Book on Kunan Poshpora incident released

Tribune News Service

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Srinagar, February 23

A book titled ‘Do you Remember Kunan Poshpora’, penned down by five women- Essar, Ifrah, Samreen, Munaza and Natasha- was released during a function here today.

The opening lines of the first chapter of the book are “This book is about one night in two villages of Kashmir. It is about a night that has refused to end for 24 long years”.

Over 30 women were allegedly raped by Army personnel in the twin villages of Kunan and Poshpora in frontier Kupwara on February 23, 1991. However, the charges have not been proved as no trial has been held.

The 228-page book, consisting of seven chapters, has been published by New Delhi-based Zuban Publishers. It details the memories and social and legal struggles of the victims of the incident that took place two and a half decade ago.

“In the 24 years that have passed since then, despite the long history of inaction, botched up investigations and cover-ups, the survivors have continued their struggle for justice. The world, however, has more or less forgotten Kunan-Poshpora,” the book further reads.

The memoir was released by five victims in presence human rights activists, lawyers, journalists and people from other walks of life.

The book also details the social stigma the survivors faced from fellow Kashmiris, also reflected in the ‘hostility’ towards the children of the affected families in schools in the form of teasing, taunts, bullying and humiliation.

The release of the book was followed by a discussion in which the five authors took part and answered various questions from the audience.

“To remain silent is the easiest way out. To talk about rape is not easy. Kunan Poshpora victims have talked about it again and again and again. That was the inspiration for this book,” said one of the authors of the book, when asked by audience what motivated them to write it.

In the book, the authors also state that the renewed discussion of the Kunan Poshpora ‘mass rape’ emerged partly from the life histories and was partly triggered by the December 2012 New Delhi rape case.