Sunday, March 8, 2020

Kashmir Struggle News Update (weekly) JR212 Volume III


THIS PAGE WILL UPDATE, ON A WEEKLY BASIS NEW RELATED TO THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM BY THE KASHMIRI PEOPLE.. Kindly refer


To https://javedrashid.blogspot.com/2019/10/kashmir-struggle-news-update-weekly-jr.html AND to


to https://javedrashid.blogspot.com/2018/12/kashmir-struggle-news-weekly-update.html (Kashmir Struggle News (weekly)  Update  (JR107) 

for previous updates .



Kashmir Update 69: Week Mar.,30, 2019 to Mar., 5, 2020  
           
1.    Jalil Ahmed Andrabi: Mar., 30, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, the High Court Bar Association has paid rich tributes to prominent martyred Kashmiri lawyer and the leading human rights activist, Jaleel Ahmad Andrabi on his 24th martyrdom anniversary.  Jaleel Andrabi was arrested in broad daylight by men in uniform in March 1996 and was tortured to death in custody. They said that Andrabi sacrificed his life for the cause of of Kashmir. The Bar members also paid tributes to other lawyers including Abdul Qadir Sailani, Mohammad Sultan Butt, Peer Hussam-ud-Din and Sheikh Mohammad Hussain for laying down their lives for the noble cause.https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/29/martyred-hr-lawyer-andrabi-eulogized/
2.   Actions needed: Mar.,30, 2020: Those who opposes the Indian rule in Kashmir, have to reposition in their efforts to seek the realisation of self-determination through a UN supervised Plebiscite. The parties that have identified themselves, in rejecting the Indian action of 31 October 2019 are mainstream pro India parties, Hurriyat, non Hurriyat, Governments of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit and Baltistan, Government of Pakistan and the United Nations. Seven pro India political parties came up with Gupkar Declaration on 4 August 2019, Hurriyat Conference has a constitution adopted on 31 July 1993, Azad Kashmir Government has its Constitution committing itself to a duty under UNCIP Resolutions and Government of Pakistan has assumed duties under UNCIP resolutions in AJK and has the UN template on the conduct of a UN supervised vote and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, have a title to ‘equality’ and right of ‘self-determination.’ India stands as a lone wolf and a leper in the eyes of law. Each one of these parties have a higher burden of responsibility. How would these political parties behave and how long would they resist the temptation to gain power, remains to be seen. Interestingly many of Kashmiri leaders signatories to Gupkar Declaration have tasted the loss of liberty for the first time, of course, under less hostile living conditions. However, they have been subjected to the push and shove of a policeman. We hope that Gupkar Declaration, cements these leaders for some time to stand together and seek on their demands made in the resolution. The first and foremost step, that they have avoided to take, is to challenge the State Governor for dissolving the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on 21 November 2018 in bad faith and without any merit. All actions that have flown from 21 November to date are unconstitutional and without any legal effect. Governor may have done a bidding for his employer, the Government of India but he cannot substantiate the contents of his report made to the President of India in a court of law. As a start Mehbooba Mufti had staked her claim to the Governor on 21 November 2018 that she had the support of National Conference with 15 members and Congress with 12 members to form the Government. It is an intriguing coincidence that the fax Machine at the Governor House was out of order to receive the claim. She however, managed to communicate her claim through WhatsApp and Twitter. Sajjad Lone of People Conference, also staked his claim to form the Government on the same day. He too had to WhatsApp and Tweet his claim. The notice of two different claims of being able to form the Government was in public domain on 21 November 2018. Therefore, the decision of the Governor to dissolve the Assembly in the evening of 21 November 2018, is in bad faith and unconstitutional. The President of India’s Notification of 19 December 2018 and other orders that have flowed from this mischief, are all without any legal sanction. New Delhi could not overrun the Constitutional and Legislative process in Kashmir, unless it had to push through a self-serving legislation for the benefit of Delhi Government. National Conference and Congress, should start helping as appropriate PDP (Mehbooba Mufti) and PC (Sajjad Lone) in their challenges to the unconstitutional conduct of the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, in the interests of his employer – the New Delhi. All acts done after 21 November and 19 December 2018, are unconstitutional. Governor as an Indian representative and a non-State Subject (non-Kashmiri) has committed a ‘fraud’ on the legislative process in Kashmir. If the signatories to Gupkar Declaration are serious, they need to prove the constitutional disability of the Governor from 21 November 2018, when two respective claims by PDP and PC were lodged for the formation of the majority Government. It would automatically annul the action of Government of India taken on 31 October 2019. On the action of 5 August 2019, National Conference in particular and other parties in general need to challenge the status of Indian army in Kashmir. National Conference shall have to make a reference to the ’character certificate’ given by Sheikh Abdullah, at the UN Security Council guaranteeing the good behaviour of these forces, pending the holding of a UN supervised Plebiscite in Kashmir. Other parties should bring into question and notice of the court, the four conditions placed on the Indian army, at the time of their temporary admission into Kashmir. Signatories to the Gupkar Declaration, Azad Kashmir Government and the Government of Pakistan, could use the jurisprudence of UN Security Council resolutions of 21 April 1948 and 30 March 1951, to challenge the current manner of presence of Indian army and the action taken by Government of Indian on 31 October 2019. We need to involve France, United Kingdom, Netherlands, China and United States of America in particular and other countries in general, in our efforts seeking to vacate the action of Government of India taken on 31 October 2019, which temporarily has fractured the part of the State under Indian administration into two union territories and annexed them. France has argued at the 539th meeting of the UN Security Council held on 30 March 1951, ““Resolutions of 13 August 1948 and 5 January 1949, to which we must always return because they won the express agreement of both India and Pakistan. If the parties are unable to reach agreement on the plan submitted to them, provision is made for arbitration, and, to make assurance doubly sure, arbitration is to be carried out by an arbitrator or panel of arbitrators appointed not by a political body but by the President of the International Court of Justice.” Similarly, United States of America at the 768th meeting of the UN Security Council held on 15 February 1957, has held that“The Security Council will, “always welcome any agreement which the parties themselves can reach on any basis which will settle the dispute, provided of course that, that basis is consistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Security Council had a ‘positive duty’ and “unless the parties are able to agreeupon some other solution, the solution which was recommended by the Security Council should prevail.” Additional guidance is provided by the United Kingdom and Netherlands. United Kingdom has argued at the 606 meeting of the UN Security Council held on 6 November 1952 that, “The ultimate objective of a fair and impartial plebiscite under the auspices of the United Nations has, after all, been written into solemn agreements by the two governments and endorsed by this Security Council. These agreements have been affirmed and reaffirmed ‘by the two governments many times during the last three and a half years,” and Netherlands have argued at the 611th meeting of the UN Security Council held on 23 December 195, that “The party that would dare to violate an agreement thus reached would load upon itself a very grave offence against the other party, against the United Nations, and against the right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir to self-determination, a right which, in other contexts, both parties have so often and so eloquently defended.” Therefore, any sense of helplessness that India has not left any options after 31 October 2019, is ill founded. In fact India has re-occupied the part of the State and has loaded upon itself a very grave offence committed against many the other parties https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/30/steps-needed-to-vacate-indian-action-of-31-october-2019/
3.   Martyrs remembered: March 31. 2020: : In occupied Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference Chairman, Shabbir Ahmed Dar, Tehreek Muzahamat Chairman Bilal Ahmed Siddiqui, acting Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Abdul Hameed Butt and other Hurriyat leaders and organizations have paid glowing tributes to Ashfaq Majid Wani, Dr Abdul Ahad Guru, Shabbir Ahmad Siddiqui and Jaleel Ahmed Andrabi on their martyrdom anniversaries. Shabbir Ahmad Dar in a statement issued in Srinagar said, these Kashmiri martyrs were great sons of soil who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of Jammu and Kashmir from Indian subjugation. He said these great martyrs always advocated the just settlement of the Kashmir dispute and never hesitated in calling a spade a spade. “Ashfaq Majeed Wani was a born freedom fighter with leadership qualities, who always led from the front,” he said. Shabbir Dar said martyrs Abdul Ahad Guroo and Jaleel Ahmad Andrabi always championed human and political rights of the Kashmiri people and they never shied away in highlighting the heinous crimes against humanity in Kashmir. Shabir Ahmad Siddiqui and his associates were killed under a conspiracy in Hazratbal shrine, Srinagar. He said that the mission of these martyrs would be taken to its logical conclusion, against all odds.Tehreek Muzahamat Chairman Bilal Ahmed Sidiqui in his statement said that the martyrs would always be remembered. He said martyrs Jaleel Andrabi, Ashfaq Majeed Wani, Dr Abdul Ahad Guru and Shabbir Ahmed Siddiqui would always act as an inspirational force for the Kashmiri people.  .It is worth mentioning here that Indian troops had killed Ashfaq Majeed Wani in March 1990, Jaleel Andrabi and Shabbir Siddiqui in March 1996 and Dr Abdul Ahad Guru in April 1992 in different areas of the occupied territory. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/30/glowing-tributes-to-martyrs-ashfaq-guru-siddiqui-and-andrabi/
4.   Detentions: Mar., 31, 2020: While the prisoners are being released worldwide to protect them from the rising cases of coronavirus, the Indian authorities in occupied Kashmir arrested 627 people in the name of preventive measures. Director-General of Police Dilbagh Singh in a statement issued in Srinagar confirmed that the police had so far arrested 627 people while cases were registered against 373 people. He said more than 100 shops were sealed while 490 vehicles were taken into custody for violation of the lockdown. It is worth mentioning here that the occupation authorities have imposed curfew-like restrictions in Srinagar and all district and tehsil headquarters in the territory in the name of preventive measures against the coronavirus, further compounding the miseries of the Kashmiri people. Indian forces are widely harassing Kashmiris in the name of security measures. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/30/world-releasing-detainees-while-india-arrest-627-more-in-iok/
5.   OIC: Apr., 1, 2020: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with OIC Secretary General Yousef A Al-Othaimeen during which he discussed the situation in Kashmir and the world in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The Foreign Office said in a statement that exchange between the two covered the situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's responses, and developments in Jammu and Kashmir.The minister claimed that "continued restrictions on communication and movement" in Kashmir "were preventing unfettered supply of medicines and other essentials, as well as dissemination of information needed to combat the disease," the FO said.He also highlighted concerns regarding the possibility of spread of coronavirus among the large number of Kashmiri youth. https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/world/pakistan-foreign-minister-shah-mahmood-qureshi-raises-kashmir-issue-with-oic-chief-5089441.html
6.   March cost: April, 1, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops  martyred nine (9) Kashmiris during the last month of March, one woman was rendered widowed due to the killing of her husband by the troops. During the period, at least seven (7) people were injured in the use of brute force on peaceful protesters by Indian police and troops. Indian police and paramilitary personnel arrested eight hundred and six (806) people including Hurriyat activists and youth during three hundred and ninety four (394) cordon and search operations in different areas of the territory. The troops also destroyed two (2) residential houses in the month. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/04/01/indian-troops-martyr-nine-kashmiris-in-march/
