WANDHAMA MASSACRE-THE FORGOTTEN HUMAN TRAGEDY

"When they came, they assured us they wouldn`t harm the four Pandit families... one Urdu-speaking gunman asked for tea and my mother made it for all of them and served it to them herself... then time passed, and other militants began entering the other three houses of my relatives," Dhar recalls. Dhar was in the upper story of the house, fighting sleep and waiting for the "guests" to leave before retiring for the night, when the death-rattle of automatic weapons broke out. "I heard the cries of my mother and sisters, I heard the sounds of shots from the homes of my relatives as well... I hid upstairs, scared they would search the house... they didn`t, but two militants set it on fire before leaving... I came down, but all I saw was bodies lying scattered everywhere... my mother, my sisters, relatives... all, dead... when I went out, I saw the other three houses burning, a temple near our home was also in flames..."

Truly bizarre is the fact that the Local Police have closed the Wandhama Massacre case citing “un-traceablility of the killers as the reason for closing the case”.Read it here.

Wandhama massacre refers to the murder of Kashmiri Hindus in the town of Wandhama on the intervening night of 25th January 1998.It was one of the worst incidences of violence against Kashmiri Pandits being carried out by militants in Kashmir. It was an illustration of the Kashmir militant's policy of ethnic cleansing .The victims, all of them Kashmiri Pandits, included four children, nine women and 10 men.

The case is in a way a microcosm of the apathy of the Government towards the Pandits.Ideally the government should have asked a better investigating agency like a SIT/CID or even a CBI to pursue the case so that the killers could be identified and nabbed, had its own Police proved incompetent to do the job. But that was not to be. As always the Police simply closed the case and thought its responsibility is over.

It is thus,us, the citizens of this nation, who have to ensure that justice is meted to the perpetrators of this heinous crime. It is also important to the let this nation and the world know about this incident and how local government and Police have in a way been complicit in the crime by not doing enough to bring the terrorists to the book. Roots in Kashmir is taking the first step in this direction by organizing an AV presentation and a panel discussion focusing on (on 20th June at 6PM at Chinmaya Auditorium,Lodhi Road) this massacre. The event will hopefully bring the issue to the fore as well as pressurize the government to take note and maybe act.

Let us all resolve to bring the killers of these innocent people to justice.....

1. Sh. Moti Lal
2. Smt. Choti
3. Sh. Sanjay Kumar
4. Ms. Seema Kumari
5. Ms. Sarika
6. Ms. Vijay Kumari
7. Sh. Venan Kumar
8. Ms. Neema
9. Sh. Kashi Nath
10. Sh. Vinod Kumar
11. Sh. Shaadi Lal
12. Smt. Shaadi lal
13. Sh. Vikas
14. Sh. Akshay
15. Sh. Badri Nath
16. Smt. Ashaji
17. Sh. Vinod Kumar
18. Ms. Jyoti
19. Ms. Meenakshi
20. Sh. Rakesh
21. Sh. Vishnu Bhat
22. Smt. Dulari
23. Sh. Trilokinath

And Omar Speaks.....

"We were mute spectators"

See original video here (http://www.timesnow.tv/NewsDtls.aspx?NewsId=8419

A Times Now Report

Two decades after the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley, National conference President Omar Abdullah has spoken up, saying that Muslims including him shouldn't have been mute spectators during the exodus."It is a fact that the majority of us - and I include myself in it - the majority of us Kashmiris remained mute spectators when the Kashmiri Pandits left. And even though now we may want to talk about their return, at that time perhaps we did not do as much as should have been done," said Omar on Thursday (May 15).While the timing of his statement is questionable, what cannot be discounted is the fact that this is the first time a mainstream Kashmiri politician has spoken so strongly about the plight of Kashmiri Pandits. Whether it's Rajya Sabha ticket that Omar is eyeing or a sudden prick of consience, the feeling of being refugees in their own country is not a one that the Pandits are likely to forget soon.At the height of militancy in Jammu & Kashmir in 1990, propaganda from Pakistan laced with the militancy of the Jammu & Kashmir Liberation front forced lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits out the valley leaving thousands homeless, and forcing them into exile. In his statement, which first appeared on his blog, Omar Abdullah even chatises himself for not speaking up on the genocide, lamenting the fact that none of them stood up and had the courage to say the atrocities must stop. "It's so easy to say that we"ll lay down our lives to bring Kashmiri Pandits back to the valley and I appreciate the sentiment. Pity that sentiment was missing when our mosques were being used to drive these people out. None of us said this is wrong and the Kashmiri Pandits had every right to continue living in the valley. We were mute spectators either mute in agreement or mute in abject fear, but mute none the less," he writes.While this is the first time a mainstream Kashmiri politician has spoken so strongly on the plight of these Kashmiri Pandits, Omar's sentiments will not make the Kashmiri Pandits forget the feeling of being refugees in their own country, just yet.(By Mir Fareed)

Rehabilitation-GoI Style

Grab their land...and announce rehabilitation packages.These news items reveal the "real agenda of Government of India"
Pandits return to save their land, not for PM's promises
Arun Joshi, Hindustan Times
Jammu, May 09, 2008

