Violence Erupts in Kashmir

By Kristy Tridhavee
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Asia

SRINAGAR, India – Indian authorities opened fire on a crowd during a one-day strike held in protest against New Delhi controlled elections. At least 55 persons were wounded.

On Monday, the Indian Election Commission held a meeting with political parties to coordinate poll dates for Kashmir. Separatists in Kashmir have long fought for the Himalayan region’s succession, and traditionally have boycotted the polls. The shutdown was to protest the upcoming elections.

In protest over the planned elections, separatists organized a general shutdown. Shops and businesses across the region were closed. However, soon violence broke out. According to witnesses, police fired bullets and teargas shells at the crowd, who were throwing stones. Protesters also were chanting, “No election, no selection, we want freedom.”

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the main separatist alliance All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference, commented, “New Delhi is pushing Kashmiris to the wall and wants to convert the ongoing peaceful agitation into a violent resistance movement so as to dub it as a terrorist movement.”

Farooq also warned that the heavy-handed response by the Indian government could incite even more violence. He said, “If India pushes us too hard to the wall, tomorrow you can’t really ignore the fact the youth might be angered and forced to resort again to arms.”

New Delhi has directly ruled the Kashmir region since early July when the local government collapsed over a Hindu land dispute, which triggered large pro-independence demonstrations.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Election Strike Cripples Indian Kashmir – 8 September 2008

Daily Times – Mirwaiz Warns India Crackdown Could Fuel Revolt – 10 September 2008

Reuters – Fifty-five Wounded in Indian Kashmir Violence – 8 September 2008

Author: Impunity Watch Archive