Mass Graves In IIOJK Raises Apprehensions About Safety Of Disappeared Kashmiris

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2021 ) :The discovery of mass graves by several human rights bodies revealed that India had been consistently committing gross human rights violations and war crimes in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Different investigative reports by several international human rights' bodies confirmed existence of these unidentified mass graves.

According to reports of International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Jammu and Kashmir and Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission revealed about existence of 8,652 unidentified mass graves in 89 villages of 6 districts of IIOJK.

The discovery of such mass graves had also generated apprehensions about the safety of thousands of disappeared Kashmiris whose whereabouts had been still unknown.

An investigative report during 2011 by IIOJK State Human Rights Commission (SHR) said that about 3,640 mass graves were found in Uri, Baramula, Bandipora and Kupwara districts.

The SHRC confirmed about existence of 2,730 graves and recommended forensic examination and DNA testing of these graves along with setting up of commission of inquiry, but as usual none of these recommendations were implemented.

The New York Times in its publication on August 22, 2011 also referred to that report.

While the International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in its report during 2009, documented existence of 5,643 unknown mass graves in 55 villages of district Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora.

Out of 5,643 graves, 140 graves contained two dead bodies and 23 graves had up to 17 bodies in each grave.

Besides, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and International Forum for Justice and Human Rights J&K (IFJHRJK) also identified 18 places in district Baramulla and Uri having 925 unnamed graves.

Muhammad Yousaf Malik of Kichama village and Atta Muhammad of Bimyar village, in district Baramulla, had confirmed burial of 430-450 unidentified bodies on the directions of IOFs.