'Time for India to stand up for Kunan-Poshpara'

Alleging delaying tactics were being employed, authors of a book on alleged mass rape committed by security forces in 1991 in Kashmir's Kunan-Poshpora, on Monday called on the people at large to join their fight in getting justice to the survivors.

Speaking at the launch of their book "Do you Remember Kunan-Poshpora", Natasha Rather and Ifrah Butt also condemned the "killing of innocents" during the unrest that has engulfed the Kashmir Valley following security forces gunning down militant commander Burhan Wani on Friday.

"The matter has been pending before the courts for long but no notices have sent to the parties. One after the other excuses are being put forth to delay the matter. Already six of the survivors have died, we sincerely hope that rest of the survivors who had gone through so much ordeal, at least get to see justice being done in their lifetime," said Butt at the event.

"We have been fighting for them, Kashmir has been fighting for them and now it's time for people at large to stand beside Kunan Poshpara," she said, expressing hope the Supreme Court, which is hearing the case, will do justice.

Penned by five Kashmiri women -- Samreen Mushtaq, Butt, Essar Batool, Rather and Munaza Rashid, the book seeks reopening of the case and documents the legal struggle faced by the survivors.

Encouraged by the reception for the book, the authors are confident of getting the people's support.

"Entire India had stood for Nirbhaya (the 2012 Delhi gangrape victim), they came out in the streets demanding justice for her. But this has not been the case for Kunan Poshpara because not many know about this horrific massacre. But things are changing now," said Butt.

Condemning the security forces action against the protestors in Kashmir, Rather sought to defend the protests as "means to vent out their frustration against decades of oppression".

"People wanted to mourn because they believed Burhan was their icon. They have been killed just because they wanted to mourn. These killings are being justified contending they were done in retaliation. But is bullet a retaliation to a mere stone," she argued.

"After decades of oppression, having seen their fathers and brothers tortured by the army and shot dead, their mothers and sisters getting raped, one would be compelled to pick up and pelt stones. That is a way to vent out the frustration against decades of oppression. Bullets can't be fired in retaliation to stones," she added.

--IANS

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