Srinagar, June 20: Separatists have called for a complete shutdown across the Kashmir Valley on Monday against the killing of youth by men in uniform.
 The Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani appealed people to observe complete shutdown. “People should strongly protest the ongoing killing of youth in Kashmir by the men in uniform to impress upon the international community that they would not accept the Indian oppression anymore,” Geelani said, addressing people at Silkote in Kupwara.

 Expressing concern over the killing of civilians by troops and police, Geelani said, “It is nothing but a state-sponsored terrorism. The situation in Kashmir has turned explosive. Troops have been given shoot at sight directives by the government. We can’t afford to be mute spectators over the ongoing killings. If people would not lodge their protest now, the innocent killings won’t end.”
GEELANI ARESTED
 Police later arrested Geelani and senior Hurrriyat (G) leader, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai after they addressed a public gathering at Kupwara.  “Geelani was taken into preventive detention for issuing provocative statements,” said a police official, wishing anonymity.

STOP GENODICE OF KASHMIRIS: MIRWAIZ
 The Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq urged people to observe complete shutdown on Monday to impress upon the international community to take serious note of the “human rights abuses by forces in Kashmir.”

 In a statement here, Mirwaiz condemned the killing of Kashmiri youth in action by police and troops. “The shutdown has been called to express our collective anguish over the unabated killings of innocent civilians by forces,” he said, adding the killing of Kashmiris was a “comprehensive conspiracy.” ‘It is genocide of Kashmiris which must be stopped at any cost, or it will have the worst consequences,” he said.

PROTEST ONGOING KILLINGS: JKLF
 The Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front also called for complete shutdown on Monday and appealed people to lodge protest against the “ongoing killing of Kashmiris by police and CRPF.” 

 In a statement here, the JKLF vice-chairman, Bashir Ahmad appealed people to make the strike call successful. “JKLF has already begun the court arrest programme against the atrocities in Kashmir and several party workers including its chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik were lodged in Central jail Srinagar. The troops were killing Kashmiris which indicates that India is carrying out the genocide of Kashmiris in the garb of democracy,” he said.
 Meanwhile, the National Front chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan endorsed the strike call, urging people to take to streets and protest the “ongoing killings.” “Such killings will continue if the AFSPA is not revoked and Kashmir not demilitarized,” Khan said, urging the international community and the rights organizations to take cognizance of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. 

 The Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (R) has also condemned the killing of teenagers by forces and appealed people to observe complete shutdown on Monday. The president Jamiat Ahli Hadith, Showkat Ahmed Shah endorsed the Kashmir Bandh on June 21 and urged people to register their protest against the “daily killings.”

 The acting chairman of Jammu Kashmir Peoples League, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza has strongly condemned the killing of the civilians in Kashmir and appealed people to observe complete shutdown on Monday. The chairman Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement Zaffar Akbar Bhat while paying glowing tributes to the martyred youth urged people to observe complete shutdown on Monday.

 The Jamaat-e-Islami has also strongly condemned the use of “unbridled force” on innocent people protesting against the “state terrorism and killing of youth.” “The main reason for continuance of the worst type of human right violations is the presence of draconian laws like AFSPA and presence of the security forces camps and bunkers in populated areas,” said a Jamaat statement.

 The People’s Political Party (PPP), Democratic Freedom Party, Jammu Kashmir Mass Movement, Jammu Kashmir Mahaz-e-Azadi (MeA) and Democratic Political Movement have endorsed the Kashmir bandh call for Monday.

 However, Dukhtara-i-Milat chairperson Asiya Andrabi did not endorse the call. “The strike calls are futile and will not lead Kashmiri people to anywhere,” she told Greater Kashmir. “Till all Kashmiri people including men, women and children will come on streets and stage indefinite protest for freedom, nothing will change.”

Lastupdate on : Sun, 20 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST