Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Public health eemployees threaten suicide - wages not paid for four months

PHE daily wagers threaten suicides
Oct 1 Rising Kashmir

Demand wage release

Mir Tariq
Bandipora, Sep 30: While demanding immediate release of their salaries a large number of daily wagers in this North Kashmir district of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Tuesday threatened that they will commit suicides in case their demands were not conceded.
More than 200 daily wagers of the PHE staged a sit in protest near the D.C office who are running from pillar to post to get their salary released, which the department had allegedly withheld without any reason.
The employees threatened to commit suicides in case their demands were not conceded. "We and our children have been brought on the verge of starvation due to non-payment of our salaries for the past four months. What shall we eat? Where shall we go? Does the department wants us to beg?" they questioned.
Spokesman of daily wagers Farooq Ahmed said: “PHE has not released their salaries form July this year. Despite the orders from the Government in this connection but department is not releasing the same in our favour without any reason," he said
"We approached the officers in PHE however; but they are not responding," said Sajad Ahmed a daily wager, adding, "Our salary was stalled despite orders by the chief and superintending engineer."
They urged the government to release pay at the earliest as the employees had taken loan and are under huge debt.
"I had to eke out extra money in April to deposit the admission fee of my children. I had to borrow money from a relative to sustain my family for past four months," said a daily wager Ghulam Ahmed
Meanwhile a group headed by Farooq Ahmed met Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Sheikh Mushtaq and briefed him their grievances.
Talking to Rising Kashmir Executive Engineer Ghulam Qadir Pintoo said, "Due to some technical faults we were not able to release the wages of the daily wagers earlier.”
"However we have diverted the funds for the release of the one month salary to the daily wagers," said Pintoo.
The department of PHE Government of Jammu and Kashmir released funds amounting 38. 56 lakh (approximately 38, 56, 640) under Major Head: 4215 134/CE/PHE/PlG of 2008 (12-09-2008), which includes 6.13 lakh for PHE Special sub-division Bandipora. But the department is not releasing the wages due to unknown reasons.

Govt impounds KCCI chief’s passport

Trade talk gets dull
Rising Kashmir Oct 1

Govt impounds KCCI chief’s passport

Mehboob Jeelani
Srinagar, Sep 30: Regional Passport Office on Tuesday impounded the passport of president Kashmir Chambers of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), Mubeen Shah, who was to lead a trade delegation to Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PaK).
Police sources said that the intelligence wing of the state police had requested the passport office to impound the travel document of the KCCI president following an "adverse report" about his alleged separatist activities.
Shah received a letter on Tuesday from the office of Passport Officer informing him about the impounding of his passport. It has been mentioned in the letter that Shah had come into the ‘adverse notice’ of Police and Central Investigative Department (CID).
KCCI president, Mubeen Shah told Rising Kashmir, “I received the letter in the morning and I don’t know why it has been done. I have decided to take a legal action against the authorities for impounding my passport”.
He, however, said that the reasons of impounding his passport were not mentioned clearly in the letter. “The letter reads that on ‘adverse grounds’ my passport was impounded. No specific reason has been mentioned,” added Shah.
The KCCI president was expected to lead a trade delegation to PaK as a reciprocal visit for discussing possibilities of strengthening trade ties between the two parts of Kashmir. The cross-LoC trade will commence from October 21.
Shah is the member of Jammu Kashmir Coordination Committee (JKCC), which is spearheading the peaceful agitation across the valley. It was formed after the economic blockade of Kashmir by the right-wing Hindu activists of BJP, VHP, Bajrangdal and Shiv-Sena.
After the lifting of economic blockade by the Hindu extremist elements, the Kashmir-based traders have boycotted the Jammu trade. The boycott campaign against the Jammu based products is being headed by Mubeen Shah and President of Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries Kashmir (FCIK), Shakeel Qalander.
The president of Jammu chambers of commerce and industries, Ram Sahai recently visited Kashmir and pleaded Shah and Qalandar to lift the boycott.
After refusal, Sahai accused Shah of being ‘puppet’ in the hands of separatist leaders.

Police refuse to release detainee despite court orders

Distraught mother’s Eid wish, her ‘illegally’ detained son’s release
Rising Kashmir Sept 30

Wasim Khalid
Srinagar, Sep 27: Asha Begum, 65, beseeches help from authorities for the release of her detained son Meharj-ud-Din Mir who is languishing in the custody even though Jammu Kashmir High Court his detention more than two months ago.
“I am begging authorities to release my son this Eid. I am exhausted by frequent visits to courts and higher police officials for his release from illegal detention,” Asha said with tears in her eyes.
Narrating her ordeal, the distraught mother hailing from Rudbugh, Beerwah said her son fled home in 2001 never to return.
“He was only 18 then and was studying at a school in Magam. I have never seen him since then. Six years later, police claimed to have arrested him from south Kashmir on October 7, 2007. He was then sent to Central Jail Srinagar,” she said.
Asha said a police case registered in Beerwah police station against Meharj-ud-Din alleging him to be a militant was already cleared.
“The case was registered under Indian Arms Act. Sessions court Budgam granted him bail on February 15, 2008. As my son was about to be freed after six months, the Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) arrested him again inside the jail premises after which Public Safety Act (PSA) was slapped against him.
The police in their report alleged that Meharj-ud-Din alias Rizwan-ul-Haq, son of Muhammad Shaban Mir of Rudbugh, Beerwah, Budgam was an IED expert and had crossed LoC to get the arms training. The police further alleged that huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from his possession.
“He was then shifted to Kotbalwal jail for about four months but was shifted back to Srinagar Central Jail since he had to appear in matriculation examination. In the meantime, the High Court quashed the PSA and ordered to set my son free in its July 15, 2008 order sheet,” Asha said.
The High Court order sheet in its clause 3 reads, “ The order of detention bearing No DMP/PSA/3/ dated 16-02-2008 is quashed with further direction to the respondents to release the person of Mehraj-u-din Mir, s/o Muhammad Shaban Mir of Rudbugh, Beerwa in district Badgam forthwith unless required in any other case.”
However, Mehraj-u-din is still languishing in the prison.
“After his release order, my son was taken by CIK. They kept him for 50 days. From there he was shifted to police station Nowgam. He is still there and police is refusing to release him,” she said.
She added that along with her husband she pleaded before the police officials to release their son, but to no avail.
“SSP says he is a militant and they cannot release him,” she said.
“We have approached courts and followed legal procedures. But the stubborn security officials have flouted the court orders also. We are facing economic crisis making it unaffordable for us to follow the case. My son lives separately. And my lone daughter feeds me and her blind father by shawl weaving. The daily visits to courts and offices of concerned authorities have drained us completely and I do not know if I could see my son ever,” Asha added.
Speaking to Rising Kashmir, senior advocate Shafaqat Hussain said thousands of such cases are pending in Kashmir where prisoners have been jailed without remand.
“Routinely the CIK present inside the jail arrests the person again after PSA against him is quashed,” Hussain said.
“In Mehraj-u-din’s case, we challenged the PSA in petition HC 52/08 where the honorable court quashed the order and directed his release. He has been earlier cleared by the Court Indian Arms case. There was no case pending against him. However, police took him into custody and kept him at police station Nowgam,” he said.
“This is illegal detention. According to law, a person cannot be kept in custody for more than 24 hours in police station. They have to produce court remand within the stipulated time. But here the state flouts court orders and keeps people illegally confined for months together,” Hussain added.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

JAVED CAN NEVER BE AN ATHLETE NOW

JAVED CAN NEVER BE AN ATHLETE NOW
Greater Kashmir Sept 21

FROM REPRESENTING SCHOOL IN ATHLETICS COMPETITION TO FACING THE TRAUMA OF AN AMPUTATED LEG AND SIX SURGERIES, THE EIDGAH BOY'S DREAMS ARE SHATTERED.

RABIA NOOR / NAZIA AKHTAR

Srinagar, Sept 20: Javed Ahmad Pathan wanted to become an athlete. And he had a perfect pair of legs, which were shaping into legs of an athlete with constant practice. And then a bullet fired by the CRPF troopers hit him in the leg that was amputated, and with that, his dream.
On 12 August, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers fired at a peaceful pro-independence demonstration. Javed was hit in the right leg. The bullet had severed a major vein, damaged vital tissues and the bone. Luck didn’t favour him either. Due to heavy rush of people wounded in CRPF firing in the Valley, there was acute shortage of blood.
Javed remained unconscious all this time, and then the doctors at SKIMS, Soura took the life-changing decision: amputate his leg.
“When he regained consciousness in the post-operative ward, nobody dared to tell him anything. The reality slowly dawned upon him,” said Javed’s uncle, “Tears flowed from his eyes, and he didn’t utter a word either.”
“I won’t be an athlete now,” Javed said, “everything has changed.”
A student of Eight Grade, Javed represented his school, Government High School Narwara, in an Inter-State competition at Jammu last year. He was a regular visitor to Bakshi Stadium where he would practice and exercise. He lives at Saidpora near Eidgah grounds, a popular playfield.
“We lost the competition not because we didn’t perform well, but because there was discrimination. There was anti-Kashmir bias,” Javed said.
Javed is the only son and eldest among four siblings. “He is very good at studies, too. He always scores a minimum of 75 per cent marks every year and his favourite subject is Science,” said his mother.
Being a meritorious student, Javed’s parents had very high expectations from him. At this time, however, they are concerned about the health of their only son.
His family says that he has been operated upon six times in less than a month.
And his trauma is physical and psychological, but an athlete in him would be feeling the physical part more than the psychological.

When he regained consciousness in the post-operative ward, nobody dared to tell him anything. The reality slowly dawned upon him. Tears flowed from his eyes, and he didn’t utter a word either.

