office of the
Tehreek-e-Insaf Jammu & Kashmir
Dated:-21-09-2011
Press Note
Tehreek-e-Insaf submitted memorandum to Interlocutors.
Padgonker invited them at New Delhi before oct. 12
Chairman Tehreek-e-Insaf- Mohd. Farooq Mir along with Ravinder Raina an submitted a memorandum to the Interlocutors on J&K apprising the problems being faced by the terrorism victims of Jammu region. He informed the interlocutors that our people have been undergoing great hardships due to callous attitude of the successive governments in J&K in sanctioning relief and other benefits in their favour despite the court directions in this regard from time to time. He said due to eruption of terrorism in the state in 1990s people from Kashmir valley, especially minorities and political activists, but in Jammu region both majority Muslims & minority Hindus from various areas particularly Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi. Udhampur were forced to leave their native areas and live under miserable and sub-human conditions in Jammu and elsewhere ‘It is sad that Kashmiri migrants were provided relief and ration items but the migrants from Jammu region were denied the same’. Migrants are migrants whether fromJammu or Kashmir; they should be treated in same category.
Supreme Court of India and High Court J&K, in their interim directions have impressed upon the state government to treat the migrants of Jammu region on the analogy of Kashmiri migrants in respect of sanction of relief and other benefits, but the state government is reluctant to implement the court directions as a result of which they have been living in miserable conditions and are leading despondent lives.
The impact of terrorism in the Jammu region does not get due attention. Immediate focus of our organization Tehreek-e-Insaf is to provide the justice to these victims. The living conditions of the displaced persons (about ten thousand families) in the terrorism hit areas of Jammu region, which include the areas of district Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda & Kashhtwar were forced to abandon their homes, work-places and normal occupations because of terrorist activities in the region. Our organisation concentrated on the terrorist activities which took place in the Jammu region, the impact of terrorism on the local population, the extent of displacement from normal place of residence/business because of terrorism in the region. There is clear discrimination in providing the relief & rehabilitation schemes for the terror victims of Jammu region as compared to the terror victims of Kashmir region. Kashmiri Migrants (both Hindus & Muslims) got special Economic, Employment, development packages all the benefits of SRO-43, on other hand the terror victims of Jammu, Which includes about 10,000 unregistered migrant families ( Majority of them are still living in about 20 camps set up near the various city headquarters in Various districts in Jammu region) & about 8 lakh population are being denied the relief & rehabilitation by the government inspite of the ruling made by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. He apprised the Interlocutors that there is very little awareness amongst the people of other states about the plight of the migrants and displaced persons of Jammu region. It is urgently necessary to apprise the people of India about the state of affairs in the State of Jammu & Kashmir and to exhort them to lend a helping hand to their brethren in distress in the state. All efforts of providing relief to and rehabilitation of the migrants and displaced persons should not be by the government alone. There has to be Public Private Partnership in these efforts also. We are sure, given the rightful freedom, encouragement, initiative and incentive the private sector and charitable institutions will come forward in a big way to provide succor to the terrorist affected people of the state.
Supreme Court of India and High Court J&K, in their interim directions have impressed upon the state government to treat the migrants of Jammu region on the analogy of Kashmiri migrants in respect of sanction of relief and other benefits, but the state government is reluctant to implement the court directions as a result of which they have been living in miserable conditions and are leading despondent lives.
The impact of terrorism in the Jammu region does not get due attention. Immediate focus of our organization Tehreek-e-Insaf is to provide the justice to these victims. The living conditions of the displaced persons (about ten thousand families) in the terrorism hit areas of Jammu region, which include the areas of district Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Udhampur, Ramban, Doda & Kashhtwar were forced to abandon their homes, work-places and normal occupations because of terrorist activities in the region. Our organisation concentrated on the terrorist activities which took place in the Jammu region, the impact of terrorism on the local population, the extent of displacement from normal place of residence/business because of terrorism in the region. There is clear discrimination in providing the relief & rehabilitation schemes for the terror victims of Jammu region as compared to the terror victims of Kashmir region. Kashmiri Migrants (both Hindus & Muslims) got special Economic, Employment, development packages all the benefits of SRO-43, on other hand the terror victims of Jammu, Which includes about 10,000 unregistered migrant families ( Majority of them are still living in about 20 camps set up near the various city headquarters in Various districts in Jammu region) & about 8 lakh population are being denied the relief & rehabilitation by the government inspite of the ruling made by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. He apprised the Interlocutors that there is very little awareness amongst the people of other states about the plight of the migrants and displaced persons of Jammu region. It is urgently necessary to apprise the people of India about the state of affairs in the State of Jammu & Kashmir and to exhort them to lend a helping hand to their brethren in distress in the state. All efforts of providing relief to and rehabilitation of the migrants and displaced persons should not be by the government alone. There has to be Public Private Partnership in these efforts also. We are sure, given the rightful freedom, encouragement, initiative and incentive the private sector and charitable institutions will come forward in a big way to provide succor to the terrorist affected people of the state.
