“My husband was a peace loving man busy in weaving carpets in his home, on the fatal day of 20 January 2003 he left to Srinagar at 2:00 pm and never comes back” said Haleema

SHABIR IBN YUSUF
SRINAGAR,(Sunatimes): Haleema Begum, 35 who is selling vegetables to fetch her family of five children has not lost the hope of her husband’s return that went missing seven years ago in 2003. Haleema vowed to grow up her children to fight the elements busy in exploiting poor and widows from previous twenty

years of turmoil.

. “I hope that my husband will come back some day and I decided to fetch my five children of my own till he will comeback, He will surely return one day,” she asserts

   Haleema’s husband Manzoor Ahmad Baba, 38; a carpet weaver leaves his home from Bankoot Bandipora 20th of January 2003 and never comes back. Since then his whereabouts are not known.  Haleema is also member of APDP and in seeking justice from years of time.

“My husband was a peace loving man busy in weaving carpets in his home, on the fatal day of 20 January 2003 he left to Srinagar at 2:00 pm and never comes back” said Haleema adding “we visited every nook and coroner but find him nowhere”

Haleema, who is in her mid 30s, living with five children one daughter and four sons said that since then she and her family members have been visiting the camps, jails and interrogation centers to ascertain Manzoor’s whereabouts.
“We have visited all the camps of troops in vicinity, Jails and interrogation centre in sate but failed to trace him out,” she said in a choked voice.
She said that she met all the top police officials of the district and apprised them about the disappearance of her husband. “Except for hollow promises, these officials did not lend me any help in tracing out my missing husband,” added Haleema Begum.
Haleema is at loss to understand that despite pleading before police and other district heads about her missing husband, no one is ready to help her. “Besides six years of my husbands disappearance administration including Police is not showing any sympathy to get my relevant document complete so that I can avail government help’   They don’t want to pursue my case because I can’t grease their palms,” she alleged.
Habla said that she is too poor to seek any legal help to search her husband. “I belong to a poor family and can’t afford to bear legal expenses. I am hardly able to bear the expenses of schooling my kids.” 
 “The so called State Human rights Commission also refused to pursue my case
as I failed to present death certificate” Haleema added.
Asked whether she had any plans to remarry, Habla replied, “No. My husband was a God-fearing man. I believe nothing wrong can be done to him. I have a firm belief that he would return to join us one day.”
She said that besides searching her husband, she has also focused her attention to raise her two small kids. “I want to provide them best education and hope by the time they grow up, they will be joined by their Father.”
  “When I notice the inhuman attitude of concerned district officers, I decided to cultivate vegetables in my kitchen garden which I am selling in the villages to fetch my children” Haleema said.
 Haleema is living with five children including one daughter and four sons.  “I am working hard to educate my children, I I loose very hope of the government help” said Haleema, adding “when ever I approach any office, thye demand the death certificate of my husband, the issuance of which costs 5,000”
 “I approached police station Bandipora to get death certificate people there asked to pay 5, 000, so I found no other way except work hard for my family” Haleema added.

 “People especially officers on helm, of affairs are vicious and exploit every person who are in compulsion in one or other way like me” said Haleema,”I will grow up my children to help the people especially half widows who are facing exploitation in the government office while seeking justice”

“Like me hundreds and thousands of widows and orphans are being exploited while seeking justices during past twenty years of turmoil in the state” Haleeema added.

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Shabir Ibn Yusuf
Journalist
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