DRUG SHORTAGE HITS VALLEY - Indian companies refuse to ship directly to Kashmir

DRUG SHORTAGE HITS VALLEY
Greater Kashmir Sept 25

Chemists Seek Int'l Red Cross, Amnesty Intervention

MUHAMMAD TASIM ZAHID

Srinagar, Sep 24: Kashmir continues to suffer from drug shortage as major drug companies are refusing to send direct supply to the valley. This is despite the fact that valley consumes 80 per cent of the total state drug consumption.
Exasperated by the indifference of the drug companies towards Kashmir, the Valley Chemists and Druggists Association has asked the International Committee of Red Cross, Amnesty International and human rights organizations to come forward and intervene to save Kashmir from going to the brink.
Though the companies earn more in Kashmir, they want to trade through Jammu traders following a threat of political backlash by Jammu-based Pharma Association if they directly send supply to Kashmir.
However, in the valley there is strong resentment against ‘keeping Jammu middlemen alive’ in this age of globalization with chemists saying it is proving detrimental to the their trade and the people of Kashmir. The valley chemists also are opposing trade with Jammu following the economic blockade of Kashmir by Jammu-based companies, which had led to humanitarian crises here in August.
Mushtaq Ahmed is the spokesperson of the Valley Chemists and Pharma Distributors Association. He says, “There is a 30 per cent shortage of medicines presently in the valley. In case the condition does not improve we will have no option but to ask international agencies like Red Cross to intervene and save Kashmiris.”
Today the association took out a protest demonstration asking the international agencies to intervene and save Kashmiris. One of the protesting pharmacists, Nasir Ahmed, said, “We will not let Kashmiris suffer again for want of medicines.”
The association has given a deadline of September 30 to all major drug companies to decide about direct supply to the valley instead of going through Jammu-based agencies.
Mushtaq says that their demands are not illogical. “Our demand is simple, that the companies start supplying drugs directly to valley as Kashmir contributes almost Rs 100 crores a month to the pharmacy industry. Jammu contributes hardly 20 per cent of that.”
While five companies are already directly supplying drugs to Kashmir, but their names are being kept under wraps after threats from Jammu.
The association is, however, optimistic about the other companies also, saying that no company has out rightly refused yet.
Before the armed uprising in 1989 in the state, all major drug companies had their depots in Kashmir. But after the situation worsened the companies shifted depots temporarily to Jammu. Since then even the new players in the drug market have set up their depots in Jammu. While initially their number was around five, today there are almost 30 drug depots in Jammu. Industry estimates put the yearly turnover of Pharma companies in Kashmir region at almost Rs 1200 crores.
The arrangement was working fine until the Amarnath land transfer agitation in Jammu led to the economic blockade of Kashmir. The blockade led to a severe shortage of drugs in the valley.
The association is ready to boycott those companies who do not send drugs directly to the valley. Mushtaq said, “We will boycott their products and black list those companies. We will also talk to doctors and ask them not to prescribe the medicines of those companies and instead prescribe alternatives.”
The association has already black listed drug giant Cipla because the company has given its marketing rights of Kashmir to a Jammu-based agency. Cipla has its own distribution unit in Jammu but the marketing rights for the valley are with a Jammu-based agency.

Kashmiri protest at the UN

CRPF invading homes, filming women and girls; spokesman calls it a "familiarization program"

CRPF conducting survey in Handwara: Residents


Familiarization Program Meant For Developing Contact With People: PRO Tripathi
Greater Kashmir Sept 26
SHAHID RAFIQ

Handwara, Sept 25: The Central Resereve Police Force have started a survey in north Kashmir's Handwara township which the locals allege is nothing short of harassment.
Residents of Banday Mohalla and Ganai Mohalla in the border town told Greater Kashmir that CRPF troopers enter their houses without permission when the male members are out for work.
“They ask questions how many men and women are in your family, what is their age, what is the source of income and how did you accumulate such property? And, after questioning they warn of dire consequences if any of us is found in a demonstration,” said Irfan Sofi (name changed on request.)
Zoona Begum, a middle aged woman, said that many CRPF troopers entered her house in the main market of Handwara yesterday. “My daughters were very frightened when they saw CRPF personnel shooting their pictures with their cell phones. They counted the rooms of my house and took my signatures on a paper while leaving; I fear they would misuse these video clips and put the honour of my daughters at risk,” Zoona Begum said.
Because of this “survey” men prefer to stay at homes leading to loss of workdays.
The CRPF has already completed the registration process in Jamia Qadeem, Khonabal, Rest House Colony, and Iqbalabad in the past few days, the residents said.
When contacted, the Superintendent of Police Handwara, Muhammad Rafiq Vakil, told Greater Kashmir, “I have not received any complaint in this regard as yet; I don’t think CRPF personnel have time to register the details of the locals.”
The Public Relations Officer of CRPF, Prabhakar Tripathi, however, admitted that such a survey was in progress.
“This is a familiarization program meant for developing contact with people. We have directed the troopers to meet people and know every one; nothing more than that. People should not be sacred of CRPF personnel,” Tripathi said.

