- Uprising in Kashmir completes 100 days – ‘Longest Shut-Down’
- Massive protests at Sonwar against Imam’s arrest
- Clashes in Baramulla, Pulwama, Budgam too
- 62 stone-pelters arrested in 24 hours: Police
Fresh clashes erupted in some Kashmir areas on Sunday as the anti-India uprising completed 100 days which were marked by civilian killings, blinding of children and youth due to pellets, and massive repression on people by forces. At least 94 people have been killed and more than 15,000 injured in action by forces during this period, and at least 780 people were hit by pellets in eyes and a vast majority of them are on the verge of losing their vision, partially of fully. Even on the 100th day of the uprising on Sunday, reports of clashes and pro-freedom protests poured in from various areas, including Srinagar, even as police continued with the arrest youth and said 62 more were arrested on charges of “disrupting normal life” in the past 24 hours.
‘Longest Shut-Down’
Kashmir has registered longest-ever continuous shutdown of 100 days on the call of joint resistance leadership including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik. Majority of historians and authors have agreed that the region has never seen a continuous shutdown for over three months. Noted poet and social activist, Zareef Ahmed Zareef, said this is for the first time in Kashmir’s history that people have themselves observed strike for 100 days.
Resistance Group Caged
Police sources said over 150 separatist leaders/activists have been detained or arrested so far in the past more than three months. While Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani continues to remain under house arrest at his Hyderpora residence, Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Miwaiz Umar Farooq is languishing in sub-jail at Chesmashahi, while JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik has been lodged in Central Jail Srinagar. He was first lodged in police station Kothibagh on July 8, and then taken to Central Jail Srinagar where from he was shifted to police station Humhama. He was recently shifted back to Central Jail.
No Prayers At Jamia Masjid For 14 Weeks
The J&K government disallowed congregational Friday prayers at historic Jamia Masjid continuously for the past 14 weeks.
‘Deadliest Day’
According to figures available with Kashmir Post, at least 12 protesters died on July 9, the day after the killing of Burhan Wani in southern Kokernag village.
Pellets Kill 14, Blinds Hundreds
The use of pellet guns proved lethal in Kashmir as at least 14 youth including two teenagers died of pellets in the past three months.
Situation On Sunday
While markets across Kashmir, including Srinagar, opened after 5 pm on the relaxation call given by the joint resistance leadership, massive clashes broke out at Sonwar area in Srinagar after youth and women blocked the main road to stage a protest against the detention of a local Imam, Hafiz Riyaz Ahmed. The road witnessed massive traffic jam for nearly an hour after police resorted to heavy teargas shelling to disperse the protesters. Two people including a woman sustained injury in the police action. Locals said the Imam was called to police station Ram Munshibagh and later detained “without any reason.”
“The situation in the area had been relatively peaceful, but the unjustified actions by police, like the Imam’s detention, trigger protests in the area,” a group of protestors said. Earlier, locals said, two youth including a 12-year-old boy were detained by the police. Reports from north Kashmir’s Baramulla said clashes broke out this afternoon in old town Baramulla after police foiled a pro-freedom protest march in the area. According to reports, joint afternoon prayers were offered in Jamia Masjid. Soon after the conclusion of the prayers, a pro-freedom protest march was taken out but police from across the river Jhelum lobbed scores of teargas shells towards the protesters, triggering clashes which continued till evening. Meanwhile, the residents of Bunglowbagh, in old town alleged that police after entering the area resorted to ransacking of some residential houses. They said some persons suffered injuries during the police action. Reports from Sopore said people staged protests at Batpora and Sher Colony against the alleged vandalism by forces. Reports said pro-freedom protests were held in Ruhumoo. Locals of Kakapora, Pulwama alleged that forces ransacked houses there, triggering massive protests and clashes.
Reports from Central Kashmir’s Budgam district said at Gowharpora Chowk, clashes broke out after youth threw stones at forces’ vehicles. Forces fired tear-smoke shells to disperse the protestors. Meanwhile, reports said forces conducted nocturnal raids at Huproo, Batpora in Chadoora village, last night, where they allegedly beat up a few inmates too.
