From: vivek@ecst.csuchico.edu (Vivek R. Prabhu)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.pakistan,soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re: Report from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
Date: 21 Nov 92 19:37:07 GMT
Organization: California State University, Chico
NNTP-Posting-Host: cscihp.ecst.csuchico.edu

In article <102779@bu.edu> amuh2@bass.bu.edu (muhammad ahmed) writes:
>
> A military campaign called operation Tiger, which began in August, has 
>also resulted in the sexual abuse and murder of noncombatants a 
>preliminary report from Asia Watch and Physicians for Human rights 
>concludes. It says that patients are dragged from hospital beds and 
>medical staff detained and assaulted in raids.

The sexual abuse that you are talking about, is perpetrated by the 
terrorists on the common populace. They have in fact, been so much
responsible for the degeneration of the "struggle" in Kashmir.
They have been responsibe for so many rapes in the Valley that the 
people had to request the BSF, and CRPF, to set up bunkers there.


>
> "Detainees are routinely subjected to severe and prolonged
>beating, electric shock and other forms of torture" the report
>says. "The Asia watch P.H.R. team documented a number of cases
>of renal failure caused by the extensive use of the roller torture
>treatment which crushes the muscle tissue and releases toxins,
>which cause serious and sometimes fatal, damage to the kidneys."

These things are being done by the terrorists on accusing any of the
people of being informers,  and  to find out troop movement in their 
localities.


> An armed rebellion has been growing in the Kashmir Valley since
>1989,prompting harsh retaliatory measures from New Delhi,which
>accuses Pakistan of fomenting terrorism in the disputed territory.
>Kashmir has been under martial law since 1990,with all civil
>rights suspended and troops empowered to shoot on sight during
>curfews. 

Well you are talking about what happens in Pakistan, and not what is 
happening in India. The only truth is your allegation is that, there
is a long period of curfew etc. and that is necessary to enable comb
and search operations.  Also the allegations about the raping of the
womenfolk is also untrue, since simply because many of the womenfolk
carry arms, for the militants and they have been searched the forces
are getting accused of raping them.

>
>Kashmiris are predominantly Muslims, and most Indians are Hindu
>but the dispute is not a religious one. It has its roots in poli-
>tical and economic alienation, residents of the valley say.

How did they become Muslims in the first place. Are you aware of that
well no, since decades back there was the Pathan invasion and all the
Hindu families were massacred, and most converted to Islam and all of
the Hindu families except for 12 have been wiped out. Hence there are
only 12 Hindu surnames, where once there were almost hundreds. It's a
fact that in the Valley,  Islam has indeed spread by the force of the 
sword. However, I agree with you that the conflict is not necessarily
a religious conflict, but is due to the fact that the Kashmiriyat has
been overshadowed by other things. That was a mistake of both the GOI
as well as successive Kashmir Govts.


>The separatists have wide middle class support as well as the 
>backing of virtually all political factions in neighboring Pakistan
>Which has controlled another part of the former princely state
>of Kashmir.

Well that has been exploded as a myth. The so-called "support" to the 
terrorists is solely due to a fear psychosis and that has also caused
the alienation of other communities,  like the Ladakhi Buddhists, and 
Kashmiri Pandits. In case it would have been a strictly political and
economical struggle it would not have been what it is now and neither
would have been Pakistan supporting it.


>Although the Indian Government bars official visits to Kashmir by
>international rights organizations, representatives from Asia
>Watch and physicians for Human rights were able to travel in the
>valley as tourists for a week, interviewing victims or relatives
>of security operations in Srinagar the Kashmiri summer capital,
>and other towns.

Human Rights groups are not barred from anywhere in India. It is only
explained to the groups that,  their security cannot be guaranteed in
such terrorist infested areas.


>"In one case four students who were arrested during a search 
>operation on Oct. 14 in the Dal gate area of Srinagar were shot
>dead that night and their bodies handed over to the families
>the next day." according to the preliminary report made available
>to the New York Times."The security forces also broke up peaceful
>protests against these killings by beating, tear-gassing and 
>shooting demonstrators."

What had actually happened was that, the youths were shot dead by the
terrorists,  and their bodies discovered by the security forces,  and 
were handed over to their families.


>Among other incidents investigated by the two organization's 
>representatives were these:
>On Oct. 1, after an attack by militants on a patrol near the
>village of Bathekut, in which one soldier died, troops"rampaged
>through the village, killing 10 villagers, raping 4 women and
>burning houses and grain stores."

Again a very untrue and wrong statement here. The villagers were killed 
in the crossfire between the terrorists and the soldiers,  after one of 
the soldiers had been killed by the terrorists in that attack.  Use  of
people as human shields by the terrorists is one of the most common and
brutal form of savagery the terrorists have been heaping on the  common
man in Kashmir.


> On Oct. 15, a man and women were burned alive in the town of
>Badgam after Border Security Forces troops locked them in their 
>shop and set fire to it.

This incident has been the responsibility of the terrorits of the Hijb-
Ul-Mujahideen and there is more than enough evidence of it.


>In a search operation by an army unit near Shopian, also on Oct
>15, eight women and 11 year old girl were raped the human right
>groups were told.

No doubt under the pressure of the terrorists.


>
>ISLAM ZINDABAD
>PAKISTAN PAINDABAD

Further evidence of Pakistani propaganda. Need we say more!!!

Regards,
Vivek.

-- 
vivek@cscihp.ecst.csuchico.edu (Vivek R. Prabhu),
Research Assistant, Systems Engineering Lab., Dept. Of Computer Science, 
School Of Engineering, Computer Science And Technology,
California State University, Chico, California.
Xref: sparky soc.culture.pakistan:16884 soc.culture.bangladesh:6072