Events log Sept 11- 27

27 September Saturday
-Resistance Leaders Muhammad Salim Nanaji and Farooq Ahmed Dar previously abducted by Indian Security forces, booked under PSA and shifted to Udhampur Jail.
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26 September Friday
-Indian Army to use laser gun in Kashmir. laser beam, will virtually "blind" the target for around 40 seconds. The flash beam of the gun is two to three metres wide
-84 km Mughal Road linking Poonch to Srinagar to be copleted by November 2008
-Department of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) is distributing ration to the population of Kashmir division according to 2001 census though population has risen significantly in past seven years
-Mixed response to LoC trade from Resistance leaders
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25 September Thursday
-CRPF start survey in Handwara. Residents of Banday Mohalla and Ganai Mohalla state that CRPF troopers enter their houses without permission. CRPF ask questions such as how many men and womrn are in family, age,source of income and wanr of dire consequences if anyone is found in demonstration.
--CRPF has already completed "registration" process in Jamia Qadeem, Khonabal, Rest House Colony, and Iqbalabad.
--As per Public Relations Officer of CRPF, Prabhakar Tripathi : “This is a familiarization program meant for developing contact with people. We have directed the troopers to meet people and know every one; nothing more than that. People should not be sacred of CRPF personnel,”
-Traders Federation sent back two trucks of flour to Jammu
-India-Pakistan to start trade through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalkot from 21 October.
-Indian government not cooperating in Dal conservation.
--Chief Secretary appears before High Court while Advocate General does not.
--Senior advocate Zaffar Shah acting as amicus curiae in the case said that Pollution Control Board (PCB) and other autonomous bodies associated with the conservation of the Dal Lake should be allowed to report independently to the court.
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24 September Wednesday
-Six unarmed Kashmiris injured when Kashmiris protesting the attack on Resistance Leader Moulana Showkat Ahmad are attacked by CRPF troopers with batons and tear gas.
-Kashmiri Chemists seek Red Cross, Amanesty intervention due to shortage of medicine. Following the economic embargo unleashed by fascists in Jammu and North India , Kashmiri chemists need to trade directly with drug companies instead of through Jammu intermediaries
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23 September Tuesday
-Sumbal observes shutdown to protest the killings of two unknown people, possibly civilians
-Unidentified men lob grenade at lal Bazar, Srinagar residence of Resistance Leader Moulana Showkat. Peopel suspect government hand
-Sumo taxi drivers are routinely harassed, beaten and their vehicles are forcibly taken by army (Rashitriya Rifles) men. Vehicles taken throughout kashmir espcially in Shopian, Pulwama, Khanabal, Sopore, Baramulla and Pattan, Safapora, Wakoora and Sumbal like areas
-Hindu films of Uri turn down protection offer of Indian government saying "When there was bloodshed in 1947 in subcontinent we fled from Muzaffarabad and settled here. It was Muslims who protected us. Our security lies within hands of Muslims,"
-Chamber of Commerce and Industries Kashmir (CCIK) on Tuesday decided to continue the boycott of Jammu goods and import commodities from different states of India.
-KCCI threatens to boycott cross-LoC trade if expected items (apple, handicrafts and medicinal products..) are excluded from the list and modalities hurt the Kashmir trading community.
-Detained Kashmiri MBBS students released by Delhi Police
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22 September Monday
-Special Grade Constable Shamim Ahmed Bhat, prime witness in fake encounter of carpenter Abdur Rehman Padder by suspended SP Hans Raj Parihar, his deputy Bahadur Ram, assistant sub-inspector Farooq Ahmed Gadoo, prime accused SOG driver Farooq Ahmed Padder, constables Manzoor Ahmed Malik, Bansi Lal and Zaheer Abbas
-3 Kashmiri students detained by Delhi Police, Naveed Farooq son of Muhammad Amin Narchur of Janglat Mandi Islamabad, Muhammad Zainulabaddin son of Muhammad Ayub Dar of Gangnag Qazipora Islamabad and Adnan Firdous Raina son of Firdous Sultan Raina of Usmanabad Colony Kupwara- were detained by cops after they disembarked from a plane that arrived from Kolkata. The three are final year MBBS students in Bangladesh.
-State government sanctions Rs 2 lakh in favour of family of Romesh Chander son of Krishen Ram of Peer Mitha, Jammu, who had fallen to death from a rooftop of a house on July 6 when police was chasing stone pelting protesters during Jammu agitation.
Union Minister for Chemicals, Fertilizers and Steel and Lok Janshakti party chief Ram Vilas Paswan demands imposition of blanket ban on BJP, VHP, Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Swansevak Sangh “Economic blockade is the root cause of the present crisis in the Valley. The situation arose only after the terrorist organisations like BJP, VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS blew the Amarnath land transfer issue un-proportionately and imposed economic blockade of Kashmir. Such organizations should be banned for promoting hatred,”
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21 September Sunday
-Reports of local TV channels told to submit identity cards at DC office before 6th of October Lal Chowk Chalo march for freedom.
-Recruitment in Islamabnad of -800 Special police officer auxiliary police force used mainly in counter-insurgency and "extra-legal operations". candidates were not asked to fill up the application forms for the post, nor were any customary advertisements published in the newspapers. Instead the local cable television channels were displaying the advertisement for the past few days
-Governement delays Market intervention scheme (MIS) at the behest of senior bureaucrat in Agriculture department, who is a close relative of a former official of the Shrine Board. The said official has been openly saying in meetings that the government will not implement the scheme to ‘punish’ Kashmiris who revolted against the land allotment to Shrine Board,” Principal secretary, Agriculture production Department, Sonali Kumar (previously secreatry of forest department and wife of Arun Kumar, SASB CEO) refuted the allegations of the growers and said she was awaiting the impact study of the MIS. Fruit growers term Sonali’s statement a mere excuse. Fruit growers state
“If the study was so important it should have been done in winter. It is a sheer excuse to hamper the procurement process and harass the growers of Kashmir,”
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20 September Saturday
-Demonstrations & Total shut down in response to call from Kashmiri Resistance in Srinagar, north Kashmir's Baramulla, Bandipora, Kupwara, Handwara, Sopore and Pattan districts and major town's and south Kashmir's Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts
-Demonstrators beaten by CRPF in Nowhatta and adjoiing parts of downtown Srinagar.
-High Court Bar Association challenges detention of Resistance leader, Masrat Alam
-Resistance leaders Ghulam Ahmad Mir and Zaffar Khursheed Mirza of Rajouri abducted by Indicna security forces
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19 September Friday
-15 year old orphan Ishfaq Amin Bhat abducted by Special Task force (STF). Station House Officer (SHO) Shaheed Gunj, Aijaz Ahmad said there is no record against Ishfaq in the police station. Ishfaq has been moved to detention centre Air Cargo, Haftchinar
-Unidentified gunmen try to kill Shabir Ahmad Dar and Ghulam Hassan Bhat, at Sigdi, Chatroo, Kishtwar but the duo manage to escape
-protest demonstrations in Maisuma, Lal Chowk, old Srinagar city, Pattan and Ganderbal.
-resistance leaders Muhammad Salim Nanaji and Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bita Karatey detained by Indian security forces after attending Iftaar part hosted by Pakistan High Commissioner.
-Teargas canisters fired at Jamia MAsjid, Hyderpora, Srinagar
-Muhammad Altaf Dhobi and Anis Rashid of Safa Kada abducted by Indian security forces
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18 September Thursday
-People of Islamabad called in by Police Station House Officers and asked to give in writing that we won't participate in pro-freedom protests. The detainees are: Javaid Ahmad Khan, Hilal Ahmad Dhobi, Mehraj-ud-Din Najar, Mir Hafizullah, Abdur Rashid Lone, Ulfat Mohi-ud-Din, Muhammad Ramzaan Lone, Saif-ul-Lah Sofi, Riyaz Ahmad Beig, Bashir Ahmad Rather and Manzoor Ahmad Sheikh.
-J&K High Court issues notice to governer's administration for detention of 11 persons from Valley under Public Safety Actfor ptestting economic blockade.
-Muhammad bin Qasim, 17, and Ahmed bin Qasim, 8, appeal for release of their parents, Muhammad Qasim Faktoo (detained since 1984) and Asiya Andrabi (detained this month)
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17 September Wednesday
-Case registered against Major and personnel of 26 Rashtriya Rifles for the murder of Muhammad Aslam Malik of Gandoh Tehsil, Doda. the deceased had surrendered before SSP Doda on the 4th of August.
--As per Lt Col SD Goswami said that on specific information about presence of 2-3 militants in the area, a column of 26 RR and police launched a joint search operation. “As the troops zeroed in on the hideout, the militants fired on troops" and militant Aslam was killed.
-Shiv Sena, Bal Thackrey, threatens fresh “economic blockade” of Kashmir if Indian companies bypass Jammu distributors and directly supply goods to Valley. "Shiv Sena cadres from Delhi to Lakhanour will be mobilized to stop trucks going to Kashmir Valley directly"
-Mirza Muhammad Afzal Beigh (MMAB) Memorial hospital in south Kashmir’s Islamabad town is running short of the X-rays films and syringes for last few weeks.
-Four youth abducted by Indian security forces in Baramulla
-Srinagar Chemist and Druggists Association,Arshid Hussain suggests doctors in Valley not to recommend medicines from drugs companies operating in Jammu from September 30
-India finally includes trade of fruit in list of utems finalized for cross LoC trade. It was India that had excluded sruit of the list due to, as per Minister for External Affairs, Pranab Mukherjee, 'fruit happens to be in the 'negative list of commodities' in the SAARC charter.
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16 September Tuesday
-CRPF troopers beat up people returning after Taraveeh prayers late last night and barge into houses and beat up inmates without provacation. CRPF officials have been informed that their men are creating law and order problems.
-Muslim organisations float Jammu Muslim Coordination Committe to ensure equal opportunities of progress and development to muslim. Convenor Professor Zahiruddin.
-Kashmir Economic Forum comprising FCIK, KCCI and KTMF launched.
-As per Shakeel Qalander, President FCIK, “Establishing customs office on LoC can change its status to International Border,”
-Kashmiri traders oppose list-bound commerce
-Government today revoked the detention orders of Swami Dinesh Bharti and Daleep Kumar, a youth from Jammu's Kathua district, under Public Safety Act
-Convenor of PUCL, Balraj Puri expresses surprise over failure of the government to arrest Swami Dinesh Bharti and withdrawal of PSA unconditionally against him despite reports that he was spreading hatred among communities.
-Central Reserve Police Force has started house to house surveys to ‘register’ youth above the age of 18 years in Srinagar. as per CRPF PRO, Prabhakar Tripathi, said the survey was part of the CRPF’s “familiarization programme.”
-officials of state Excise and Taxation Department extort money in the name of Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti from truckers
-Jammu and Kashmir Pharma Association's, Rakesh Gupta reiterates stand asking the Pharma companies not to supply medicines directly to Kashmir. Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jammu, disassociates itself from letter of secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Pharma Association
-Srinagar Chemists and Distributors Association(SCDA) Fayaz Ahmad Azad lodges complaint against the Jammu Pharma traders with the apex pharmaceutical group of the country, All India Organization of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD). SCDA states “We strongly condemn the anti-Kashmir policies of the Jammu pharma dealers. They are propagating the Sangh Parivar agenda and want Kashmiris to be at their mercy. During the recent economic blockade, they even stopped supply of life-saving drugs endangering lives of many patients. We can’t tolerate this and would continue to boycott medicines from Jammu. We expressed strong resentment against Jammu traders to the AIOCD. Though, the apex body has assured us all support, we will soon approach the international aid and humanitarian organizations like International Committee of Red Cross, Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) and United Nations to facilitate smooth and sustained supply of medicines to the Valley”
-As per State Administration, Resistance leader Shabir Shah has the right to challenge his abduction by Indian authorities
-Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Koïchiro Matsuura expresses concern over the death of a local television cameraman allegedly by the hands of troopers and beating of media men over the past few weeks.
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15 September Monday
-Muhammad Ashraf Rather of Cheki, Kulgam found dead after being abducted by gunmen last night.
-Additional Deputy Commisioner Srinagar to investigate and file report into desecration of Dastgeer Sahib Shrine within 15 days.
--FIR (No 114 of 2008) under section 295 RPC, copy given to shrine management. Exemplary punishment demanded of erring CRPF.
-Jammu Pharmacy associates, Rakesh Gupta warn Indian and multi-national pharma companies of stern action in case they directly supply medicines to "anti-national Kashmir based associations" following divisional commissioner, Kashmir, letter giving information to Pharma companies about shortage of medicine in Valley.
--Gupta writes. “the divisional commissioner (Kashmir) should have understood the basic fact that the route to the Valley from any part of the country is through Jammu province only.”
--the Jammu-based JK Pharma Association (JKPA) has informed its dealers in Jammu to go for non-cooperation with Lupin Laboratories in Jammu from September 15. Lupin Laboratories was first to directly go for trade with Kashmir distributors without involving the Jammu middlemen.
-India reviving ex-convict Ikhwan groups to intimidate and kill pro-freedom leaders and activists and so that security forces may not be blamed for unchecked killings"
-Israeli Commandos to train Indian soldiers in counterterror tactics, urban warfare and fighting in guerrilla settings following visit of Maj.-Gen. Avi Mizrahi to Kashmir
-Curfew continues for 3rd day in Shopian
-governement orders enquiry into desecration of the holy Dastgeer Sahib shrine at Saria Bala here, by the paramilitary CRPF troopers on Saturday
-Students Kashmir UNiversity stage peaceful protest against "atrocities" committed by indian security froces.
-as per indian government, Fruits and dry fruits have been included in list of items for cross LoC trade.
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14 September Sunday
-14 year old Masarat Akhtar of Achabal injured in police firing, people catch 6 ex-convict gumen working for 7 Rashtriya Rifles who were ransacking homes in Islamabad. people hand them over to police, police however release the ex-convicts, villagers stage demonstrations, and SHO Achabal with police arrive and without provocation fire, injuring 14 year old Masarat Akhtar
-Hundreds of people in Sarai Bal protest against desecration of Dastgeer Sahib including Kashmiri Resistance Leaders Yasin Malik, Syed Ali Shah Geelani,Javaid Ahmad Mir, Shahid-ul-Islam, Showkat Ahmad Bakshi
-Fruit not included in the list of items to be traded across the Line of Control (with Pakistan), Kashmiris continue to be at the mercy of the fanatic right-wingers of North India
-Police order probe into complaint filed by Sajad Ahmed beaten by CRPF at Amira Kadal on Saturday. (see video link)
-New Delhi ready to talk to seperatis groups “if they give up their pro-Pakistan stand”
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13 September Saturday
-CRPF ransack Shrine of Dastgeer Sahab, beatup the caretakers of the mosque. desecrated copies of Qur’an and other wall hangings having Qur’anic verses written over them
-It is worth mentioning that Hanuman Mandir is a stones throw away and that has not been touched by any Kashmiri
-Senior Superintendent Police Anand Jain states that "suspected millitants fire police shots into crowd and doctors have ascertained that Manzoor Ahmed Sheikh of Kupwara was killed at point blank range".
Authorities of Varmul District Hospital state that doess have not conducted any autopsy. As per doctors, "Shaheed Manzoor had a big entry wound near his heart, but there was no exit wound. It seems he had been hit by a rubber bullet.”
-Many including lawyer Sajad Ahmed(see video below) beaten by CRPF at Amira Kadal and all other parts of kashmir.
-BJP President Rajnath Singh demands nationalisation of entire route to Amarnath cave in the Kashmir valley.
-BJP also demands that Kashmiri Pandits should be rehabilitated in special enclaves in the Valley.
-Protests in Varmul, Sjopian, Srinagar against killings by Indian Security forces
-Indian Security forces hounding teenage girls and boys to "teach them a lesson" for participating in recent pro-freedom protests
-CRPF,Shahampora, Nowhatta uses Rafiq Ahmad Bhat,rickshaw driver (JKo1F 3708) as "human shield" to counter stone pelting Kashmiris
-Kashmiri Resistance Leaders Haji Ashfaq Mirza and Umar Arshad Malik of Rajouri abducted by Indian security forces
-Kashmir Chamber of Commerce (KCCI) President Mubeen Shah refuses to meet Chambers of Commerce and Industries Jammu (CCIJ) President Ram Sahai since CCIJ supported economic embargo of kashmir.
-Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK), Shakeel Qalander has informally met Commerce and Industries Jammu (CCIJ) President Ram Sahai. CLARIFICATION IS REQUIRED AS TO WHAT IS FCIK's stand with respect to goods from Jammu. Qalanadar states, "I also told them that officially no announcement of boycotting the Jammu products was made by any of our trade organization and that it is the people of Kashmir who are rejecting the Jammu products,”
-KTMF (Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federatio) Mohammad Sadiq Baqal said that Sahai was lying as his federation did not meet CCIJ delegation during its recent visit to the Valley
-CCIJ President Ram Sahai said that the meeting was successful in terms of breaking ice with Kashmiri counterparts. “We met many trade organizations and I will not hesitate to say that all the meetings turned out to be a success,”
-Ram Sahai is a non state subject hailing from Pathankot. He is representing the CCIJ for the last one decade on a stay order from the court. Being affiliated with BJP and RSS, he not only supported but fomented the imposition of economic blockade on Kashmir
-CRPF destroying apple orchards in Shopian
===================================12
12 September Friday
-Imtiyaz Ahmed Ganie of Pulwama martyred and 13 others injured when CRPF fire on unarmed Kashmiri protesters in Shopian
-Manzoor Afzal Sheikh of Kupwara martyred and gour others injured when Indian Security forces fire on unarmed Kashmiris in Varmul distruict
-List of wounded
--Muhammad Salim Wani of Aliyal Pora and Abdul Ahad Sheikh of Wokay, Kulgam critical
--Bashir Ahmad Dhobi of Kulgam, Muhammad Saleem Dar of Lal Bazar Srinagar, Abdur Rahman Bhat of Lawayhind Shopian, Muhammad Rafiq Manhas of Karewa Manloo, Shakeel Ahmad Bhat of Kitapora Shopian, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat of Bongam Shopian, Muhammad Ayub Wani Narpora, Rafiq Ahmad Turray Sopian, and Reyaz Ahmad Sheikh, Muhammad Yousuf and Muhammad Abdullah Gundroo of Shopian.
-SP Shopian, Javaid Iqbal - Police fired on protesters since hey “resorted to heavy stone pelting on police and troopers.” “Still we will file an FIR and probe the killing,”
-Students of Government Medical College, Srinagar stage massive pro-freedom protest
-Resistance leader Yasin Malik beaten up by indian security forces, shifted to SMHS after addressing demonstrators at Clock Tower, Srinagar
==============================================
11 September Thursday
-Gowhar Ahmad,final year student Islamic Colege Science and Commerce abducted by CRPF, hundreds of students protest against abducted of their colleague.
-Islamabad threaten to expel ex-convict Ikhwanis from Kadipora and jalatmandi. these ex-convicts like SPOs, Jehangir and Imran have been housed by indian government in houses of migrant Pandits and have been given a free hand to harass people.
-trade bodies of Kashmir refuse to meet Chamber of Commerce and Industries Jammu (CCIJ) who supported the agitation of Sangharsh Samiti. Dr Mubeen Shah, President of Kashmir Chambers of Commerce and Industries (KCCI). said that KCCI had decided to boycott trade with Jammu in order to avoid future blockades
-On 50 years of the enactment of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the Jammu and Kashmir Peace Foundation, the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons and some other forums Thursday launched a signature campaign to demand repeal of the Act.
-as per legal experts, the government is bound to compensate the families of the Kashmiris killed during the recent agitation in the region as per the United Nation charter and Maharaja Hari Singh's instrument of accession of Kashmir to India.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Mothers of the disappeared

