Srinagar, Dec 10: The High Court Bar Association Saturday organized a seminar on human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir at Saddar Court Complex here to mark the Human Rights Day, which was participated by lawyers, writers, professors and other intellectuals.
The Bar president, Mian Abdul Qayoom, in his address said that power and money are the biggest wilts to any genuine case and the lawyers should seclude from it and provide a commendable service to the troubled masses.
“I am proud of the lawyers who fight the cases of the detained people without charging them. It is the biggest service they render and the Bar lauds them for their services to the people who are in distress.
“In jails, the inmates are always in despairs and they feel a satisfaction when they hear that someone has appeared in their cases. The lawyers will continue to fight the cases for the greatest cause,” the Bar president said.
The Bar president said tyranny is always short-lived and if Kashmiris will show resolution and flaunt honesty and dedication, ‘the chains they are held in will break sooner than later.’
Prof Hameeda Nayeem in her speech said it is indispensable for Kashmiris to awake to dominant intellectual hegemony reigning supreme here and the same can be defeated by a counter hegemony, which is only possible if efforts are coalesced for shaping up an ideology of counter hegemony.
“A big lot of people who matter are in government jobs and their intellect has been circumscribed and tapped for serving the cause of the people who are dominant here. Kashmiris have to be wary to this situation and galvanize themselves to hammer out a strategy to counter it,” Hameeda said.
She said the nexus between ideology and power in Kashmir is detrimental for the cause and the nexus is palpable everywhere. “The freedom of expression for an individual whose views go against the interests of the people occupying the echelons of power is a fundamental right and the individual has to face suffocation for speaking the truth,” she said.
Professor Sheikh Shoukat while addressing the gathering said, “The guarding of human rights should be taken in a broader perspective and the institutions which highlight these violations should also be protected.
“It is alright that we observe human rights day, why we should not observe freedom of press day?” he asked.
“A writer from Islamabad (Anantnag) wrote an article in Greater Kashmir and the next day the security forces came to his home objecting and commanding him to be present in their camp. And in Tangmarg a student incurred wrath of security forces after his write-up appeared in an Urdu daily,” he said.
He said if press becomes a cripple, the voice of human rights will reach nowhere. Along with the human rights day, the day of press needs to be observed to save it from gag and oppression, he said.
Columnist Z G Muhammad in his speech said that he was satisfied with the role of intellectuals as hundreds of books have been written on Kashmir for last many years and more than five thousand write ups have published in international newspapers.
Advocate Reyaz Khawar said ‘draconian’ laws like Enemy Agents Ordinance, Public Safety Act, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Prevention and Suppression of Sabotages Act are against International Declaration of Human Rights and other International Covenants.
Columnist Quratul Ain in her address said that the human rights violations against women should be voiced and fought with determination.
“I draw a discordant ideology with Aasiya Andrabi but feel tormented over her continuous detention and it amounts to human rights violation,” she said.
She said efforts should be put in place from women activists and human rights groups to voice concern on the detained women.
She said the write-ups and books have served a cause that is appreciable and needs to be continued with consistency.
Farhana Shaheen, a 10th class student, spoke on juvenile arrests and teenage killings as social, political and social concern and said the fundamental freedoms and special privileges under the Juvenile Act seems a myth. “The legal fraternity should come forward with sharp resources on this grave issue,” she said.
Advocate Mian Tufail in his speech highlighted the role of Bar Association in relation to ‘popular movement for self determination.’ He said the Bar members have filed thousands of Habeas Corpus petitions to create official record of individuals who are disappeared.
Among others who spoke on the occasion include Bar General Secretary G N Shaheen, M Ashraf Wani, Abdul Majeed Zargar, Adocate Syed Manzoor and Bashir Sidiq.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST