On the eve of the International Week of the Disappeared, Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) in association with Indian Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL) on Sunday called upon New Delhi to enquire into the cases of enforced disappearances, ensure speedy justice to victims and prosecute the perpetrators of enforced disappearances.
“Following the commission of widespread and systematic enforced disappearances of more than 8000 persons in Jammu and Kashmir, the government has chosen to protect itself and its own forces by disregarding the very existence of the crime itself,” APDP said in a statement. “Concerning enforced disappearances, the government has not ensured an alternative independent investigative mechanism and has instead preferred to subject the victims to a system that continues to promote impunity.”
Moreover, the statement added, despite repeated recommendations from the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) for a comprehensive forensic investigation into 7000 plus unknown, unmarked and mass graves found across various districts of Jammu and Kashmir, “the government seems to be unwilling to initiate any such effective inquiry.”
Despite a consistent campaign by the parents and relatives of disappeared persons, no action has been taken, the statement added. “The government has failed to investigate enforced disappearances, bring the perpetrators to justice and provide reparations to the families. The government so far has been disinclined to set up a Commission of Inquiry which has been a recurrent demand of APDP. Due to the continued denial, the families of disappeared particularly half widows and their children continues to suffer endlessly,” the APDP statement said and called upon Indian civil society and international community to “intervene and hold the government of India, a claimant for permanent seat in the UN Security Council, accountable for more than 8000 enforced disappearances and existence of 7000 unknown, unmarked and mass graves in J&K.”
The association pledged to continue their struggle and commemorate the disappeared loved ones “until the truth is revealed and justice delivered.”