With the anniversary of Kunan Poshpora incident again, it becomes necessary to not only condemn, but also talk about improvements, about bringing fruitful results in terms of ensuring punishment to culprits of such atrocities because these persons are converting the peaceful places in perdition.
Kunan Poshpora is undoubtedly an extremely shameful case, where security personals (deployed by Government of India) are alleged to rape with approx 50 to 100 women in Pulwama District of J&K. Investigations could not bring any fruitful result, while independent inquiries and fact findings told about atrocities and role of security personals.
This was probably the biggest example of mass rape where even pregnant women were raped. In some cases, it harmed the new born child as well due to damage in organs.
Atrocities do not stop here, rather it becomes common. These central deployed forces victimized people in myriad ways. Deployed security forces already have an extra ordinary power under Armed Forces Special Powers Act, where in its section 7, no criminal case can be registered against any security personal without prior sanction from central government. With this extra ordinary and unjustified power and with the general results of atrocities by security forces, where not even a single sanction was granted by central government to prosecute the culprit persons, all central deployed forces became more powerful in their nature. Impunity brought them a dictatorship. It goes to an extent where security personals who are alleged to rape and killings, are still serving in their job before the same public that alleged them for such henious crimes. Every time, they smile, victims of atrocities not only weep for the past, but also get feared for the future.
With the development, more atrocities taken place. From the masses to the individuals, with everyone , of every type. No one could escape with this. We have examples of cases where everyone has been made so vulnerable just with the presence of deployed forces. We have examples where children were handcuffed and atrocities took place upon them. We have examples were during search operations, even non living things have been destroyed, even very old persons faced torture.
With the continuous state atrocities and resistance is also continuous. Be it J&K or North East, every where in spite of knowing the giant power of state, people became fearless and speak against injustice, as they know , death is on both sides. Rather than learning from lessons of the past, state also adopting oppressive attitude. It tried to suppress non violence and resistance of every type of every one. From the continuous fast of Irom Sharmila Chanu since last 14 years to the continuous resistance of people of North East and J&K, we have not received any change in state attitude of handling the issue and providing relief. This disrespect of humanity and rights of the people of these regions are clear picture of arrogant state.
To avoid such cases in future, people's resistance is the only option left. It is because state machinery is failed at all ends. The recent development when Justice Verma included in his report that impunity must be removed in cases where any armed forces personal is guilty of rape, has also not been considered by the centre yet, while it was at a time when women safety was a prime concern of state due to public pressure. On the other hand, though public has been sensitized at some extent, but in larger view, still majority of people are insensitive towards conflict zones atrocities, towards tribal, towards people who are living in J&K and North east. Though there are so many things that require a change, starting from change in policies and its execution to change in attitude and mentality, the prime requirement is to continuous speaking for people's resistance. We must have to convert this only option in to result.
- ravinitesh@gmail.com