7.   Electoral changes: Apr., 1, 2020:   Modi revoked 370 and 35A, this was accepted by the majority of the Hindu population, only a few liberals protested, ( Sikhs also pretested) . CAA and NRC similarity was accepted by the Hindus majority, some liberals and minorities did protest. The AAP won an election in Delhi; all of this did not result in any political realignment. The Delhi massacre also did not evoke and large scale protests. The incompetent and shoddy way in which the lockdown has been imposed  has resulted in anger towards the BJP, the migrants have been very badly treated , with the police also contributing towards their misery, at least 22 have lost their lives in what is called the  largest human migration since the 1947 partition.  This resentment in lower class and Hindus has the potential of creating new political alliances, there will be need to formulate a platform that could align the interests of the minorities and lower class Hindu is a possible political realignment.
8.   Domicile laws Apr.,2, 2020 Exploiting the situation arising from the spread of coronavirus in the world, India took another step to further erode the Muslim majority status of occupied Kashmir by notifying an order to pave the way for Indian citizens to get permanent resident status as well as jobs in the territory. Now ‘domicile’ has been defined in an order which has been notified by the Indian government as the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of State Laws) Order, 2020, as that “who has resided for a period of fifteen years in the UT of J&K or has studied for a period of seven years and appeared in class 10th/12th examination in an educational institution located in the UT of J&K.” The order has come into force with immediate effect. The definition expands to include “children of those central [Indian] government officials, all India services officers, officials of PSUs and autonomous body of central [Indian] government, public sector banks, officials of statutory bodies, officials of central universities and recognised research institutes of central government who have served in Jammu and Kashmir for a total period of ten years or children od parents who fulfill any of the conditions in sections.” According to the new rules, the State Service Selection Board has been redesignated as Service Selection Board, omitting the word state  All Indian citizens would be eligible for remaining non-gazetted and gazetted posts. Before August 5, all jobs in occupied Kashmir were exclusively reserved for permanent residents of the territory.  https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/04/01/as-world-faces-corona-india-snatches-kashmirs-muslim-identity/
9.   Youth killed Apr., 3, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, a 28-year-old youth was killed after fired by unknown gunmen in Larkipora area of Fatehpora in Islamabad district. A police officer said that the youth namely Mohammad Saleem Dar, 28, son of Mohammad Abdullah Dar, a resident of Larkipora, Fatehpora was attacked, this evening. He received four bullet wounds and was taken to Government Medical College (GMC) Islamabad district. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/04/02/another-youth-shot-dead-in-iok/
10.          Land mines: Apr., 4, 2020: As the world observes International Day for Mine Awareness on Saturday, a noted human rights activist in Indian-administered Kashmir said that response of governments to deal with the menace has been disappointing.  Parvez said that vast tracts of land in Kashmir are laden with mines.  Khurram Parvez: Hundreds of thousands of APMs were laid along the 734-kilometer (456-mile) Line of Control and the 190 km (118 mi) of the international border between India and Pakistan during the 1999 Kargil War and then again in 2001 when both countries were face to face following an attack on the Indian parliament.There is no specific data on the total area under landmines. But in response to a question, the government told Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2013 that the Indian army had laid land mines in approximately 3,512 acres of land in several villages in 1999. A report by an Indian parliamentary panel in 2005 said 1776 Indian soldiers died while laying and removing mines from 2001-2005. Since then, Landmine Monitor’s annual reports on India have been recording killings of Indian soldiers and civilians in landmine explosions continuously. In February last year, an army major was killed while defusing a mine. He was to get married the following month. A civilian was injured last year in December. According to Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, a total of 1091 people have been killed and 2638 injured from 1999-2016. The Monitor has said that the cumulative number of casualties in India are not known”. Parvez: They think, it helps to prevent militants from areas controlled by Pakistan to enter Kashmir and acts as a deterrent during the war. But there is no report of any militant being killed in a landmine explosion while crossing border. The only casualties have been Indian soldiers and civilians of Jammu and Kashmir. Also, over the years, the Indian state has erected several layers of fences along the border and has deploying hi-tech electronic surveillance system as well. This should have reduced the reliance and need for landmines. But surprisingly, a news report last year said, the Indian army wants to procure 1 million more landmines from private manufacturers. This effectively shows they are not interested in de-mining the already mined areas but are planning to plant more. It is said that removing an APM costs 40 times than laying it.  We had requested the army to mark and fence the mined areas. This was after a man lost both limbs in a mine blast in 2004 in the Kupwara district. He had gone to the nearby forest to fetch firewood and the area is quite far away from the border. While they have marked some areas, they have not fenced them at all. In a few areas, we noticed boards in the Hindi language warning people about mines. People in these areas cannot read Hindi and many are illiterate. Instead, there should be warning symbols. The fencing of the landmine area is essential because livestock gets killed. Loss of livestock results in huge economic losses for the people living near borders. Then there is the issue that floods, landslides or snowfall uproot mines from their original places. We have landmines in the region laid way back in 1965 and then 1971 India-Pakistan wars in the region.  Parvez: Residents in few areas told us that the army had laid mines along the fences of its various camps strewn across the Kashmir Valley, especially after a few suicide bombings attacks. These camps are located in civilian areas and pose a threat Parvez: Pakistan contends that they are concerned about their people because they consider them their own. On the Indian side, because of insurgency now in its third decade, the government essentially views the population as hostile. When we were campaigning against landmines and the United Jihad Council unilaterally stated that it will abide by the Geneva Conventions, the Indian army issued a statement saying this was a publicity stunt because militants never used landmines. In Pakistan, the government and NGOs work even to have differences. But the Indian side does not engage them at all. Whenever we have tried to engage with the Indian army on any concrete issue, say extra-judicial killings, we never get a positive response. Parvez: Landmines outlive conflicts and wars. They continue to take lives even after wars are over. Look at countries like Cambodia. Long after the conflicts are over, people realize getting rid of landmines is a bigger mess. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/-vast-tracts-of-land-laden-with-mines-in-kashmir-/1790739
11.          COVID 19 and IOK: Apr., 4, 4040: Soon after the first patient of COVID-19 – a 67-year-old woman who had recently travelled to Saudi Arabia — tested positive on March 18, a team of health professionals and volunteers were sent to Khanyar to sanitise the area. They were also tasked with tracing the people the woman may have had contact with. Meanwhile, police personnel began patrolling in their jeeps. With speakers, they warned people to stay indoor. On March 22, another patient surfaced. Four days later, the 65-year-old man died.The third patient had lied about his travel history. The fourth one is just 22 years old.Now, 70 people have tested positive, including a 10-year-old from Eidgah Srinagar. Jammu and Kashmir are faced with the same challenge as the rest of the world, yet the dearth of infrastructure and manpower in the healthcare sector here makes the task more challenging.As the whole Valley is in a lockdown, memories are strong of another unprecedented lockdown, imposed after the former state was stripped of its special status and bifurcated into two Union Territories on August 5. To ensure the efficiency of lockdown, authorities have been taking the hardliner approach that they have taken since August 5. People have reported having been beaten up by policemen even after furnishing a magisterial permit. Tawseef, an engineering student from South Kashmir, had to see his ailing aunt in Srinagar. The district magistrate of Kulgam gave him a permit, but to his surprise, uniformed men at Khudwani stopped him and beat him up.“I told them my aunt had just undergone a surgery and I had to visit her,” said Tawseef, who suffered multiple fractures from the beating.Police have lodged 337 FIRs against people who have allegedly violated the lockdown. Moreover, about 627 people have been arrested in the past week. “The incidents capture the horrors of violence against civilians in Kashmir at the hands of police personnel ensuring a lockdown. They do not have a humane approach, but with a militaristic one,” writes Gowhar Geelani, a veteran journalist and author of Kashmir: Rage and Reason for The Federal. Dr. Khawar, one of the medicos treating coronavirus patients, said this is the exact kind of epidemic that takes people by awe. “It took me nearly nine hours to process the news that the first COVID-19 patient had been found in the Valley. Like me, people are in utter confusion. Most are not aware of the implications of contracting the disease,” he said    “Another reason for people evading quarantine is the careless attitude of the authorities. People were stacked like cattle in the quarantine facilities at Awantipoora and Sumbal,” said Geelani.“There were videos that went viral on social media showing that not even necessities like soap or sanitizers were available. The people were not really isolated, because in some instances, dozens of people had to stay in a single room and had to use common washrooms, which were dirty and unhygienic”. Asifa was then taken to a quarantine centre, which is a local hotel cum restaurant in Lawaypura area of Srinagar. “There were people from Europe, Pakistan, Bangladesh and all of us were kept together. For three days, nobody came to the hotel, not even the doctors. We were left alone.” “On March 23, at about 10 pm, we were told that we were being shifted. At about 12:30 in the night, we realised that we were brought to a hill-station, with three-feet snow. We were caught unprepared in the cold,” said Asifa. “Some of us were in slippers. We were told to stay in a hut where there are only two rooms for five of us. There was no water, not enough heating, not even a bar of soap “Haj House was dirty. The compound was full of stray dogs. There was no water in the washrooms, toilets were defunct.” Moreover, more than 14 beds were stacked in a single room, which were not even an arm’s length apart.” After the first patient tested positive, the number of ventilators at SKIMS, SMHS and JVC and other district and sub-district health centres was 97. And most of these ventilators are occupied by non-COVID-19 patients. According to Census 2011, there are seven million people in Kashmir and by 2021, it is expected to be eight million.One of the health officials from the Valley said on the condition of anonymity, “I think we are living in a slaughterhouse. We must not care much about masks and other personal protective equipments (PPEs) for doctors. If Milan, France and New York are facing acute shortage of PPEs, Kashmir, a third world region in a third world country, should not be an exception.” “What we must do is import more and more ventilators. Since March 18, how many ventilators did the government arrange for? None,” he said. The official also said that the level of testing was abysmal and called for more testing kits. An official at the Government Chest Diseases Hospital, Srinagar echoed him when he said, https://thewire.in/rights/kashmir-coronavirus-covid-19-internet
12.          Youth arrested: Apr., 4, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, Indian police arrested four more Kashmiri youth from different areas, today.The police during house raids arrested four youth including Azad Ahmed Butt and Altaf Ahmed Baba in Handwara and Sopore areas of north Kashmir.A police officer talking to media men claimed that the arrested youth were over-ground workers of mujahideen.  https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/04/03/indian-police-arrest-four-kashmiri-youth/
13.          Youth martyred: Apr., 4, 2020: Four Local young men  Killed In Kulgam Encounter,2 Army Mens Injured  Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism martyred four Kashmiri youth in Kulgam district, today. The troops martyred the youth identified as Sadam Malik, Aijaz Ahmed Naikoo, Shahid Sadiq Malik and Waqar Ahmed during a cordon and search operation in Hardmanguri area of the district. Earlier, three Indian troops were injured in an attack in the same area. The troops also destroyed three residential houses in the area with explosive material.  https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/04/04/indian-troops-martyr-four-kashmiri-youth-in-kulgam/
       
