quote:

---

Tempers still run high in the Valley despite a brokered peace in the troubled state. Governor’s rule ends in J&K on January 10, 2009.

---

quote:

---

The first phase of insurgency was not sullied, either by religious fervour or by senseless killings. But that phase ended soon and the fundamentalists took over.

Terrorists under different names of Laskar-e-Toiba, with headquarters in Pakistan, continue to indulge in violence and encounters. . . Terrorism cannot be fought if its perpetrators are hailed when they infiltrate into Kashmir and condemned when they operate in Pakistan.

---

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invites all separatist elements in the state to come forward for talks.

quote:

---

Taking a break from a prolonged all party meeting here at the Shere Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), the Prime Minister also sent out clear signals that elections in the state could be held in the near future. While appealing to all people to participate in the election process, the Prime Minister pointed out that elections were a process to test the popularity of any party and that the government was committed to free and fair polls in the state.

The elections in the valley were due in November with the tenure of the democratically elected government coming to an end on November 20. However, the violence in wake of the transfer of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board led to the imposition to the Governor’s rule in the state.

The all-party meeting continued till late in the night and was still underway at the time of filing of this report. The Prime Minister sought to dispel all fears of the local political parties at the meeting which was boycotted by the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC).

---

quote:

---

Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Friday rejected bilateral or tripartite talks for the resolution of the Kashmir issue.

“Kashmir issue can only be solved by implementing the UN resolutions that have been passed and signed by India and Pakistan.” Geelani said.

---

The PDP, which dominated the last Kashmir government until its coalition with Congress dissolved, proposes something designed to look like joining Pakistan: a pan-Kashmir concept:

quote:

---

The PDP's self-rule document entails on the concept of, what the party calls, Greater Jammu and Kashmir (GJAK). It seems the party has taken cue from former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf's four-point formula. The formula speaks of self-governance of seven regions of J&K.

The formula vouches for a trans-border and a pan-Kashmir concept with “shared sovereignty”. Musharraf had named it as a “joint management” by an “overarching” authority of the two parts of the state divided by LoC and Northern Areas.

---

quote:

---

The Peoples Democratic Party of Mehbooba Mufti which won majority of seats in the last elections will try to remain with the aspirations of Kashmiris in the valley.

The BJP party along with other Jammu based groups which spearheaded campaign in Jammu against the revocation of Amarnath land transfer order will not be comfortable in Kashmir valley, while Congress party which has high stakes in Jammu region will feel the heat of withdrawal of land transfer order in Jammu region.

Both the groups will find it difficult to appease both the regions of Kashmir at a time on Amarnath land transfer case.

National Conference has announced that the party would not frame separate manifestoes for the Jammu and Kashmir regions. It has adopted a middle way on the issue.

---

Thousands joined the funeral procession of the protester – an 18-year-old science student – chanting “we want freedom."

quote:

---

Police have been arresting people who take active part in the rallies ahead of elections to be held between Nov 17 and Dec 24.

20 people were injured on Sunday when Indian police opened fire to disperse thousands of Muslims demonstrating in occupied Kashmir.

Pro-freedom leaders spearheading the protests have called for a boycott of the polls. They argue elections strengthen India’s occupation of the region.

“Elections are futile and an irrelevant exercise as these offer no solution to Kashmir conflict,” Sajjad Lone, a leader said.

---

quote:

---

Indian authorities deployed thousands of troops across Kashmir on Monday to prevent demonstrations planned to mark the 61st anniversary of New Delhi’s rule over the region.

---

quote:

---

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir living on both sides of the cease fire line and around the globe are observing 27th October as a black day. It was on this day that India sent it forces to occupy The State of Jammu Kashmir against the wishes of its people.

The people of Jammu Kashmir State are fighting for their inherent, pledged and internationally recognised right of self-determination.

Recently held massive peaceful demonstrations in Kashmir have vindicated this assertion. India inspite of sound counsels of a large number of saner voices continues to pursue its iron fisted inhuman policy in Kashmir. Instead of accepting the people’s dissent it chokes this expression against all norms of decency. Due to its undemocratic attitude in Kashmir the democratic credentials of India have become doubtful.

Instead of fulfilling its international obligations initiated at the behest of the then Prime Minister of India Mr Nehru in 1948, and the assurances given to the people of Jammu & Kashmir, the Indian governments have used their brute force to suppress the voice of people.

The whole terrain of Kashmir has been turned into killing fields. Men, women and children have been killed with impunity. Arbitrary arrests, illegal detentions, custodial killings, arson, looting and extortions are rampant throughout the length and breadth of valley. We convey to the world in general and to the concerned quarters in particular that state terrorism of India is self speaking in Kashmir. The promise of your zero tolerance remains unfulfilled so far.

The British Diaspora on this black day call upon India to

a) Stop all human rights violations.
b) Release all political detenues.
c) Repeal all draconian laws.
d) Desist from use of brute force against unarmed people of Jammu Kashmir.
e) End its forcible occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.
f) Take all measures for giving people of the State, a chance to exercise their right to Self determination.
g) Allow them to decide their future as conceded to them by Pakistan India and approved by the United Nations Organization.

