Srinagar, The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders have condemned the use of sexual violence by Indian troops as a weapon of war in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, particularly highlighting the unresolved injustice of the Kunan-Poshpura mass rape incident that occurred over three decades ago.
According to Kashmir Media Service, on the night of February 23, 1991, Indian troops perpetrated a mass rape against approximately 100 women, ranging in age from eight to eighty, during a siege and search operation in the Kunan-Poshpora area of Kupwara district. APHC leader Muhammad Yousaf Naqash stated that this incident starkly illustrates the extent to which India has been willing to employ inhumane tactics against the Kashmiri population, undermining their dignity and values to quell their struggle for self-determination.
Other Hurriyat leaders, including Fayaz Hussain Jafari and Syed Sibte Shabbir Qummi, echoed this sentiment in separate statements, accusing India of utilizing rape as a strategy to suppress the Kashmiris’ rightful demands. Despite the passage of time, they lamented, none of the perpetrators have faced punishment, and many victims have died without seeing justice. They also noted the broader pattern of violence against Kashmiri women by Indian forces, including detentions, the creation of thousands of widows, and continued humiliation, yet emphasized that these actions have failed to break the spirit of the Kashmiri people.
Additionally, the Islamic Tanzeem-e-Azadi Jammu and Kashmir’s spokesperson voiced concern over ongoing threats and detentions targeting the Kashmiri population and Hurriyat leadership. The statement highlighted the continued imprisonment of party Chairman Abdul Samad Inqilabi and affirmed the Kashmiri resolve to resist India’s forced occupation and military aggression steadfastly.
The persistent advocacy of the Hurriyat Conference underscores the ongoing human rights challenges in Kashmir, calling attention to the need for accountability and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.