15.          OIC on Kashmir; Apr., 6, 2020; The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) human rights body on Saturday condemned the Indian government's new domicile law — Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Order, The Indian government recently announced a new domicile law, under which an Indian citizen, who has lived in occupied Jammu and Kashmir for 15 years, can call the territory their place of domicile. The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the OIC in a tweet said that it condemns the promulgation of the new law which attempts to "alter the demographic and geographic" status of India-occupied Kashmir (IOK) tion of illegal “J&K Reorg Order 2020” by India which is an attempt to alter demographic and geographic status of the Indian #Occupied #Kashmir. Calling it a violation of international laws and United Nations Security Council and OIC resolutions on the issue, the international organisation asked India to repeal "draconian laws" and stop its human rights abuses in the region.  It violates int’l #HR and humanitarian laws incl 4th Geneva Conv + #OIC & #UNSC Res. India must put an end to HR abuses in #IOK repeal draconian laws & let #Kashmiris exercise Rt to SD.   https://www.dawn.com/news/1546402/oic-body-condemns-indias-draconian-domicile-law-in-occupied-kashmir
       

18.          Cost of Kashmir struggle   

HR Violations 

(From Jan 1989 till Mar 31,2020)
Total Killings *
95,515
Custodial Killings
7,139
Civilian arrested
159,450
Structures Arsoned/Destroyed
109,462
Women Widowed
22,912
Children Orphaned
107,784
Women gang-raped / Molested
11,179
From July 8, 2016)
(Mar 2020)
Total Killings *
9
Custodial Killings
0
Tortured/Injured
7
Civilian arrested
806
Structures Arsoned/Destroyed
0
Women Widowed
1
Children Orphaned
0
Women gang-raped / Molested
0
From July 8, 2016)

Casualties during ongoing uprising 

(From July 8, 2016)
Total Killings *
1031
Custodial Killings
68
Tortured/Injured
27739
Arrested
11858
Structures Arsoned/Destroyed
3306
Women Widowed
91
Children Orphaned
205
Women gang-raped / Molested
933

Inured by pellets
10298
Youth lost total eye-sight
147
Youth lost one eye sight
215
Schools arsoned
56
People detained under PSA
951
Compiled by: Kashmir Media Service


Kashmir Update 68: Week Mar.,23, 2019 to Mar., 29, 2020  
           
1.    Youth arrested: Mar., 23, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops arrested two Kashmiri youth on the fake charge of being overground workers of mujahideen in South Kashmir. the youth identified as Irfan Ahmed Kuttey and Adil Bashir Lone were arrested during a cordon and search operation by a joint team of Indian Army and police in Shopian district. Police claimed that Irfan, a resident of Chotipora Sedow in Pulwama district, was motivating the youth to join the armed struggle against Indian occupation. The other detained youth, Adil Bashir Lone, was a resident of Aaloora, Shopian. The troops have taken the detained youth to an unknown location. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/22/indian-troops-arrest-two-youth-in-south-kashmir/
2.   4G: Mar., 24, 2020: The Centre must immediately restore 4G internet connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir. To deprive citizens of direct access to information and instructions during a global pandemic is unjustifiable. Moreover, it is outright inhuman to do so at a time when there is no indication of trouble on the ground and when the forces and security arrangements in place are adequate to meet any challenges  As things currently stand, businesses have suffered a lot. Some have had to suspend their operations or even shut down altogether .Students and researchers have faced great problems. Many have faced terrible difficulties to complete mere applications and registrations. Doctors and other health care personnel have also faced significant predicaments. With concerns arising over the coronavirus pandemic, the risks to life and lungs have increased. A Kashmiri doctor recently tweeted his frustration over not being able to download the ICU guidelines for COVID-19 even after an hour of trying.In this situation, some Kashmiris have begun to publicly describe the communication restrictions imposed as a form of collective punishment.  . https://thewire.in/rights/kashmir-coronavirus-pandemic-internet
3.   Youth arrested: Mar.,24, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops arrested six Kashmiri youth in Kapwara district, today. The youth were arrested during a cordon and search operation in Keran area of the district. Four of the arrested youth are from Sopore area of Baramulla district and they have been identified as Ehtisham Farooq Malik, Shafqat Ali Tego, Masab Hassan Butt and Nisar Ahmad Ganai.The other two are residents of Karen area of Kapawara district and were identified as Kabir Lone and Sharif Ahmed Khan. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/23/indian-troops-arrest-six-kashmiri-youth-in-kupwara/
4.   Lock down: Mar., 2, 2020:  On the morning of August 5, 2019, everyone in Kashmir woke up to a complete blackout. There was no mobile or internet service. A shrill silence fell over the state as neighbours sat in silence. Within a few hours, Prime Minister Modi announced the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, that the state would be divided into union territories, and also the changing of various state-specific laws. We Kashmiris felt betrayed. But the decision was lauded in the Indian nationalist press, with publications such as Times Now and Republic calling it a brave decision. Indigenous Kashmiris were under siege, with schools shut and hospitals out of reach amid a curfew. Reporting the on-the-ground realities — one of the cornerstones of journalism — was forgotten, as Indian media spent the first few days in celebration, and information filtered through them offered no crucial context for local Kashmiris. We struggled to connect with our loved ones in different regions of the state and had no clue about major political and social developments. People travelled for miles in the searing heat, spending large sums of money just to access healthcare with no respite whatsoever. The observances for the Islamic festival of Eid on August 12 were muted. We did not celebrate, merely offering prayers in the morning as dictated by religious practice. For the children there were no toys or sweets, as we were barely surviving on the bare essentials. Every street was filled with fear and grief. Nobody was aware of the happenings in other households, not to mention happenings around the world. People who were believed to have any semblance of political affiliation were caged and transported to jails outside the state. Kashmir — already the largest militarized zone on earth — was converted into a garrison of forces. The extraordinary situation worsened the health of my mother, who has been on medication for diabetes. Lack of medicine and transportation made matters worse, and we had to seek help from a kind local man who dropped us at the hospital gates in Srinagar. The impact of Modi’s decision is clear. The blackout has alienated Kashmiris even further, in their hearts and their minds alike. There is no other way to look at it.The removal of Article 370 may or may not impact the people of the Kashmir valley, but the treatment meted out to us only reminds us about the brutal occupation of our land. The cruelty inflicted on us has resulted in far worse human tragedies. But these things refuse to leave our minds and will only strengthen our desire for an independent land. https://globalvoices.org/2020/03/25/grief-alienation-trauma-kashmir-under-lockdown/
5.    Kashmir: Mar., 26, 2020:   On August 5, 2019, the government revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, doing away with the autonomy accorded to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Simultaneously, the state was divided up into administrative divisions to be ruled directly by the central government. This marks the completion of a long-standing program of the Hindu far right, the full “integration” of Kashmir into India. Article 370 of the Indian Constitution had allowed Kashmir a special status, reflecting the very unusual conditions of its incorporation into the country at the time of independence in 1947. Kashmir was granted a great degree of autonomy, and the Indian government had limited powers over the state when compared to its authority over other states in India’s highly centralized federal structure. Although Article 370 had been reduced to a dead letter by the 1960s, something that Kashmiris resisted fiercely at every step, its formal revocation is a signal that the de facto erosion of Kashmir’s rights has now become de jure. Kashmir has since been subject to a near total communication blackout, punitive restrictions on mobility, the virtual cessation of essential services, frequent night raids, and mass arrests. The entire political leadership is under arrest, including BJP allies. Anyone who has shown a capacity for organizing, even in their neighborhoods, has been harassed or detained. This state of total siege is only a formalization of what has been Kashmir’s reality for decades; It is held by force and maintained in a permanent state of emergency.Although layered with complexity, the core issue from the point of view of most Kashmiris is a simple one: they have been denied the right to determine their political future. In 1947, the British partitioned their former empire on religious lines, creating the Muslim Pakistan and the ostensibly secular India. Of more than 550 princely states under the suzerainty of the Crown, each was expected to join either dominion, depending on the religion of the majority of their subjects. Jammu and Kashmir, with a Muslim majority population and a Hindu maharaja, was one of a few princely states where rulers and subjects professed different religions. Although, by the logic of partition, Jammu and Kashmir had “Pakistan potential,” the unpopular maharaja acceded to the Indian Union. Military advances from both India and Pakistan resulted in the division of the state, with both countries claiming the entire territory as rightfully theirs. The state’s accession to India has remained bitterly contested by Pakistan, and by a majority of Kashmiris. The Valley of Kashmir, currently under Indian control, has been struggling for self-determination ever since. https://catalyst-journal.com/vol3/no4/kashmir-the-long-descent  
1.
8.   4 G and Kashmir: Mar., 29, 2020: Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders or Reporters Sans Frontières has termed the continued restrictions on the high speed internet in occupied Kashmir as potentially criminal irresponsibility of New Delhi during the coronavirus pandemic. According to Kashmir Media Service, in a statement released to media, Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk, said that 8 million Kashmiris continued to be cut off from the absolutely vital information that was needed to prevent the spread of the pandemic, when people under lockdown all over the world are using the internet to work, communicate and get information. He said, this is the cruel reality to which the citizens of the Kashmir Valley, including its journalists, are currently being subjected. He demanded of India to immediately restore the high speed Internet in the territory. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/28/iok-internet-gag-can-be-deadly-during-covid-19-rsf/
9.   Youth arrested: Mar., 29, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops arrested two youth in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, today.The troops arrested the youth identified as Showkat Mir and Showkat Yattoo, during vehicle checking in Pattan town of the district. The troops labeled the youth as over-ground workers of mujahideen https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/28/indian-troops-arrest-two-youth-in-baramulla/
Kashmir Update 67: Week Mar.,16, 2019 to Mar., 22, 2020  
           
