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Commonwealth panel paints grim picture of J&K insurgency

Sheikh Manzoor Ahmed in Durban

The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative has painted a grim picture of the insurgency in the Kashmir valley and the North-Eastern region of India stating that sophisticated weapons have been covertly ''funnelled to militants'' for subversion.

The CHRI in its report to the Commonwealth said a network of arm bazaars and criminal organisations flourish in the south Asian region and this has resulted in the smuggling of a number of small arms into India.

While pleading the Commonwealth leaders to take a united stand on the control of small arms, the CHRI said there is an urgent need to find a global solution to this grave problem.

Secretary General Emeka Anyaoku also said today that the leaders will deliberate on this critical issue. Many of the Commonwealth countries are recipients of small arms while others are involved in the supply as producers or transit countries.

The report said that there are roughly over three million AK-47 rifles in the region, of which ''many have been funnelled to militants in Kashmir''.

While painting the security situation in the militancy-infested areas, the CHRI said, ''Militants have little difficulty in moving with automatic rifles, explosives and portable missiles over the mountains from Pakistan.''

They have been able to attack government institutions and ''hold territory against the attacks of army in higher regions''.

It said that most of the militants in the valley are foreigners (Afghans, Tajiks and Pakistanis) and carry sophisticated weapons. Arms continue to move through the mountain passes into the valley to add to an extremely large accumulation of arms and ammunition.

Internal operations have become a major preoccupation of the Indian armed forces.

Evidence shows that the Inter-Services Intelligence has begun to prefer trained foreign mercenaries to local recruits as they are capable of causing greater destruction, while operating in smaller numbers.

The report also stated that the Indian government has ''proved incapable of responding to violence, perpetrated by insurgents through peaceful, democratic and constitutional channels''.

The Indian government has also not followed up its military response to the unrest with a propaganda to tackle the socio-economic problems. As unemployment remains high, the government has exposed the fragility of peace in the region, the report added.

UNI

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