KL Report
SRINAGAR
To mark the 21st anniversary of massacre, people observed a complete shutdown in North Kashmir’s Sopore town.
It may be recalled that at least 57 people were allegedly killed by Boarder Security Forces personnel from 94 Batallion on Jan 6, 1993 while security personnel after the massacre indulged in arson, putting entire town market on fire.
All the shops and business establishment remained closed while transport was off the road.
To thwart any protest, authorities had deployed additional police and paramilitary CRPF men in the town. There was a peaceful sit-in in the town while the hundreds of residents also offered congregational Fateha in Masjids.
President DAK, Dr Nisar-ul-Hasan in his speech castigated Government of India for taking no action against the perpetrators and said that even after 21 years, not a single BSF personnel responsible for the gruesome incident was indicted. He said that the families of the victims are waiting for the justice that has been denied to them. Dr Nisar said that committees and commissions constituted to probe the massacre was an eyewash.
Chairman International Forum for Justice Ahsan Untoo said that more than 50 people were murdered by BSF personnel from 94 Batallion and even after lodging an FIR by president Anjaman-i-Munir-ul-Islam, Muhammad Ilyas, no action was taken against the perpetrators. He said justice still continues to elude the victim families.
Chairman Hurriyat Coference (G) Syed Ali Geelani Sunday hailed the people of Sopore for observing a shutdown on the 20th anniversary the “Sopore martyrs”.
In a statement, Geelani said people of Sopore can never “forget the sacrifices offered by the people for a sacred cause.” “There are many incidents like Sopore that have happened in Kashmir. I appeal to international bodies to take cognizance of these all such incidents,” he said. Chairman JKLF and head of public awareness division APHC Javaid Ahmad Mir in a statement said Government Forces have broken all records of human rights and have killed innocent people of Kashmir from past 2 decades.