1.    ICJ: Mar., 15, 2020: International Human Rights Association of American Minorities (IHRAAM) organised a panel discussion “Democratic Despotism and Crimes Violations of Self-Determination” on the sidelines of the 43rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva.The panelists, in a lively interaction, detailed the Kashmir dispute, Alaska and Hawaii, referencing other cases in the world where the right to self-determination is denied and suppressed, when in fact it could be used as a conflict prevention strategy.Prof Alfred de Zayas, First UN Independent Expert for the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order, said that in 2013, he presented a report to the UN General Assembly discussing issues of self-determination including Jammu and Kashmir, and the matter should be taken seriously and that they should adopt appropriate resolutions and send the case to the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion. He referred to and endorsed the reports of the UN High Commissioner for human rights situation in occupied Kashmir, saying there is an urgent need to address the past and ongoing human rights violations and to deliver justice for all people in Kashmir. Prof De Zayas concluded by endorsing the right to self-determination of various peoples around the globe, as specified in his report to the United Nations General Assembly, commonly known as 69(n), assessing that the source of the problem is in the violation of that right, emphasising that realisation of self-determination is a conflict prevention strategy.  Kashmiri representative and Executive Member of Organisation of Kashmir Coalition (OKC), Ms Shamim Shawl evaluated India’s action in Kashmir since the 5th of August 2019 and offer her analysis on future strategies to best illicit international response to India’s continued occupation and aggression on Kashmir as well as their disregard to International laws. Ms Shaista Safi, journalist and TV anchor expressed the need to emphasize on personal stories of Kashmiri victims as well as lobbyists who advocate for them. She gave the examples of Kashmiri representative, Syed Faiz Naqsbandi who was informed of his mother’s demise whilst in a UN session in Geneva. She further referred to Barrister Tramboo’s exile and the cruelty India has meted out to him and his family. Another Kashmiri representative, Advocate Pervaz Shah, questioned the illegal annexation of occupied Kashmir on 5th of August, last year, and expressed concerns over India’s plan to change Kashmir’s demography by ushering in illegal land reforms after the abrogation of special status of Kashmir. He stated that there was an impending economic crisis in occupied Kashmir and that the Indian judicial system had proved to be not only a failure, but corrupt as they bend to the whims of the BJP government. He ended by reminding the audience of Kashmiri prisoners including leaders and suggested a campaign to demand the early release of all political leaders.Kashmiri journalist, Latif Ahmed Butt expressed concern over the journalists of occupied Kashmir who have been unable to report freely post August 5th and lamented India’s action by clamping down on the media in Kashmir and placing hundreds of journalists on Exit Control List.Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo, IHRAAM Permanent Representative to United Nations and Executive Member of OKC concluded the event by re-emphasizing crucial terminologies that must be used to accurately reflect the actions of India in occupied Kashmir such as: Genocide, demographic change, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.He further added his pursuit of Kashmir’s cause at the ICC and ICJ, stating that no stone will be left unturned in seeking and delivering justice, peace and freedom for the oppressed and subjugated people of occupied Kashmir https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/15/panelists-seek-icjs-intervention-on-kashmir-issue/
2.   Farooq Abdullah: Mar., 15, 2020:   former R&AW chief A.S. Dulat says that he visited Srinagar to meet Abdullah and that the government had cleared the visit and, additionally, national security adviser Ajit Doval was fully aware of it. Dulat – who said he visited Abdullah in Srinagar on February 12 – has known the National Conference patriarch for decades and interceded with him on behalf of earlier governments on at least two previous occasions. Speaking to Karan Thapar for The Wire, he says Farooq Abdullah will respond if the Centre reaches out and that he has always done so. Dulat told The Wire that his involvement began when he spoke to Abdullah on October 31 to enquire how he was. He asked if he could come and meet him and Abdullah said that depends on the authorities.  Dulat then contacted a former colleague in the IB in Srinagar who said he would need to get clearance from Delhi. Dulat then contacted sources in the home ministry in Delhi but they did not give him permission to meet Farooq Abdullah. However, on February 9, he received a phone call from the home ministry saying he was free to go to Kashmir. Dulat says this phone call would only have happened with the knowledge and concurrence of Doval and this means the NSA was fully in the loop. Although Dulat told The Wire his visit to Srinagar was a “private” one, he revealed that the IB in Srinagar provided transport to take him from Srinagar airport to Abdullah’s residence at Gupkar Road and back to the airport. It was a short trip and Dulat was back home in Delhi by 6.30 pm the same day. Shortly after his return, he was rung by the home ministry to find out how the trip had gone. Dulat told The Wire that he spoke to Farooq Abdullah late on the night of March 13t), some six hours after the latter’s release, and that Abdullah told him he would probably come to Delhi in 15 days time. This means Abdullah is likely to miss the present session of parliament altogether. Speaking about his meeting with Abdullah on February 12, Dulat told The Wire that the NC leader was particularly concerned about the use of PSA against his son, Omar Abdullah, and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti. Dulat said Abdullah could not understand why this was done. He says Abdullah also expressed concern about the impact of the reading down of Article 370 and all the subsequent developments in Kashmir on his grandchildren. He said he himself was fully committed to India and had brought up his children in the same way. But now he did not know how to answer questions his grandchildren may ask  The meeting with Farooq lasted for an hour during which time he also met Abdullah’s wife, Molly, and his daughter, Safia, and had lunch.Dulat told The Wire he was confident the government would also find some way of talking to Mehbooba Mufti if it had not already done so. Talking about Omar Abdullah, Dulat said the present government was even more comfortable with Omar than with Farooq. With great confidence, he said Omar Abdullah would be the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, i.e. whenever the state elections are held.   https://thewire.in/security-security/interview-karan-thapar-a-s-dulat-farooq-abdullah
3.   Youth martyred: Mar., 16, 2020: Indian troops on Sunday martyred four Kashmiri youth in Indian Occupied Kashmir in the latest spike in violence. One of the martyred youth was identified as Tariq, Muzaffar, Umar and Sajjad. The youth were martyred during a cordon and search operation in Watrigam area of Islamabad district on Sunday.The Indian forces sealed all the entry points of Watrigam, Achabal and Islamabad and launched a massive door-to-door search operation. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2176939/1-four-kashmiris-martyred-iok/
4.   Omar Abdullah: Mar., 16, 2020: With the release of top National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah from detention on March 13, and the recent formation of a new political entity –Apni Party– in Kashmir, the focus is back on which political forces New Delhi may side with in the Valley next. “I think they (the government) need to talk to everybody. She (Mehbooba) has been in alliance with them (the BJP); she is a big player. And Dr Farooq (Abdullah) did not mention Mehbooba’s name (on the day of his release in Srinagar, he demanded the release of Omar and Mehbooba too) for nothing yesterday. I mean, it all adds up.” To a pointed question on whether like he went to meet Abdullah senior in detention, anyone went to meet Mehbooba too, Dulat said, “Who knows. But I don’t know, I have no idea.” Though Dulat said the government would talk to Mehbooba too, the former Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) chief and special director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) categorically stated to the interviewer, Karan Thapar, that he was confident of Omar Abdullah being the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.“He will be the next chief  . https://thewire.in/politics/omar-abdullah-chief-minister-jammu-and-kashmir
5.   China: Mar., 17, 2020: China has reiterated that the Kashmir issue, which is a dispute left from history, should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Security council (UNSC) resolutions and bilateral agreement. “China opposes any unilateral actions that complicate the situation,” read a joint statement issued by Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday at the conclusion of the two-day visit of President Dr Arif Alvi to China. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2178216/1-beijing-reaffirms-support-kashmir-president-alvi-visits-virus-hit-china/
6.   UK Parliament: Mar., 17, 2020: As many as 32 Members of British Parliament have supported the demand for a debate on gross human rights violations in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir to ask the British government and the international community to play their role in mitigating the sufferings of the Kashmiri people at the hands of Indian brutal forces. The support has been expressed by the British MPs in response to a letter written by Jammu and Kashmir Self-Determination Movement International Chairman, Raja Najabat Hussain. Raja Najabat along with a team contacted all the MPs in the UK Parliament to participate in the debate and speak on gross human rights violations in occupied Jammu and Kashmir. These 32 MPs have supported Debbie Abrahams, Chairperson of All Parties Parliamentary Group on Kashmir in the British Parliament.JKSDMI Chairman Raja Najabat Hussain wrote the letter requesting more than 400 MPs as well as Councilors, community leaders and people from all walks of life to play their role to make this debate successful and put forward their names to Speaker of the House of Commons for their speeches on the issue. It is worth mentioning here that Debbie Abrahams, UK Labour Party MP and Chairperson of All Parties Parliamentary Group on Kashmir (APPGK) in the British Parliament, presented, in the second week of March, a resolution titled “Human Rights in Kashmir” in the UK Parliament for a debate on rights situation in occupied Kashmir. The parliament, accepting the resolution, fixed 26th March for debate. The members will take part in the debate for three hours. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/17/32-mps-voice-support-for-debate-on-kashmir-in-uk-parliament/
7.   Solider martyred: Mar., 17, 2020: A Pakistan Army soldier was martyred after Indian forces resorted to unprovoked fire in the Shahkot sector along the Line of Control (LOC) on Tuesday.“Indian Army troops resorted to unprovoked fire in Shahkot sector along LOC with heavy weapons,” said the Inter-Services Public Relations. “During the exchange of fire, one brave soldier Sepoy Wajid Ali, age 20 years, resident of District Dadu, valiantly responding to Indian ceasefire violation (CFV) embraced shahadat. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2178084/1-one-pakistan-army-soldier-martyred-indian-firing-across-loc/
