Srinagar, Aug 2: While strongly condemning the fresh civilian killings in Kashmir in police and CRPF action, pro-freedom groups Monday said the deaths were part of “genocide” policy in Kashmir.
Strongly denouncing the killings, the Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Monday said the ongoing protests particularly by youth were a result of New Delhi’s repeated policy of neglecting the Kashmir “dispute”.
“Since 1947, instead of resolving the Kashmir dispute, India’s policy has been to neglect the issue and maintain the status quo, as a result of which, Kashmiris have ran out of patience. People are now determined to achieve their freedom at any cost,” Chairman of the Hurriyat faction, Mirwaiz Umar Faroq said in a statement issued to Press Bureau of India. Appealing people to carry on “peaceful” protests and demonstrations according to the Hurriyat programme, Mirwaiz urged people to avoid “any such course of action that gives Indian troops and police the opportunity to justify use of brute force and give a bad name to our peaceful and just struggle.”
Mirwaiz condemned police and CRPF action against a procession taken out by senior Hurriyat leader Aga Syed Hassan Al Mosavi in Budgam district. “ Several people were injured and Aga sahib himself had a lucky escape when police and CRPF troops opened fire and used teargas shells to disperse a pro-freedom procession near Humhama, Hyderpora,” a Hurriyat spokesman said. The spokesman also condemned the alleged ransacking of residential houses in parts of Old City
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front led by incarnated Muhammad Yasin Malik said the fresh killings of Kashmiris under India’s “genocide” programme in Kashmir had proved once again that the police and troops were ruling the roost in the state.
“The manner in which bullets and teargas shells were fired on peaceful protesters throughout Kashmir today has proved once again the state has been handed over to the police and other Indian forces,” JKLF vice chairman Advocate Bashir Bhat said in a statement.
Bhat also slammed the Omar Abdullah for what he termed his “encouragement” of troops and police to kill more and more Kashmiris. “ The puppet chief minister instead of reigning in the police and troops is justifying the killings of Kashmiris by putting the blame for violence on them,” Bhat said. He said Kashmiris cannot be forced to give up their just and peaceful freedom struggle by use of “brute force and killings.”
Bhat said the criminal silence over the killings in Kashmir was in contradiction to the principles of conscientious nations and people across the world.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 2 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 2 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 3 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST