Srinagar
Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday strongly denounced authorities for scuttling the peaceful protest programs of the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) with regard to observing the ‘human rights week’, and the massive crackdown on resistance leadership, activists and associates.
Addressing the Friday congregational gathering at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid after being set free an hour before the prayers, Mirwaiz said, “the unprecedented human rights abuse that people of J&K especially the valley suffer as a consequence of forced control and military presence is among the worst in the world .And when we raise our voice against it even that is not allowed.”
He said across the globe December 10 is observed as Human Rights day to reiterate the entitlement to human rights for all humans ,but Kashmir is an exception where all our rights have been snatched and every single voice raised against that ,is muzzled through military might and even a candle light protest poses threat to “peace” and “law and order”.
Mirwaiz said that besides leadership and activists all those who associated with commemorating the week including traders etc were detained or intimidated with arrests by the authorities.
Mirwaiz said that the human rights situation in south of Kashmir is appalling. It has been turned into a military garrison with military personnel dotting the entire landscape, where homes are blown up by using missiles and mortars that otherwise are used in wars, people thrashed maimed and harassed under the guise of CASO and where even infants aren’t spared the wrath of the mighty as baby Hiba lost her vision to the deadly pellets that ruptured her eye.
Mirwaiz urged the UNHRC whose recent report is a testimony to the ever rising graph of humans rights abuses to put pressure on India and send its team to Kashmir to get a first hand account of what we are going through here.
Mirwaiz said that it is amply clear that Kashmir dispute can’t be dealt with militarily something that has even been acknowledged time and again by retd Indian and Pakistani army generals who through their writings urge for a political settlement to Kashmir dispute.
Mirwaiz said that GoI has to realize the gravity of the situation and Kashmir disputes historical background and respond positively to the engagement offer put forth by the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Mirwaiz said that Kashmir will continue to witness the worst human rights violations unless people in India and world intervene to build pressure on Government of India to call back its army.
The statement said that soon after the culmination of Friday prayers, Mirwaiz led a protest march against the unabated human rights violations taking place in Kashmir.
“The protest was attended by thousands of people and the Hurriyat activists who were carrying placards denouncing Human Rights Violations and asking for their restoration,” the statement said.
