120 Whither Kashmir? (Part II) - Islamabad Policy Research Institute

Whither Kashmir?
• January 20, 1990: Gawakadal massacre: There are large-scale
demonstrations and thirty people are killed by Indian security
forces. A curfew is imposed in most cities.
• February 25, 1990: Support from civil servants:
Government Employees Join Demonstrations
• February 27, 1990: United Nations not allowed in Kashmir: India
refuses to allow any United Nations official to visit Kashmir.
• February 28, 1990: Zakoora And Tengpora Massacre: In order to
halt the people, who were to submit a memorandum to United
Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan
(UNMOGIP), Indian army opened fire at Tengpora bypass and
Zakoora crossing in Srinagar, killing 26 and 21 demonstrators,
respectively.
• March 2, 1990: Kashmiris shot during Srinagar march: Forty people
are killed when police open fire at a march of more than one
million Kashmiris through the streets of Srinagar. Police are
ordered to shoot at sight.
• April 14, 1990: Military reinforcements in Kashmir:
Indian Authorities Send Military Reinforcements to Kashmir
• July 1990: Jammu and Kashmir Disputed Areas Act passed: Under
this act, India's security forces personnel have extraordinary powers
over anyone who is suspected of disturbing the peace or harboring
militants or arms.
• July 5, 1990 - THE ARMED FORCES (JAMMU AND
KASHMIR) SPECIAL POWERS ACT, 1990. The "Armed Forces
Special Powers Act", enables certain special wide powers to be
conferred upon members of the armed forces in the disturbed areas
in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Any officer in the armed forces
may, in a disturbed area, after giving such due warning as he may
consider necessary, fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the
causing of death, against any person who is acting in contravention
of any law or order; prohibit the assembly of five or more persons;
prohibit carrying of weapons; arrest, without warrant, any persons
who has committed a cognizable offence. The Human rights
organizations such as Amnesty International and the Human
Rights Watch (HRW) have condemned human rights abuses in
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