Muzamil shah
Srinagar: It was an emotional scene at pratap park after ‘one more family was added’ in the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP). Two family members of Manzoor Ahmad Khan from Lolab Kupwara participated in the silent sit-in protest against the disappearance of their family members at pratap park on Tuesday.
APDP was h holding their monthly silent sit-in protest against the state and Centre government for seeking the whereabouts of their missing relatives.
Scores of the family members of disappeared people assembled inside Partab Park here at Lal-Chowk carrying posters in their hands and reiterated their demand of “the ratification of International Convection for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance”.
The two family members of Manzoor Ahmad Khan who was allegedly apprehended by 27-RR of Army on 31st August this year, from his native village in Diver Lolab area of Kupwara, and since then he is never seen by his family members.
APDP in its official statement said that Manzoor’s family joined the association after a few members of the organization including its Chairperson Parveena Ahanger went to his home and met his family members.
Mohmmad Aslam Khan, brother of Manzoor Ahmad Khan told INS that his brother was supposed to go to the Trimkond-top. “for that he had to register his identity in the army camp and from there he had to go to sell his cow in Bandipora when he was apprehended by Army men”, Khan said.
“My brother was accompanied by his uncle and he left the entry point and began to wait for him, but Manzoor did not come back. Army did not leave him but detained him in the camp,” he said.
Khan said when the family contacted the Army officials they said that they have released Manzoor. “My uncle clearly told them you did not release him as I was waiting for him outside the camp. After everyone, including uncle spoke to Army personnel, they said that they will release him within sometime,” he said.
Khan believes that Army might have placed Manzoor on treatment as because the youth Nusrulla who was detained in the same day was also tortured ruthlessly. “Nusrulla was tortured so ruthlessly that both of his kidneys are damaged. We spoke with him regarding my brother and he said that they were placed in separate rooms. He also said that he heard the cries of Manzoor and later did not know anything what happened to him,” he said.
APDP in its statement while condemning Manzoor’s disappearance termed Army’s version of denial, of not having Manzoor in their custody, as ‘old tactics to dodge the issue and to blank it out from the public attention’.
“This has been the old tactic of the state. APDP condemns the abduction and enforced disappearance and demands that an independent investigation should be held and Manzoor should be returned immediately to his family,” the statement said.
Parveena Ahanger, Chairperson APPDP condemned the recent incidents of braid chopping and accused the government for showing immense negligence in stopping it. “The braid chopping is an attack on the dignity and pride on the women’s of Kashmir. This is a catastrophe that women are not being allowed to come out of their homes. This is the worst kind of state terrorism. Aren’t they ashamed of committing such crimes?” she said.
Parveena said, “Braid chopping is a new terrorism after comminting crimes like rapes, tortures, disappearances and many other crimes.”
She demanded government should immediately put an end to what she termed, “state crime so that the present generation does not have to face what previous generations faced”.
“Disappearance is a mighty wound and has no treatment. we should fight for our rights,” she added
