Srinagar: The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) has paid tribute to the victims of the Kupwara massacre on their 31st martyrdom anniversary, observed in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

According to a statement by Kashmir Media Service, 27 Kashmiris were killed by Indian troops in 1994 as a punitive measure against the residents of Kupwara for observing a shutdown on India’s Republic Day, January 26.

In a statement issued in Srinagar, APHC spokesman Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas expressed concern that the Indian forces responsible for the massacre remain unaccountable. He called upon international human rights organizations to take action in seeking justice for the victims.

Minhas reiterated that the sacrifices of the martyrs would be remembered, and affirmed that the peaceful struggle for self-determination would persist.

Residents visited the Martyrs’ Graveyard in Kupwara to offer prayers for the victims and other Kashmiri martyrs.

Despite the passage of 31 years, families of the victims continue to seek justice. Local accounts indicate that an Indian army officer had warned local shopkeepers against observing a shutdown and instructed them to attend Republic Day celebrations at a camp. When shopkeepers resumed business the next day, Indian soldiers reportedly opened fire, resulting in the deaths of 27 people and injuries to many others.