§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have asked the Government of India why they will not allow either the Parliamentary Human Rights Group or Amnesty International to visit Kashmir and inquire into allegations of human rights violations there.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyWe have consistently encouraged the Indian Government to allow international human rights groups to visit Kashmir.
§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will raise at the UN Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva the matters dealt with in the Amnesty International report Torture and deaths in custody in Jammu and Kashmir, published today; and whether they will ask the Indian Government to tell the commission which of the recommendations they accept.
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§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyWe regularly express our concern about reports of human rights abuses in Kashmir in bilateral discussions with the Indian Government. We will follow closely any debate on these issues in Geneva, including any response by the Indian Government to the Amnesty International report.
§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have now received concerning the charges against members of the armed forces and the paramilitaries in Kashmir in respect of alleged human rights violations; the number of convictions; the sentences passed; and, in the case of custodial sentences, the name and rank of each offender, the charges on which he was convicted and the length of imprisonment to which he was sentenced.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyWe have received no further information from the Indian Government on these questions since my answer of 17th October 1994, (col.1 of theOfficial Report) to the noble Lord.