KL Report
Srinagar
A joint program of different separatist parties was held in the South town of Bijbehara to commemorate the 19thanniversary of 51 people who were killed by government forces in 1993 while they were protesting against Dargah siege by Army.
National Front Chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan, advocate Bashir Ahmad Bhat of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, Sheikh Zahoor Ahmad of Jammu Kashmir Peoples League, Javed Ahmad Mir of KLF (Haqiqi) were among the participants.
“Freedom Party chief, Shabir Ahmad Shah was also going to participate in the program but he was kept under house arrest and was not allowed to move out”, a party spokesman said.
On the occasion Nayeem Khan in his brief speech not only memorized the 51 people killed in Bijbehara tragedy but also spoke of all who have been killed so far.
“Our people have laid down their precious lives only to get freedom from India, and our struggle will continue till the goal is achieved, come what may,” Khan said.
A huge number of police personal was deployed in the town on Monday to avoid any untoward incident.
“The police is used to harass the common people, but it will not lost long”, the participants said.
It is pertinent to mention here that government forces fired indiscriminately on protesters in Bijbehara who were holding demonstrations against Dargah siege by Army on 22 October 1993. As per official sources, the total death count was 43 but the Separatist parties and local people put the number as 51.
Despite passing of 19 years, the Border Security Force (BSF) men accused of killing civilians are yet to be punished.
The massacre had triggered Valley-wide protests following which government ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident. The massacre was carried out by the 74th Battalion of BSF and the unit was shifted from the area after the probe started.
The enquiry report EN/BFC/93/23-24 prepared by the Enquiry Magistrate Bijbehara and submitted to the Government on November 13, 1993, concluded that firing upon the procession was “unprovoked”.
