An excellent report about pellet victims from the current crackdown in Kashmir, proving that the struggle for self-determination has not been daunted by Indian terrorism.
If you want to see the spirit of #azaadi & the strength of Kashmiri resistance despite the crushing actions of India, this is a protest today in Srinagar of thousands. “Invincible” is the word Satyadeep Satya uses to describe this spirit. India reimposed the curfew after this protest.
#StandWithKashmir
Photos from the Manchester, UK #StandsWithKashmir rally yesterday.
(Tweeted by Afzal Khan MP)
India lifted the curfew today to allow people to attend Friday prayers & also lifted the ban on public gatherings. Al Jazeera reports that despite the presence of Indian troops every few feet, they were regularly assailed by stone pelters & thousands protested after Friday prayers. Indian troops are continuing to use excessive force & there are young men in hospital fighting for their lives after assaults with pellet guns & rubber bullets.
These young men are running for cover from tear gas at the protest today in Srinagar.
We #StandWithKashmir. End the occupation.
(Photo by Dar Yasin/AP)
Well that didn’t take long. Al Jazeera reported moments ago that the curfew was lifted to allow Kashmiris to attend Friday prayers & that after prayers thousands of Kashmiris in Srinagar protested in the streets even though Indian troops fired at them with rubber bullets & tear gas.
These are some of the women protesters who we can see were brought to their knees by India’s barbarous actions.
(Photo by Dar Yasin/AP)
India has not released the names of the political activists & leaders arrested in Kashmir–by some accounts 100 & by others 500 arrestees, 70 of whom were flown out of Kashmir to a prison in India. The Rafto Foundation has expressed public concern over the safety of leading human rights activists Parveena Ahangar, director of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons, & Parvez Imroz, a human rights attorney & activist, who were both honored by Rafto in 2017 for their fearless & exemplary human rights work. Were they arrested? Was Khurram Parvez, the director of Jammu Kashmir Coalition for Civil Society (JKCCS) or any of the JKCCS investigative staff? He has played a leading role in the international fight against forcible disappearances. Were feminist activists hauled in for exposing the use of mass rape as a weapon of occupation? How many journalists have been arrested? Was 89-year-old Syed Ali Geelani dragged out of his home? How many stone pelters? This is alarming stuff. Terrifying that India would attempt to behead the political movement by arresting its leaders. They must be drawing lessons from the Assad regime or Stalin himself for how to deal with dissidence.
Our responsibility is to remain steadfast in denouncing these crimes & arrests & in demanding India immediately release all Kashmiri political prisoners.
#StandWithKashmir
(Photo of Parveena Ahangar & Parvez Imroz from 2017 by Rafto Foundation)