8.   Economic strangulation: Mar., 19, 2020: President of the Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement and senior Hurriyat leader Altaf Ahmad Bhat censured Indian democracy by highlighting the injustice and inhumane actions the Modi fascist government has been carrying upon besieged people of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). While talking to ZMC News live from UK, Bhat said that the pre-planned actions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his aides Amit Shah, Ajit Doval and Indian army chief were to economically strangle the region and people were thrown into a digital black hole “In a bid to weaken the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian government started economic terrorism, and hence the world-famous apples, walnuts and apricots of IOJ&K were destroyed because of Indian state terrorism.” Shedding light on situations of education, Bhat affirmed that the education system of Kashmir is one of its kind, and it’s better than Indian education system, however, in order to snatch future of Kashmiri children and youth, Indian brutal forces have converted schools, colleges, and universities into army camps with additional forces. “The students are going through psychological trauma and are unaware of their future.”  The president went on to say that Indian occupation troops under the guise of cordon and search operations are deliberately targeting the young Kashmiris by falselybranding them as terrorists.    https://tribune.com.pk/story/2178873/1-india-economically-strangling-occupied-kashmir/
9.   Yasin Malik: Mar., 20, 2020: The illegally detained Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Muhammad Yasin Malik has announced to go on ‘a fast until death’ from 1st April 2020 against the authoritarian attitude of India.Muhammad Yasin Malik in a statement released by his family in Srinagar, today, said that the Indian government had made a pledge with him that he would be provided with a genuine political space and efforts would be made for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute through a meaningful dialogue process. However, he added that India had reneged from this pledge. Muhammad Yasin Malik pointed out that besides Indian officials, many international diplomats were also on board for pursuing the idea behind the pledge. The JKLF Chairman said, the cases against him are politically motivated and the prejudice of the TADA court judge hearing a case against him was evident by his attitude. Muhammad Yasin Malik maintained that he had every legal right to be presented physically before the court but the Judge and the Central Bureau of Investigation at the behest of the Indian government did not allow it. He said he was presented through a video link, where he was neither able to hear the arguments of lawyers, nor was allowed to speak. He added that he had already withdrawn his counsel. Muhammad Yasin Malik, who is detained in Delhi’s Tihar jail, deplored that the judge was not ready to listen to him, and was behaving like a prosecuting or police officer. He went on to add that whenever he tried to speak, the judge muted the volume or went offline, which showed his bias and prejudice against him and his friends. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/19/yasin-malik-to-go-on-hunger-strike-till-death/
10.          New laws: Mar., 20, 2020: In a bid to totally annex occupied Jammu and Kashmir with India, the Modi government has ordered implementation of 37 Central Laws in the territory. The order issued by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (Department of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs), has been notified in the Gazette of India along with a schedule mentioning all 37 central Acts. Issued after the nod of the Indian Cabinet, the order will allow 37 central laws in the Concurrent List to be implemented in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Indian Cabinet had given a nod to implement these laws in occupied Kashmir on February 26, this year. This new Order will be called the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Order, 2020. The provisions will come into force with immediate effect in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which came into being on October 31, 2019, after India repealed the special status of occupied Kashmir on August 5, 2019. India had also announced to divide occupied Kashmir into two Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Among the said 37 Indian laws some include important acts like All India Services Act, The Census Act, The Central Goods and Services Tax Act, Income Tax Act, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Act, which were not earlier applicable to Jammu and Kashmir, but will now be applied in the territory. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/20/another-anti-kashmir-act/
11.          AI: Mar., 21, 2020: In wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir must restore full access to internet services in the region of Jammu and Kashmir and ensure that people have full access to health and safety related information, said Amnesty International India today. “There is a growing anxiety around the pandemic and unwarranted restrictions on content and dissemination of information only stands to add to the panic,” said Avinash Kumar, Executive Director of Amnesty International India."Complete shutdowns or restricting of internet speed or access makes it difficult for people to navigate their way through a difficult time further undermining their trust in the authorities. The Government of India needs to adopt a rights-respecting approach to protect public health and restore access to 4G speed internet." Human rights approach must be at the centre of all prevention, preparedness, containment, and treatment efforts to protect public health and support the most vulnerable groups. The right to health, as guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, provides for the right to access healthcare. Access to health-related information is also a crucial part of the right to health. Providing “education and access to information concerning the main health problems in the community, including methods of preventing and controlling them” is considered an “obligation of comparable priority” to the core obligations of the right to health. The latest Situation Report issued by the World Health Organisation on 17 March recommended that that the public must be informed of the situation so that they can take appropriate measures to protect yourself and your family. It further advised that anxiety around the outbreak can be countered by access to facts from reliable sources that help accurately determine risks so that reasonable precautions can be taken. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have the right to remain informed of the threat to their health, the measures to mitigate risks, early warning information of possible future consequences and information on ongoing response efforts. They have the right to information in the local languages and through media and in formats that can be easily understood and accessed, so that they can fully participate and take informed decisions in the response efforts. Failures to do so can heighten the sense of helplessness, anger and frustration, undermine the public health response, put the health of others at risk, and may constitute human rights violations.“The situation in relation to the coronavirus is constantly evolving. To ensure its full communication to the people of Jammu & Kashmir, the Government of India must urgently lift internet restrictions in the region and ensure real time preparedness of the people against the spread of the virus. The responses to coronavirus cannot be based on human rights violations and a lack of transparency and censorship,” said Avinash Kumar. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/03/mitigate-risks-of-covid-19-for-jammu-and-kashmir-by-immediately-restoring-full-access-to-internet-services/
12.          COVID 19 and IOK: Mar., 21, 2020: “This is so frustrating. Trying to download the guidelines for intensive care management as proposed by doctors in England. It is as many as 24 MBs. It has been one hour…still not able to do so,” Iqbal Saleem, a professor of surgery at Government Medical College, Srinagar tweeted on Thursday about his inability to access intensive care management guidelines as the coronavirus pandemic spreads.“While the world is helping each other in fighting #COVID, a professor of surgery in Kashmir had to waste hours trying to download treatment guidelines from the internet,” another Kashmiri doctor tweeted in response. “Reason? Internet is deliberately slowed down! When will this collective punishment end?” he asked. A research scholar from Kashmir also tweeted about the urgent need to restore high-speed internet which remains officially banned in Kashmir, after an unprecedented government-ordered shutdown following the reading down of Article 370 on August 5 last year.“Restore the damn 4G internet, Modi. Human security and health of the people of J&K must not be kept hostage to the so-called ‘security of the state’ which is being invoked as the reason for the continuing internet restrictions in J&K,” Tahir Firaz, a Dublin-based Kashmiri researcher tweeted.“Our doctors need internet now.” “This becomes all the more important in Kashmir given the poor healthcare infrastructure. The effects of the pandemic are only worsening because of rampant misinformation and rumours,” he said. Andrabi and his colleagues in the US tried to reach out to people in Kashmir by making informative videos in Kashmiri language about COVID-19 with facts about the infection and ways to prevent its spread. However, he points out, the biggest hurdle they’re facing is making the information accessible through the internet to people in Kashmir is the ongoing ban on high-speed internet. “Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that the internet is properly restored in the valley before the problem become too big for anyone to handle, including the Indian government itself which will likely have plenty of coronavirus related problems of its own to deal with within a short span of time,” he cautioned. On Thursday, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK), a doctors’ body in Kashmir started an online initiative which will make doctors available online for voluntary health consultations to people through WhatsApp and mobile phones in order to limit hospital visits of routine patients in view of the COVID-19 scare.The doctors’ body has also requested more doctors to volunteer and provide online consultations to patients so that “people suffering from general ailments limit visiting hospitals.”“Internet should be fully restored as it would be helpful in disseminating critical information by doctors about the coronavirus epidemic among people,” said Dr. Mir Mushtaq, a senior executive member of DAK. “Even the government can use the internet to disseminate a positive message and keep people updated about the steps taken by administration.” A psychiatrist who works in a government hospital in south Kashmir told The Wire that given the rising anxieties and restricted mobility of people, the already stretched healthcare system in Kashmir will be soon overwhelmed by general patients instead of preparing and focusing on coronavirus patients. The doctor said that 4G internet access should be immediately restored by the authorities so that they can provide online video consultations to general patients in order to minimiSe the patient load in hospitals. “It’s a double whammy for the Kashmiri population in general and persons suffering from mental health issues in particular. A video call to their physician/psychiatrist would have alleviated anxieties of the patients when every other doctor here is offering their personal cell numbers for their patients in this hour of need,” he said.  Another doctor, an assistant professor in a medical college said due to the months-long internet ban, he couldn’t follow up on many of his patients from August 5 last year who would otherwise consult him and remain in touch via video calls for their medication. “In my personal practice, video call consultation, and videos through WhatsApp was a routine until the lockdown from August 5 last year,” he said, adding that it was very feasible for elderly and frail patients across the valley as well as they didn’t have to move out of their homes and travel.“Many such patients have stopped medications and I have lost the opportunity to follow up on many more patients since last summer,” he said. “It has been a tragedy in my personal practice.” The doctor said in the present situation when the coronavirus epidemic is posing a serious threat and claiming lives worldwide, the restoration of 4G internet services would “at least alleviate the anxiety and fears among people and also help the student community.” “Despite the rising number of cases, on 17 March 2020 the Government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir ordered for the continued restrictions on full internet services such as restricting the speed to 2G in the region. Complete internet shutdowns have also been imposed intermittently in certain areas in the guise of security,” the statement further said.   https://thewire.in/rights/coronavirus-kashmir-slow-internet
13.           
Kashmir Update 66: Week Mar.,9, 2019 to Mar., 15, 2020  
           
