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A truth panel can find answers to unmarked graves: Omar Abdullah

By Bashaarat Masood
Updated Wednesday, 24 August 2011 00:08:02 - IST (UTC +5:30)

Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said here today that a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission is the only way to find answers” to “who have been buried in these (unmarked) graves”.
He was responding to a question on the recent report submitted by the State Human Rights Commission’s (SHRC) investigating wing that said it is “beyond doubt” that there are 2,156 unidentified bodies buried in 38 unmarked graves in four north Kashmir districts. This was first reported by The Sunday Express on August 21.
“We also want to know who are buried in these graves. Even before taking oath, I have been saying that it is not that easy to get answers to these questions... A truth and reconciliation commission should be given the agenda that whichever incidents have happened in last 20-21 years whether (because of) militants or security forces, wherever questions have been raised... to find answer to those questions, there is no other way than a truth and reconciliation commission,” he said. “We would also want that the question raised by the SHRC regarding these graves should be answered.”
He said that this could be part of the agenda at the unified command meeting tomorrow.
The inquiry report recommended prompt DNA profiling of the remains of the dead and their matching with the next of the kin of the Valley’s disappeared civilians.
State Congress chief Saif-ud-din Soz said the government must study the report “minutely” and “identify the action points”.
Chief of the main opposition People’s Democratic party, Mehbooba Mufti, said that “the government must conduct a high-level probe by an impartial agency to establish identities of these unidentified persons.” Calling it “confirmation of what most people knew”, she asked for DNA analysis of the remains.
Separatist leaders too have called for a probe. Said JKLF’s Yasin Malik: “This proves there is jungle raj in Kashmir... It is important to have an independent investigation.”
Ayaz Akbar, a spokesman for the hardline Hurriyat Conference (Geelani faction), called for a probe by the International War Crimes Tribunal.
Said the head of the moderate camp Mirwaiz Umar Farooq: “This is an eye-opener not only for international human rights organisations but for Indian groups too.”

Tags: Bashaarat Masood Jammu and Kashmir, unmarked graves, Omar Abdullah, Truth panel

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