Srinagar: The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) Thursday called for complete shutdown on Dec 10 against what they termed as the ‘gross human rights violations’ in Kashmir. The day is observed as ‘World Human Rights’ day.

JRL comprising of Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik in a joint statement issued here announced a ‘comprehensive program’ on international human rights day.

 “On 10th December, the international human rights day, Kashmiris will observe a complete shut down and blackout against gross human rights violations. A protest rally towards UN observers’ office at Srinagar will also be taken out from Lal Chowk on the same day. Similarly a seminar to highlight miseries of Kashmiris will also be held on 9th December 2017,” they said.

“Kashmiris are being subject to worst kind of torture and oppression but the champions of human rights to safeguard their economic ambitions are maintaining a criminal silence over it,” JRL said.

“On Dec 10 seminars, symposiums, and programs are held and statements are issued for safeguarding the human rights of every one. United Nations has itself created a forum called human rights commission that also makes hue and cry on human rights abuses,” JRL said.

JRL leaders said that Kashmir is also part of human civilization and humans with same blood and flesh are living on this land “but these humans are being treated like cattle by Indian oppression for a long time now”. 

The leaders said that from the last seventy years, people of Jammu Kashmir are facing Indian aggression and oppression.

“Lakhs on people have been killed and this killing spree is continuing unabated. Thousands of young and old have disappeared in custody, thousands of unmarked graves bear witness to extra judicial killings, attacks on the chastity of women is being used as a weapon of war and thousands of innocents have been going through jails and incarcerations,” the JRL said.

JRL leaders said that if one only looks back at the events of past one year he would find hundreds of young Kashmiris being gunned down and killing humans being glamorized by Indian state and its media.

“During these days, thousands of men and women, boys and girls have been showered with pellets and their eyesight snatched. Many have been maimed and injured and are forced to endure a life time misery. During these days, thousands have been put into jails, police lockups, incarceration centers and so-called rulers are using arbitrary laws like PSA to prolong their incarceration,” they added.

The trio said that from Tihar jail Delhi to the jails of the state, thousands of Kashmiri inmates are suffering at the hands of oppressive Indian authorities.

They said that north and south of Kashmir is witnessing a new phase of terror and torture. “Crackdown, vandalizing private residences and property, beating and humiliating people without the consideration of gender and age, arresting young, old, women and men indiscriminately, arresting fathers in place of sons and brothers in place of brothers and other oppressive operations are continuing without a pause. Kashmiris are being terrorized but no one in the international community seems to bother. India which claims to be the biggest democracy in the world has let loose a reign of terror in Jammu Kashmir but no one is raising his or her voice against this state sponsored terrorism,” asserted JRL leaders.

“Aren’t Kashmiris humans, aren’t they also part of humanity, haven’t they a right to live with freedom and dignity as other humans and how long will international community in its pursuit to safeguard its economic aspirations, maintain a criminal silence over this gruesome human tragedy,” they questioned.

JRL said that keeping silent for petty trade and economic benefits is dangerous and international community should introspect its role vis-a-vis the gross human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

They said that India will never succeed in suppressing the voices of freedom of the people of the state and despite all these atrocities Kashmiris will continue with their struggle for freedom and self-determination.

Announcing a ‘comprehensive program’ on international human rights day, JRL leaders said that on Dec 10, Kashmiris will observe a complete shutdown and blackout to protest against ‘gross human rights violations’ and the criminal silence of the international community.

On the same day, JRL leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik will lead a protest rally from Hamza Masjid Kokerbazar Lal Chowk towards UN observers’ office at Srinagar where a memorandum will be handed over to UN representative.

A seminar will also be held in this connection on Saturday, Dec 09 in which human rights abuses will be highlighted.

The seminar titled “human rights violations in Kashmir and Criminal silence of the international community” will be held at Hyderpora (residence cum office of Syed Ali Shah Geelani). 

Guest