Civilian Deaths in Kashmir – Collateral Damage or Human Rights Violation?
If a civilian dies in the crossfire during an operation, what should it be termed Collateral Damage or Human Rights Violation?
Whenever an operation is launched, precautionary measures are taken to avoid Collateral damage. But one can never dictate the ballistics of a bullet. Any mishap and loss of an innocent life is tragic. In valley the same measures are being adopted to avoid such occurrences. But the dynamics in valley are bit different, people intentionally intrude in the operation to aid the escape of terrorists.
Still Indian Army prefers the escape of a terrorist at times than killing many civilians. Indian Army has paid heavy prices for adopting this policy. As later on, these escaped terrorists inflict casualties on the security forces.
So these two incidents took place in the valley, one in Frisal (Kulgam) & other in Chitargam (Shopian). In first case, a civilian was killed in a crossfire between army and militants. This later became a cause for violent protests. Many termed it an atrocity by Indian Army and demanded for probe.
In second case, militants ambushed a party of army, in which three soldiers were martyred and a civilian woman was killed by the militant fire.
I asked the opinion of few local boys after these two incidents. That why no protest was called for in the second case as an innocent civilian was killed.
They explained, that Army killed intentionally while the militants or so called Freedom Fighters in process of their freedom struggle accidentally caused the death of the innocent woman.
For them the later is the Collateral damage and former is Human Rights Violation.
They even proclaimed that the lady will ultimately be in Jannat for her sacrifices in course of freedom struggle.
A similar incident took place in Shopian district where Terrorists had laid an ambush & attacked an army patrol in which three jawans got injured and a civilian lost his life.
I leave it for your discretion to decide as to
What is Right or Wrong?
For most of us these youths are misguided but the tragic part is that some of our media agencies and political parties & their members are often seen to have the same opinion.
I wonder how we humans have manipulated the definition of humanity to our conveniences.
Is humanity just an agenda to achieve political and personal gain?
Read here on Why Kashmir Freedom Movement Will Fail?
