submitted to international watchdogs like Amnesty International and the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has drawn some international attention to the problem.
Member of the British Parliament and Secretary All Parties Parliamentary Group on Kashmir, Paul Rowen, tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) regarding the discovery of unnamed mass graves in the House of Commons. In addition to Rowen, other members of the Parliament including John Hemming, Brian Iddon, Lynne Jones and Peter Bottomley had signed the motion.
EDMs must have signatures of one hundred members before it can be presented for debate in the House of Commons.
Locally too it has triggered response from some unexpected quarters. Speaker of the Assembly, Mohammad Akbar Lone recently demanded a probe in the matter.
“If the report is submitted to me or a complaint is registered with me, I will ask the government to investigate it and submit the report,” Lone said.
While Congress legislator from Uri Taj Mohiudin denied any presence of such graves, NC legislator from Kupwara Mir Saifullah admitted the problem. “This is true. There are some such graveyards in my constituency,” Mir was quoted by a newspaper.
