A team of 5 women visited Kashmir from September 17th-21st 2019 to see how the then 43-day lockdown had affected the people, particularly women and children. They find that “those claiming that the situation is slowly returning to normalcy are making false claims based on distorted facts” and some of their demands include the restoration of article 370 and 35A, and the restoration of all communication lines in Kashmir.
Topics: 2019 Kashmir information blockade, abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, state of women and children in Kashmir, human rights violations, desire for independence
Terms: enforced disappearances, half-widows, extrajudicial killings, custodial torture, torture of minors, custodial rape, excessive use of force, right to self determination
[W]e reiterate that nothing about the situation is normal. All those claiming that the situation is slowly returning to normalcy are making false claims based on distorted facts.
We Demand:
1. FOR NORMALCY Withdraw the Army and Paramilitary forces with immediate effect
2. FOR CONFIDENCE BUILDING Immediately Cancel all cases/ FIRs and Release all those,
especially the youth who are under custody and in jail since the Abrogation of Article 370
3. FOR ENSURING JUSTICE Conduct inquiry on the widespread violence and tortures unleashed
by the Army and other security personnel.
4. COMPENSATION to all those families whose loved ones lost lives because of non availability of
transportation and absence of communication.
In Addition:
• Immediately restore all communication lines in Kashmir including internet and mobile
networks.
• Restore Article 370 and 35 A.
• All future decisions about the political future of Jammu and Kashmir must be taken
through a process of dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
• All army personnel must be removed from the civilian areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
• An time bound inquiry committee must be constituted to look into the excesses
September 2019
Originally published
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