[Reader-list] Jihadis abduct, rape young girls in Jammu -

[Pawan Durani]

Wonder why there are no protests ?

Jihadis abduct, rape young girls in Jammu

The Daily Pioneer
OPED | Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Parents live in fear as terrorists force them to part with girls as
young as 13, writes Deepika Thussoo

Young teenage girls in the terrorist-infested areas of Jammu over the
last two decades have not only borne the brunt of insurgent violence,
but they have also become the victims of the anger and lust of
terrorists. There have been many cases where young girls have been
lured or forcibly taken away by terrorists. There have also been cases
where terrorists have used the young girls for their own designs,
whether it is for gathering or transmitting vital information.

Terrorism strikes a deeper injury to the minds of young girls who are
just setting out in life, weaving dreams about their future.

Abductions, rapes and forced marriages by terrorists in these
far-flung areas is not uncommon and it is not surprising that the
parents over the years prefer to marry their daughters quite young and
migrate to safer areas. The insurgent violence on this side of the Pir
Panjal range has dealt a crushing blow to many girl children in areas
of Jammu, their plight has largely been ignored by the human rights
activists.

One of the most poignant examples is Fatima Begum, 17, who grew up in
the hilly district of Kishtwar. She was like any other ordinary girl
in the area, until one day everything changed for her. She would have
not imagined in her worst nightmare that a dreaded terrorist would
force her to marry someone on the dictated terms of terror. Instead of
social customs or her family’s wishes or love, Fatima entered into
matrimony on the compulsions of a terrorist.

Imagine a girl in her bare teens having to live with a man under the
fear of gun. Imagine her everyday apprehensions of any kind of
catastrophe, which could put an end to her life.

The entire story came to light in January this year when the police
recovered Fatima from a hotel at the bus stand in Kishtwar, having
deserted her terrorist husband with whom she had been forced to
solemnise the marriage. The boy with whom she claimed to have entered
into second marriage was arrested.

The details unfolded as the investigations were conducted. Fatima
Begum was just 13-year-old when HuJI commander Sher Khan and his
associate Billal Ahmed had forced her to marry Hashim Din, son of Alla
Ditta, who lived in Chatru. Hashim was reported to have paid a
handsome amount to Sher Khan for his marriage with Fatima, who along
with her father was tortured by the terrorists and compelled Fatima
into marriage at 13. At the age of 14, Fatima gave birth to a child.

The terror of Sher Khan along with his associates, however, ended
about a year ago when he surrendered before the police. Taking
advantage of the situation, Fatima deserted Hashim and escaped from
the area with Fareed Ahmed, a local. When Fareed and Fatima returned
to Kishtwar after staying for a few days outside, they were taken into
custody from the hotel where they were staying.

The violence targeting young girls has an old history. In 2003,
militants beat a nine-year-old girl, Nazia, to death and critically
injured her 11-year-old sister, Shareefa, in the Rajouri Hills area.
Reportedly, a group of HuJI terrorists entered the house of one Nisar
Hussain in Khabala village. Not finding him at home, they caught hold
of his two daughters and beat them with guns to extract information
about their father.

But others have not been so lucky to get away with a sharp message
such as beating, tonsure and have come to bodily harm. Nasreen, a
17-year-old girl of Dalasan village in the Thana Mandi of Rajouri
district was abducted by terrorists from her house. She was injected
with poison that killed her and her body was found in the jungle.
Unfortunately, human rights activists in the area have ignored such
critical issues.

The girl child continues to be the victim of the insurgent violence,
caught many times in the battle between the security forces and
terrorists. In May last year, a 17-year-old girl, Amina, of Kishtwar
district was killed in cross firing between terrorists and Army in
Kanow Patnazi-Kither forests. Following widespread protests by the
people blaming the Army for the killing, the State Government ordered
a probe into the killing.

Even more critical is that these incidents have instilled a fear
psychosis in the children, especially girls who never know which eye
in the crowd means trouble or death of their dreams. When will the
time come when the dreams of these girls will not be coloured with
blood?