UPDATED ON:
Monday, August 25, 2008
21:22 Mecca time, 18:22 GMT
 
News CENTRAL/S. ASIA
Protesters shot at Kashmir rally
Clashes between Muslim protesters and Indian police in Kashmir have strained relations [AFP]

Five people have been shot dead and three separatist leaders detained in India-administered Kashmir as protesters staged an independence rally in defiance of a curfew.

Indian security forces opened fire to disperse hundreds of protesters at the separatist rally in the Lal Chowk region of Srinigar, the summer capital, on Monday.

The demonstration against Indian control was believed to be the biggest such protest in two decades and the first to turn violent since 1990.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chairman of Kashmir's main separatist alliance, and Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the member of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, were earlier detained in overnight raids in Srinigar, police said.

Dozens of people have been killed in several weeks of protests sparked by a move by the Indian government to give land to a Hindu shrine.

Strained relations

A statement from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference said: "The people of Kashmir were ready to defy the curfew and carry out the march to protest against Indian occupation."

Police have killed at least 24 Muslim protesters and more than 500 have been injured in clashes in two weeks of demonstrations held in the Kashmir Valley.

The crisis has strained relations between India and Pakistan.

It has also raised fears of communal tension in the state, split between the Hindu-majority Jammu region and the Muslim Kashmir Valley.

A dispute over land for Hindu pilgrims visiting a shrine in Kashmir led to the rallies this month, boosting separatists who want India's only Muslim-majority region to secede.

With a general election approaching early next year, analysts say there is little chance of Manmohan Singh, the Indian prime minister, giving any concessions to the protesters.

In Kashmir, more than 43,000 people have been killed in unrest involving Indian troops and separatists since 1989.

Human rights groups say at least 60,000 are either dead or missing.

Levels of violence in Kashmir have fallen in the past few years amid tighter Indian security and a tentative peace process between Pakistan and India.

 Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
Feedback Number of comments : 13
 
Irfan
Malaysia
26/08/2008
Distortion of facts
I would like to point out two major mistakes in this article. 1. The photo in the home page for central / south Asia is not of Kashmir region but of Jammu where the rioters are rioting for entirely a different issue. 2. The word rioters is inappropriate for Kashmir region as in Kashmir people are not rioting but trying to march peacefully for a sit in demonstration in the city center. Please be mindful for these sensitivities as they are otherwise distorting facts.

Malik Farooq Ahmed
Syria
26/08/2008
Protestors Killed by Indian Troops
Yesterday seven killed( Martyred) and 300 peaceful protestors were injured ( 13 out of them critically) by Indian Troops during peaceful protests in Kashmir. India has ordered its troops to shoot Kashmiris fatally as most victims had injuries on heads, bellies which shows how serious is Indian government in terminating all Kashmiris. It is high time for free world to intervene and force India to give our right to Self determination as per UN resolution. ( Nationality-Kashmiri,Country-Kashmir

Muhammad
Australia
27/08/2008
Wake up World
All the different organizations around the world have been formed to help Humans. Kashmir needs their help and the world needs to wake up to the cries of Kashmiri people asking for freedom (which is their basic right). How can Indian troops fire blindly at unarmed protestors. How come rest of India is just watching their Military go beserk. Blockade is causing death in hospitals, infants don't have milk and ambulances are being targeted as well. The UN and the west definitely needs to intervene.

Ajith
Nigeria
27/08/2008
ignorance
Have been reading the comments posted on the article..& would like to put things in perspective.. Every one is screaming about human rights... this is an issue which should be viewed both ways... 1. Who keeps count of the number of Defence personals shot down over the last 60yrs in the valley. 2. Kashmir is an intergral part of india & during indipendence people were given a choice & if they have not taken it.. they should live by the choices they made. DEMOCRACY is our biggest drawback...

Fazil Cassim
South Africa
27/08/2008
The Betrayal of Kashmir
The Kashmir issue has been betrayed by the world. Kashmiri's must liberate themselves with whatever means possible. Any help from the outside is welcome!

guest
India
28/08/2008
Individual Prosperity
I Kashmiri (moderates & hardliners) thoughts are more interms of emotions and far apart from partical point of view. simplly though they need to think economically how would they exist in case of kashmir an independent country,proably by tourism is the case, then their standard of living would improve that drastically.it would remain same as what it is today. Hardliners option is not at all good for them as they wont be treated fairly well or can assume the same treat what they are off

Gazanfar
India
26/08/2008
extermination of kashmiris
Thank you, Aljazeera for covering Kashmir freedom movement uninterrupted. No country and even UN has asked India to stop massacre of innocent Kashmiris. UN should be outraged on the killings in Kashmir but they are just mute spectators. Even Amnesty International is not speaking anything on Kashmir. I plead all of them to speak up this time and save Kashmiris from mass extermination by Indian forces.

Moin
India
26/08/2008
Not accurate
This news article is misleading. Being in kashmir i can tell you that no rally was held. Although some people attempted to start it, their attempts were and no one was allowed to assemble in lal chowk. The firing from troops took place in different places like hajan, handwara, narabal , dal gate etc but not in lal chowk.

Ali
New Zealand (Aotearoa)
27/08/2008
Every Right volated
Indian forces have crossed every line of Human Rights and International Law. Even Doctors, media and ambulances are being targeted. Media has been shunned so that army can kill innocents without the world knowing it. Even International Journalists were not allowed to distribute juice and the Troopers said, "Kashmiri people can starve to death". We plead the world and the UN to intervene before everyone in Kashmir dies. Medical supplies, food and other commodoties are not blocked even in Wars.

mubashir
India
27/08/2008
Peaceful Protestors earn bullets
i watch the whole thing very closely indian forces are killing kashmiri from 80, from the last 3 days curfew imposed by authorities

suhail
India
27/08/2008
a common indian is nauseatingly ignorant...
friends, those of you who read this and belong to pecaeful and free societies of the world, i urge you, please give the kashmir issue a proper hearing at your individual level...we are been brutally but silently killed, while you and the majority of indians are ignorant about it.who would not wish peace, but the question is what is one doing to establish peace? i hope international community will rise from its hypnotic slumber and come to rescue of kashmiris...

YASIR
United Arab Emirates
27/08/2008
not enough coverage of kashmir
good job but still a lot needs to be covered by al jazeera english(tv) about the events in kashmir,how the kashmiris are massacred,starved... by the largest democracy on earth, india.

ruhifaza
India
01/09/2008
DISAGREE WITH YOUR VEIWS
The case of riot etc is observed in every part of world.Think of Iraq where there is no Hindu or Christian still mass massacre occurs.Main cause of any conflict is volatile nature of human beings supported by a emotional mob and they think they are redressing system.Its absurd to take name of a religion and agitating innocent young fanatics.Rather government of any country is responsible for any act which in my views is impartial, secular.

 
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