Mass Grave Found In Kashmir

Kashmir police refuse body demand

Police in Indian-administered Kashmir have rejected a demand for the identification of up to 1,000 bodies, said to be buried in unmarked graves.

A Kashmir-based rights group says it has found the graves, which it alleges could contain the remains of civilians who went missing after their arrest.

A BBC correspondent has been to two of the sites said to contain the bodies.

The Indian army and militants have been accused of numerous human rights abuses in Kashmir in the past two decades.

The Association of the Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) has identified a dozen villages in the area around Uri, near the Line of Control that divides Kashmir, where it says nearly 1,000 unidentified people have been buried.

It has demanded that the bodies are identified.

'Foreign militants'

The BBC's Altaf Hussain says that one of the locations identified by the APDP is in Kichama village, 62 kilometres from of Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir.

He says that none of the more than 200 apparent graves there has anything to identify the names of the deceased.

The villagers say they have no idea who they were and that the police told them the men were foreign militants killed in fighting with the Indian troops.

Allegations of extra-judicial killings were made last year

According to the villagers, the bodies were either charred, or their faces were mutilated beyond recognition.

But they say the first two bodies exhumed within weeks of their burial were of two civilians allegedly killed in police custody in Srinagar.

The police officer accused of killing them has since absconded.

Last year, police in other parts of Kashmir exhumed at least five bodies of civilians alleged to have died in extra-judicial killings who the authorities said were foreign militants.

Investigation demand

A prominent human rights activist and advisor to the APDP, Pervez Imroz, says the Indian security forces have used the presence of foreign militants as a way of covering up custodial killings.

He says the government should come clean on the issue, by allowing an investigation by the International Commission on Disappeared Persons.

The inspector general of police in the Kashmir valley, SM Sahai, has dismissed the demand, saying the police have investigated all cases of disappearances reported to it and have registered cases for investigation wherever necessary.

The APDP says more than 8,000 people have disappeared in Kashmir in the past two decades.

The government has given conflicting figures, ranging from 3,700 to 111.

Disrespect Of The Nishan Sahib

=Nishan Sahib=

The reason for this leaflet is that in years gone by during the time of Vaisakhi, many ‘Desi’ pubs have customers in and around their premises drinking and smoking whilst carrying ‘The Holy Nishan Sahib’ (Sikh Holy Flag). This is forbidden in Sikhi, this is a benti (plea) to you, your customers and sangat in general to put a stop to these anti-Sikh activities.

Recently, people have begun to misunderstand the importance of the Khanda and Nishan sahib. They place it on cars, as tattoos, on clothes, and perform anti-Sikhi activities. You can see youth driving along during Vaisakhi waving the Nishan Sahib as a common flag with no respect or understanding as to its importance. How far and modern we have become when what was once taken into battle, held high with the utmost respect and never allowed to drop, seems to have now fallen to the status of a fashion item.

The Nishan Sahib is the sign of the Khalsa Panth. It is hoisted in religious gatherings and other congregations related to Sikhs. It leads religious processions. It is put up on all Gurdwaras (The Sikh Prayer Houses).

The Nishan Sahib also has spiritual meanings and commands a high level of respect. The Sikhs consider the Nishan Sahib as auspicious and revere it as something special from the Guru. Sikh devotees respectfully place flowers on its base and light candles there on the days of celebrations.

Religious processions are lead by five Nishan Sahibs carried by Singh’s with bare- feet. People bow to the Nishan Sahibs. Carrying the Nishan Sahib is considered a special favour and an honour. The Nishan Sahib had been leading Sikh armies, parades and groups since the time of the Gurus.

The Nishan Sahib is a symbol of pride for the Sikhs. Once hoisted, it is never done half-mast. It is hoisted or changed with Singing of Hymns, Ardas, Jaikaras (Slogans), distribution of Parshad and rejoicing. During Vaisakhi (birthday of the Khalsa) the pole is lowered, washed with diluted milk and cleaned before putting on the new Nishan Sahib.

Please do not smoke or drink while holding the Nishan sahib, please don’t bring shame and dishonour to the Sikh nation.

Together lets keep the dignity and respect for our nation as high as possible. Thank you for your time, take care people.