100 Days Records, As Per J&K Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS).
During the last 100 days of siege – since the killing of Burhan Wani, Kashmir has witnessed gross violations of human rights in the form of extrajudicial executions, injuries, illegal detentions, torture, vandalism of civilian properties, ban on congregational religious activities, media gags, and a ban on communication and internet services, according to a brief statement issued by J&K Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS).
The human right group believes that in last 100 days 100 civilians were killed as more than 15,000 were injured. Of the 4500 who received pellet injuries, the statement said 1000 received eye injuries. It put detentions at eight thousand of whom 450 were booked under Public Safety Act.
“There has been an intense crackdown on media, including incidents of beatings and shooting of pellets on photojournalists,” the statement said, also mentioning the ban on Kashmir Reader. “There have also been attacks on ambulances, medical aid workers by the security agencies.”
Offering details of the interim fact-finding and verification, JKCCS said of the 100 civilians killed 61 were from four South Kashmir districts of Anantnag (25), Kulgam (13), Pulwama (13) and Shopian (10). It said 24 people were killed in central Kashmir which includes 13 people Srinagar, 10 in Budgam and one in Ganderbal district. The balance 15, according to JKCCS, are from north Kashmir with 2 people in Bandipora, 7 in Baramulla and 6 in Kupwara.
The group said that five of the slain civilians were women, five “drowned to death following their attempts to escape state forces”.
It said pellet shotguns resulted in 18 killings and 80 percent of the killed people are below the age of 30. JKCCS said in only 7 cases have the police registered criminal cases recording the accurate circumstances of the killing.
“Landmark” came at Heavy Cost, admits Hurriyat(G)
Admitting that Kashmir nation has paid a “heavy price” for sustaining more than three months old Tehreek, the Hurriyat Conference on Sunday said the last 100 days are a “historic landmark”. Tehreek, it said, forced the two countries to think “seriously” on Kashmir issue as it was raised in UN and most of the global media covered it.
“As a nation, we paid huge costs to get the attention of the world,” a statement issued here said, “More than 90 people were killed, 14000 injured of whom 500 have lost eyesight, 15000 people are behind bars and the trade is losing Rs 140 crore, a day.” It said the transport sector suffered the worst of all because they could do no work.
Showering praises over the medical fraternity, the statement said that they left their homes and worked for the injured day and night as hundreds of volunteers from various NGOs worked side by side. In flowing prose, the statement detailed the transfer and evacuation of the injured to the hospitals stuffing wards and the operation theatres.
The statement also acknowledged the efforts made by the voluntary teachers who set up community teaching centres and the residents who created self help groups to help the needy in the crisis.
Hurriyat said that the people who resort to stone pelting during relaxation hours are not supports of the Terhreek and should be taken care of.
The statement attacked the ruling party for splashing blood on the roads which it had claims it would macadamize. They killing the youth, they had promised they will ensure good future for, the statement added.
“After joining hands with the Achay Din regime, they used PSA to take father and the son to jail,” the statement said. “If the leaders who get elected by the same people they suppress after talking over, they lose the right to stick to the power on democratic, ethical and moral grounds.” Hurriyat said that people at large have a strong and a concrete logic not to humiliate their franchise and they have every reason to demand that “they (government) have lost legal, moral and even democratic right to represent them.”
Police Version
According to a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, situation across Kashmir remained normal and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere. “During the day normal life was observed across the valley as normal flow of vehicular traffic including the public transport was seen on the city roads as also in the main towns and inter-district roads of the valley,” it said. “Sunday market in Srinagar witnessed a huge rush of shoppers as people from different parts of the city and elsewhere thronged it to purchase different articles.”
The statement said in its sustained action to “curb the activities of miscreants”, police arrested 62 such individuals “involved in disrupting the public order in different parts of the valley during past 24 hours.”