Mother of four ‘martyrs’ left at fate’s mercy
Rising Kashmir Sept 19

Rashid Paul
Srinagar Sep 16: Hajra, a 75-year-old widow of Wangam, Bandipore who lost her four sons to the ongoing armed rebellion is struggling to make her living.
She is admitted in a city hospital with nobody around to attend to her.
The lady had only succour left in her husband, Ghulam Mohammed Sofi, who also died in January this year due to multiple organ failure.
“We were bakers and enjoyed a contended life till 1996 when army killed my son Muhammed Rafi,” Hajra told Rising Kashmir.
To avenge the killing of his brother, Hajra’s eldest son Nazir went for arms training across the border and returned with a militant outfit.
“The army started hounding us. They picked up my other son Bashir.
It was snowing when a contingent of 14 RR, the counter insurgency wing of the Army lifted him from the bakery shop and asked him to provide the whereabouts of his militant brother,” she said.
“We approached the nearest army camp who agreed to allow us to meet him. But later the RR personnel claimed that Bashir escaped from the camp,” she added.
Hajra does not trust the army claims and insists that her “non-combatant” son was killed during torture.
“Some Gujjar tribesmen later informed me that a body was burnt to ashes in the nearby forests immediately after the arrest of my son,” she added.
The elderly woman alleges that she had to sell off her precious households for persuading the police officials to file a First Information Report. However as per her the exercise proved futile as no investigation was carried into the disappearance of Bashir.
Nazir who had pledged to avenge the killers of his brother was eliminated in an encounter with Army two years after the custodial disappearance of his brother. The former had four children.
Ultimately the fourth son of the bakers, Ajaz was overwhelmed by the killing of his elders and opted for militant struggle. He was killed in a combat operation at Kreeri, Pattan five years ago.
“I am unfortunate not even to have a last glimpse of my son as he had already been laid to rest when I heard of his death,” she said.
Hajra is acrimonious of the politicians, both pro-India and separatists.
“They have cashed in on the blood of our youngsters. None of them bothered to ameliorate our sufferings although lot of money was brought into Kashmir in our name,” she said.

Five charged in Banihal for "supporting and instigating" pro-freedom rallies

Banihal, Mahore youth allege harassment
Greater Kashmir Sept 19
Cases filed against 5 in Banihal for holding protests

MUDDASIR ALI


Srinagar, Sep 18: Police in Banihal have registered case against five persons for “supporting and instigating” the people to take part in protest rallies.
A copy of FIR (No 168/08) dated August 26, registered in the Banihal police station against six persons mentions that the accused organized a meeting and planned the anti-India protests in the area. “The meeting was attended by many locals and some anti-social elements. The accused instigated the people to hold anti-India demonstrations and sought cooperation with the separatists in the Valley,” reads a copy of the FIR lying with Greater Kashmir.
The police has registered the cases against the accused under the sections of RPC—149, 148, 147, 188, 190, 152 (A), 124 (A), and 120.
Quoting “sources” the FIR copy mentions that the accused after discussing the situation in the Valley “decided at a meeting to hold pro-freedom rallies in the area in support of the Kashmiri people. The meeting also decided to support the extremists groups in the Valley.”
It reads later the accused while leading a protest and carrying sticks and flags in their hands went into the Banihal Bazaar and staged anti-India demonstration. “It was in brazen violation of orders issued by the district magistrate, which prohibit the assembly of the people in the Bazaar,” the FIR says.
The processionists, the copy mentions, shouted pro-Pakistan and pro-freedom slogans. “They accused people of minority community of damaging the mosque in the Kathua area of Jammu region. The protesters also vowed to continue demonstrations till Kashmir gets Azadi,” the copy reads.
The other charge in the copy: “The accused and their supporters also warned people of dire consequences if they informed the authorities about the rally and meeting.”
Local residents said several protesters have been beaten in the police stations where they are being regularly summoned.
The duty official of Banihal police station, Abdul Majeed, told Greater Kashmir on Monday “police has registered case against five persons and is carrying out investigations.”
Mahore
This area hardly makes news, except for rare encounters between militants and troops in the past. For past some weeks, however, police is harassing youths, some of them associated with PDP, after the killing of a Special Police Officer (SPO), residents of the area said.
“Recently an SPO went missing after he had gone to the nearby forests in Adbaiz. A house of militant falls in the same area and it may be the reason police was harassing the locals,” sources said.
They said on September 12 police called four youth, Bashir Ahmad, Sajad Ahmad, Shabir Ahmad, and Muhammad Amin—all residents of Adbaiz—to the police station. “They were again summoned to the police station today allegedly in connection with the missing SPO and threatened of dire consequence if they didn’t cooperate,” sources said.
They said police was also allegedly harassing the youth in different villages of the Mahore, a Muslim majority area, for their support to the pro-independence rallies.
They said one Mohi-ud-Din of Adbaiz has developed gangrenous wounds after alleged torture by the local police.
“He was then threatened with dire consequences of he went out of the village for treatment, or told anybody about the torture,” said a local elder on condition of anonymity.
However Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mahore, Adil Hameed termed the reports as “baseless.”

Minitruth: "We invited local youths for iftaar"

meanwhile, the arrests continue>>

Greater Kashmir Sept 19
Police seeks bonds from Islamabad youth


Allegations baseless, says DIG

KHALID GUL


Islamabad, Sep 18: People of south Kashmir’s Islamabad district on Thursday alleged that policemen were asking the youth to present themselves in different police stations, and give it in writing that won’t participate in pro-freedom protests anymore, a charge denied by the police.
The residents of various areas of Islamabad, Kokernag, Dooru, Bijbhera and other adjoining areas told Greater Kashmir, “We were called by Station House Officers today and asked to give in writing that we won’t participate in pro-freedom protests any more,”
They alleged that police officials told them if they don’t give it in writing, Army would arrest them.
However, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), south Kashmir, Niyaz Mehmood termed the allegations as baseless. “We’ve are not calling any youth to police stations nor are we asking anyone to give it in writing,” Mehmood said, adding,
“We are holding Iftaar parties these days and are trying to build a strong police-public relationship. We are even discussing Hurriyat’s program in these parties. We are telling people not to become violent.”
___________________


11 detained under PSA for protesting blockade

HC NOTICE TO GOVT

MUHAMMAD YOUSUF


Srinagar, Sep 18: The J&K High Court on Thursday issued notice to the governor’s administration on the detention of 11 persons from the Valley under Public Safety Act allegedly for protesting the economic blockade enforced by some extremists in Jammu and for raising pro-freedom slogans. It directed the district magistrates and Home department to file objections.
The court directed the police and jail authorities to allow the relatives of the detainees and their lawyers to meet them forthwith.
The court of Justice Hakeem Imtiyaz Hussain, Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Muhammad Yaqoob Mir today heard the cases in which the police had detained the persons under the Public Safety Act.
In the court of Justice Imtiyaz, senior lawyer Mian Abdul Qayoom, while pleading for seven persons from Varmul, said the district administration had issued the PSA orders against his clients. He said police later arrested them and was not allowing the relatives of these persons to meet them.
“Police is not given the whereabouts of my clients to their family members and relatives,” Qayoom said and alleged that police was violating the rules of Supreme Court and High Court by not providing the details about the detainees.
Qayoom, who is also the president of High Court Bar Association, said, “Police has adopted a policy under the PSA of not allowing the relatives of the detainees to meet them. They are not even allowed to provide clothes, medicines and other requirements to the detainees,” he said.
Besides Qayoom, other lawyers present on the occasion while presenting their details termed the invoking of PSA by the district administrations on police recommendation as ‘violation of law.’
Muhammad Ashraf Wani, pleading on behalf of Mir Hafizullah, said his client was taken into custody from Pahalgam. He said Mir was accused by police of actively participating in pro-freedom rallies.
After listening to the arguments, the court issued notice to the district magistrates and Home department to submit objections.
The detainees are: Javaid Ahmad Khan, Hilal Ahmad Dhobi, Mehraj-ud-Din Najar, Mir Hafizullah, Abdur Rashid Lone, Ulfat Mohi-ud-Din, Muhammad Ramzaan Lone, Saif-ul-Lah Sofi, Riyaz Ahmad Beig, Bashir Ahmad Rather and Manzoor Ahmad Sheikh.

