Mohammad Raafi
SRINAGAR
JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik Thursday said that the Indian government is denying political space to the pro-freedom leaders in the valley which he stressed can lead to dangerous consequences.
He said that all police stations and jails in “occupied Kashmir” have been converted into Red 16 interrogation centres and youth are being beaten to pulp for taking part in the peaceful pro-freedom demonstrations.
“History is repeating itself,” he said. “The present generation is being tortured in the same way as we were tortured in 1986 and 87. We were taken to Red-16 interrogation centre and were subjected to third degree torture. Today all the police stations and jails have been converted into Red-16 interrogation centres and youth are being beaten to pulp for taking part in the peaceful pro-freedom demonstrations,” he said.
He warned of a mass agitation in the territory if victimization of the youth was not stopped.
Recalling the tribulations which Yasin Malik and his colleagues faced in mid-eighties, he said, “Police are abusing youth and their family members because of which the situation can deteriorate further. They are arrested randomly during night raids. They are tortured in custody and their family members humiliated.” Malik pointed out that police and paramilitary forces were using bullets, teargas shells and pellets on, even peaceful protesters.
He deplored the “criminal silence” maintained by the international community over unabated human rights violations in Kashmir.
“It is unfortunate that no one wants to annoy India to safeguard their business interests. It’s the duty of the international community to open its eyes and see what is happening in this part of the world.”
Malik who is on hunger strike addressed a press conference said, “Our hunger strike is a message to the world that Kashmir needs immediate attention as India has no respect for the human and political rights of people of Kashmir. We are the victims of oppression and suppression.”
Malik said that the objective of hunger strike was to safeguard the non-violent democratic movement of Kashmir.
Among those who have joined this hunger strike included the kith and kin of martyrs, lawyers, human rights activists, Hurriyat leaders, renowned religious scholars, trade union leaders, intellectuals and students.