Link: http://www.hindusta ntimes.com/ StoryPage/ StoryPage. aspx?id=fb1712c9 -047a-4d83- b8d2-eb8a7f81f07 4&&Headline=Pandits+ return+to+ save+their+ land%2c+not+ for+PM%e2% 80%99s+promises+

Much has been made of the fact that a few Kashmiri Pandit families have returned to the Valley recently. Large sections of the media have reported that Kashmiri Pandits are returning in response to the rehabilitation package announced by the prime minister on April 25. But the story, it appears, is misleading.
The fact is, families came back on April 22, three days before Dr Manmohan Singh's visit. And it appears they did so because they were informed that their ancestral houses were in danger of being demolished. These houses are in an area reportedly shortlisted for a bus terminus.
The Pandits demanded answers from the local administration as to why their land was being used for a project without their being notified.
Verinag, a retired medical assistant who used to live in Kolapur mohalla in Verinag, is furious. "The government is talking of rehabilitation on the one hand, and appropriating our property on the other," he told Hindustan Times.
"We have come to save our property from the government's illegal action," Lal said. "Our visit has no link whatsoever with the Prime Minister's package," he said.
He pointed out that the PM announced the package on April 25, three days after they arrived at their ancestral village.
Kanta Koul, a mother of three, brought her ailing husband Sundari Lal to the village instead of taking him to Delhi for treatment when she learnt that a bus stand was to come up on their property. "I sold my valuables instead of land to marry off one of my daughters. Now the government wants to dispossess me of my land and home," she said.
Local MLA Ghulam Ahmad Mir has reportedly told them they will be given land in compensation, but the residents are not pleased. Rattan Lal asked: "Why can't they construct the bus stand over that land."
Several Kashmiri Pandit families fled the village when insurgency reared its head in the Valley in the '80s. They shifted to Jammu, where most live in a Kashmiri Pandit locality called Durga Nagar, on the outskirts of Jammu.__._,_.___

THE RISING KASHMIR-a separatist leaning newspaper is more honest than GoI
Govt eyeing KP land for bus stand construction

Mehboob Jeelani,Srinagar, May 7: Despite claiming to resettle the displaced Kashmiri Pandit families, the government is trying to take over 14 kanal land of nine Pandit families for the construction of a bus stand at Koulpora Verinag.
Rajinder Koul, one of the landowners told Rising Kashmir that till date the government has not issued any notification to them regarding the construction of the bus stand.“This is our ancestral land. We are emotionally attached to it. We want to settle back in Kashmir but our property is being snatched by the government,” said Koul.He said that the government is spreading wrong messages across the camp of displaced Pandits by claiming to rehabilitate the Pandit families in Kashmir.“The government is making tall claims only to take advantage of the KP votes for the elections scheduled later this year. This proceed to capture our land is enough evidence that the government is not willing for the homecoming of Pandit families,” he said.He said few weeks ago the locals informed the Pandit landowners about the seizure of their land adding that the matter was immediately brought into the notice of the chief minister who suggested them to bring this matter into the notice of the concerned deputy commissioner (DC).“We met the DC and he said that a notification has been sent to the relief commissioner who is supposed to take an action. It is unfortunate that during the meeting the DC was compelling us to bow before the government,” he said.Koul alleged that the DC Islamabad is forcing Pandit families to accept the government compensation against the land that owned by them.Denying the issuance of any notification from the office of Deputy Commissioner, Relief Commissioner Vinod Koul said “Why should the DC send me a notification when the landowners have already made an objection? It is the DC who has to make a decision to settle the dispute,” said Vinod.Another landowner pleading anonymity said that the concerned MLA, Ghulam Muhammad Mir is trying to create a misunderstanding between the Pandit and Muslim communities.“Mir is spreading a rumor that half of the land is owned by Muslim community while the truth is written in the government documents that only 3 kanal of land is owned by the Muslim community and rest 11 kanal belongs to the 9 Pandit families,” he said

http://www.risingkashmir.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=3333

Dainik Jaagran Expose on Yasin Malik

Sad as it may sound,the incisive reportage by a Dainik Jaagran correspondent might just end up as another news story.In all probability Yasin Malik will continue to be what we call in Hindi"Sarkar ka Daamad".He enjoys Indian Security,Prime Minister's Attention and Petro Dollars despite him having raped,killed,maimed,kidnapped innocent people.

If the Kashmir Division of MHA can be so brazen so as to say,"We have no information on cases related to Malik" what action can one expect.The Indian State has fallen to a level where it believes that Yasin Malik is their "best bet" to buy peace in valley.They protect him in whatever manner they can.He has been released on bail-a bail no one in government could explain.I wonder how many people who have a criminal record as glorious as Malik would be in his position.

To add to that they have issued him a passport which is a clear violation of Passport Act 1967.Our judiciary ,human rights groups and social activsts were so prompt and responsive about Gujarat Riots but continue a mute on this man.And this time around I dont wonder why.I know why.....

Some more dirt on Yasin Malik-Dainik Jaagran expose Part-II

यासीन के कारनामों की कम नहीं दास्तान!

