tribuneindia... Jammu and Kashmir

J A M M U C
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Thursday, July 23, 1998

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Ribeiro visits Srinagar
JAMMU, July 22 — A high-level committee set up by the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, to collect feedback from all states on the issue of implementation of the recommendations of the National Police Commission, visited Srinagar today to interact with senior police and civil authorities...

APHC alleges excesses
SRINAGAR, July 22 — Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Chairman of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), has expressed concern over the...

Farooq against BJP move on Doda
JAMMU, July 22 — The move to declare Doda district as disturbed area does not find favour with the state government. The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has already conveyed to the central government that the move could turn out to be another elephant for the latter...

Pakistan target 5 Indian BOPs
JAMMU, July 22 — Pakistani troops have resumed firing along the international border in Jammu targeting five Indian border outposts (BOPs) in the Samba sector, official sources said here...

3625 kidnapped in J&K since 1989
JAMMU, July 22 — Twentyone foreigners and 128 politicians were among a total of 3,625 persons kidnapped by the militants in Jammu and Kashmir in the past one decade, a Union Home Ministry report has said...

Market to remain open on Saturdays

Farooq against BJP move on Doda
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service
JAMMU, July 22 — The move to declare Doda district as disturbed area does not find favour with the state government. The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has already conveyed to the central government that the move could turn out to be another elephant for the latter.
Reports said the central government was under pressure from BJP leaders belonging to the Jammu region for declaring the district as a disturbed area so that the security forces had sweeping powers to effect arrests, search and seizures. The BJP leaders have been demanding the disturbed area status for Doda district for the past five years. During the 1996 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections and in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections BJP's poll manifesto stated that the party would work to get Doda district declared as disturbed area.
The BJP has been in power at the Centre for the past four months. During this period the security environment in Doda district has deteriorated following step up in the militants activities. In village Chapnari 26 Hindus were killed. The rate of armed attacks on security forces and civilians has increased. The local BJP leaders have conveyed to the centre that a large number of party supporters had become annoyed with the BJP over its failure to fulfil its commitment of declaring Doda district as disturbed area. However, people here sounded a discordant note by staying away from the recent Jammu bandh, the call for which had been given by the BJP. They blame the Centre for its inability to control the situation in Doda district.
Those who are opposed to declaring Doda district a disturbed area argue that it would simply add to the financial burden of the state and central governments. Under the Disturbed Area Act security forces and central government employees were entitled to higher allowances.
They further argue that the entire Kashmir valley had been declared a disturbed area eight years ago, but the situation did not witness a dramatic improvement.
The promulgation of the Disturbed Area Act could hardly prove a deterrent. What was needed was a sound security system from Kishtwar hills to the upper reaches of Udhampur district for flushing out militants and smashing their hideouts. They have suggested to Central and the state governments to provide moral and material support to 400 village defence committees who should be manned by able bodied persons.

Ribeiro visits Srinagar
Tribune News Service
JAMMU, July 22 — A high-level committee set up by the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, to collect feedback from all states on the issue of implementation of the recommendations of the National Police Commission, visited Srinagar today to interact with senior police and civil authorities.
Three members of the four-member committee, led by former Director-General of Police, Punjab, Mr J.F. Ribeiro, had a detailed discussion on the issue with senior government functionaries in the state. The committee members had a long meeting with the DGP, Mr Gurbachan Jagat, who is said to have shed light on the recommendations of the police commission.
The recommendations had been made several years ago but were kept under the carpet for one reason or the other. Mr Advani is said to have set up the committee comprising experts, including Mr Arun Bhagat, former Director, Intelligence Bureau, to assess whether the stage governments were in favour of implementing the police commission recommendations or wanted some modifications.
The committee members are said to have discussed several aspects of the report with the state authorities but their main emphasis was on four vital recommendations.
The Commission has recommended that the appointment of the DGP should be made under proper norms. It has recommended a committee should be headed by the Chairman of the Union Public Service Commission should be set up. The Union Home Secretary, the Chief Secretary of the state concerned and the outgoing DGP should be appointed as members of the committee. The committee should submit a panel of names for the post of the DGP and the Chief Minister should have the prerogative to select any one from the panel.
The commission has also recommended setting up similar committees in the states to finalise transfers and promotions of police officers. Another recommendation pertains separating law and order from investigation. The commission has also emphasised the need for amending the Police Act of 1861. Reports said the state functionaries in Srinagar voiced their favour to the implementation of the recommendations.

