Breakaway factions of Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) and Kashmir Traders and Manufactures Fedration have called for shutdown on Friday to protest civilian killings in Shopian and Kangan.
In a press conference addressed jointly by the KTMF president Bashir Ahmad Rather and KEA chairman Muhammad Yusuf Chapri, they asked people from all walks of life in Kashmir to observe April 6 as ‘black day’ in view of “unabated” civilian killings.
“Forces are carrying genocide of Kashmiris in a systematic manner with impunity from the government. Every day young blood is spilled on streets across Valley,” said president of his faction of KTMF Bashir Ahmad Rather.
They said the trade bodies will observe complete shutdown on Friday and hoist black flags to highlight the miseries of Kashmiri people in front of international community.
Meanwhile, The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik has urged people across the State to stage peaceful protests across after Friday prayers against the recent killings in Shopian and Kangan and “wave of terror” let loose by troops across Kashmir.
In a joint statement, Geelani, Mirwaiz and Malik called on people to stage peaceful protests after Friday prayers tomorrow.
“The peaceful protests will be expression of solidarity with people of Shopian, Tral and Anantnag and to focus world attention towards the genocide of Kashmiris by trigger-happy forces,” they said.
The leaders urged the Imams of Masjids and shrines across Kashmir to raise strong voice against the ongoing severe repression and seek public support for resolution framed by JRL. “The resolution will be presented in all mosques for peoples support and approval.”
“After 19 people were killed, the leadership was barred from visiting South Kashmir to express condolences sympathy with the bereaved families and share their grief. It punctured their tall claims that separatist leadership is “free “to go anywhere. The government only believes in military might and use of force as a reaction to the popular sentiment,” they said.
Geelani, Mirwaiz and Malik said people of Kashmir are offering priceless sacrifices on all fronts while the rulers have thrown all principles of democracy and humanity to winds and are busy ruthlessly crushing the peoples movement for asserting their fundamental right.
“The repressive measures to suppress the peoples’ movement will never succeed,” they said and urged the international community to pitch in at this crucial time and to play their part in stopping the ongoing bloodshed in Kashmir.
The leaders strongly condemned the use of force and excesses against the protesting students across the valley today in which many students were injured and hospitalized.
“Every section of society including students are up in revolt against the state,” they added.
