In occupied Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, Kunanposhpora Village Committee and Support Group for Justice for Kunanposhpora victims have said that Indian Army instead of punishing the troops involved in the Kunanposhpora mass rape has been ensuring impunity to the perpetrators.

The Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, Kunanposhpora Village Committee and Support Group for Justice for Kunanposhpora victims in a joint statement issued in Srinagar condemned the move of Indian Army to file fresh petition in the High Court of the territory seeking stay against the orders passed by Judicial Magistrate Kupwara for reinvestigation into the incident.

“There is no reason why this petition could not have been filed during the earlier session of the High Court. The Army is already a party to the petition that the survivors filed in the High Court seeking court-monitored investigations. This change of position, seen in light of the Indian Army’s petition seeking stay of investigations, suggests that the army is doing all it can to ensure that there is impunity for its personnel,” the statement said.

It is to mention here that around one hundred women were raped by Indian troops in Kunanposhpora area of Kupwara on the night of 23rd February, 1991, during a siege and search operation. Despite the passing of nearly 24 years, the perpetrators have not been punished yet.