---

quote:

---

Informed and conscientious Canadians can play a vital role in the education process by interacting with parliamentarians and the media. In addition, concerned Canadians can write to the UN Secretary General, NGOs, and call or write to the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to voice their concern about systematic human rights abuses in Indian-administered Kashmir.

---

JI leader Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that peace in south Asia would always remain an elusive dream unless Kashmiris were given the right to self determination guaranteed by UN resolutions. Qazi asked the Muslim world to help Kashmiri Muslims the way they were backing Palestinians, to force India to fulfill all promises made to Kashmiris.

[ 28 October 2008: Message edited by: Wilf Day ]

quote:

---

“I welcome the growing interest of Barrack Obama in resolving the Kashmir dispute. The US and internationally community is gradually recognizing that resolution of Kashmir dispute was imperative for peace in south Asia,” Mirwaiz told Greater Kashmir.

In an interview Obama had said, “We should probably try to facilitate a better understanding between Pakistan and India and try to resolve the Kashmir crisis.”

---

quote:

---

Yasin Malik, 42, was arrested in the northern district of Sumbhal last month after he launched an anti-election campaign in the area.

Malik has been charged with threatening India's security under a legal act that could see him jailed without trial for two years. He is the sixth senior separatist to have been charged under the act since September.

Separatists and Muslim rebels oppose Indian-held elections arguing they strengthen New Delhi's hold over the disputed scenic region.

In the past few months, Kashmir has witnessed the biggest pro-independence demonstrations since an insurgency erupted in 1989. The protests have been met by a tough crackdown by Indian security forces.

---

quote:

---

". . . the real motive behind the agitation was to propagate the secessionism”.

“While addressing the people, Malik criticised the government and asked people to boycott the elections. He raised anti-India slogans and challenged the accession of J&K with union of India. Malik also asked the people to rise against the establishment and join the secessionist movement.

“He criticised the government and accused it of being responsible for killing of innocent people in the State, thereby spreading hatred against the established government,” he said.

He was shifted to District jail Amphala Jammu on November 1 and booked under infamous Public Safety Act.

Claiming that his activities are highly pre-judicial to the maintenance of security of the state, DM said, “By invoking normal laws, he might have got the bail and remained at large, which will be a threat to the security of the state”.

He said, “In order to overcome the menace of terrorism and secessionism, a holistic approach is needed wherein preventive detention will be effective tool against the persons having the potential will, commitment and urge to challenge the integrity and sovereignty of the state”.

---

quote:

---

He said that the charges of Hunger strike against the economic blockade, entry of JKLF in the Hurriyat conference in 1993, and participation in the anti-poll rally at Hajin under which the leader is booked are not chargeable offenses.

---

None of the political parties in Kashmir has been able to hold any major election rally since the notification for the first phase was issued on October 24.

quote:

---

Although token banners announcing candidates have been raised in some rural constituencies, the routine fanfare accompanying the elections is missing. Canvassing in urban areas is non-existent as most of the people even don’t even know who the candidates are. Though at several places leaders of various political parties organized some rallies, but they were more of workers’ convention than election rallies.

Since October 25, people attacked leaders of political parties at several place. The first in the list was National Conference rally in Naidkhai area of Sonawari constituency. Clashes broke out between workers of NC and the local youth on the visit of NC president Omar Abdullah to the area. Once considered a bastion of counter insurgency, the constituency this time hasn’t seen much activity of political parties.

The Peoples Democratic Party candidate of the same constituency, Yasir Reshi, was also attacked by people near Safapora on Sunday.

“Even in 1996 elections when boycott was observed in most parts of Kashmir, several parties organized election rallies here. It was the fear of Ikhwanis (government gunmen), which drove people out of their homes to participate in rallies and vote. But this time the situation is entirely different,” said Tariq Ahmad, a resident of Hajin.

He said that recently thousands of the people from the area participated in massive pro-freedom rallies in Srinagar. “We were crushed by the Army and Ikhwanis. Then we had no other option but to vote. But this time we are firm and determined about our decision to boycott elections. Our constituency has been kept under-developed intentionally and this area suffered most of the causalities in the last 19 years of conflict,” he added.

---

quote:

---

Mufti said that when they talked of joint currency between the two sides of Kashmir, they received severe criticism from the National Conference, but now the traders community from both the sides have also arrived at the same conclusion.

Describing October 21 as a historical day for the people of Kashmir, Mufti said it was because of the sacrifices of the people that the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road was thrown open for trade.

Lambasting the NC president, Omar Abdullah, on his statement that elections had nothing to do with the Kashmir issue and were meant only for administrative purposes, Mufti said, “NC has always hoodwinked people by first talking about plebiscite and then beating the drum of autonomy, but now they can’t befool them any more.”

---