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New Delhi, 14 May 2007: Shri Syed Shahabuddin, President of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), has issued the following Statement:-

The All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) appreciates the initiative taken by the Hidustan Times to elicit the information that records of Human Rights violations in J & K during 1989-1994 are not available with the Central or State Government and that in the period 1994-2006, 1129 complaints were received out of which 1089 were investigated, 1057 were found false and only 32 complaints were found genuine.

This report is likely to be rejected out of hand not only by human rights activists in the country and abroad but by the suffering people of J&K and will only strengthen the impression of official apathyto the conduct of the armed forces in anti insurgency operations and thus widen the gulf between the authorities and the people. No doubt human rights have been equally massively violated by the militants but there can be no comparison between the state and the law breaker. Moreover if the state loses moral authority, it cannot command the loyalty and confidence of the people.

The AIMMM has come to the considered view that only exposure, acceptance of responsibility and generous forgiveness can the poison be purged from the body politic and emotional reconciliation be effected.

The AIMMM strongly recommends that the Central Government should set up a Truth and Justice Commission consisting of eminent jurists, academicians and human rights activists under the chairmanship of a retired Chief Justice of India.

The proposed Commission should have the mandate of inviting the next-of-kin and community leaders to come forward and record their evidence, on both state and militant violence and look into the quantum of compensation for loss of life limb, honour and property and the progress in identifying & punishing culprits and recommend measures for reconciliation and dissipation of the prevalent atmosphere of anger and revenge, compounded by apathy and insensitivity.