1.    OIC: Mar., 9, 2020: OIC Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir Yousef M Al Dobeay, who led a six-member delegation on a five-day visit to Pakistan, said the OIC was concerned about the situation in Kashmir. The envoy said Jammu and Kashmir was an “internationally recognised” dispute and called for its peaceful settlement. “The OIC will take all necessary steps to alleviate the sufferings of the Kashmiris and help resolve the dispute according to the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.  . https://kashmirobserver.net/2020/03/07/oic-wants-peaceful-resolution-of-kashmir-issue-official/
2.   Protest: Mar., 9, 2020: British Kashmiris and Pakistanis held a protest on Sunday to pay tribute to the oppressed women of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) – who have been fighting for their right to self-determination in the Himalayan valley. The protesters, gathered outside the British Prime Minister’s House at 10 Downing Street, chanted slogans against the atrocities and persecution of Kashmiri women and children by brutal Indian forces. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2171961/1-british-kashmiris-pakistanis-call-end-violence-women-iok/
3.   New party: Mar., 9, 2020: The first indications of the Centre’s political plans became apparent two days before the controversial visit of foreign envoys on January 9, when nine former legislators sought an audience with Lt Governor G.C. Murmu in Jammu. The group was led by Altaf Bukhari – a former member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party who served as a minister in the BJP-PDP coalition government which collapsed in 2018 after the BJP pulled the plug on the alliance. Bukhari’s delegation furnished a memorandum listing a number of demands that includes restoration of statehood and extension of domicile laws to J&K. Later, members of the delegation, Bukhari included, sat across the table with the visiting foreign envoys who were shepherded around Srinagar as part of the Narendra Modi government’s efforts to project ‘normalcy’ in the former state. The two meetings prompted the PDP to expel the former legislators for being part of parleys with the government and “acting against the will of people.” Certainly, all mainstream parties have reasons to be furious with the Central government. They have been relegated to margins and their leaders are now into their sixth month of captivity without charge.  With the former state in the grip of such repression and prolonged political inactivity threatening to create a power vacuum, it was only a matter of time before the Central government moved to engineer a new political set-up – one that would not only help it assuage international concerns but would also, post the ending of Article 370, play second fiddle to it in the way that the NC or PDP would have not. It’s here that Bukhari’s re-entry into politics, after being expelled from the PDP in 2018, fits in. He will be the nucleus around which a ‘third front’ is to be built, with the backing of the Centre and its instrumentalities. Another apparent contender for the Centre’s affections, the PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, was given a Padma Bhushan in the Republic Day honours listand most political observers in the Valley see this as his consolation prize for his having lost out to Bukhari. Bukhari’s meeting earlier in January with Governor Murmu also coincided with reports of the announcement of a new political party. With himself at the helm, the new set-up is likely to capitalise on desertions from the NC, PDP and Congress. Thus, from the ruins of the older order, a new one will be fashioned, compliant enough to operate within the strictly regulated framework whose terms Delhi will get to decide. The memorandum that Bukhari submitted to the Lt Governor clearly delineates the contours within which the new formation will function. They have demanded domicile rights, extension of Article 371 of the constitution to J&K, protection of jobs for locals and a host of other issues.  Right from J&K’s accession to India in 1947 until the present day, the political history of Kashmir is studded with such eventful occurrences when successive governments in New Delhi went out of their way to ruthlessly intervene in Kashmir’s politics, undermining democracy and installing collaborationist regimes conditioned to be at their beck and call    https://thewire.in/politics/altaf-bukhari-kashmir-third-front
4.   Women day: Mar., 9, 2020: As the world is observing the International Women’s Day, today, the miseries and victimization of the Kashmiri women at the hands of Indian troops and police personnel continue unabated in occupied Kashmir. According to a report released by the Research Section of Kashmir Media Service on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, today, thousands of women are among 95,507 Kashmiris, martyred by Indian military, paramilitary and police personnel since January 1989 till date. At least 671 women have been martyred by Indian troops since January 2001 till date. The report pointed out that the unabated Indian state terrorism rendered 22,912 women widowed. The Indian forces’ personnel molested 11,179 women including the victims of Kununposhpora mass rape and Shopian double-rape-and murder of 17-year-old Aasiya Jan and her sister-in-law Neelofar Jan. An eight-year girl, Aasifa Bano, of Kathua, was abducted, gang-raped and subsequently murdered by Indian police personnel, in January 2018. The report said that thousands of women lost their sons, husbands, fathers and brothers in the occupied territory who were subjected to custodial disappearance by India troops. As per the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons, more than 8,000 Kashmiris went missing in custody during the past 31 years, the report added.The report revealed that thousands of school boys and girls were also injured by the pellets fired by Indian troops while over hundred including 19-month-old Heeba Jan, 2-year-old Nusrat Jan, Ulfat Hameed (17), Insha Mushtaq, Ifrah Shakoor (17), Shakeela Bano, Tammana (11), Shabroza Mir (16), Shakeela Begum(35) and Rafia Bano (31)were blinded. The report said that near a dozen women including Hurriyat leaders, Aasiya Andrabi, Fehmeeda Sofi, Naheeda Nasreen and Insha Tariq Shah (23) were facing illegal detention inside Kashmir jails and in infamous Tihar Jail in India. They are being victimized only for representing the Kashmiri people’s righteous demand and aspirations. The report further pointed out that womenfolk are majority of the Kashmiris suffering from multiple psychic problems. The women whom these disappeared men leave behind are referred to as “half-widows,” reflecting their uncertain status between wifehood and widowhood.Many mothers are waiting for their disappeared sons while widows and half-widows are in pain since decades in occupied territory. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/08/thousands-of-women-killed-molested-by-indian-troops-in-iok/
5.   Youth martyred: Mar., 9, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops  martyred two Kashmiri youth in Shopian district, today. The youth were killed by Indian troops during a violent siege and search operation in Khawjapora Reban area of the district. Meanwhile, Indian forces blocked all entry and exit points of the area and conducted house-to-house search. The movement of the people was restricted. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/09/indian-troops-martyr-one-kashmiri-youth-in-iok-2/
6.   Arrests: Mar.,10, 2020: Jahanzaib Sami and his wife Hina Bashir Beigh, both in their late 30s and residents of Srinagar, were detained from their rented home in Okhla Vihar on Sunday and booked for sedition and promoting enmity between different communities under Sections 124A and 153A of the Indian Penal Code, and under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), police officials said. The family of the couple said the two were professionals with no interest in CAA or ISIS. “We are shocked. They are being framed just because they are Kashmiri Muslims. They are career oriented people and have a very clean record. They had no interest in the Kashmir issue and the CAA is out of question. Why would they instigate other people?,” asked Sami’s sister Sehrish Sami.  Sami has a BTech and MBA, and was working as a project manager with a UK based IT company in Srinagar, the family claimed. The company asked him to shift to Delhi after the internet shutdown in J&K following the revocation of the erstwhile state’s special status on August 5 last year.   . https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/framed-for-being-kashmiri-muslims-says-family-of-kashmir-couple-arrested-for-is-links/story-W2wrU0gry4EF0m7Qgd43DJ.html
7.   MAPIM: Mar., 10, 2020: Kuala Lumpur based non-governmental organization, Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organization (MAPIM) has expressed deep anguish and concerns over the prevailing bloodbath targeting Muslims in India and inhuman lockdown in occupied Kashmir. The MAPIM headed by Mohammad Azmi Abdul Hamid in a statement issued in Kuala Lumpur demanded the Indian government to immediately take action against Hindus extremist elements who targeted and killed the innocent Muslims in Delhi and destroyed their properties and masjids. The organization also condemned the role of the Indian media and police in being biased against the Muslims and being complicit with the government to promote their hateful agenda of division and oppression. “The unjust policies, laws and actions by the government have intentionally target a religious creed and this will render India unmanageable politically, socially and economically,” the statement added. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/10/mapim-denounces-massacre-of-indian-muslims-lockdown-in-iok/
8.   Funeral: Mar., 11, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, thousands of people defying curfew and other restrictions participated in the funeral prayers of two martyred youth in Kulgam and Shopian districts. The youth identified as Shabbir Ahmed Malik and Aamir Ahmed Dar were killed by Indian troops during a violent cordon and search operation in Ribbon area of Shopian district, yesterday. The troops also destroyed a house with mortar shells. Amid high-pitched pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, the martyred youth were buried in their ancestral graveyards in Kulgam and Shopian districts. The killing triggered complete shutdown in the two districts.  . https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/10/thousands-turn-up-for-martyrs-funeral-in-iok/
9.   Youth arrested: Mar., 12, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops arrested over a dozen youth during the ongoing crackdown operations in Pulwama district, today.The troops launched massive cordon and search operations in Sirnoo, Monghama and Kareemabad areas of the district. They barged into houses, ransacked household goods and arrested, at least, 13 youth. The troops also harassed the inmates. A police official said the youth were arrested on charges of taking part in anti-India protests  . https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/11/indian-troops-arrest-13-youth-in-iok/
10.          Exhibition: Mar., 12, 2020: The Organisation Of Kashmir Coalition OKC arranged an exhibition titled”Stop Genocide in Kashmir” on the Common Wealth Day, celebrated by an alliance of 54 countries spanning the globe, which is known as The common Wealth.The participants of the exhibition were informed that India being a member of the Common Wealth is violating all the core values of the organization. The exhibition reminded the representatives of member states with 2.4 billion Common Wealth citizens around the globe that New Delhi is continuously committing crimes against humanity in occupied Kashmir, especially after the abrogation of Article 370. All prominent Kashmiri leaders are jailed and life of ordinary citizens is at stake. The plight of the in the backdrop of India’s unilateral action of 5th August was highlighted. The exhibition tried to portray that the lockdown and cyber curfew had put a blanket cover on the human rights violations committed by the Indian troops in the occupied territory with impunity. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/11/stop-genocide-in-kashmir-exhibition-held-in-london/
11.          Youth martyred: Mar., 13, 2020:  In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism martyred one Kashmiri youth in Baramulla district, today.The troops martyred the youth identified as Mudassir Ahmed Butt during a cordon and search operation in Shutloo area of the district.   https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/13/indian-troops-martyr-one-kashmiri-youth-in-baramulla-4/
12.          UK Parliament: Mar., 13, 2020: Debbie Abrahams, UK Labour Party MP and Chairperson of All Parties Parliamentary Group on Kashmir (APPGK) in the British Parliament, presented a resolution in the UK Parliament for debate. March 26 has been fixed for debate on the resolution titled “Human Rights in Kashmir”.The debate is being held in the wake of a week-long visit by a delegation of the APPGK to Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir last month. The parliamentary delegation, besides a report of the visit, also presented a resolution in the parliament for a detailed debate on ‘Kashmir situation and human rights in Kashmir’. The parliament, accepting the resolution, fixed 26th March for debate. The members will take part in the debate for three hours  https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/13/debate-on-human-rights-in-kashmir-in-uk-parliament-on-march-26/
13.          Farooq Abdullah: Mar., 15, 2020:   former R&AW chief A.S. Dulat says that he visited Srinagar to meet Abdullah and that the government had cleared the visit and, additionally, national security adviser Ajit Doval was fully aware of it. Dulat – who said he visited Abdullah in Srinagar on February 12 – has known the National Conference patriarch for decades and interceded with him on behalf of earlier governments on at least two previous occasions. Speaking to Karan Thapar for The Wire, he says Farooq Abdullah will respond if the Centre reaches out and that he has always done so. Dulat told The Wire that his involvement began when he spoke to Abdullah on October 31 to enquire how he was. He asked if he could come and meet him and Abdullah said that depends on the authorities.  Dulat then contacted a former colleague in the IB in Srinagar who said he would need to get clearance from Delhi. Dulat then contacted sources in the home ministry in Delhi but they did not give him permission to meet Farooq Abdullah. However, on February 9, he received a phone call from the home ministry saying he was free to go to Kashmir. Dulat says this phone call would only have happened with the knowledge and concurrence of Doval and this means the NSA was fully in the loop. Although Dulat told The Wire his visit to Srinagar was a “private” one, he revealed that the IB in Srinagar provided transport to take him from Srinagar airport to Abdullah’s residence at Gupkar Road and back to the airport. It was a short trip and Dulat was back home in Delhi by 6.30 pm the same day. Shortly after his return, he was rung by the home ministry to find out how the trip had gone. Dulat told The Wire that he spoke to Farooq Abdullah late on the night of March 13t), some six hours after the latter’s release, and that Abdullah told him he would probably come to Delhi in 15 days time. This means Abdullah is likely to miss the present session of parliament altogether. Speaking about his meeting with Abdullah on February 12, Dulat told The Wire that the NC leader was particularly concerned about the use of PSA against his son, Omar Abdullah, and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti. Dulat said Abdullah could not understand why this was done. He says Abdullah also expressed concern about the impact of the reading down of Article 370 and all the subsequent developments in Kashmir on his grandchildren. He said he himself was fully committed to India and had brought up his children in the same way. But now he did not know how to answer questions his grandchildren may ask  The meeting with Farooq lasted for an hour during which time he also met Abdullah’s wife, Molly, and his daughter, Safia, and had lunch.Dulat told The Wire he was confident the government would also find some way of talking to Mehbooba Mufti if it had not already done so. Talking about Omar Abdullah, Dulat said the present government was even more comfortable with Omar than with Farooq. With great confidence, he said Omar Abdullah would be the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, i.e. whenever the state elections are held.   https://thewire.in/security-security/interview-karan-thapar-a-s-dulat-farooq-abdullah