State transport employees in Kashmir have not been paid for four months

Wage-less SRTC employees form human chain

Greater Kashmir Sept 19

FAHEEM ASLAM


Srinagar, Sep 18: Adding novelty to their “anti-government” protests, employees of the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) on Thursday marched on the city streets in the form of a human chain, drawing wide public attraction.
Hundreds of employees tied their hands with each other to form a human chain as a mark of protest against “the government’s failure to fulfill their demands.”
The employees marched along the Residency and Moulana Azad roads in a single row, demanding immediate fulfilment of their demands including release of pending salaries, disbursement of pending instalments of Cost of Living Allowances (COLA) and holding of the departmental promotion committee meetings.
As the employees marched, pedestrians and shoppers watched them keenly.
Many employees, who spoke to Greater Kashmir, said the government must come to their rescue forthwith. “We want the Governor NN Vohra to intervene and let us heave a sigh of relief,” they shouted.
“We and our children have been brought on the verge of starvation due to non-payment of our salaries for the past four months. What shall we eat? Where shall we go? Does the government wants us to beg?” they questioned.
The employees demanded “one-time” settlement. “The government has signed dozens of agreements with us so far, but none of them was implemented in letter and spirit. We want the government to go for a reasonable one-time settlement with us,” said a group of employees, who blamed the SRTC management for the mess.
The JK SRTC Employees Workers Union chairman, Shakeel Ahmad, said the government must act fast and not deprive the employees of their rights. “Why is the government and SRTC management depriving employees of their salary and emoluments?” he said. “We are ourselves fed up with the daily protests, but we are helpless. Our children are suffering for want of school fee. What shall we do?”

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

UN concerned over safety of journalists in Kashmir

UN concerned over safety of journalists in Kashmir
Rising Kashmir Sept 17

Rising Kashmir News
Srinagar, Sep 16: United Nations on Tuesday expressed concern over the death of a local television cameraman allegedly by the hands of troopers and beating of media men over the past few weeks.
The United Nations agency tasked with promoting press freedom has condemned the death of a local television cameraman, and voiced concern for the safety of journalists in the area.
Javed Ahmed Mir, 35, was shot dead on spot while covering a demonstration near Bagh-e-Mehtab on 13 August.
Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Koïchiro Matsuura said, “I trust that the authorities will do all in their power to shed light on this crime and create conditions necessary for the media to improve its functions.”
He said: “It is essential for democracy and rule of law that journalists should be able to exercise their profession freely and contribute to inform. Stifling debate only breeds frustration and violence, which is why I urge the authorities to support journalists in Kashmir.”
According to Reporters without Borders, at least 32 journalists have been thrashed by troopers since the start of the demonstrations a few weeks ago, and about 10 of them have been hospitalized.

from the UNESCO website
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=27513&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html


Director-General condemns death of cameraman Javed Ahmed Mir in Kashmir and voices concern over media safety
16-09-2008 (Paris)

The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, today deplored the death of local television cameraman Javed Ahmed Mir in Indian Kashmir, and voiced concern for the safety of journalists in the region.
“I deplore the death of Javed Ahmed Mir,” the Director-General declared. “I trust that the authorities will do all in their power to shed light on this crime and that the condition necessary for the media to exercise its functions be improved. It is essential for democracy and rule of law,” Mr Matsuura added, “that journalists be able to exercise their profession freely and contribute to informed debate. Stifling debate only breeds frustration and violence, which is why I urge the authorities to support journalists in Kashmir.”

Javed Ahmed Mir, 35, was shot while covering a demonstration near Bagh-e-Mehtab on 13 August. Kashmir has been subject to a wave of demonstrations over the past weeks linked to a dispute related to a land transfer.

According to Reporters without Borders, at least 32 journalists have been beaten by members of the security forces since the start of the demonstrations and about ten of them have been hospitalized. Three journalists are reported to have been attacked by demonstrators.

UNESCO is the only United Nations agency with a mandate to defend freedom of expression and press freedom. Article 1 of its Constitution requires the Organization to “further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations.” To realize this purpose the Organization is required to “collaborate in the work of advancing the mutual knowledge and understanding of peoples, through all means of mass communication and to that end recommend such international agreements as may be necessary to promote the free flow of ideas by word and image…”

CRPF ‘registering’ youth in city - marks houses, demands mobile and vehicle registration numbers

CRPF ‘registering’ youth in city
Greater Kashmir Sept 17

House to house survey; police ignorant

MUDDASIR ALI / MAJID MAQBOOL


Srinagar, Sep 16: Central Reserve Police Force has started house to house surveys to ‘register’ youth above the age of 18 years in Srinagar. The move comes after two months of pro-freedom rallies across the Kashmir valley. Surprisingly, police said they were neither contacted by the CRPF nor do they have any information about the survey.
Residents of the posh Sanat Nagar and adjoining Lal Nagar areas told Greater Kashmir on Tuesday that CRPF was conducting house to house surveys for registration of youth above 18 years of age in every house.
“The CRPF is registering the names, mobile numbers of all the male family members above 18 years of age. They are also registering the vehicle numbers, if any, of the youth,” said Riyaz of housing colony Sanat Nagar, refusing to disclose his second name for fear of reprisal by troops. The CRPF, Riyaz said, started the survey two days ago on Sunday.
Mushtaq Ahmad, another resident of the locality, also said two days back a group of CRPF troopers came into the locality early in the morning and started numbering and marking the houses. “They marked each house with chalks. For the past two days they must have covered some 400 houses in the Sanat Nagar area,” said Mushtaq.
Mushtaq said when he tried to inquire from the CRPF personnel about the purpose behind the marking and registration he was asked to leave the scene.
The move by the CRPF is worrying the residents who have started bothering about the wellbeing of their wards. “I have two sons, both are above 18 years of age. This move of registration and house to house surveys by the CRPF is worrying us,” said Saleema Jan, Mushtaq’s aunt.
The troopers, residents said, threatened them of dire consequences in case they didn’t furnish the details. They said the troopers misbehaved with them when they questioned them why they needed the details about the youths. “One of the troopers kicked me when I asked him what for he needed the names of youth,” said another resident.
Some residents, however, said the troopers admitted that they needed names of youth to keep their record in the wake of recent pro-freedom marches. “But how can we give them the names of youth. They (troops) will not spare them,” said one Shahid of Sanat Nagar. “Is participating in a march a sin? We can’t understand why our youth are subjected to unwarranted harassment?” he questioned.
Many residents of Lal Nagar near Bypass, whose houses were surveyed by the CRPF for registering the youth, said the troops while registering the youth were neither accompanied by any official from the civil department nor from the police department. Station House Officer, Sadder Police Station, Shabir Ahmad, under whose jurisdiction the areas fall, also confirmed that CRPF hasn’t informed anything to the police about the surveys. “We don’t know anything about it. If the CRPF has visited any house in connection with the survey, people should approach us,” the SHO said.
Bashir Ahmad, another resident of Rawalpora Housing Colony said this morning CRPF personnel were going from house to house and taking names and phone numbers of all male members above 18 years of age. “When they came to my house, I inquired about the information, and the troopers simply jeered at me”, he said.
Aijaz, another resident of Lal Nagar, said the CRPF troops were even taking the details of the families and house owners where there was no youth above 18 years of age.
The CRPF PRO, Prabhakar Tripathi, said the survey was part of the CRPF’s “familiarization programme.”
“A new battalion, 174, has recently taken over the area and in this connection troopers have been asked to get familiar with the residents,” he said.
Tripathi however denied that the troopers were harassing the residents. “The familiarization programme has been going on for long. So there is nothing to worry about it. By getting familiar with the residents, the troopers can easily locate unscrupulous elements in the area, if any,” he said.
Meanwhile shopkeepers of Bagh-e-Mehtab near Railway Bridge said the CRPF was registering all the shopkeepers in the area. Last month two youth of the area were killed in police firing following which the residents had held anti-CRPF and anti-police protests.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

LeT condemns ‘murder of innocents’

LeT condemns ‘murder of innocents’



‘We’re not even remotely linked to Indian Mujahideen’

Rising Kashmir News
Rising Kashmir Sept 15
Srinagar, Sep 14: Laskhar-e-Toibah (Army of the pure) has condemned the killing of innocent persons in the serial bomb attacks carried out in New Delhi on Saturday evening. While distancing from the “Indian Mujahideen”, reportedly involved in the bombing, Dr Abdullah Ghaznavi, Lashkar spokesman, told Rising Kashmir over phone that the outfit was totally against killing of innocent and unarmed civilians as it was against the Islamic jurisprudence.
“Laskhar-e-Toibah is not even remotely linked to what is said to be the Indian Mujahideen. Lashkar is an organization that belongs to Kashmiri people and is fighting for their liberation from Indian occupation. We profess a religion that does not permit the murder of innocents,” Dr Ghaznavi said adding, “Government of India has always tried to tarnish the image of LeT by linking the organization to everything that happens in India that too without even investigation.”

Minitruth: "We have received no complaints"

No investigation of excesses without complaint: CRPF
Rising Kashmir Sept 15

Police says probe due after normalcy

Wasim Khalid
Srinagar, Sep 14: Paramilitary CRPF Saturday said they would not investigate excesses committed by their men on people over the past two months unless they receive complaint from the victims. However, police said they would investigate all allegations of excessive use of force by CRPF and police after normalcy returns to the Valley.
“Every allegation leveled against us has so far proven baseless,” CRPF spokesman, Prabhakar Tripathi told Rising Kashmir. “There is no truth in allegations that CRPF has committed excesses on people.”
Vehemently terming the allegations as “false”, Tripathi said they would investigate only when they get complaints from the people.
“We can not go from house to house to identify the guilty CRPF men,” he said. “We would work on complaints. People should identify the erring CRPF men so that we can take action.”
However, Tripathi rejected allegations that CRPF men entered into houses in various localities, damaged household goods and intimidated inmates during the protests.
“During our investigation we found that nobody among us entered a single house and broke doors or windows panes,” he said.
On whether CRPF would take action taking cues from reports, photographs and video footage, Tripathi said: “All these photographs are actually of CRPF men beating the stone pelters not the innocent people.”
On the allegations of the people that CRPF committed more atrocities than police while handling peaceful protests, Tripathi said: “We have not used force. We are not working independently here. Anything we do is done after taking police into confidence.”
There has been a widespread condemnation of paramilitary CRPF and police using excessive force in dealing with peaceful protests.
At many places, CRPF has resorted to firing and killing and injuring scores of people. They have also used batons and fired thousands of tear smoke canisters.
Residents of old city localities including Nowhatta, Habba Kadal, Fateh Kadal, Zaina Kadal, Safa Kadal, Rajouri Kadal and Rainawari allege that troopers committed excesses with them.
They alleged CRPF men of barging into their homes, breaking windows panes and doors, beating family members and warned them of dire consequences. Similar complaints were reported from uptown Srinagar.
As a result, people in the Valley have continuously alleged that CRPF men and police have adopted a dual approach in dealing the protesters in Kashmir and those in Jammu.
Commenting on the issue, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, B Srinivasan said they are verifying the allegations.
“Our social police wing is investigating the allegations. If we find them correct, we would take proper action against the guilty policemen and CRPF men.”
Srinivasan said they have taken every measure to deal with the situation so that inconvenience is not caused to the people.
He said they have not registered any case since they are largely engaged in maintaining law and order. “After the tension will be over, we would surely take action,” Srinivasan said.

