NEW YORK (US): The New York-based international human rights organization, Human Rights Watch has appealed to India to revoke the draconian law, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, as it violated India’s obligations under international human rights laws, reports KMS.

The Asia Director of the Human Rights Watch, Brad Adams said in a statement that the Indian army supported the Armed Forces Special Powers Act because of the immunity it provided to the soldiers who committed serious abuses.  He maintained that India was bound to give people their right to life and protection from arbitrary arrests, torture and other forms of ill treatment.

Meanwhile, the veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader Syed Ali Gilani addressing a news conference in Srinagar today said, the basic demand of the people of Kashmir is that the forcible occupation of Kashmir should end, without any delay.  He pointed out that toeing the line of Israel in Palestine, India was changing the demography of occupied Kashmir and was setting up slums for nearly five lac non locals.

In New Delhi, addressing a news conference, an Indian human rights activist, Madhu Bhaduri urged Indian government to grant the Kashmiris their right to self-determination to decide their future as per their wishes and aspirations.

She said that India could not win over the sympathies of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the last 63 years.  Madhu Bhaduri emphasised that Kashmiris were not terrorists and their movement was indigenous.

Source: ‘Pakistan Times’ Jammu & Kashmir Desk – 21/10/2011