Ramban killings draw widespread condemnation Geelani calls for 3-day shutdown; Mirwaiz, Malik for protests, funeral prayers in absentia, Lal-Chowk chalo today By Reader Correspondent Published: Fri, 19 July 2013 10:32 PM Srinagar: The killing of six people in BSF firing in Ramban drew sharp condemnations from both pro-freedom and pro-India camps besides civil society and business community Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, called for three day shutdown and protest demonstrations after Friday prayers against the killings. “India is not only committing genocide of Kashmiris under a well-planned policy but has also declared a war against our religion which is unacceptable situation for us,” Geelani said in a statement adding “to fight against this policy is mandatory on Kashmiri Muslims like prayers and fasting.” Geelani also appealed people to hold protests and demonstrations after Friday prayers against the incident. Saying that India was involved in “genocide of Kashmiris,” Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, condemned the killings as “cold-blooded murder.” Mirwaiz also called for two-day strike on July 19 and 20 against the killings. “Soon after the Friday prayers, funeral prayers in absentia would be offered for the martyrs of Ramban in Jamia Masjid Srinagar followed by a protest march,” Mirwaiz said. Mirwaiz, who was placed under house detention soon after the incident, termed the BSF firing on civilians as “the worst example of state sponsored terrorism in the recent past.” “Mirwaiz has also appealed the committees overlooking the affairs of Masjids in Jammu and Kashmir to offer in-absentia prayers for the Ramban martyrs and stage peaceful demonstration after Friday prayers,” the statement aadded. Mirwaiz said the “desecration of holy Quran was unacceptable to Muslims and the state government bears equal responsibility for for the anti-Islamic activities by the Indian forces.” Mirwaiz said “till Kashmir is not demilitarized and black laws are not revoked, such incidents would continue to happen.” JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik called for Lal-Chowk Chalo and a complete shut down on Friday against the Ramban killings. A statement issued by JKLF said that Malik along senior party leaders including Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Bashir Kashmiri and Ghulam Mohammad Dar were arrested at Lal Cchowk Thursday when they tried to stage a protest rally against the “brutal murder of innocent people in Ramban last night.” Yasin, according to the statement, “led a spontaneous protest rally which was attended by thousands of people who marched towards Lal Chowk.” “The protest rally reached Budshah Chowk where hundreds of police and CRPF men cordoned it from all sides and resorted to heavy lathi-charge and teargas shelling,” it added. Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chairman, Shabir Ahmad Shah, while condemning the killings also called for a complete shut down on Friday. “The freedom sentiment of freedom will increase with increase in their oppression,” a statement issued by DFP quoted Shah as saying. Shah said that the “occupation of Kashmir” was the real cause of all the miseries of Kashmiri people.” JKLF (R) also expressed resentment and anger over the Ramban killings. “Front condemns this cowardly act and terms it as the height of oppression and state-terrorism by India in Kashmir,” a statement issued by JKLF (R) said. “In response to the peaceful protests, the forces fired bullets, hence snatching the right to protest from the masses,” the Front statement said while appealing “common masses to observe complete strike on Friday to protest over these killings in Ramban and to make it clear to India that on religious matters Kashmiris will not keep mum.” Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) chief, Asiya Andrabi, while condemning the killings has also called for “three day complete strike to send across clear message to India and its puppets in Kashmir that unlike 1947, genocide of Muslims in Jammu will lead to storm of freedom voices from every household in Kashmir,’ a DeM statement said. Senior Hurriyat Conference (M) leader and chairman of Salvation Movement, Zaffar Akber Bhat has also condemned the killings. Condemning the killings, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said that such a massacre of our brothers is the gravest of crimes which is intolerable and more like the Jalian Wall Bagh massacre which cannot be condemned in words alone but needs the culprits punished immediately for their heinous crime. “The KCC&I calls upon the entire trade fraternity of Kashmir to be united in this hour of grief and extend full support to the victimized Muslim community of the area,” a statement issued by KCCI said. According to the statement, “The KCC&I appeals the Civil Society of India to come out and put in their weight forcing the GOI to institute a result oriented probe in the incident, identify the killers and award such an exemplary punishment to them that such incidents do not recur.” Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS) has also strongly condemned the Ramban killings. A statemen issued by KCSDS has “lambasted the state and central governments for their willful default in restraining and controlling their forces against such mindless acts of violence and vendetta.” “Both governments have all along shown utter disregard to the citizens’ rights in the state as none of the killer forces were served with exemplary punishment that could have acted as a deterrent against such mindless acts of violence and vendetta,” the KCSDS statement said. “The repeated incidents of massacre prove beyond any doubt that the armed forces have been installed here to kill and terrorize the civilians rather than to provide any security and protection to them,” it added. Grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Bashir-u-Din Ahmad has also condemned the killings and desecration of the holy Quran and ransacking of a Dar-ul-Uloom at Gool, Ramban. Others who have condemned Ramban killings include J&K Forest Employees Federation, Anjuman Ulma-i-Ahnaf and Ahale Sunat wal Jamat.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Jul 2013 20:40:20 +0000
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