Srinagar, June 16: Member Assembly Langate Er. Rashid on Thursday claimed that State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has indicted forces in the 11 cases of human rights violations filed by him 2-years ago. He urged the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to initiate action on the SHRC recommendations “to prove his commitment of safeguarding human rights” in Jammu and Kashmir. 
“I am often accused by both State and Centre of tarnishing the image of forces but my stand has been vindicated by the SHRC directions. Out of the 34 cases filed by me in 2009 on World Human Rights Day, recommendations have come in 12 cases till date and in eleven cases forces have been held guilty,” Rashid told a news conference here.
He said that it was testing time for the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to prove his commitment to safeguard human rights in the state.
“The Chief Minister should initiate action on the recommendations of SHRC if he is sincere. It is not Syed Salahuddin, Syed Ali Shah Geelani or Mirwaiz Umar Farooq accusing government of abuses, but it is their own institution (SHRC),” he said.
However, he added, that if the State Government would sit on the recommendations of the body, then he would approach the Highest Court (Supreme Court) to seek justice.
The independent legislator sought cooperation of civil society groups, Bar Association and separatists for “taking the battle for justice in these cases to its logical conclusion.”
“Let us rise above the politics and collectively fight for the justice,” he said, adding that “those who are raising hue and cry to get the parliament attack convict Afzal Guroo  hanged should also demand the same punishment for the personnel indicted  by the SHRC.”
Rashid said that on one hand people brave threats to file cases in the rights body, but on other hand, its recommendations are “thrown in dustbin.”
About the remarks of Kashmir Committee head Ram Jethmalani that Jammu and Kashmir Government was worse than Nazi regime, Rashid said, "I will appreciate everybody who will raise voice against human rights violations.”
Observations of SHRC
Quoting a SHRC recommendation in the petition  filed by Naseema Begum whose husband Abdur Rashid Ganie was killed in custody, the  MLA  said that SHRC has observed, “As per the police report either they (surrendered militants) have to pay cost of their lives or in the alternative they have to go back again and take illegal arms in their hands. This is a matter of great concern especially for the high ups and the policy makers .If we appreciate the incident in prospective of a civilized society this is clearly an act of cold blooded murder. The Government is making policies and announcing schemes for return of those who have gone across the Line of Control (LoC) for illegal arms training. The Government wants them to comeback to their homeland so that they can be again settled and live a peaceful life. I am however constrained to record that this incident is an eye-opener for the State Government”.
In another case filed by Dulla Chichi, whose son Suraya Chichi was killed in 1994, the legislator said SHRC praised the role of Director General of Police and castigated the  then Station House Officer Panzala for the  inaction.
“I recommend that DGP shall identify the SHO who was posted in police station Panzala in the months of August/ September 1994 and proceed against him under rules for dereliction of his duties,” it observed.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST