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

Whither Kashmir?
with little civilian control over their operations and furthermore
"Access to redress for victims of human rights violations, a right
guaranteed under international law, is being denied to victims in
Jammu and Kashmir,". The party member from Jammu and
Kashmir said “It’s high time that the Government of India put an
end to impunity for the perpetrators of human rights violations,”
the organization said. Further more. "The arrest and detention
yesterday evening of Yasin Malik and others can only serve to
undermine the government’s stated commitment to human rights.”
For example in an incident on 22 April, several armed forces
personnel forcibly entered the house of a 32-year-old woman in the
village of Wawoosa in the Rangreth district of Jammu and Kashmir.
They reportedly molested her 12-year-old daughter and raped her
other three daughters, aged 14, 16 and 18. When another woman
attempted to prevent soldiers from attacking her two daughters, she
was beaten. Soldiers reportedly told her 17-year-old daughter to
remove her clothes so that they could check whether she was
hiding a gun. They molested her before leaving the house.
• June 22, 1997: India and Pakistan reach an agreement: Pakistan and
India agree to establish a mechanism for enduring dialogue on issues
between the two countries.
• June 23, 1997: Kashmir is one of eight major issues: Pakistan and
India pinpoint eight issues to be discussed in future talks including
the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. However, Pakistani Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif says the country maintains its stand on
Kashmir.
• June 25, 1997: India says Kashmir is not a "disputed territory": At
the conclusion of a second round of talks in Islamabad, India rejects
Pakistan's assertion that Jammu and Kashmir is a "disputed
territory." Indian Foreign Minister, Salman Haider, says India will
not discuss the status of Indian-held Kashmir with Pakistan. He
says if anything is to be discussed it will be "Pakistan-held" Kashmir
and northern areas illegally annexed by Pakistan.
• July 27, 1997: Gujral does a turnaround: In a turnaround from the
previous day's statement, Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar
Gujral, says that Kashmiri Terrorists would have to surrender their
arms before peace talks with the government could begin.
• August 10, 1997: Increase in reports of harassment of Kashmiri
women: Reports are coming through of Kashmiri women and girls
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