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Mirwaiz Reaches Out To World, Online |
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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 |
(source:: Daily Greater Kashmir, Srinagar)
Srinagar, February 09 (KMS): The All Parties Hurriyet Conference Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has adopted novel way to garner public support against the killings in the Valley by launching a website through his I-phone. Placed under house arrest, Mirwaiz couldn’t march to the United Nations Military Observers Group here to register protest against the recent killings.
The APHC Chairman launched a website with his pre-recorded video-messages in English and Kashmiri tracing the history of Kashmir dispute and urging the people to voice their concern over the human rights violations by Indian troops. The website - http://web.me.com/mirwaiz/kashmir/Welcome.html - urges international community to take note of the rights violations and warns that delaying resolution of the Kashmir dispute will “continue to send thousands of innocent victims to graves.” He has also kept a link- http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/hr-kashmir - wherein people can express their concern over the rights abuses.
“Since government does not allow us to hold gatherings and processions against the human rights violations, I have started this new forum wherein people can voice their concern online. It will help the cross section of the society and intellectual Diaspora of Kashmir to expressing their views and opinions,” Mirwaiz told mediamen. Mirwaiz said he created the website on his I-phone and recorded his message by its video-camera. “Kashmiris are left with only this virtual mode to reach out to the international community. We will continue to highlight the aspirations of Kashmir through any means,” he said. “The Indian state has used its might to hold on to the territory of the state of Jammu and Kashmir against the wishes of the Kashmiri people. The people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir have been waging a defiant struggle to achieve their aim. The Indian state has responded with brute force and committed massive human rights violations in pursuit of its territorial objectives. More than 100,000 people have been killed, thousands jailed and tortured and collateral damage worth billions of rupees has taken place in the last two decades,” Mirwaiz writes on the web page.
He states that the mute response of the international community and international institutions especially the United Nations “against the massive human rights violations by the state of India is a serious cause of concern.” “This has emboldened the Indian state to carry on the human rights violations with impunity. The discovery of unmarked graves in Kashmir is an indicator of the levels of human rights violations. The people of Kashmir, the parents of disappeared persons have right to know - who lie in these graves, who killed them and when will the international community take note of these grievous case of human rights violations.”
Delaying of the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, he warns, will continue to send thousands of innocent victims to graves. “We the subjugated people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir make a fervent appeal to the international community to intervene for the cause of humanity and put an end to murder in Kashmir.” He states that during the last one month eight innocent Kashmiris mostly students were ruthlessly killed and property worth millions destroyed particularly in Sopur town by the Indian Armed forces. In the past week two innocent students in their teens Zahid Farooq and Wamiq Farooq were brutally killed. He strongly condemned the restrictions to thwart the protests and described the prevention of prayers in Jamia Masjid, as a blatant interference in religion. Mirwaiz concludes by stating that the people of Kashmir believe that the time has come that the United Nations should come forward. “And let India and Pakistan know that talks between these two countries must be accompanied by practical measures to restore an environment of non-violence. This can be done by the immediate and complete cessation of military and para-military actions against the civilian population in Jammu & Kashmir, withdrawal of the military presence from towns and villages, releasing of political prisoners; annulling various special repressive laws; restoring the rights of peaceful association, assembly and demonstrations,” it states. |
