Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq made a fervent appeal to the United Nations, UNHRC, ICJ, and international human rights bodies to take strong note and play their role in preventing Indian military from committing heinous war crimes against Kashmiri civilians especially in the backdrop of Govt of India and its Army chief honoring an army major for using a civilian Farooq Ahmed Dar as human shields tying him to an army jeep and parading him for hours.Addressing the Friday congregational gathering at the historic Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar, while protesting this abominable act, Hurriyat (M) chairman said that Kashmiri people are being subject to worst forms of state atrocities at the hands of forces over the past 30 years in particular with impunity and there is hardly any method of repression which has been left unused against us. All this because we are demanding our fundamental right to decide our destiny.
Referring to the incident that took place in Budgam district on April 9, Mirwaiz said that Farooq Ahmed Dar who was a passerby was grabbed by the forces beat up ruthlessly with hands tied back and then tied him to the bonnet with the sign “I am a stone pelter” hung around his neck and paraded for 7 hours through various villages to the shock and horror of the locals as they saw him, even denying him water and was later tied to a tree in the CRPF camp before being released. While announcements were being made on the loudspeaker of the jeep that this is the way locals will be treated.Mirwaiz said that the whole episode was no on the moment decision as claimed by the major, but a well thought out idea because if according to the major it was to save his team from stone pelting why was Farooq Ahmed paraded for seven long hours through many villages? The objective of this incident was twofold he said revenge and retribution from the locals and to send a clear and stern message to the locals and the people of Kashmir in general that this is how they will be treated if they dare to stand up for their rights.
Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman said that by felicitating the army officer for this anti-human act the Government of India and its army chief have blurred the lines between a fascist regime and a so-called democratic one and shamed those Indians and people of the world who are shocked and appalled by this military approach to deal with a people's movement.Mirwaiz termed the silence maintained by the pro-India local partner of the ruling regime—PDP as criminal and shameful and said they are equally accountable for the inhumanity and cruelty inflicted upon the people of Kashmir.Mirwaiz said that despite the fact that authorities have declared war and is using no holds barred brute force against innocent students, young boys and girls are hitting the streets in uniforms demanding only their basic birthright, which is right to self-determination. Mirwaiz also led a pro-freedom march after Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid against honoring of Army major in which many resistance leaders and youth participated.Meanwhile, Mirwaiz felicitated people of Kashmir on the arrival of holy month of fasting, Ramadhan scheduled to start from Saturday or Sunday in Kashmir. He announced that he will address a religious gathering on 3rd Ramadhan at the shrine of Hazrat Syed Naqsbhand Sahib (RA) at Khawjabazar. (KNS)