NOW, WAJAHAT HABIBULLAH Press release 7 July 2013 The Indian Express today reported on the role of Wajahat Habibullah, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, in February 1991, in the Kunan Poshpora mass rape and torture case. The allegations: Wajahat Habibullah, in his confidential report on the case as Divisional Commissioner, found the veracity of the complaint to be “highly doubtful” and “exaggerated”. Further, Wajahat Habibullah claims that important parts of his report were deleted. These parts “recommended a police probe, upgradation in the level of investigation, entrusting the case to a gazetted police officer and seeking an order from the 15 Corps Commander to ensure Army cooperation in the probe”. Following the reopening of the case by Judicial Magistrate, Kupwara, Wajahat Habibullah’s criminal role in the Kunan Poshpora case also now needs investigation. First, Wajahat Habibullah joins B.G. Verghese [responsible for the Press Council of India report that covered up the crime and exonerated the army] as representatives of the Indian State who sought to successfully shield the crimes committed in Kunan Poshpora. Further, Wajahat Habibullah and B.G. Verghese, in addition to others such as the then Director of Prosecutions, may also be considered some of the first to have initiated and run a campaign to malign not just the villagers of Kunan Poshpora, but also victims/survivors of other crimes in Jammu and Kashmir. This campaign, that continues to date, seeks to dismiss charges of violations against the armed forces by attacking the victims/survivors. Therefore, the armed forces are consistently portrayed as beyond fault, whereas the victims/survivors are considered untruthful. This bogey of false and exaggerated allegations effectively seeks to put to an end to any questioning of the role of the armed forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Second, this case and Wajahat Habibullah’s role and statements, exposes serious structural issues in the role of the Indian State in Jammu and Kashmir. Wajahat Habibullah states that following the crime, “Brigadier H.K. Sharma, Commander 19 Arty Brigade”, was deputed to visit the villages. His conclusions: allegations were baseless. Then, Wajahat Habibullah himself visited the villages [and this visit was the basis of his report] with “Brigadier H K Sharma, Commander 19 Arty Brigade”. The fact that the State chose to investigate a crime such as Kunan Poshpora, that was committed by the armed forces, by senior officials of the same army, exposes the structural realities of how the Indian State has approached the human rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The blatant involvement of the army in the investigations clearly confirms that the investigations were not meant to lead to justice, but instead, they were meant to ensure that the cover up was done efficiently and comprehensively. This is most sharply drawn out by Wajahat Habibullah’s allegations that certain parts of his report – recommendation of investigations and cooperation of the army - were “taken out”. Considering the seniority of the position of Divisional Commissioner, it is clear that the decision to amend the report was taken at the highest levels of the Indian State. Not only does this confirm that there can be no expectations from the Indian State for justice, this also adds another layer to the blatant manner in which the State sought to shut the case down. Finally, the silence of Wajahat Habibullah following the deletion of parts of his report [he only called the Governor, G.C. Saxena, who is also now implicated in the crime], further implicates him. His silence of 22 years makes him culpable of the cover-up. Wajahat Habibullah has always been pretending to be sympathetic to the victims of human rights atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir. This report shows how he himself was hand in glove with the perpetrators while holding an important position in the administration in Kashmir. Rather than protest publicly, resign, and struggle for justice, he chose to safeguard his career and continue in the service of the Indian State. Wajahat Habibullah, and everyone else involved in the cover up, must now be held accountable. - Support Group for Justice for Kunan Poshpora - Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 07:35:30 +0000
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