Kashmir Update 65: Week Mar.,2, 2019 to Mar., 8, 2020  

           

1.    VPH: Mar 2, 2020:  Keen to clamp down on VPN use, the security forces first resorted to physical checks of smartphones, as multiple Kashmir residents told  Scroll.in. Then, on February 17, the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s cyber wing filed a first information reprt on the alleged “misuse of social media” through VPNs. The FIR invoked the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code against unknown persons. According to police officials, there have been no arrests directly under the cyber police’s FIR. But it has kicked into motion several arrests under FIRs filed at the district level. Scroll.in tracked down at least five cases of arrest since February 17, all for social media and VPN use. https://scroll.in/article/954711/in-kashmir-a-spree-of-arrests-for-alleged-misuse-of-social-media-and-vpns.

2.   Journalism in Occupied Kashmir: Mar., 2, 2020: Due to frequent internet blockage IOK journalists, face difficulty in broadcasting their stories and full filling their duties. In recent lockdown and revoke of article 370, life in IOK became stagnant and miserable. The lockdown of the internet has ceased communication. The Indian authorities had snapped the broadband internet connection of the Kashmir press club. This move meant 200 journalists who are a member of Kashmir Press Club; fraternity could not file their reports. Hence, Internet blockage is the main hindrance in full filling the profession of journalism in IOK. Besides the difficulties of internet blockage, journalists of the valley face imprisonment, torture and even murder for their obvious duty. They are continuously harassed. Indian authorities are seeking forced undertakings from news organizations regarding assurance to defend Indian defined narrative. India has also issued an advisory to international journalists who are working in India, reminding them that they would need prior permission to travel to “protected areas” including IOK. IOK journalists are bound to ensure the Indian government promoted versions. They are summed and called to police stations often. The detention of Journalists in Counter Insurgency Centre (Cargo) in Srinagar has become a routine matter. Beside local journalists, Peerzada Ashiq who works for “The Hindu” was also summoned to Kothi Bagh Police station. He was interrogated for breaking news regarding IOK. Aqib Javaid of Daily Kashmir Observer was interrogated for interviewing Aasiya Andrabi (Chairman Dukhtaran-e-Millat). Asif Sultan Assistant Editor at Kashmir Narrator was arrested in lieu of defaming India and possession of incriminatory material on his laptop. None of these charges were substantiated. These assaults on journalists are an attempt to suppress freedom of expression in IOK. On the other hand, under the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA),  journalists are captured, detained, tortured and molested by the Indian army for portraying the true events to the world. Recently, pellets were fired on four photojournalists in the Shopian area of the valley. This assault left these journalists injured. Asian Forum for Human Rights development (FORUM-Asia) expressed its concerns over the firing and detention of journalists. Journalist broadcasting truth is accused of spying and supporting Pakistan. These journalists are detained, tortured and left without any proof of allegation on them. In recent curfew, journalism is the most suffered profession in IOK. Only a few local and international journalists are daring enough to work in IOK in today´s situation. Operating freely from the valley has become a dream for IOK journalists. Concluding more! Human Rights commissions condemned India for its genocide in Kashmir including people from any walk of life. Human Rights watch urge India to ensure the security of Journalists in IOK. United Nations should take positive actions and pressurize India to bring peace in the valley and provide security to the journalist. India should allow International journalists and news agencies to work in IOK providing sufficient security to them. Indian army should be prohibited to capture or torture any registered journalist regardless of any proven allegation. Human Rights violations should be controlled. http://kashmirwatch.com/journalism-in-indian-occupied-kashmir/
3.   Youth arrested: Mar., 3, 2030: In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops arrested several Kashmiri youth during crackdown operations and house raids in different areas of the territory. Around half a dozen youth including Fayaz Ahmed Butt, Muzamil Nabi, Umar Ajaz, Rauf Ahamd and Ishfaq Ahmad were arrested in Srinagar, Badgam, Ganderbal and Bandipore districts. The occupational forces have created an atmosphere of fear and harassment through the ongoing cordon and search operations in Kupwara, Baramulla, Islamabad, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda, Rajouri and Poonch districts. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/02/indian-troops-arrest-several-youth-in-iok/
4.   OIC Special envoy: Mar., 4, 2020: Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Monday briefed the visiting OIC Secretary General's Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Yousef M. Al Dobeay and his delegation on the worst human rights situations in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The parliamentary panel on Kashmir met here with its chairman Syed Fakhar Imam in the chair for an in-camera session, which was also specially attended by the OIC Secretary General's Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir and members of his delegation. The OIC's delegation is visiting Pakistan from March 2-6 during, which they will also visit the areas along the Line of Control to get first-hand information about the losses caused to both life and property due to the India's ceasefire violations, besides visiting the Azad Jammu and Kashmir. . https://www.brecorder.com/2020/03/03/576591/jammu-and-kashmir-oic-sgs-special-envoy-briefed-about-iok-situation/. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)'s Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir Ambassador Yousef M. Al Dobeay said on Tuesday that the "OIC has always strongly supported the resolution of the Kashmir issue and the resolution of both Kashmir and Palesti ne The special envoy is part of a six-member delegation that reached Pakistan on Monday for a five-day visit to witness the destruction and sufferings caused by ceasefire violations by Indian troops along the Line of Control (LoC).e issues stand at the top of OIC's agenda." https://www.dawn.com/news/1538109/kashmir-and-palestine-foremost-on-oics-agenda-says-special-envoy
5.   Youth martyred: Mar., 5, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism martyred a Kashmiri youth in Baramulla district, today. The troops killed the 22-year-old youth, identified as Omar Subhan, during a cordon and search operation in Warpura area of Sopore in the district.Earlier, a Special Police Officer of Indian police was killed and another was injured in an attack in the same area. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/04/indian-troops-martyr-youth-in-baramulla/
6.   Freedom of World: Mar., 5, 2020: In the latest edition of Freedom in the World, an annual report published by Washington-based pro-democracy nonprofit Freedom House, India has suffered the largest decline in its political rights and civil liberties score among the 25 most populous democracies because of the Narendra Modi government’s “alarming departures from democratic norms,” while Kashmir’s status has declined from “Partly Free” to “Not Free.” On Kashmir, the Report 2020 highlights the abrupt revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) special status on 5 August, 2019, the massive deployment of troops, the arbitrary arrests of hundreds of Kashmiri leaders and activists, and shutdown of mobile and internet services. Kashmir, the report said, “experienced one of the largest single-year score declines of the past 10 years in Freedom in the World, and its freedom status dropped to Not Free. Interestingly, the Freedom House was founded in 1941 with the support of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the rise of Nazism at the time. The 2020 gives a damning assessment of the Modi government’s pattern of Hindu nationalist policies, including the persecution of religious minorities, abruptly revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, the adoption of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which it calls a discriminatory citizenship law and the aggressive suppression of the anti-CAA protests that followed. India, which is ranked ‘Free,’ dropped from 75/100 in 2019 to 71 in 2020.“Indian government has taken its Hindu nationalist agenda to a new level with a succession of policies that abrogate the rights of different segments of its Muslim population, threatening the democratic future of a country long seen as a potential bulwark of freedom in Asia and the world,” Sarah Repucci, Freedom House’s Senior Director of Research and Analysis, writes in the report. India because of its Hindu nationalist policies was highlighted as glaring example in the 2020 Freedom report, which is called A Leaderless Struggle For Democracy. The report said, “The BJP has distanced itself from the country’s founding commitment to pluralism and individual rights, without which democracy cannot long survive.”  https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/04/freedom-report-grills-india-for-anti-kashmir-anti-muslim-agenda/
7.   Journalism under occupation: Mar., 6, 2020:  Next day, we woke up to a curfew or we can call it a military siege, stricter and more threatening than what we had witnessed in Kashmir before. Streets, lanes and bylanes that connect one area with the other were sealed with barbed wires. Everywhere, only gun-toting paramilitary troops with orders to foil any kind of resistance were present on the roads. I was watching television and at around 10:30 am, news channels reported that home minister Amit Shah had presented a Bill in the upper house of parliament to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy. Two days after restrictions were placed; I went outside to observe the situation. When I reached the main road, I was chased by soldiers who swore at me. They behaved in an uncouth manner and didn’t even let me tell them that I am a journalist. I was left without any work, like hundreds of thousands of other young Kashmiris whose careers were in peril and who were looking for new opportunities. My plans were falling apart before me and I felt distressed at home. It was difficult to concentrate on anything, as rumours about killings, detention of youth and protests were circling. Every night, I kept tossing and turning in bed, thinking about the future of my people. I wanted to amplify their voices, as their human rights were being brazenly violated. But I was helpless In South Kashmir districts people told us horrific tales of torture, detention and loss. Most people looked frightened and refused to talk to us. It was as if an invisible tape bound their mouth or there was a gun to their heads, asking them to accept the decision that had changed their lives drastically and had been made without counting their opinion. During my career, I have mostly covered South Kashmir, where hundreds of people were killed during the last few years of anti-militancy operations and violent protests. I had never met a local who was reluctant to talk to the media. In fact, they were