The normal life was affected in Kashmir Valley on Monday in response to a shutdown call by separatist groups to commemorate the World Human Rights Day. The separatists alleged that the State authorities continue to suppress the human rights and disallow legitimate freedom of movement and speech to the common people.
The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a grouping of separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, had asked the people of Kashmir to observe complete protest strike on December 10 to highlight the ‘gruesome human rights situation’ and also to register their regret at the apathy of international community and rights organisations towards the plight of people of Kashmir.
Shops, other business establishments, fuel stations remained closed while public transport was generally off the roads in summer capital Srinagar. However, scanty private transport plied on the uptown city roads. The authorities deployed additional security forces personnel in parts of downtown Srinagar to thwart protests.
The train services had been suspended between Banihal and Baramulla due to law and order situation.
The speed of mobile internet was also reduced in Srinagar and some other places in Kashmir Valley.
“The JRL urges the world peace organisations, international community, Amnesty International Asia Watch, UNHRC and ICRC to take note of the Kashmir situation and put pressure on New Delhi to stop the grave human rights violations forthwith,” the JRL said in a statement.
The JRL leaders wrote a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urging him to intervene to end the sufferings of the people of J&K. “We urge you (UN SEcretay General) to initiate measures for the resolution of the dispute on Jammu & Kashmir which is on UN Agenda since 1948 and is the main cause of all Human Rights violations in Jammu & Kashmir,” the letter reads.
The separatists had asked the people to observe human rights week between December 3 and 9. Protest demonstrations were organised at various places during the week to highlight human rights situation in the valley.
Meanwhile, clashes were reported between youth and the security forces in Hajin area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district following the burial of two teenage militants. Heavy stone pelting was reported from the area.
Thousands of people reportedly participated in the funeral prayers of two local LeT Mudasir Parrey (14) and Saqib Bilal Sheikh (17). Both were killed on Sunday along-with a Pakistani top LeT commander Ali Bhai in 18 hour gunfight with the security forces in Mujgund area on the outskirts of Srinagar.