Other States - Jammu & Kashmir   

`Rights violations on the decline'

Staff Reporter

JAMMU: In what can be described as an improvement in the human rights situation, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded the lowest number of human rights violations in 2006 compared to last 16 years when trouble broke out in the State.

According to an official spokesman here, there were 83 custodial killings between 1996 and 2002. It came down to 24 between 2003 and 2005 while the figure for 2006 was four. Between 1996 and 2002, the State registered 66 custodial disappearances and it dropped to 11 between 2003 and 2005. Just one custodial disappearance has been reported so far this year.

Thus, the graph on this account has shown a positive decline thanks to a number of measures taken to avoid human rights violations by the Army. Year-wise summary shows that in the 1996 there were 18 custodial deaths and six custodial disappearances. In 1997, six custodial killings and 10 disappearances were recorded while in 1998 it has been six and six. In 1999 the figures stood at six and 11 while in 2000 it was 18 and 10. In 2001 the figures recorded were 17 and six and in 2002 it was 12 and 17.

It was eight and seven in 2003 while in 2004 it stood at nine and three and, in 2005 it was seven and one. In 2006, four custodial killings and one disappearance have been reported.

The improvement in the human rights situation is being attributed to the steps taken by the Army to sensitise its troops.

Human rights has topped the agenda of political parties in the State as well. The People Democratic Party, an ally of the ruling coalition, had fought the J&K elections by making rights issue its main election plank.

Chief Minister has also said that no right violations of any kind would be tolerated. Prime Minister during his visit to the State on May 25, had talked about zero tolerance for rights violations.

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`Rights violations on the decline'

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