Indian forces shoot schoolgirl on her way home

Police fires at protesters, school girl wounded

Greater Kashmir Sept 15

People catch 6 Ikhwanis beating people during night, hand them over to police which releases them swiftly; people hold demo, attack police station

KHALID GUL


Shergund, Utersoo (Islamabad), Sep 14: A 14 year old girl sustained critical bullet injuries when police opened fire to disperse the protesters in this small hamlet in south Kashmir on Sunday. The victim was returning home from school.
The protesters were demanding action against six government gunmen (Ikhwanis) who had entered several houses during Sehri (the pre-dawn period during which people eat food during the fasting month of Ramazan) hours and thrashed the inmates.
According to the locals, “Six gunmen in civvies working for the Army’s 7 Rashtriya Rifles battalion entered our homes during Sehri They ransacked household goods; beat us up, our women and children without any reason,” said Abdul Gani Malik who suffered an eye injury.
Malik raised an alarm and hundreds of villagers came out of their houses and caught all the gunmen and handed them over to the police at Police Division, Utersoo. But after learning that all of them were immediately released by the police, the villagers demonstrated in front of the police station and demanded punishment to the accused government gunmen.
The villagers alleged that Station House Officer of Achabal police station along with a team of policemen, arrived on the spot and without any provocation resorted to baton charge and then fired several rounds, first in the air and then at the protesters, injuring a 14 year old girl, Masarat Akhtar daughter of Ghulam Rasool Sheikh. Masarat was returning home from school. She received a bullet in her abdomen and is battling for life in SMHS, hospital, Srinagar.
Several other villagers were injured today when police resorted to baton charge.
“We asked the SHO why the gunmen who unnecessarily harassed us were released, but he told us ‘he would teach us a lesson’ and kill all of us,” said an eye witness, pleading anonymity.
As soon as the news spread the area hundreds of people from Shangus , Utersoo and adjoining areas came out of their houses and shouted slogans against police and Army. The protesters also pelted stones on Police Division, Utersoo damaging its window panes.
“The Commanding Officer of the 7 RR told me that four soldiers wearing pherans had raided a house after receiving information that a militant was hiding in the house. But they didn’t find any militant there, and beat up the house owner who raised alarm in response to which villagers came out and caught the soldiers. The people handed over the soldiers to police division. But today they tried to set ablaze the police station. A constable opened fire which rebounded from some structure and hit the school girl indirectly. Still we will hold a proper inquiry,” Me’raj-ud-din Shah, the deputy superintendent of police headquarters told Greater Kashmir by phone.



Hurriyat leader, many youth held
Police and paramilitary troopers arrested the Hurriyat leader Hamid-Ullah Bawani and dozen of youth along with him in Dooru, Islamabad in south Kashmir for participating in pro-freedom marches and processions.
After their arrest, people took to the roads and protested against the police and CRPF troopers and demanded release of the detained youth.

The blockade continues, this time by the Govt. of India

Growers miffed at ‘exclusion’ of Kashmir fruits

Greater Kashmir Sept 15
‘It will be construed as official economic blockade’

ARIF SHAFI WANI


LoC Trade
Srinagar, Sep 14: The fruit growers of Kashmir are up in arms against the government for its reported move to exclude the fruits from the list of items finalized for cross-LoC trade saying it will be construed as “official economic blockade.”
Reacting to media reports about the list, the fruit growers termed it as a conspiracy. “We are shocked to learn that fruits have been excluded from the list. Over 60 Kashmiris have laid down their lives for opening of cross-LoC trade. We are ready to offer more sacrifices for export of fruit. It is not merely a matter of business but our self-respect and identity,” president of Kashmir Fruit Growers Association, Ghulam Rasool Bhat, told Greater Kashmir.
Following a mass uprising against the economic blockade to the Valley, the government of India on September 4 has proposed to open the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad Road and other routes along the line of control for trade with Pakistan and Pak-administered Kashmir from October 1.
The minister for external affairs, Pranab Mukherjee, recently stated that he had made a formal request to Pakistan for revival of the cross-LoC trade. Reports said India had submitted a list of 14 items for import including precious stones, namdas and embroidery works. Similarly, 23 items have been short-listed for export. These include carpets, rugs and shawls, but intriguingly exclude fruits for which the valley is famous all over the world.
“We know why Indian leadership does not want us to export our fruits through LoC. They are killing two birds with one stone. They want to appease the international community by restoring the cross-LoC trade and on the other hand punish the fruit growers for raising voice against economic blockade,” Bhat said.
“We are being punished for giving a call for Srinagar-Muzaffarabad march on August 11. India wants Kashmiris, whose economy is considerably dependent on horticulture, to starve. I want to tell India that Kashmir contributes 24 per cent of its GDP. Stopping us from exporting the fruit through LoC will be considered as ‘official’ economic blockade,” he said.
Pertinently, due to its unique eco-system, Kashmir produces quality apple, pear and other temperate fruits which are in demand not only in India but abroad. With over 70 per cent of Kashmiris directly and indirectly dependent on the fruit sector, it is considered to be the backbone of Kashmir’s economy.
According to estimates, the Valley exports nearly seven lakh metric tons of fruits outside the state. The fruit growers said they have been incurring huge losses due to what they termed as sustained and planned attacks on the fruit laden trucks from Kashmir during more than two months past.
“The Government has kept us out of the meetings held to finalize the trade list. Instead, they have been talking to some self-proclaimed representatives of fruit growers who have been working against the interests of the fruit industry,” Bhat said.
Bhat said if the government did not clarify its position on the exclusion of fruits from the trade list, the growers would be compelled to launch a fresh agitation. “And, in that event, the government will be squarely responsible for the consequences,” he added.

Events log Sept 8-14

14 September Sunday
-Girl injured when Indian security forces fire at Kashmiris protesting against ex-convict Indian government hired gunmen.
-Hundreds of people in Sarai Bal protest against desecration of Dastgeer Sahib including Kashmiri Resistance Leaders Yasin Malik, Syed Ali Shah Geelani
-Fruit not included in the list of items to be traded across the Line of Control (with Pakistan), Kashmiris continue to be at the mercy of the fanatic right-wingers of North India
-Police order probe into complaint filed by Sajad Ahmed beaten by CRPF at Amira Kadal on Saturday. (see video link)
===================================
13 September Saturday
-CRPF ransack Shrine of Dastgeer Sahab, beatup the caretakers of the mosque. desecrated copies of Qur’an and other wall hangings having Qur’anic verses written over them
-It is worth to mention that Hanuman Mandir is a stones throw away and that has not been touched by any Kashmiri
-Senior Superintendend Police Anand Jain states that "suspected millitants fire police shots into crowd and doctors have ascertained that Manzoor Ahmed Sheikh of Kupwara was killed at point blank range".
Authorities of Varmul District Hospital state that doess have not conducted any autopsy. As per doctors, "Shaheed Manzoor had a big entry wound near his heart, but there was no exit wound. It seems he had been hit by a rubber bullet.”
-Many including lawyer Sajad Ahmed(see video below) beaten by CRPF at Amira Kadal and all other parts of kashmir.
-BJP President Rajnath Singh demands nationalisation of entire route to Amarnath cave in the Kashmir valley.
-BJP also demands that Kashmiri Pandits should be rehabilitated in special enclaves in the Valley.
-Protests in Varmul, Sjopian, Srinagar against killings by Indian Security forces
-Indian Security forces hounding teenage girls and boys to "teach them a lesson" for participating in recent pro-freedom protests
-CRPF,Shahampora, Nowhatta uses Rafiq Ahmad Bhat,rickshaw driver (JKo1F 3708) as "human shield" to counter stone pelting Kashmiris
-Kashmiri Resistance Leaders Haji Ashfaq Mirza and Umar Arshad Malik of Rajouri abducted by Indian security forces
-Kashmir Chamber of Commerce (KCCI) President Mubeen Shah refuses to meet Chambers of Commerce and Industries Jammu (CCIJ) President Ram Sahai since CCIJ supported economic embargo of kashmir.
-Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir (FCIK), Shakeel Qalander has informally met Commerce and Industries Jammu (CCIJ) President Ram Sahai. CLARIFICATION IS REQUIRED AS TO WHAT IS FCIK's stand with respect to goods from Jammu. Qalanadar states, "I also told them that officially no announcement of boycotting the Jammu products was made by any of our trade organization and that it is the people of Kashmir who are rejecting the Jammu products,”
-CCIJ President Ram Sahai said that the meeting was successful in terms of breaking ice with Kashmiri counterparts. “We met many trade organizations and I will not hesitate to say that all the meetings turned out to be a success,”
-CRPF destroying apple orchards in Shopian
===================================12
12 September Friday
-Imtiyaz Ahmed Ganie of Pulwama martyred and 13 others injured when CRPF fire on unarmed Kashmiri protesters in Shopian
-Manzoor Afzal Sheikh of Kupwara martyred and gour others injured when Indian Security forces fire on unarmed Kashmiris in Varmul distruict
-List of wounded
--Muhammad Salim Wani of Aliyal Pora and Abdul Ahad Sheikh of Wokay, Kulgam critical
--Bashir Ahmad Dhobi of Kulgam, Muhammad Saleem Dar of Lal Bazar Srinagar, Abdur Rahman Bhat of Lawayhind Shopian, Muhammad Rafiq Manhas of Karewa Manloo, Shakeel Ahmad Bhat of Kitapora Shopian, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat of Bongam Shopian, Muhammad Ayub Wani Narpora, Rafiq Ahmad Turray Sopian, and Reyaz Ahmad Sheikh, Muhammad Yousuf and Muhammad Abdullah Gundroo of Shopian.
-SP Shopian, Javaid Iqbal - Police fired on protesters since hey “resorted to heavy stone pelting on police and troopers.” “Still we will file an FIR and probe the killing,”
-Students of Government Medical College, Srinagar stage massive pro-freedom protest
-Resistance leader Yasin Malik beaten up by indian security forces, shifted to SMHS after addressing demonstrators at Clock Tower, Srinagar
==============================================
11 September Thursday
-Gowhar Ahmad,final year student Islamic Colege Science and Commerce abducted by CRPF, hundreds of students protest against abducted of their colleague.
-Islamabad threaten to expel ex-convict Ikhwanis from Kadipora and jalatmandi. these ex-convicts like SPOs, Jehangir and Imran have been housed by indian government in houses of migrant Pandits and have been given a free hand to harass people.
-trade bodies of Kashmir refuse to meet Chamber of Commerce and Industries Jammu (CCIJ) who supported the agitation of Sangharsh Samiti. Dr Mubeen Shah, President of Kashmir Chambers of Commerce and Industries (KCCI). said that KCCI had decided to boycott trade with Jammu in order to avoid future blockades
-On 50 years of the enactment of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the Jammu and Kashmir Peace Foundation, the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons and some other forums Thursday launched a signature campaign to demand repeal of the Act.
-as per legal experts, the government is bound to compensate the families of the Kashmiris killed during the recent agitation in the region as per the United Nation charter and Maharaja Hari Singh's instrument of accession of Kashmir to India.
==============================================
10 September Wednesday
-Residents of Khunmoh in Pulwama district, Wednesday night protest against the "reign of terror" unleashed by the Rashtriya Rifles. residents inform Station House Officer, but SHO refuses to register FIR.
-Station House Officer (SHO) Batamaloo summon protesters of batmalloo. Police want to book civilians under 336 RPC for being involved in protests and alleged damages done to the public property and other activities.
-Israel's Army chief, Major General Avi Mizrahi has arrived in Kashmir on an unscheduled visit,
-Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS), which spearheaded Jammu agitation and claimed to be apolitical group, has hinted at participating in the assembly elections in the State. Three SAYSS leaders including convenor, Leela Karan Sharma and spokesman Dr Jitender Singh were felicitated by the BJP and RSS
-Chadoora Hospital facing medical supplies shortage
-Muslim Youth Federation of Poonch has sked Jammu-based politicians,"particularly belonging to National Conference and Congress," not to enter the Muslim dominated region of Rajouri and Poonch in future, accusing them of maintaining a criminal silence over the attacks by fanatics on Jammu Muslims during the recent agitation by Sangarsh Samiti.
----Madan Lal Sharma who was voted by the Muslims of Poonch and Rajouri and sent to parliament as their representative played a criminal role during this agitation.
----younger brother, a former MLA of Akhnoor, Sham Lal Sharma was a member of the Sangarsh Samiti
-hundreds of people stage protest in sarnal accusing paramilitary CRPF of beating shopkeeper
-minor girl, Mahziba daughter of Sajad Ahmed Gojri of Palhallan, hit by fast moving Army vehicle on Srinagar-Varmul highway, triggering massive protests. top officials reached the spot and assured the protesters that the erring driver will be arrested.
==============================================
9 September Tuesday
-Ghulam Muhammad Sheikh critically injured when CRPF fire to disperse people protesting mid-night raids by ex-convict government gunmen.
-Zahoor Ahmad of Nowhatta critically wounded 18 others wounded when CRPF indiscrimately fire at unarmed protesers.
-Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Sofi of Sarnal critically wounded when CRPF indiscrimainately fire without provacation on KMD bus stand in Islamabad
-Resistance Ledaer Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir evades abduction
-14 Rashtriya Rifles (Hunter Company) has been using public address system of mosques to direct people in Bandipora to register their SIM cards in the army camps. Commanding Officer 14 RR, Col Khurana said, "We are registering SIM cards to prevent population from getting in trouble. This process also helps us to assist the people whenever they call us for help".
-CRPF claims it has not received any "authentic complaint" about excesses perpetrated by its troopers.
-Akali Dal Simran Jeet Singh supports right of self determination for Kashmiris.