Pakistan target 5 Indian BOPs
JAMMU, July 22 (PTI) — Pakistani troops have resumed firing along the international border in Jammu targeting five Indian border outposts (bops) in the Samba sector, official sources said here.
Pakistani rangers began firing at Khora, Karol, Krishan, Bharpur, and Ballur bops last night using high calibre ammunition after a lull of two days, the sources said adding that Border Security Force (BSF) troops returned the fire.
No casualty or damage was reported on the Indian side while the "intermittent exchange" of fire continued till early today, the sources added.
Meanwhile, militants set afire the house of a surrendered militant and kidnapped his father, mother and sister at Faizalabad in Poonch district late last night but released them this morning after torturing them throughout the night, they added.
SRINAGAR: Five persons, including two militants, were killed and two Army personnel were wounded even as six militants were arrested and three others surrendered in Jammu and Kashmir since Tuesday evening.
Two militants, including a foreign mercenary, were killed in two separate gun-battles with the security forces at Dardpora and Bodhanumbal in Kupwara district on Tuesday evening, an official spokesman said here on Wednesday.
The Army recovered the beheaded body of Fayaz Ahmad, kidnapped by militants on July 15, from jungles in the Lah area of the border district of Rajouri on Wednesday, he said.
Militants shot dead Farooq Ahmad, a resident of Kishtwar in the same area on Tuesday night.
The bullet-riddled body of an unidentified person was also recovered from the Ganderbal area on the outskirts of Srinagar on Tuesday night, he said.
Meanwhile, six militants, including a self-styled company commander of the outlawed Hizbul Mujahideen, Kabir Shah, were arrested by the security forces from Kupwara, Pulwama, Srinagar and Anantnag on Wednesday.

APHC alleges excesses
Tribune News Service
SRINAGAR, July 22 — Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Chairman of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), has expressed concern over the "increase in excesses of the people in rural areas of Kashmir by the security forces". He warned the government that such "deliberate attempts" would further adversely affect the scenario in Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference here today, Mr Geelani said the nuclear tests conducted by both India and Pakistan were the result of the "Kashmir issue" and that the issue was at the root of such tests. "The basic cause is Kashmir and to solve the Kashmir issue is the responsibility of the international community," he added. He condemned the nuclear tests conducted by the two countries as they had brought them "at the verge of war".
Referring to the talks of the US Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Strobe Talbott, with the Indian and Pakistani leaders, Mr Geelani held the motivation on signing the CTBT and bilateral talks would "not solve the issue unless the Kashmir issue is solved". He reiterated holding tripartite talks for an everlasting solution to the "Kashmir issue".
The APHC Chairman claimed more than 5000 persons of the Safapore area in Baramula district had migrated to "safer places" due to the "continued harassment" by the security forces in the area since the first week of July. He also alleged the security forces gangraped a 15-year-old girl in Safapore on Monday when all male members were assembled out of the locality. In support of his charges, the APHC office-bearers also played a video cassette at the party headquarters here with the interview of the people describing the incident of the rape of the young girl.
Referring to the alleged excesses committed by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in six localities of Safapore, 30 km north of here in Baramula district, the APHC Chairman said on the intervening night of July 7 and 8 the CRPF personnel raided houses in Sheikh Mohalla, Krala Mohalla, Barkat Mohalla, Hajam Mohalla, Wani Mohalla and Darzi Mohalla. Windows and doors of the houses were broken and CRPF men indulged in acts of torture on the inmates of the houses, the APHC chairman alleged.
Mr Geelani also expressed concern over the alleged excesses committed in Doda district where he claimed only the members of a particular community were engaged as village defence committee members. He added the Muslims of the district were feeling harassed on account of this discriminatory attitude.
He claimed the reports of declaring Doda district as a disturbed area would also further aggravate the situation and would be dangerous. He criticised the issuance of arms to civilians despite the presence of security forces. He added extension of the Disturbed Areas Act to Doda would lead to fear, harassment and excesses by the security forces.

3625 kidnapped in J&K since 1989
JAMMU, July 22 (PTI) — Twentyone foreigners and 128 politicians were among a total of 3,625 persons kidnapped by the militants in Jammu and Kashmir in the past one decade, a Union Home Ministry report has said.
Among the victims from abroad, seven were Israeli, two Swedish, two Dutch, one Japanese, one French, four British, two American, one German and one Norwegian, the report recording incidents since 1989 to the end of March 1998 said.
The fate of four foreigners, abducted in July 1995 from the Pahalgam area of the valley, continued to be unknown despite government efforts to trace them.
The victims comprised as many as 145 women and 307 government officers, it said.
In about 2,183 incidents in the valley during the period, the militants killed 1,076 persons, the report said, adding that the highest number of 345 victims were done to death in 1996.
However, militants also released 862 persons after keeping them as hostages for varying periods, it said, adding that in most cases those abducted were released by their captors after extortion, torture, rape and exchange of militants.
The highest number of 759 cases of kidnapping had taken place in 1996, followed by 657 in 1995 and 521 in 1997, the report said.
During these 10 years, militants extorted and looted more than Rs 10.77 crore in 720 incidents.
However, a maximum amount of Rs 5.48 crore was looted by militants in 149 incidents in 1994, the report said, adding that only a small fraction of such cases were reported by the people to the authorities due to fear.
The report pointed out militants had destroyed 13,563 structures in 4,763 incidents by setting them ablaze during the period. These included 1,271 government buildings, 765 educational institutions, 9,488 private houses, 344 bridges, 1,685 shops and 10 hospitals.

Market to be reopened
SRINAGAR, July 22 — The Central Market in Exhibition Ground here is reopening on Saturday after a gap of eight years.
An official spokesman said that the Industries Minister, Bodh Raj Bali would perform the reopening ceremony on Saturday. As part of the government efforts to restore damaged infrastructure in different sectors, the market has been reconstructed.
In 1990 22 shops were destroyed in a fire. All the 128 shops in the complex have been made functional during the recent years.
The Stall Holders Association at the market has offered 10 per cent discount on all handicraft items for a period of one month.