News
Friday, July 09, 2010
Protest over civilian killings, curfew in IHK* Protesters express concern over antipathy, lack of political initiative displayed by UPA-led govt
By Iftikhar Gilani
NEW DELHI: Indian human rights activists, academics and students on Thursday staged a protest over the killing of innocent civilians as well as the continuing curfew in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK).
Holding placards inscribed with slogans like “Stop Killing Innocents” and “Repeal AFSPA”, protesters staged a sit-in at Jantar Mantar near the Indian parliament. The protest was organised by Act Now for Harmony And Democracy (ANHAD), a non-government organisation.
The protesters expressed serious concern over the antipathy and lack of political initiative displayed by the United Progressive Alliance-led central government. A resolution adopted at the end of the protest asked the government to learn lessons from history. “People cannot be won over or suppressed at gun point. Certainly, the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve a more rational, humane, visionary and sensitive response from the Indian State,” it said.
The resolution demanded immediate action to prevent further loss of life and property, an end to the violence perpetrated by the security forces, immediate appointment of an independent and impartial time-bound commission of enquiry to look into the killings of peaceful civilians and human rights violations, initiation of an inquiry into instances of attacks on ambulance services, ensuring security of both local and national journalists, ensuring the freedom of expression and immediately starting political dialogue with various stake holders.
ANHAD and many other concerned civil society groups also asked governments in the state and Centre to come out clean – urgently and immediately – and explain if this is indeed a democratic and constitutional method of handling a worsening crisis in a highly sensitive region.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk