Protests, seminars mark human rights day in Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 10 (UNI) Protest marches, demonstrations, seminars and an alleged incident of firing upon a youth by a soldier marked the international human rights day in Kashmir today.

More than 50 activists of the rival factions of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) were arrested while on way to the office of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) here to submit a memorandum on the alleged human rights violations in the state.

While 30 activists belonged to the JKLF, led by Yasin Malik, 21 were from the rival faction of the pro-independence outfit headed by Javed Mir.

Hundreds of JKLF (Yasin Malik group) activists, most of them with black cloth covering their mouths, gathered at outfit's headquarters at Maisuma this morning to proceed to the UNMOGIP office. As the silent march, led by JKLF vice chairman advocate Bashir Ahmed Bhat, reached Regal Chowk, the authorities prevented the activists from proceeding to the UNMOGIP office.

A JKLF banner read ''Oh! World conscience wake up, stop human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.'' Police also stopped a procession led by Mir while it was on its way to the UNMOGIP office from Abi Guzar here. As many as 21 JKLF (Mir group) activists were arrested and detained at the Kothi Bagh police station here.

Supporters of the moderate Hurriyat Conference took out a protest march on the day while activists of the main opposition National Conference, carrying placards and banners, held demonstrations in the city, condemning the human rights violations in the state.

Moderate Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, speaking at a seminar here, condemned the alleged human rights abuses in Kashmir.

''India could not suppress the people of Jammu and Kashmir by the use of military might,'' he said, adding the human rights situation in the state was ''grim''.

The Mirwaiz said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured ''zero tolerance'' as far as human rights violations was concerned, but the security forces continued to harass the people of the state.

Addressing a separate seminar here, breakaway Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have resolved to continue with their ''freedom'' struggle till the objective was achieved.

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