Jmmu and Kashmir - Civial Killings

For the first time, securitymen kill more civilians than terrorists in J&K

Josy Joseph, TNN

NEW DELHI: As the central government looks at concrete steps to stem the tide of violence in Kashmir, statistics paint a worrisome picture of what is wrong in the Valley. For the first time since insurgency started in Jammu and Kashmir in the late 80s, more civilians have been killed by security forces than terrorists. 

This sudden twist in the reality of Kashmir should weigh heavily in their minds as the Prime Minister and his senior colleagues assemble for a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting later this week to chalk out a strategy to deal with the upsurge in street protests and casualties in firing by the security forces. According to the latest statistics, the number of civilians killed in firings by security forces is almost three times the number of those killed in actions by terrorists. A total of 27 civilians have died in terrorist attacks this year till date, while 68 civilians have died in actions by security forces. 

The chilling statistics tell the story of 2010 -- a year that saw most traditional parameters, such as the number of incidents and casualties, for measuring Kashmir violence hitting rock bottom. Even in 2008, when the Amarnath land agitation hit both Jammu and Kashmir regions, out of the total of 147 civilians killed in the year only 57 died in actions by security forces. The rest of the killings, 90, were in terrorist actions. 

In 2009, of the total 83 civilians killed in the state, only 11 had died in actions by security forces. But the figures of 2010 till date show how significantly the situation has turned away from historical realities, how the security forces have literally become the "biggest perpetrators" of violence in the state. 

Officials point out that in the mid-90s when violence in Kashmir peaked and a few thousand civilians used to be annually killed, only less than 10% deaths were officially attributed to excesses by security forces. 

It is in the light of this startling turnaround in the Kashmir situation that the PM is convening the meeting of the CCS later this week. The government would be looking at several steps in the political and security spheres to assuage the high level of resentment among people in the Valley. Among the possible steps are a joint parliamentary delegation to Kashmir, some conciliatory steps on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and further administrative changes. 

However, the CCS could see the Army putting up a strong defence of AFSPA saying its withdrawal would have adverse impact on the situation. Army top brass has in recent days pointed out to the government their experience of Manipur, where withdrawal of AFSPA from urban centres led to a surge in violence in those areas. 

Meanwhile, many quarters within the government are questioning the sort of decisions being taken by both the local police and CRPF in handling the crowd protests in the state. For example, many point out that it is the sparsely populated posts of CRPF that are often at the receiving end of stone pelting, which forces the scared CRPF personnel to open fire. "We need to seriously look at the need for these posts in sensitive localities," says a senior official. 

Another argued that the government needs to study the crowd control patterns of the state police and CRPF. "Are they really following SOPs for crowd control? I doubt it," he said. 

Sep 7, 2010

Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/For-the-first-time-securitymen-kill-more-civilians-than-terrorists-in-JK/articleshow/6508298.cms