India using children as human shield during CASOs in IIOJK: Wani
GENEVA (INP): India is using Kashmiri children as human shield during cordon and search operations (CASOs) in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, said Altaf Hussain Wani, Kashmiri representative.
Altaf Hussain Wani was speaking on behalf of World Muslim Congress during 55th session of United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva during debate under agenda item 3 on the report of Secretary General’s special representative on children in armed conflict.
He said that India was still involved in grave violations against Kashmiri children. “I wonder what obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law were met by India which is still using children as human shield during search and cordon operations violating the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution”, he said.
Wani said the Kashmiri children not only faced disabilities at the hands of Indian troops but also endured abhorrent abuses and violations.
He said that the number of troops on the ground in Kashmir have further swelled up during the recent past. The Indian troops armed with latest weapon system, he said, were directly involved in killing and blinding children through pellets guns.
He pointed out that India was still using schools and health care infrastructure for military and intelligence purposes in the occupied territory.
“On ground there is no accountability initiative, commissions of inquiry, fact-finding missions and investigations”, he lamented.
