Kashmir Life: Srinagar: Thursday,
April 24, 2014.
Taking
serious note of the Hawal Massacre that took place on May 21, 1990, the State
Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has ordered the time bound enquiry into the
massacre and has sort report within a period of two months.
The petition
in this regard was filed by chairman International Forum for Justice and Human
Rights – JK (IFJHR-JK), Muhammad Ahsan Untoo on 26-03-2013 to seek
investigation into the Hawal Massacre, compensation to the kins and the persons
injured therein and also to build a memoriam in the name of martyred persons.
The case was
listed before the acting chairperson of the SHRC on 28-02-2014 over which the
commission came up with the decision to entrust enquiry to its investigative
wing.
“Despite
various communications addressed to DGP J&K, Div Commissioner Kashmir and
also DO’s from Secretary of the Commission, authorities are unmoved to respond
to any of the communication of the commission. In view of the insensitive
approach adopted by the authorities, the commission has left with no option but
to entrust the enquiry to investigative wing of this commission,” the SHRC
order reads.
The order
further says: “Accordingly, IGP SHRC is directed to get the matter investigated
from SP SHRC who shall investigate the matter and furnish the report within two
months. Registry is directed to provide all relevant papers to the
investigating officer put up on 01-05-2014.”
The
commission has fixed the next date for hearing on the same day as 01-05-2014.
It is worth
to mention here that chairman IFJHR-JK, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo had also sought
information regarding the killing of Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq and other persons
(also known as Hawal Massacre) killed by security forces on May 21, 1990
through Right to Information Act (RTI) before the office of the Divisional
Commissioner Kashmir seeking “enquiry commission report” of the Hawal Massacre.
The reply to
this RTI was provided to Untoo vide letter No. HQ/RTI/2013/S-32/563 dated
02-07-2013 submitted that a criminal case under FIR No. 35/1990 was registered
in Police Station Nowhatta with regard to that incident. “However, there is no
information with the department as to whether there was any enquiry either
judicial or magisterial ordered by the government or not,” the reply read.
Pertinently,
the Hawal Massacre was third of its kind in the year 1990 following the Gaw
Kadal Massacre on January 21, 1990 and Handwara that took place on 25th of the
same month.