Ahmedabad, July 24: Holding the central and state government responsible for the prevailing unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, Ahmedabad-based Human Rights organizations – People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) and Movement for Secular Democracy (MSD) – have condemned “the unabated human rights violations in the state.”
In a memorandum to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the Union Home Minster P Chidambaram, the civil liberties groups expressed their concern over the unrest in the valley. They condemned violation of human rights allegedly by security forces and failure of both state and central governments to calm down the incensed situation in the region. Terming it a blot on democracy, they urged both governments to initiate for prevention of further loss of life and property.
“With the disclosure of the Machil fake encounter in May this year, the political situation in Jammu and Kashmir has worsened over the last few weeks. Spontaneous protests erupted in the valley. Police action killed 18 youths in the age-group of 9 to 25. Even common people are now dying and sustaining injuries. The so-called undeclared curfews are furthering harassment of the civilians in the valley. Even journalists with valid curfew passes have been attacked and even ambulances not spared,” the memorandum reads.
Regarding violation of Article 370 in the valley it notes: “The Article 370 was added to the Indian Constitution to give due consideration to the aspirations and rights of the people of Kashmir. But instead of giving effect to the Article 370, the security forces are carrying on indiscriminate killing of common people including teenagers and youth and cool-headed murder staging fake encounters,”
They groups demanded judicial inquiry into the recent killings of youths, release of all the children arrested on the charges of stone pelting and compensation to the families whose kith and kin were killed in security force’s firing.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
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