Friday, September 12, 2008

65 more companies of paramilitaries deployed in Kashmir to prevent demonstrations

Additional troops to stay put


Rising Kashmir Sept 13
‘Deployment will continue till normalcy returns’
Wasim Khalid
Srinagar, Sep 12: The authorities have deployed additional 65 companies of para-military personnel in Kashmir and, according to security officials, the heavy deployment of troopers will not be thinned until the assembly elections are held in the State.
Thousands of gun and baton wielding troopers have been deployed across the valley after the recent uprising and staging of massive pro-freedom rallies and marches. Almost every major intersection in city and other parts is being manned by large contingent of troopers.
In most places, CRPF and local police have been deployed to take on protestors. However, in some parts of Valley, BSF and Army have been deployed to prevent people from staging pro-freedom marches and rallies.

“The deployment would remain there until normalcy is restored in the Valley,” CRPF spokesman, Prabhakar Tripathi told Rising Kashmir.
“So far, there has been no relent in the protests and agitation. We have asked our men on the roads to remain extra alert to meet any eventuality,” he said.
Tripathi said that 50 companies of CRPF, which were deployed across the state for peaceful conduct of Amarnath yatra, have been deputed in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley to maintain law and order.
Each CRPF company comprises 135 personnel.
However, he claimed that no additional men have been rushed to Kashmir from outside State.
“Due to normalcy, we used to give longer period of rests to most of our men in the base camps. After the outbreak of agitation, we have deployed additional men on the already existing posts,” he said.
Meanwhile, a senior official of Border Security Force (BSF) based at Sanat Nagar headquarters told Rising Kashmir they have been directed to continue with deployment of their men until elections.
“We have been strictly directed not to downsize the deployment of our personnel till elections are held,” the BSF official said, on condition of anonymity.
He said that keeping in view the present situation in Kashmir, the BSF personnel will continue to assist the police and civil administration in maintaining the law and order situation.
At present, 15 companies of BSF have been stationed in the outskirts of Srinagar. These companies, which were deployed for smooth conduct of yatra, were retained by the authorities after mass uprising in the Valley.
Some BSF companies were airlifted to Srinagar to help the para-military personnel stationed in Kashmir maintain law and order and tackle the situation.
The BSF official, however, said that conditions are not conducive for holding of assembly elections in the State.
The heavy deployment of troopers has met severe condemnation from various quarters.

PEACEFUL DEMOS CRUSHED, 2 KILLED

PEACEFUL DEMOS CRUSHED, 2 KILLED

Greater Kashmir Sept 13

25 HIT BY BULLETS, SCORES WOUNDED; CURFEW IMPOSED IN VARMUL, SHOPIAN

GK NEWS NETWORK


"Making peaceful revolution impossible, violent revolution becomes inevitable"

Srinagar, Sep 12: Once again the CRPF and police used force to crush peaceful pro-independence demonstrations in every corner of the Valley, killing two persons and wounding scores of others, including 25 hit by bullets.
The call for the protests and a four-hour shutdown was given by the Coordination Committee spearheading the freedom struggle.
The most violent use of force by the CRPF and police was witnessed in south Kashmir's Shopian township. Several thousand people came out of different mosques after Friday prayers in Shopian and assembled outside the Jamia Masjid, shouting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. The protesters were asking India to quit Kashmir.
“We were marching peacefully and nobody was shouting any provocative slogans or pelting stones. But the troopers started beating us with long bamboo batons. They fired a number of tear smoke shells also. And then some of the protesters pelted stones at them because they don’t allow even peaceful demonstrations,” said Javed Ahmad, a protester.
Several protesters were wounded in the CRPF and police action. But when the protesters continued to shout slogans and refused to disperse. The police then fired at the unarmed, peaceful protesters killing Sajjad Ahmad and wounding more than 15 persons, many of them critically including Muhammad Salim Wani of Aliyal Pora and Abdul Ahad Sheikh of Wokay, Kulgam.
The side windows of the car in which 74-year old Abdul Ahad Sheikh was being ferried to Srinagar were smashed by the police and CRPF troopers.
Thirty two protesters were beaten up with bamboo batons.
Some of the wounded persons are: Bashir Ahmad Dhobi of Kulgam, Muhammad Saleem Dar of Lal Bazar Srinagar, Abdur Rahman Bhat of Lawayhind Shopian, Muhammad Rafiq Manhas of Karewa Manloo, Shakeel Ahmad Bhat of Kitapora Shopian, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat of Bongam Shopian, Muhammad Ayub Wani Narpora, Rafiq Ahmad Turray Sopian, and Reyaz Ahmad Sheikh, Muhammad Yousuf and Muhammad Abdullah Gundroo of Shopian.
The protesters brought the body of Sajjad Ahmad to the office of Deputy Commissioner and staged a demo. Police again resorted to lathicharge wounding 22 others.
The Jamia Masjid is pockmarked with hundreds of bullets fired at it by police and troopers.
Thousands of people offered Nimaz-e-Jinazah of Sajjad Ahmad at Shopian Eidgah.
The protesters said Sajjad was killed in police firing allegedly ordered by the SDPO Shopian.
The mourning protesters then tried to set ablaze the Shopian Police Station, but were prevented by the elders among the protesters.
Police also used force on lawyers who were demonstrating against the killing. Five lawyers were wounded in baton charge.



Varmul
In north Kashmir's Varmul district Manzoor Ahmad Sheikh son of Muhammad Afzal Sheikh of Kupwara, presently residing at Mohalla Syed Karim Varmul, was killedwhen police and CRPF fired at a massive demonstration at Cement Bridge Varmul. At least 15 other protesters were wounded. Two protesters referred to Srinagar hospitals were hit by bullets, and another by tear gas shell, were referred to Srinagar hospitals.
“They fired without any provocation. No one was even pelting stones till they killed Manzoor,” said Muhammad Ashraf.
Manzoor’s killing swelled the number of protesters who shouted pro-independence slogans.
After Friday prayers hundreds of people assembled in Varmul Chowk and shouted pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. Police didn’t allow the peaceful march, triggering off clashes. Police fired tear gas shells and fired in air to disperse the protesters who didn’t relent. Police and CRPF then fired at the crowd killing Manzoor Ahmad.
His death triggered a massive wave of anger and thousands of protesters poured onto the streets shouting slogans against CRPF and police.
GK correspondent Altaf Baba who was on the spot said the troopers fired thousands of bullets in air to scare away the protesters, who after the killing of Afzal tried to attack Varmul Police Station.
The massive demonstrations continued till 8.30 PM when police announced curfew in the Old Town and imposed and undeclared curfew in the new town. The protesters refused to relent and sat on the roads.
In the evening the CRPF troopers and police clashed with each other when the CRPF men went berserk and beat up every civilian in sight. A senior police officer pacified the warring parties.



Bullet hit
Those hit by bullets include Abdul Ahad Sheikh son of Muhammad Abdullah of Kulgam (Critically injured), Muhammad Sidiq Dar son of Noor Muhammad of Lal Baazar, Muhammad Saleem Wani son of Muhammad Rafiq, Muhammad Rafiq Turray son of Muhammad Aman, Sajad Ganai son of Muhammad Yousf, Bashir Ahmad Dhobi son of Ghulam Muhammad, Shakeel Ahmad son of Muhammad Yousuf, Abdur Rashid Manhas, Muhammad Abdullah Gandroo, Abdur Rehman Bhat, Reyaz Ahmad and Sheikh Muhammad.
Ten critically wounded men from Shopian and Varmul have been referred to Srinagar hospitals.