always vocal. The one phrase that was often repeated to us while interviewing people was, “Kasheer Karikh Khatim (Kashmir has been destroyed One afternoon, we went to a nearby hotel to have lunch. A Kashmiri man, probably in his 40s and wearing a salwar kameez, was sitting at the table before us. He looked distressed and tired and started to converse with us. He had come to Jammu all the way from Shopian, a hotbed of militancy in South Kashmir, to meet his elder brother, who was incarcerated in the Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu. The brother had been picked up by the police from his home two days after the dilution of Article 370.As he wasn’t able to make any contact with his brother, two days ago, he had left his home early morning under clampdown. He had passed through scores of barricades and security checkpoints. He walked by foot, hitchhiked up to Anantnag, around 35 kilometres from Shopian, where he boarded a cab to Jammu. While speaking to us, the man was almost in tears. He was running out of money and wanted to leave Jammu as soon as possible. “Before leaving home, I collected some cash from family members and took a cheque with me,” the man told me. “I thought I would withdraw it in Jammu as the banks were still closed in Shopian.”When he went to the bank to withdraw money, the cheque got bounced because of an incorrect signature. He couldn’t even contact his family. Before leaving the hotel, the man turned toward us and said, “Assi Kya Korukh (What has been done to us?).” When I returned home, I began feeling frustrated again. In Jammu, I came to know that I had been shortlisted for the ‘Young Journalist Award 2019’ run by Thomson Foundation in collaboration with the Foreign Press Association. I was waiting for news on who would be the three finalists, as they would be flown to London to attend the Gala Award Ceremony.I gave access to my email to a friend who was working in Delhi in a private firm. He was checking my email everyday day. I wasn’t one of the three finalists, but I was given an opportunity to sign up for a free online course offered by the Thomson Foundation. I was unable to utilise that opportunity as the Internet was still disconnected in Kashmir.To work around the restrictions, I had begun to dictate story ideas to my friend in Delhi, who sending emails to editors on my behalf.  In the months preceding August 5, 2019, I was regularly writing reports from Kashmir. During the last six months, I only managed to file four reports. The Internet blockade in Kashmir has already surpassed 200 days. On January 25, a painfully slow speed mobile internet was restored with access limited to just government-approved whitelisted websites. It was mere eyewash, just to show the outside world that ‘normalcy’ has returned to Kashmir. Apart from stifling journalism, the prolonged internet ban has severely damaged businesses has left Kashmiri students in distress. And still, we do not know when the restrictions will be lifted.Can you imagine living in today’s digital world without the Internet, under a prolonged military siege? Have you ever witnessed raids in the dark of the night and widespread detentions? Have you ever stayed in your own home as a prisoner for months? https://thewire.in/rights/kashmir-life-under-clampdown
8.   PSA: Mar., 6, 2020: Geneva: International Human Rights Association of American minorities (IHRAAM), a global organisation dedicated to human rights and right to self-determination, has expressed deep concern about Kashmiris’ arbitrarily detentions and accused India of widely misusing a law allowing for detention without trial in Indian occupied Kashmir. Barrister Abdul Majid Tramboo represents the IHRAAM at the 43rd session (24 February-20 March 2020) of the Human Rights Council at UN offices in Geneva. The Public Safety Act (PSA), which Indian Supreme Court describes a “lawless law” under which the Indian authorities hold children, old people, political leaders, activists, lawyers and protesters, IHRAAM said in its statement submitted at on ongoing session. It was a breach of international human rights law, the statement of IHRAAM said published on the UN General Assembly said.The IHRAAM, which is in consultative status with the UN, demands that PSA be scrapped and prisoners released. “OHCHR, the President of UNHRC and UNGA must take serious note of this and call upon India to repeal the PSA to ensure it complies with its international human rights norms and obligations and release all the prisoners detained under PSA,” it said. The law prohibits the detention of children but IHRAAM said that Indian authorities knowingly detained minors under this law. IHRAAM said that Indian authorities use the PSA as a safety net, using it to secure the detention of people who are released, or likely to be released, on bail. It said that authorities keep on issuing orders to keep people behind bars. In August 2018, authorities amended the Act to remove a proviso that barred detainees who are permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir from being lodged in jails outside the state. The US NGO IHRAAM said that at least 40 pro-freedom Kashmiri political leaders, who are detained under PSA, have been moved to Indian jails outside the state. In its statement. This law provides cover to those officials who detain people arbitrarily. As per Section 22, “no suit, prosecution or any other legal proceeding shall lie against any person for anything done or intended to be done in good faith” under the PSA  http://kashmirwatch.com/india-is-misusing-lawless-law-in-kashmir-us-ngo-informs-unhrc-at-geneva/
9.   PSA : Mar., 7, 2020: In occupied Kashmir, the authorities have booked three more youth under draconian law, Public Safety Act. The occupation authorities slapped the black law on the youth, Nisar Ahmed Rathar, Mubarak Ahmed Dar and Faheem Ahmed Sofi. Nisar Ahmed Rathar was shifted to Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu while Mubarak Dar and Faheem Sofi were lodged at sub-jail Mattan in Islamabad district. Under the PSA a person can be kept under detention for upto two years without trial. Over 750 of the Kashmiri detainees have been booked under the PSA. Prominent among those slapped with the black law include Kashmir High Court Bar Association President Mian Abdul Qayoom, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr Abdul Hameed Fayaz, Jamiat Ahle Hadith leader Maulana Mushtaq Ahmed Veeri, and Hurriyat leaders, Masarrat Aalam Butt, Aasiya Andrabi, Ghulam Ahmed Gulzar, Fehmeeda Sofi, Naheeda Nasreen, Qazi Yasir Ahmed, Maulana Sarjaan Barkati, Muhammad Yasin Attai, and trade leader, Muhammad Yasin Khan. Meanwhile, Indian troops arrested a youth identified as Waseem Bashir during a cordon and search operation in Monghama area of Pulwama district, last night. The troops have dubbed the arrested youth as over-ground worker of mujahideen.  https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/06/among-thousands-of-kashmiri-detainees-over-750-face-psa/
10.          Warren: Mar., 7, 2020: Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential aspirant for the 2020 Elections, has condemned ‘anti-Muslim violence’ in India and committed herself to “fighting for the rights and freedom of the people of Kashmir
11.          Youth arrested : Mar., 88, 2020:   In occupied Kashmir, Indian troops have intensified cordon and search operations across the territory to suppress the Kashmiris’ freedom movement and to stop them from raising voice against the recent anti-Kashmir moves of the Modi government.The troops and sleuths of National Investigation Agency have arrested several youth during military operations and house raids in Srinagar, Badgam, Islamabad, Pulwama, Baramulla, Kupwara, Kishtwar, Doda, Bhaderwah, Rajouri and other areas. The main objective behind these operations is to create a sense of fear among the masses. The residents of these areas told media that the troops barge into their houses, thrash the inmates and vandalize their properties. The NIA alone has arrested four people including a woman and her father from Srinagar and Pulwama areas during the last few days. The Kashmir Press Club in a statement issued in Srinagar strongly condemned the harassment of two photojournalists by Indian police in Pulwama district. Two cameramen, Qayoom Khan and Qaisar Mir, were stopped by the police when they were covering a raid by the NIA in Hakripora area of the district. The police also snatched away their cameras and mobile phones and returned the same after several hours. Qaisar Mir said that he was used as a human shield by the troops during a cordon and search operation at Babgund in Pulwama on 29th February. https://kmsnews.org/news/2020/03/07/indian-troops-intensify-casos-in-iok-2/

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Actions that the Pakistani Government needs to take to assist the Kashmir Struggle (JR211)


Actions that the Pakistani Government needs to take to assist the Kashmir Struggle (JR 211)

-          China: encourage China to go beyond their usual position on Kashmir, as they are, in fact, a direct party to the dispute.
-          UNHRC: document and register (with supporting evidence) a daily or weekly or monthly report on fresh human rights violations by Indians in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Perhaps the Kashmir committee web site should be updated on a daily basis
-          Media support: provide support to media accounts that are threatened by the Indian State and media persons, on Face Book, Twitter etc.
-          ICJ: Seek expert professional opinion on possibility of taking, privately by Kashmiri Diaspora, same aspect of the Kashmir issue including human right violations, to International Court of Justice ( ICJ ). .
-         UNGA vote:   lobby to get the UNGA to vote for obtaining an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the Kashmir liberation movement.
-          Increased diplomatic activity:  more concerted efforts by Pakistan’s diplomatic apparatus in various capitals around the world.
-          Target Nobel Laureates: Pakistan to mobilize its envoys in countries where Nobel laureates reside. “The Nobel laureates need to smell the gunpowder in the streets of Kashmir,”
-          Special envoy : appointing a special envoy on Jammu and Kashmir to sensitize global leaders on the Kashmir dispute
-          Relocate Pakistan Commissioner: transfer Pakistan’s high commissioner designate for India to somewhere else to dispel the impression in Delhi that ties will revert to status quo
-          Air space: close Pakistani airspace to Indian airlines.
-          Target people: Pakistan government should shift its focus from other countries’ governments to their civil society. This would entail engaging their media and civil society organizations as well as the Pakistani diasporas to change public perceptions.
-          Concentrate on the Kashmiri people: Pakistan’s approach to the dispute must be Kashmiri people-centric  


-          ICJ: Feb., 26, 2020: A former chief justice  has suggested Pakistan to approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the continuing rights violations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. Retired Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan, according to a statement issued by the Srinagar-based Legal Forum for Oppressed Voices of Kashmir (LFOVK) on Saturday, said Pakistan being an important party to the long-standing dispute should approach the UN court.  https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/pakistan-should-take-kashmir-issue-to-intl-court/1742287