Srinagar, Dec 10: On the International Human Rights Day, Association of the Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) on Monday held a silent sit-in protest here seeking whereabouts of their missing relatives.
Led by APDP chairperson Parveena Ahangar, scores of the family members of missing persons amid bone-chilling cold assembled at the Press Enclave here this morning and staged silent sit-in protest against mysterious disappearance of their kin.
Carrying banners and placards which read “Commemorating 10th December the Human Rights Day, Enforced Disappearances Go Unseen in Kashmir”, the victim families appealed global rights’ bodies to use their ties with India and persuade her to provide whereabouts of the missing persons to their families.
They said around 10,000 persons were subjected to enforced disappearances allegedly by different security agencies in Kashmir in the past 30 years.
Vowing to continue their struggle against mysterious disappearances of their relatives, the victim families said they have been and will continue their protest until the government comes up with facts.
“Honestly saying we have lost our trust in judiciary and State Human Rights Commission as well. We have been protesting over the past so many years to know whether our relatives are dead or alive, but unfortunately the government continues to turn deaf ear to our repeated pleas,” said APDP chairperson Parveena Ahangar.
Ahangar, who is also known as the “Iron Lady of Kashmir” in broken Urdu said “I trust Allah and hope my efforts won’t go waste. It’s not only me who lost her son but there are so many mothers in Kashmir whose kin disappeared in thin air.”
On International Human Rights Day, APDP chairperson appealed the world community to help them trace their loved ones who she claimed were consumed by “unresolved” Kashmir conflict.
“Two of our members whose sons were also subjected to enforced disappearance, died this year; I promise them that your efforts will not go waste. My struggle will continue as long as I am alive,” added Ahangar.