Demos all across Srinagar; Ghanta Ghar focus of protests
People on Friday again thronged the historic Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) here in Srinagar city, seeking “Azadi” even as police use ruthless force on peaceful protesters, injuring several people including JKLF chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik.
Besides Malik, several pro-freedom leaders including Moulvi Showkat Ahmad, Javaid Ahmad Mir, Imtiyaz Ahmad, Showkat Bakshi, Sheikh Aslam and at least 40 protestors were injured in police and CRPF action.
People from different areas of the City had organised peaceful pro-freedom rallies after the Friday prayers in support of the call by Coordination Committee of the parallel factions of the Hurriyat Conference.
Heavy contingent of police and paramilitary CRPF troopers were deployed at many places and routes, leading to the Ghanta Ghar, to prevent people from carrying out the rallies. The paramilitary troops were also deployed in large numbers in sensitive areas including Ram Bagh, Maisuma, Nowhata, Saraibal and many areas of downtown in anticipation of pro-freedom rallies.
Hundreds of protesters led by Javaid Ahmad Mir and Showkat Bakshi shouting pro-independence slogans broke the police siege around the house of Yasin Malik in Maisuma, and along with Malik marched toward Ghanta Ghar. Malik was under house arrest since September 1. Moulvi Showkat Ahmad, Mushtaq-ul-Islam, and Malik addressed the people at Ghanta Ghar. The protestors bought the JKLF leader out from his house and started towards Ghanta Ghar. In his address the JKLF chairman urged people to continue with the peaceful pro-freedom protests.
The protestors thronged the historical place from different places including Maisuma, Abi Guzar, Bund, and various places from across the Lal Chowk and were shouting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. As the protestors swelled in number and slogans of Azadi roared in the atmosphere the CRPF troopers and police tried to disperse the protestors.
In the meantime another rally carried out by the Kashmir High Court Bar Association from the Kashmir High Court, in support of the CC program, reached near the Ghanta Ghar from Regal Chowk.
Amid continuous clapping and shouting of “Go, Go—India Go” and “Hum Kya Chahatay Azadi” (We want freedom), a group of protestors at Ghanta Ghar tried to join the lawyers, but police fired several teargas canisters and resorted to baton charging to disperse the protestors, resulting in injuries to four persons including Yasin Malik and two youths on the spot. One policeman was injured when a stone thrown by some protestors hit him on the forehead.
“He (Malik) has fallen unconscious,” shouted a policeman as his colleagues took Malik away in the police gypsy.
Later the protestors engaged the paramilitary troops in pitched battles for at least half an hour. The troops and policemen chased away the protestors on number of occasion from Amira Kadal and MA Road and nearby streets. However, the protestors turned up again and engaged the troops in street fights.
“We were holding peaceful protests but police and CRPF troopers used force and thrashed many youth. The Indian forces are resorting to firing and use of indiscriminate firing even on peaceful protests in Kashmir,” said Mushtaq Ahmad of Maisuma.
Senior JKLF leader Altaf Ahmad told Greater Kashmir that after the rally at Lal Chowk, CRPF personnel entered into the Maisuma locality here considered being the bastion of the JKLF. “The troopers thrashed everybody who was out on the roads including aged men and women,” Altaf said.
The troopers, Altaf said, barged into the house of Yasin Malik and damaged its windowpanes with batons. “They also harassed the family members and relatives of Malik, injuring his aunt,” Altaf said.
The troopers damaged the Malik’s car, he said. “Later they smashed the windowpanes of JKLF headquarter. They also caused damage to the houses in the surroundings of the headquarters,” Altaf said.
He said senior pro-freedom leaders Moulvi Showkat Ahmad, Imtiyaz Ahmad, Showkat Bakshi, Sheikh Aslam were also injured in the police action, besides at least a dozen activists.
At least four persons were injured when police baton charged the protestors near Ashai Bagh here. The protestors had earlier brought out Chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from his Nigeen residence where he was kept under house arrest by police and were heading towards Jamia mosque in a convoy of vehicles. The rally was led by Zaffar Akbar Bhat, reports said.
Reports said peaceful pro-freedom protests were also carried out by thousands of people led by Faz-ul-Haq Qureshi after Friday prayers at Jamia Mosque. However police used force and fired several teargas canisters to disperse the protestors injuring at least 11 protestors, reports said. They said at least 10 people were injured when police beat up with batons the protestors who were marching toward Nowhatta.
People also carried peaceful pro-freedom protest at Lal Bazaar, Zaina Kadal, Safa Kadal, Habba Kadal, Maharaj Gunj, Soura, Hyderpora, and hundreds of other places in Srinagar. Reports said police and CRPF used heavy force to disperse the protestors. Four people were injured in police action in Lal Bazaar, reports said.
People also hold peaceful pro-freedom rally in Hazratbal, Dargah after the Friday prayers.
Reports said Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (R) held a pro-freedom demonstration at Pathar Masjid in Shahr-e-Khaas.
Hundreds of people participated in the demonstration which was led by JKLF leaders including Muhammad Saleem Nanaji, Tahir Ahmad Mir and Bitta Karatay. The demonstrations marched through the streets of Shahr-e-Khaas, demanding freedom.
They were joined by people of many areas inlcluding Nawab Bazar, Dalal Mohalla, Zal Dagar and Fateh Kadal, the statement added.
A police spokesman has named some of injured protesters as: Tariq Ahmed Sofi s/o Ghulam Hassan of Khanmoh , Ghulam Muhammad Shah s/o Abdul Rashid of Barzulla , Jan Muhammad Dar s/o Abdul Rashid of Maisuma, Muhammad Amin Najar S/o Ab. Aziz of Batamaloo, Muhammad Latief Khan s/o Mohammad Sultan of Basant Bagh and Jameel Nazir Bhat s/o Nazir Ahmed of Nowhatta.



GMC students, medical employees hold pro-independence rally
Students of the Government Medical College Srinagar on Friday demonstrated against what they called the Indian occupation of Kashmir, urging the United Nations to hold plebiscite to resolve the Kashmir dispute.
Clad in aprons, scores of students and several hundred other medical employees marched from GMC to Kaka Sarai Chowk here where more than a hundred CRPF troopers were standing in full riot gears. Hundreds of people coming out of the nearby Gole Market mosque joined the students and demanded an end to “India’s illegal occupation of Kashmir.”
The students carried banners reading: “Stop state sponsored terrorism. Stop genocide of Kashmiris; Indian occupation of Kashmir: we reject, we reject; No election, no selection: We want freedom; Indian Army go back; go back; Making peaceful revolution impossible, violent revolution becomes inevitable; Biggest lie: India is democratic.”
Many student protesters, who spoke to Greater Kashmir, said that India must read the writing on the wall and quit Kashmir forthwith.
“India must understand that the sentiment of Azadi in Kashmir will never die,” said a Syed, requesting his first name should not be mentioned. “It must therefore quit Kashmir and end its occupation of the state. We reject the status quo and ask India to ensure that Kashmiris are given right to self determination,” he said.
Two girl students (names withheld) said that India must fulfill the demands of Kashmiris including demilitarization, revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and release of Kashmiri political detainees from various Indian jails.
The duo had a word of advice for the pro-freedom leaders. “The leadership needs to be institutionalized forthwith. The leaders should be focused and include people from varied backgrounds in the arena of leadership,” they said. “We want intellectually rich leaders who have the potential to sustain this movement through peaceful and varied means of protests.”
The leaders, they added, need not be defensive. “The leaders must also aware people about issues like independence and occupation. This will ensure maximum participation in pro-freedom marches and demonstrations,” the students said.
The marchers asserted that they would fully support the coordination committee’s programmes and follow them in letter and spirit. “We respect the committee members and would support them in all their endeavors. But it is essential for the members to respect the public sentiment and ensure that the movement sustains till India liberates us.”



Police restricts Geelani to his residence
Police didn’t allow the chairman of Hurriyat conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani to come out of his house at Haiderpora, a Hurriyat spokesman said.
He said that Geelani was to address a Friday congregation at Sopur in north Kashmir this afternoon. “A police official told him that he cannot move out and he continues to be under house arrest,” the spokesman said.
Geelani, Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik have been under house arrest from September 1. They were released after nine day detention on the eve of holy month of Ramadhan.



Sopur
Massive demonstrations were held in the Apple Town Sopur in north Kashmir after the Friday prayers, with hundreds of people taking to streets shouting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
GK reporter for Sopur, Ghulam Muhammad, said the procession was led by two leaders of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Saifaullah and Moulvi Ghulam Hassan from Jamia Masjid to main Chowk at Sopur. No clashes were however reported.



Kulgam
More than a dozen people were injured here when the troopers resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling to disperse the protesters who were demonstrating in south Kashmir's Kulgam district peacefully on the streets after Friday prayers in response to a call given by Coordination Committee.
Police and CRPF troopers deployed in strength fired tear gas shells and hundreds of rounds of fire in air when the protest march reached the main Chowk of the town police and CRPF deployed there fired several tear gas shells to quell the protesters injuring about a dozen two of them critically. The troopers chased and baton charged the protesters up to the Ziarat market where they arrested five youth. The protesters also retaliated by pelting stones and pitched battles continued till last reports came. Protest was also carried out in Yaripora. Pro-freedom leader G N Kashmiri led a march in Kulgam district.



Islamabad
Thousands of people marched on the streets in south Kashmir's Islamabad Town after the Friday prayers, shouting pro-independence slogans. The march ended at Lal-Chowk with the hoisting of green flag. The protests were peaceful.
In Dooru, however, several persons were injured as police went berserk and used force to quell the peaceful sit-down protest. Witnesses told Greater Kashmir that after offering Friday prayers, people organized a peaceful sit-down protest outside Jama Masjid. But when a local Hurriyat Conference activist was addressing the people, asking them to remain peaceful during protests, a police party led by Station House Officer of Dooru Police Station arrived and beat up the protesters injuring dozens of them.
Police along with CRPF then ransacked the shops, thrashed the shopkeepers, and pedestrians.
The protesters alleged the SHO Dooru has been harassing the people for participating in the pro-independence demonstrations.
A massive demonstration was held in the Chinar Town of Bijbhera. The lawyers associated with Bar Association Bijbhera, and Traders Federation, also participated in the demonstration.
The protesters pledged to boycott Jammu based products.



Chadoora
Protest marches led by JKLF held in Chadoora in central Kashmir district of Budgam on Friday.
“Thousands of protesters led by JKLF leader Ashraf-Ibn_Salam and Chadoora Bar president advocate Javid Iqbal marched on the streets of Chadoora after Friday prayers. They were shouting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans,” a statement of JKLF said.

Sheikh Nazir reports from Ganderbal
Police and paramilitary CRPF resorted to indiscriminate use of force on peaceful protestors who poured in good numbers onto the Ganderbal roads in north Kashmir after offering Friday prayers. The procession which started from Jamia Masjid, Kangan was intercepted by a huge contingent of police and the CRPF at Kangan Chowk and disallowed the people to proceed. The police and the CRPF resorting to the use of force invoked protestors’ wrath and it soon started a ding-dong battle. Hundreds of protestors broke the cordon and regrouped to march towards Kangan. Police reacted by arresting an 80-yr old Habibullah Lone and 45-yr Jaluddin Shah.
Despite a multi-tier security ring, large number of people raising pro freedom slogans took out rallies at Beehama, Tawheed Chowk and Dodurhama. Lar, Safapora and other adjacent villages observed complete shut down and the movement of vehicles was very thin in the district with shopkeepers downing their shutters before the Friday prayers.



Reporting by Mudasir Ali, Fahim Aslam, Ayub Javed (Shopian), Khalid Gul (Islamabad), Altaf Baba (Varmul)