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'Where are our children': APDP stages monthly sit-in protest

FARZANA SYED. Dated: 8/11/2017 10:58:50 AM

SRINAGAR, Aug 10: The Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) staged their monthly sit-in protest here at Pratap Park in Srinagar on Thursday in which scores of parents, half widows and other kin of the disappeared youth of Kashmir took part.
The members of APDP demanded the whereabouts of their loved ones who have been the victims of enforced disappearances at the hands of Indian forces and government agencies during past two decades of turmoil and violence in Kashmir valley.
The kin of the missing youth were holding pictures and placards of their loved ones as a metaphor of their single query "where are our loved ones. The presence of half widows, mothers of the disappeared youth, turned the scenes during the protest emotional depicting the agony and the suffering they have been pushed through.”
Over the years though there has not been any accountability on the part of Government vis a vis enforced disappearances, the members of APDP vow to fight for their missing children subjected to involuntary disappearances all these years.
In today's protest, several fresh cases of enforced disappearances were revealed.
The chairperson of APDP Parveena Ahangar said though there has never been a serious approach towards these cases from the state authorities, APDP shall continue to fight and not subside their struggle for justice to their children.
"APDP shall continue to ask for our children who have been subjected to heinous human rights violations by so called security forces of Government and their agencies. Our children were picked up by men in uniform, and they owe us an answer. These governments are accountable. let them tell us where are our kids? If they snatched our children, where are our children. Can these brutes look at the condition of these parents, these widows, these wailing mothers. The agony and the suffering they have been facing is beyond explanation. We ask the so called rulers of our state where are our childrens?" Parveena Ahangar said.
She said that though state authorities have always tried to suppress their voice which APDP won't let happen.
"We will fight but not forget. Our lives may fade but our struggle for our children shall never fade. We will never forget our beloved children who have been victims of every cruel regime," the kin of disappeared persons revealed.
"No justice can be expected from ones who preach and practice injustice. But that doesn't mean that we will forget our children," they said.
According to a report more than 8,000 cases of enforced disappearances have been reported from different parts of the state of Jammu and Kashmir since the beginning of prolonged conflict. The Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons has been consistent in pressing their demands for justice towards the victims of disappearance.
On the 10th of every month, the kin of disappeared persons of Kashmir under the banner of APDP, hold sit-in protests highlighting the issue and cases of enforced disappearances in the state.