BURIED EVIDENCE: UNKNOWN, UNMARKED, AND MASS GRAVES IN INDIAN-ADMINISTERED KASHMIR

★

☆

SHARE

Overview

Paper Summary

Conflicts of Interest

Identified Weaknesses

Rating Explanation

Good to know

Topic Hierarchy

File Information

Paper Summary

Paperzilla title

Buried Evidence, Buried Truths: Unmarked Graves in Kashmir Highlight Human Rights Crisis

This report documents the existence of unknown, unmarked, and mass graves in Indian-administered Kashmir, containing bodies of those killed in alleged "encounter" killings between 1990-2009. The investigation was limited to 55 villages in 3 out of 10 Kashmir districts and found 2,700 graves containing 2,943+ bodies, mostly men. The report concludes that Indian state actions have created a "landscape and habitus of 'mass burial'" to suppress political dissent.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

The International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Indian-Administered Kashmir (IPTK) has a clear position on human rights violations in the region. This focus may influence the methods and interpretation of findings.

Identified Weaknesses

Limited Scope

The study covered only 55 villages in 3 of the 10 districts in Kashmir, limiting the generalizability of the findings to the entire region. It is possible that a larger investigation would reveal far more graves.

Lack of Forensic Analysis

The report relies on testimony and circumstantial evidence, but lacks forensic examination of the bodies to determine cause of death and confirm torture allegations, which weakens the evidence of "fake encounter" killings.

Potential for Bias

The report is published by a human rights tribunal focused on injustices in Indian-administered Kashmir, introducing potential bias in the presentation of evidence and interpretation of findings.

Security Concerns Limiting Access

The report acknowledges that access to areas with high military presence was limited, hindering a full assessment of the extent of unmarked graves and potential violations. This limits the study's scope and generalizability.

Rating Explanation

While the report provides compelling evidence of a serious issue, the limited geographic scope, lack of forensic analysis, potential for bias, and limited access due to security concerns lower the rating. The documentation of the gravesites and testimonies is a valuable first step, however further investigation and corroboration is needed.

Good to know

This is our free standard analysis. Paperzilla Pro fact-checks every citation, researches author backgrounds and funding sources, and uses advanced AI reasoning for more thorough insights.

Explore Pro →