In a letter this week addressed to the Indian government, at least nine UN rapporteurs also asked New Delhi to reconsider the closure of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in the disputed region.
“We urge India and local authorities in Kashmir to undertake prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into all alleged enforced disappearance and take measures to identify the remains in each of the thousands of unmarked graves,” said the letter, which was posted to the government on July 1 but only made public two months later.
According to Kashmir – based Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons or APDP – that looks after the families of forcibly disappeared people — there are at least 8,000 cases of disappearence in Kashmir.
“We also urge [India] to reconsider the closure of the SHRC or to promptly establish an equivalent independent body or bodies that could assist and guide official investigations and help ensure that they are in full compliance with international human rights norms,” the UN experts demanded.
The SHRC, which probed alleged human rights abuses in the disputed region — was one of several commissions closed by India after rescinding the nominal semi-autonomous status of the region on Aug. 5 last year.
The latest letter by the UN is one of several such communications sent to India over Kashmir seeking the redressal of the rights issue in the disputed region.
A team of the UN human rights body has also unsuccessfully tried to visit the region.
Last month, the UN experts sought “urgent action” on Kashmir as the region commemorated its first year of by India.
The United Nations in yet another report on cases against Kashmiri journalists said: “India’s bid to prosecute Kashmiri journalists suggests a pattern of silencing independent reporting on the ground situation in Kashmir.