Women victims of relentless violence in Kashmir

Women victims of relentless violence in Kashmir
Sanam Aijaz
Srinagar Nov 24 2010:
Over the years, the turbulence in Kashmir valley marked with unprecedented wave of unrest amid spiraling violence has affected every aspect of life to the hilt. Women in Valley have been worst sufferers as they have borne the brunt of violence for over past two decades. They have been raped, tortured, maimed and killed. Some of them have even been jailed for years. Experts believe that the relent-less crime committed against women by the security forces’ over the years has rendered them feel immensely insecure and it has largely contributed in growing psychological disorders amongst women. The official apathy in punishing the perpetrators of violence against women has added to their woes. Though security forces are deployed for what government claims the security of the people in strife-torn Kashmir valley, yet they have not only been alleged for vomiting gross human rights violations but also putting people especially women at psychological stress. Rape and murder of two young women Neelofar and Asiya Jan in mysterious circumstances last year at Bongam in Shopian district, which evoked violent protests across the valley and a shutdown in Shopian for over two months is the most shocking and recent incident of crime against women in Kashmir valley. There have been numerous incidents during past years in which women have been made soft targets and raped, tortured and even killed by the security forces. The Kunan Poshpora incident in Kupwara district, in which army was accused of raping at least 65 women including a 70-year-old woman during a cordon and search operation on February 23, 1991, is yet another shocking incident of crime against women. These excesses committed by security forces in the valley have rendered immense insecurity amongst women and they have become the victims of psychological disorders.
Vulnerable to attacks as has been witnessed during past years, women feel largely insecure due to the heavy presence of security forces’ across the valley. Experts here believe that the presence of troops is increasingly resulting in psychological disorders in women. Besides other influences of con-flict on the women, the heavy deployment of security forces in nook and corner of valley is leading to psychological disorders amongst the women of Kashmir, reeling un-der turbulence for over past two decades. The commencement of insurgency in early 1990’s saw heavy deployment of security forces in the valley. Since then, more and more troops have been deployed across the valley. The ongoing unrest in valley since June 11 this year witnessed even more shocking incidents of violence in which at least 111 people, most of them youth have been killed and hundreds others injured. Cops wielding automatic weapons and carrying bamboo sticks could be seen guarding roads, markets and streets in Srinagar and other major towns of the valley. This has become a every day routine in the valley especially since June 11 after a killing of teenaged boy in security forces’ firing triggered a cycle of protests and violent clashes across valley. This has not only developed a fear psychoses amongst the women folk of Kashmir but has also triggered psychological disorders in them This can be largely attributed to the unlikely incidents of killings, disappearances and physical as-saults which women largely relate to security forces.“Every time I see security personnel, I am reminded of my cousin’s death. The whole incident of his death flashes before my eyes and sometimes I cannot help myself crying,” said Ayesha, a college student who lost her cousin in cross firing some years back. The frequent incidents of molestations and physical assaults that have been reportedly committed by the security forces’ across the Valley have rendered insecurity among women folk, who feel vulnerable to attacks by security forces’.“There have been numerous incidents and cases of molestation committed by security forces here.Incidents like these are so strongly embedded in our minds and every time I come across security personnel, I shiver with fear. I always make sure that I do not walk alone in the areas which have heavy troops presence,” said Amira. She added that her mother ac-companies her every time she leaves home for school, “because there is a bunker near our house and my mother wants to make sure that I safely get into my school bus,” adds school going Amira.
According to the experts, one of the major contributors of growing psychological disorders amongst the women in Kashmir is the presence of security forces’ and the crimes committed against women by security forces for over past two decades.“Security forces are meant for security in any part of the world. But in Kashmir they have a different meaning. The presence of security forces is related to fear and threat, which affects psychologically.” viewed a psychologist He believes, as women have been the victims of all violent incidents in the Valley, be it, killings disappearances, arrest or molestation, the fear has developed more amongst them.“The 20 years of turmoil has witnessed tremendous increased in the percentage of psychological disorders and depression in the valley, and women form 80% of such patients. This is so because women have been the ultimate victims of all that happened, amongst which physical assault is most grave,” he added
According to a study by the Medecins Sans Frontiers conducted in 2005, women in valley are among the worst sufferers of sexual violence in the world. The study revealed that sexual violence against Kashmiri women was much higher than that of Sri Lanka Chechnya and Sierra Leone.