APDP protests in Kashmir, demands whereabouts of their missing ones

Srinagar, Apr 10, 2009: The Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) today protested against the state government's failure to provide any clue about the persons, who went missing since 1990 in the Kashmir valley.

Demanding setting up of a commission to probe all cases, the family members, including women and children, of disappeared persons later staged a dharna in Partap Park near here.

The APDP alleged thousands of persons, majority of them arrested by the security forces, went missing in the Kashmir valley during the last two decades.

''We want to know what happened to our dear ones'', they said adding ''if they were killed, we still want to know the place where they were buried''.

The APDP said there are hundreds of women who are neither widows nor married as their husbands are missing for years.

A 70-year-old Hajra, mother of eight children, from Wanigam, Bandipora, about 55 km from here was among the demonstrators.

''I lost three, of six sons who were killed during encounters'', she told reporters adding another son Bashir Ahmad Sofi went missing after his arrest by the security forces 14 years ago.

She alleged when Bashir was arrested, the security forces set on fire the house and his shop.

''Despite old age, I and my other family members visited almost all jails, police stations and interrogation centre without getting any information about Bashir.

''Let the government and security forces confirm he was killed we will console ourselves'', she said adding,'' but I want to see the grave of my son before my death.'' Another 70-year-old Taja, a resident of Bandipora, also alleged that her son with the same name Bashir Ahmad, disappeared after his arrest by the security forces in 1993.

''My husband died of shock after we could not find him in any jail or security force camp'', she said.

She said her last wish is to see his son alive or his graveyard before her death.  -- (UNI) -