He said apart from direct victims of terrorism who suffered deaths and bodily injuries in the family, there are several others who were equally badly hit indirectly by losing their source of livelihood and normal occupation because of terrorist threats and activity in the area. Small shop-keepers and agriculturists found it impossible to carry out their occupations in the disturbed area because of fear of the terrorists. The only way to solve this problem is to establish law and order, peace and tranquillity in the area and to provide proper climate and environment for running industry, trade and commerce in the area. If the area is made developed by providing good basic infra-structure, industries and businesses it will provide employment and business opportunities to local population stemming the exodus from the area. This will also stop the easy flow of youth towards the terrorists. People will then have a vested interest in peace and tranquillity which would be linked with their own sources of livelihood.
Mir said the victims and displaced persons cannot be asked to wait indefinitely for such a thing to happen. Immediate succor has to be provided to them in a fair and equitable manner. The first step to be taken is to stop any further exodus from the area. Care will have to be taken of potential migrants by solving their problems there and then. All efforts should be made to make it possible for them to stay on and to carry on their normal occupations and activities there itself . The second step could be to encourage those who have migrated to return and restart their lives there. To start with the rehabilitation camps could be shifted to these erstwhile disturbed areas. These camps should be put in the charge and under the care of Indian Army which has won the confidence of the local population through confidence building measures like “Sadbhavana” mission.He said most of the difficulties in the way of providing justice and equitable relief to the victims of terrorism arise because there is no clear definition of “migrant” or “displaced person”. There is a lot of confusion as to who should be recognised as a “migrant” or “displaced person”. Because of this several persons who were forced to abandon their normal place of residence or business because of terrorist threats or activities in the area are not being recognised as ‘migrants’ or ‘displaced persons’ merely because the place they shifted to, fell in the same revenue village. Actually, a revenue village is a large area which includes residential areas, as also the agricultural fields etc. In the border areas of Jammu region agricultural fields are mostly situated on the high reaches of the mountain and the residential areas are situated at the foothills and form part of the same village. Agriculturists normally stay on their fields in the mountain to keep a vigil on their crops and equipment. Prior to the advent of terrorism, there was no threat to their lives and property in the hills and they could freely live there. Terrorists started harassing these agriculturists by forcing them to provide food and other logistic services to the terrorists, to work as coolies to carry their belongings and to guide them through the terrain to their desired destinations.
Ravinder Raina told the interlocutors that the people of the area are ready to fight in their self-defence and do not want to be dependent solely on the armed forces. If they are provided arms and ammunitions and are properly trained they can share the burden of the armed forces to a great extent. Some of the instances in which brave citizens both, male and female have beaten back the terrorists have been mentioned earlier in this report. The experience of Village Defence Committees (VDC), whose members have been provided with arms and ammunition, has also been very good. We were told that between 1990 to 2010, 131 members of VDCs and 475 SPOs laid down their lives fighting against terrorists as against 905 regular Policemen and 3841 Armed Forces personnel who were killed in the anti-insurgency operations. It is therefore, necessary to arm loyal citizens for their own safety and for the safety of the people in the area.
Leaders of Tehreek-e-Insaf put the following demands before the Interlocutors.
In view of the problems being faced by the terrorism victims of Jammu region, it is requested to your good self that the following action deserves to be taken without further loss of time:-
(1) Constitution of a high level committee/ Commission is required to assess the losses suffered by the terrorism hit people of Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Reasi, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts.
(2) Special economic package, Educational packages & Employment packages should be provided to these people and reservations be given to their wards in the educational institutions especially in professional colleges.
(3) All pending cases of SRO-43 should be settled immediately so that the families of those who were killed in terrorism will get relief assistance.
(4) SPOs be regularized :- SPO'S of Jammu-Kashmir Police and VDC's had played a great role in fighting against terrorism, so members of VDC's & SPO's should be regularized to boost their moral. SPO’s are still paid Rs.3000 per month.
(5) All migrant families of Jammu region be given compensation at par with Kashmiri migrants according to the directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court.
(6) Fresh-Registration of all the migrated families of Jammu Region, as there are about 90% migrant families have not been registered by the state government.These families living in Various camps near the city headquarters of various districts in Jammu region.
(7) Proper compensation to the families of those who are killed in incidents of terrorism, more than 80% affected families have not been given any compensation in Jammu region as per govt. SRO-43.
(8) New settlements and colonies of terrorism affected migrants OFJammu region should also be planned in there own areas from where they were migrated ,near Army Camps and cantonments, providing full security, amenities and sources of livelihood.
(9) The directions and the decisions of the Supreme Court on the subject of Jammu migrants should be implemented effectively.
(10) The Armed Forces need to be sensitized to the importance of winning the confidence of the local people and should also be made accountable for their lapses. OPERATION SADHBHAWANA started by Indian Army has resulted in good relations between Local Muslims and the Security forces.There is a need for National Human Rights Commission to open its offices in different parts of the state to check human rights violation as many of the women and girls, especially Muslims in these areas, were badly abused by the terrorists.
This is a vital issue & it requires a proper consideration & I hope that your goodself will consider this problem & make it a part of your final report to the Hon’ble Home Minister of India for solution.
Chief Interlocutor invited the leaders to Tehreek-e-Insaf at their New Delhi Office with full information before 12th of October.
With regards
Mohd. Farooq Mir (ex MLA)
Chairman
Tehreek-e-Insaf-Jammu-kashmir
94191-44078, 94191-44580
No comments:
Post a Comment