Over the last decade, thousands have lost their lives including over 1,000 members of the security forces. The terrorists specifically targeted the press, including editors of the leading Kashmiri newspapers, apart from the security forces, police and the judiciary. In spite of this Government took a public stand on the issue and when complaints could be legally substantiated against government personnel, action was repeatedly taken against the offenders. The Commission, staffed by retired justices, has issued instruction booklets to security personnel, as supplements to existing instructions, on how they are to behave with civilian populations in times of disorder and respect human rights in precarious situations. Over the last five years this Commission has been widely praised, including by the US Government, for its very active role in investigating and following up of human rights abuses in a tough and independent manner.
Government policy is therefore clear and mechanisms also exist for restitution.
There is therefore no question of a 'deterioration' in human rights. On the other hand, any impartial observer of the subcontinent will realise that human rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir are the result of terrorist action, ruthlessly targeting men, women and children. It is an offshoot of this organisation that claimed responsibility for kidnapping five foreign tourists including two Americans. One of these, a Norwegian, was brutally beheaded. One American managed to escape.