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Kashmir CM assures AFSPA would be revoked

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Aug 27: The pro-India chief minister of Kashmir, Omar Abdullah Thursday said that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) giving special powers to Indian army and paramilitary soldiers deployed in Kashmir would be revoked during the six-year old rule of the government.

"God willing, we will revoke AFSPA during our tenure of the government," the chief minister told lawmakers in Kashmir Assembly on Thursday.

The opposition lawmakers and the Kashmiri separatists have been demanding revocation of AFSPA, which gives impunity to the soldiers for their acts in Kashmir.

Referring to human rights violations, Omar said that the graph of human rights violation has been the lowest during past seven months and efforts were on to bring it to the zero level.

Giving figures he said that during the period of November 2, 2002 to June 18, 2003 the civilians killed in Kashmir violence acts were 517 while as the figure during the last seven months stood at 53. "Similarly, there has been remarkable decrease in the violence acts during the same period. He said while as 851 militants were killed during November 2002 to June 2003, militants killed during January 5, 2009 to August 21, 2009 were 148. Likewise 42 policemen were killed between November 2002 to June 2003 while the number stood at only 6 during the last seven months," he said.

Omar said that the concern of his government to uphold human rights under all circumstances is loud and clear. "Whenever any incident of human rights violation was reported, we acted promptly and delivered on ground," he said citing the example of Bomia, Khaigam, Larkipora, Baramulla and the individual cases of Manzoor Ahmad Baig and Asrar Ahmad Dar of Maisuma.

Referring to the rape and murder of two women in Shopian, Omar said that since this unfortunate and heinous crime took place, he has not come out of the impact of the tragedy and is constantly thinking about booking the culprits and punishing them severely whosoever high he may be.

He said his government does not want to detain leaders like 79-year old Syed Ali Shah Geelani but is compelled to take this action for the maintenance of law and order and safeguarding the general masses from unnecessary violence, killings and harassment.

The Chief Minister made it clear that his government would work for restoring the two track dialogue channel between India and Pakistan and the Centre and the Kashmir involving all shades of opinions to realize political settlement of all issues pertaining to Kashmir.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.