Kashmir rebels denounce independence day
RESIDENTS in the Indian-controlled region of Kashmir have marked India’s Independence Day as “black day”, protesting in the militarised area and boycotting celebrations of the anniversary.
A general strike in the occupied territory was held following a call for resistance by separatist leaders Syed Ali Gilani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.
“India itself attained freedom from British rule on August 15, 1947, and became an independent country but, after only 72 days of this freedom, this country snatched the freedom rights of the Kashmiri people and forcibly occupied this region by landing its troops on October 27 and since then this occupation continues,” they said.
“Our demand for the right to self-determination is purely a democratic demand and India has also promised to fulfil that demand on national as well as international levels but the country backtracked from its promises and is now busy suppressing the genuine and just voices of the Kashmiri nation.”
In anticipation of rallies and protests, Indian security forces imposed curfews, checkpoints and other restrictions on Kashmiri citizens.
“The curfew-like restrictions, bans, blockades and curbs are the standard response by India and its stooges to peaceful protests,” said Gilani, Farooq and Malik.
The region has seen a 28-year armed struggle against Indian occupation forces, who maintain their control over the territory that is considered the most densely militarised region of the world. Protests in Kashmir have swelled in the past year against Indian state crackdowns, with many protesters employing stone-throwing to stand up to Indian government forces.
The decades-long uprising has seen rebels and ordinary Kashmiris fight against the roughly 500 000 Indian soldiers deployed in the region, with some demanding independence and others a merger with Pakistan. The rebels’ ranks have grown since last July in the wake of the killing of a popular rebel leader, Burhan Wani.