J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Kashmiri families’ endless wait for sons
SRINAGAR, Dec 1 — There are hardly any family in Kashmir that have not been directly or indirectly affected by the decade-long militancy. The reason is that their youth either joined militancy or became innocent victims. Some of the youth did not return from across the border, others fell victim to the hard terrain and frostbites in winters, others were killed in encounters with security forces and many others are still missing. 

J&K awareness drive on AIDS
SRINAGAR, Dec 1 — No survey for the detection of AIDS has been conducted in Kashmir, although some HIV positive cases have been detected over the years. Out of the five major hospitals in Srinagar, four are provided with the AIDS detection facility on blood samples.

PDP: NC, vested interests “sabotage” peace process
JAMMU, Dec 1 — The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Mufti Mohammad. Sayeed, a former Union Home Minister, has squarely blamed the ruling National Conference and other vested groups for trying to “sabotage” the peace process initiated by Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, through his announcement of one-month unilateral ceasefire.

Ministers to spend week in Srinagar
JAMMU, Dec 1 — Each minister in the Farooq Abdullah government had been asked to spend at least one week on rotational basis in the valley during the winter months.

Kashmiri families’ endless wait for sons
From Ehsan Fazili
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Dec 1 — There are hardly any family in Kashmir that have not been directly or indirectly affected by the decade-long militancy. The reason is that their youth either joined militancy or became innocent victims. Some of the youth did not return from across the border, others fell victim to the hard terrain and frostbites in winters, others were killed in encounters with security forces and many others are still missing. Human rights, thus, has become an issue in Kashmir. While officials put the death toll of militants and civilians at 25,000, the separatist APHC put the toll at over 80,000. Both sides question each other on the issue of human rights.

The families of victims have different stories to narrate, depending upon the circumstances of the “killing at the hands of security forces” or in cross-fire or the circumstances in which their youth joined militancy. The story of 16-year-old Farooq, belonging to a remote village in north Kashmir, is different. One day he along with his mother walked into a nearby security force camp to seek refuge.

Why did he seek refuge in the security camp for over two months last year? His mother did not want him to join militancy, as he was the only hope for the family. Farooq’s father had died about five years ago and Farooq would look after their piece of land. But the annual visits of another youth of the village, Mushtaq Ahmad, from across the border, was becoming a problem for both the son and the mother. Mushtaq would every year take away with him a group of youths of his village to PoK for arms training.

To avoid falling into the hands of Mushtaq, Farooq sought refuge at the camp for about two months. He was fond of food and had a great love for cricket. His language was different from those around him and his thoughts different as he was not able to continue his studies in the school after the death of his father. After it was known that Mushtaq had returned to PoK, Farooq’s mother brought her son back from the security camp. But after some time it was known that Farooq had been taken away by Mushtaq in a surprise move. Now Farooq’s mother has an endless wait for her only son to come back home.

Another youth Altaf Hussain, from a distant village, who was taken to PoK for arms training by an acquaintance, writes to his parents: “I was at the bus stand on that Sunday when suddenly Nazir Beigh passed by. He told me to follow him. I met three other fellow students in the school complex. Then we were taken to another village where we met four Mujahids. They took us to a mosque. We were about 25 in number....” He adds that he would rather die than pick up the gun and appealed to his parents “to find some way and means to seek my safe return”.

A college student, Mohammad Asim, from a remote village in north Kashmir, left his home as usual one morning about five years ago. Till date he has not returned. After a few weeks it was known to his family members that he was seen in PoK. Having spent over a year there, he was reported to have come back along with a group of militants. But till date nothing is known about him. His parents move from pillar to post to know “something” about their son.

Merajuddin, a 27-year-old shopkeeper of Batamaloo in Srinagar, was reportedly arrested in April 1997. When his parents and other family members tried to contact the authorities concerned, they denied knowing anything about the youth.

Riyaz Ahmad Malik, another youth of Khayar village in Bandipore, Baramula district left his home on July 3, 1998, and has not returned so far. An FIR stands lodged in the local police station. Reports suggested that he had been held by counter-insurgents or surrendered militants, but there is no response.

J&K awareness drive on AIDS
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Dec 1 — No survey for the detection of AIDS has been conducted in Kashmir, although some HIV positive cases have been detected over the years. Out of the five major hospitals in Srinagar, four are provided with the AIDS detection facility on blood samples.

Many cases have been reported from Kashmir, according to a spokesman of Government Medical College here. The Department of SPM, Government Medical College, in collaboration with the State AIDS Prevention and Control Society has launched a campaign for awareness among the public on AIDS.

The State Council for Science and Technology has also launched an awareness programme. According to officials in the council, there is every apprehension of the spread of AIDS as no AIDS detection facility is available at JN Memorial Maternity Hospital, Rainawari, here.

The hospital caters to the needs of a large population of the valley.

However, four more hospitals — Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Lalla Ded Maternity Hospital, SMHS Hospital and Bone and Joints Hospital — have been provided with kits for the detection of AIDS.

A survey conducted by the council puts the total number of blood units transfused during 1999 at the Rainawari hospital at 17254, while the projected requirement for the year 2003 is 18851.

Hence as 20 per cent of the total blood transfusion in Srinagar city alone is carried out by Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital, there is every apprehension of the spread of AIDS. 

PDP: NC, vested interests “sabotage” peace process
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 1 — The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Mufti Mohammad. Sayeed, a former Union Home Minister, has squarely blamed the ruling National Conference and other vested groups for trying to “sabotage” the peace process initiated by Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, through his announcement of one-month unilateral ceasefire.

During the past 10 days or so both the Mufti and his daughter, Mehbooba Mufti, a vice-president of the PDP? have accused the vested interests for attempting at sabotaging the peace process.

Mehbooba Mufti told newsmen here today that by announcing Ramzan month ceasefire the Prime Minister had opened a window for peace parleys between the militants and the Government. She said that people, besides large number of political groups, including some separatists, had welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement.

She regretted that some vested interests were upset by the response the ceasefire announcement had received. They were scheming to undo the gains that might follow the peace talks.

She said that the PDP had been, right from its birth over a year ago, campaigning for talks with separatists and militants to find a solution to the ongoing turmoil. She said that the idea behind it was to encourage militants to join the national mainstream.

Mehbooba urged the Centre to take serious note of these vested interests which were planning to “wreck” the proposed peace talks. She stated that the Government of India should also take into account the way the ruling National Conference leadership had misused central funds which were meant for rural development. She said that several far-flung areas in the state had not at all been benefited by these centrally sponsored schemes because the funds had been “misappropriated.”

She pleaded for immediate dismissal of the Farooq regime as it was the demand of the majority of the people. She said when the National Conference had been voted to power in 1996 people had expected things on economic and political front to improve. She claimed that these hopes had been belied and people wanted a change in the Government.

Ministers to spend week in Srinagar
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 1 — Each minister in the Farooq Abdullah government had been asked to spend at least one week on rotational basis in the valley during the winter months.

This way each minister, including the Ministers of State, will remain in Srinagar from November 27, 2000, to February 18, 2001, for at least one week.