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| 08 December 2004 | Wednesday | 25 Shawwal 1425 |
Hurriyat observes hunger strike
SRINAGAR, Dec 7: Moderate separatists in occupied Kashmir on Tuesday ended a day-long token hunger strike against human rights abuses by Indian troops with a warning to the government to end excesses or face mass protests, police and witnesses said.
"Today's token hunger strike was a silent protest against rising human rights violations by Indian troops," Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, head of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, said.
"But we will not remain silent forever. If excesses by Indian troops do not end we will hold mass protests across Kashmir," he said, adding New Delhi and the state government would be held responsible for any eventuality.
Around eight separatist leaders went on the one-day fast, joined by about 300 supporters. Some activists from the region's main opposition party, National Conference, also joined the token action. The fast followed the practice of abstaining from food in Ramazan.
Mr Farooq and other moderates such as Maulana Abbas Ansari, Bilal Lone and Abdul Ghani Bhatt began their fast in a tent set up in a football ground in Srinagar. Activists strung banners on the main road to the football ground reading: "We are humans, treat us as humans" and "Stop human rights violations and the rape of our daughters."
Police were deployed to prevent the separatists holding a march, a police officer said. On Tuesday Mirwaiz Farooq said "peace talks and abuses can't go hand in hand." Over the past one month there have been series of protests over abuses against civilians involving Indian troops in the Valley.
Fresh protests came as tensions were still high over the alleged rape of a woman and her 12-year-old daughter by an army major on Nov 9. The officer has been suspended and faces a court martial.
Farooq ridiculed world human rights groups for maintaining "criminal silence at what was happening in Kashmir". Meanwhile, Indian troops overnight shot dead a senior commander of Jaish-i-Mohammed in Baramulla, police said, identifying the man as Saifullah, alias Gori. -AFP
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