areas during night. The troops opened fire after the youth tried to run away from the site on being challenged. The Army is advising people living in terrorist-prone areas not to move out during night. If they do so in times of emergency, they must carry lights”, said an Army spokesman.

General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar based 15 Corps, Lt. General S.S. Dhillon said that the people’s anger against the Army is justified. He said there was no scheme to kill those innocent boys, but it was an error of judgement. He announced a special compensation of Rs.3,00,000/- each for the families of the boys killed in the incident. He said the court of inquiry ordered by the Army will go into all aspects of the incident and accountability will be upheld.

Lt. Gen. Dhillon said the area where the Army action took place was infested with militants and recently six of them were killed. In an ambush on May 5, the militants fired at a party of Army men, killing a jawan. The Army was now planning “refined operations” to avoid incidents such as the one which occurred on July 23. “We will review the details and procedures of an ambush.”



Strike call paralyses the Valley

Normal life was disrupted in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday, July 27, after a strike call by the Hurriyat Conference (Geelani group) to protest against the killing of three teenaged boys in accidental shooting by the Army in Kupwara district. The protesters turned violent at several places and police burst tear gas shells in some area to disperse the protesters.

Chief Minister Mufti Mohd. Sayeed convened an emergency meeting of the Unified Headquarters to discuss the situation in addition to the enquiry ordered by the Army, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has formed a special investigation team to probe the incident.

The National Human Rights Commission has sought a factual report from the Defence Ministry about the incident. The NHRC said the battle against terrorism needs to be fought keeping in mind international human rights obligations and the basic tenets of the rule of law.



Ghulam Nabi Azad front runner to take over from Mufti

The Congress has made it clear that it will go by the agreement with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) about the sharing of power in Jammu and Kashmir. Under the agreement reached after the Assembly elections held in 2002, PDP was to have its nominee as the Chief Minister for the first three years of the six-year term of the State Assembly. A nominee of the Congress is to be the Chief Minister during the remaining three years. PDP’s Mufti Mohd. Sayeed will be completing his term of three years as Chief Minister in November this year.

The Congress has not so far announced the name of its nominee for the chief-ministership for the remaining three year term of the Assembly. The party says that it will abide by the decision of Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the issue. Party sources say that the front runner for the post is Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliament Affairs, Ghulam Nabi Azad. The other aspirants are Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma, PCC president Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and former Central Minister and Rajya Sabha member Saifuddin Soz. While a majority of the local Congressmen ruled out the possibility of Soz being chosen for the top slot for his “inconsistency” as a politician, the choice is expected to be made from the remaining three.

“The decision is to be taken by the Congress high command, but, I believe, and so do a vast majority of our comrades, that Azad Sahib is the ideal choice”, said PCC vice president Abdul Gani Vakil. He was confident of Azad proving himself a strong yet most acceptable Chief Minister for his good public image and administrative capabilities. According to Kashmir watchers, the expediency of Azad is not only his proximity with the Congress high command he fulfils several other prerequisites - political and otherwise - to wear the mantle of the Chief Minister of the home state.



Intra-Kashmir dialogue calls for extending CBMs

The first ever intra-Kashmir dialogue organised in Srinagar has called for extending confidence building measures in more areas. The three-day dialogue held from July 29 to 31 said a focussed peace process would prepare the ground for resolving the Kashmir issue. The dialogue has been organised by the Council for Dialogue and Reconciliation (CDR), the Delhi Policy Group (DPG) and the Forum of Regional Voices (FRV). Over 50 participants from Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir including the Northern Areas fully supported the peace process, which they said was in the interests of the people of the divided region.

FRV convener Zahuruddin said Jammu and Kashmir was a composite society which together should find ways of living peacefully. “No society can live honourably unless all its parts are together.” The peace efforts were paying dividend.

Scholar and political commentator Rajmohan Gandhi said the peace process and Kashmir were linked to each other. “We should acknowledge the fact that India has not fulfilled its commitment to the people of Kashmir on their future.” But this was a golden opportunity for civil society to play an important role in resolving the crisis.