SRINAGAR: Braving rains and chill, Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) sat on their weekly protest at Pratap Park Srinagar on Monday.
According to APDP so far 10 of the parents of disappeared have died without having a glimpse of their loved ones who were subjected to enforced disappearance in the State.
The association said that one Hussina Begum passed away recently without meeting her long cherished wish of seeing her missing son one last time.
Her Anwar Ahmad Shah was picked up and subject to enforced disappearance by the govt forces on July 21, 2000 from Srinagar.
Hussina Begum, along with the half widow and daughter of her disappeared son, struggled tirelessly for thirteen long years, knocked every door in search of his beloved son but without eliciting any positive response. She died without having a glimpse of his son.
Mehtaba Begum of Karihama, Kupwara met the similar fate. She passed away during her struggle to know the whereabouts of her son, Mohammad Yaqub Khan, who was picked up by the 76 and 56 Battalion of Border Security Forces in a crackdown at his native village on 14th October 1990 and was subsequently subjected to enforced disappearance, the APDP said.
APDP said that Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, father of Shabir Hussain Bhat, a resident of Chattabal, Srinagar, passed away on 7th January this year. Shabir was picked up by 21 Battalion Border Security Forces from Bemina, Srinagar.
Another parent, Abdul Ahad Sofi of Daribal, Naid Kadal, Srinagar passed away in the year 2012. His son, Bashir Ahmad Sofi, was picked up by the 61 Battalion of Border Security Forces on 17th June 2003 from his home, in front of his family.
Misra Begum of Boatman Colony, Bemina also passed away during her struggle to know the whereabouts of her son, Shabir Hussain Gassi, who was picked up by 6 Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army from his home on 21st January 2000.
Similarly, Hameeda Parveen, mother of Abid Hussain Dar, died in the year 2012. Abid was a student at the time of his arrest by the army personal of 15 JAKLI.
Zoona Begum, mother of Imtiyaz Ahmad Wani of Rajbagh passed away in the year 2011. Her son was subjected to enforced disappeared on 15th of May 1996 after he was picked up by BSF and STF from his home.
Imtiyaz was a government employee, working as Forester in J&K Forest Department.
Muhammad Jamal Bhat of Kupwara passed away in the year 2012. His son Ghulam Hassan Bhat disappeared from BSF custody on 25th January 1992.
Wali Mohammad of Hanjiwera, Baramulla also died while searching for his missing son.
APDP said that Haleema Begum of Batamaloo, has recently joined the list of the parents who died waiting for justice. She passed away on 26 February 2013 without realizing the wish to see her beloved son.
The struggle she had started to know the whereabouts of her son, along with her husband has met a tragic end. Her husband, Muhammad Amin Shah, has already met the similar fate in their struggle. Her son, Basharat Ahmad Shah, who was a student of Aligarh Muslim University, was picked up by CRPF in Sopore on 12th October 1990 and subjected to enforced disappearance.
The Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) today said the group commiserates the death of all the parents who have passes away during their struggle to know the whereabouts of their loved ones and pledged to take their struggle to its logical end.
APDP demanded that the impunity being provided to the Indian Security Forces, under the draconian law AFSPA, be immediately revoked, besides making them accountable for all the gross human rights violations they commit.
The impunity, on one hand, gives free hand to the Indian Security Forces to kill, Disappear, Torture and rape the innocent people, and, on the other hand, the lack of accountability is used to suppress the people and to deny justice to them, besides giving arduous lives and agonizing death to the parents of the of victims of enforced disappearances.
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