संदीप देव, नई दिल्ली जम्मू कश्मीर लिबरेशन फ्रंट (जेकेएलएफ) के नेता यासीन मलिक के इतिहास पर पर्दा डालने के लिए भले ही गृह मंत्रालय उसके कारनामों के प्रति अनभिज्ञता जाहिर करे, लेकिन उसकी दास्तान जम्मू-कश्मीर के 12 थानों में आज भी दर्ज है। हत्या, अपहरण, हत्या के प्रयास जैसे मामले तो उस पर दर्ज हैं ही-फेरा, हवाला, टाडा व पोटा कानून के तहत देशद्रोह जैसे मामलों में भी वह कई वर्षो तक सलाखों के पीछे रह चुका है। ताज्जुब यह है कि गृह मंत्रालय के कश्मीर डिविजन के पास इसकी जानकारी तक नहीं है। यासीन पर जम्मू-कश्मीर के अलग-अलग थानों में 23 आपराधिक मामले दर्ज हैं। इसके बावजूद वह कई वर्षो से अपनी राजनीतिक हैसियत स्थापित करने में लगा है। हालांकि, हकीकत यही है-केंद्र भले ही अनजान, यासीन के कारनामों की कम नहीं है दास्तान। केंद्र सरकार सूचना के अधिकार कानून का माखौल किस तरह से उड़ा रही है, इसकी बानगी यासीन मलिक मामले में देखने को मिलती है। उस पर दर्ज आपराधिक मामले और उसके खिलाफ चल रहे मुकदमे की जानकारी से संबंधित एक आरटीआई के जवाब में सरकार ने कहा है कि गृह मंत्रालय के कश्मीर डिवीजन के पास यासीन से संबंधित कोई सूचना नहीं है। दैनिक जागरण ने मंत्रालय की इस सूचना का पर्दाफाश करने के लिए विश्र्वसनीय स्रोत के जरिए यासीन पर दर्ज 23 आपराधिक मामलों की जानकारी हासिल की है। इसमें जम्मू-कश्मीर उच्च न्यायालय के जज नीलकंठ गंजू, पूर्व गृहमंत्री मुफ्ती मोहम्मद सईद की पुत्री रुबिया सईद की पुत्री का अपहरण और एयरफोर्स के चार निहत्थे जवानों, भाजपा नेता टिकलाल टपलू, दूरदर्शन के निदेशक लसाकोल एवं नर्स सरला की हत्या जैसे बहुचर्चित मामले भी शामिल हैंै। हालांकि जम्मू कश्मीर के पुलिस महानिदेशक कुलदीप खुड्डा ने जागरण से बातचीत में स्वीकार किया है कि यासीन मलिक के खिलाफ कई मामले दर्ज हैं और उस पर ट्रायल चल रहा है। वर्तमान में वह जमानत पर जेल से बाहर है। उधर, उधमपुर- कठुआ के कांग्रेस सांसद लाल सिंह का कहना है-यासीन मलिक एक देशद्रोही है, जिसे सरकार ने छोड़ रखा है। इससे अधिक वह और क्या कह सकते हैं।

Pandits bristle over J&K police report - Kashmir Live (Indian Express)

Aastha Manocha

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New Delhi/Jammu, May 6: Kashmiri Pandit organisations have challenged the recently reported J&K Police department report stating that only 209 Pandits have been killed in the Valley since 1989 and instead raised questions on the efficiency and intent of the state police force.
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Panun Kashmir convenor, Dr Agnishekhar calls the report ‘a dilution of the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus in the only Muslim majority state of secular India’. He goes on to say that international bodies like Amnesty and Asia Watch themselves have reported much larger numbers.

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“We would ask the state government to come out with the names and other particulars of the 209 deceased it quotes, that itself will be sufficient to come out with the truth".

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Panun Kashmir's 'Kashmir Documentation: Pandits In Exile' has a list of 319 Kashmiri Hindus killed in the period of 1989 to Oct. 1990. Along with the name of the person in almost all cases it mentions address of the victim, his/her profession and the date of killing. In a period of less than one year a community as small as Pandits lost 0.1% of its population, which forced them to flee.

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This report is also quoted by Roots In Kashmir, a youth initiative by Kashmiri Pandit youth, who say that the police report is a mere fabrication which is factually incorrect and raises serious questions on the efficiency of the state government and police force.

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Indeed, as these two organisations say, even laymen’s account of the whole genocide of that time easily goes to more than 1000.

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RIK also raises question about the accuracy of a report by a police force whose track record in convicting those responsible for various deaths has been dismal. In accordance to this, it has demanded a CBI probe into the number of Kashmiri Pandits killed by militants directly or due to the effects of militancy like death due to migration to areas with immense heat; high temperature and no resources etc.

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Link: http://www.kashmirlive.com/story/Pandits-bristle-over-JK-police-report/306155.html

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Roots in Kashmir demands CBI probe on Pandit killings

Merinews - http://india.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=133561

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'Roots in Kashmir' expresses its anger and rubbishes the report published by J&K police on Pandit killings. The report is a mere fabrication and apart from being factually incorrect, it raises a question mark on the efficiency of the police force.