Photos of Kashmiri anti war demo

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday June 12, 2002 15:52 by Finghu‹ - Socialist Youth (Committee for a Workers' International CWI) info at syucd dot cjb dot net

Photos of Kashmiri anti war demo & Anti-war protestors abducted and tortured by Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen in Kotli, Azad (Pakistani) Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir National Awami Party
Breaking News�E

Socialists attacked by Kashmiri Islamic group Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen�Ewo seriously injured and admitted to hospital�Eensions prevail at the main square in Kotli, Azad (Pakistani) Kashmir where hundreds gathered to condemn the attack.

Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen members took hostage two activists of the Jammu and Kashmir National Awami Party (NAP) and the National Students Federation (NSF). A Hizb-Ul leader, alias "Khichi", attacked activists from NAP and NSF after an anti-war rally organised by NAP- Kotli members. Shezard Mughal, an NSF member was taken hostage and tortured by Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen members.

Later up to fifteen members of Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen attacked a peaceful rally called after the anti-war demonstration and held in the main square in Kotli. These Mujahadeen fired Kalashnikovs to terrorise the rally. During this attack Mujahadeen members attacked and hospitalised NAP district organiser Qasim Mughal.

An emergency meeting of NAP and NSF activists condemned the terrorists and thugs belonging to Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen and also the local administration and police apathy in refusing to deal with this matter.

Kotli (Azad Kashmir) Jammu Kashmir National Awami Party members here in Kotli and National Student Federation activists organised a "Stop the war" rally on Saturday 8 June. This city has seen increased shelling over the last few days. A member of Hizb-Ul-Mujahadeen, alias "Khichi", disturbed the peaceful march and threatened participants. Two protestors were abducted and tortured by the same organisation. Later protestors marched through the city putting forward slogans such as "No to war, No to terrorism, No to sectarianism! Yes to jobs, free education, health and clean water! Down with US imperialism! For youth, workers and peasant unity!"

The participants of the demonstration numbering about 150 included school and college students, unemployed young people and workers as well as activists of NAP and NSF.

The marchers gathered at the main crossing in Shaheed Chowk, Kotli where Anwar Khan, President of JKNAP said that "The capitalists for their business interests, with the blessing of the Indian and Pakistani ruling classes have created war tensions. This has not only increased the already dire problems for the workers, poor and oppressed classes nut has brought the region to the brink of a disaster. Thousands of families have been displaced from both sides of the Line of Control as a result of weeks of Indo-Pak shelling. Hundreds of children, women and the elderly have been killed during these shelling barrages. Today it is the need of the hour that pro-peace forces including trade unions, left political organisations in Kashmir, India and Pakistan and throughout the world should play their due role to get rid of the menace of war, capitalism and landlordism in this region and struggle for the genuine social liberation of the mass of the working class and poor" Anwar khan added that NAP and NSF had initiated this process as the first step in developing an anti-war movement. Others who spoke were NAP Kotli District President Ali Asghar, secretary Naeem Khan and Niaz Khan, central leader of NSF.

ENDS

Please take action now by sending letters of protest to the following individuals as well as demanding to know why nothing was done by the local authorities during these attacks:

General Pervez Musharraf, President & Chief Executive of Pakistan
Email: CE@pak.gov.pk

Mr. Abdul Sattar, Foreign Affairs of Pakistan
E-mail: pakistanfm@hotmail.com
pakfm@isb.sdnpk.org
Phone: +92-51-9211942
Fax :- +92-51-9207217

Mr.Abbas Sarfraz Khan, Kashmir Affairs, Northern Areas
E-mail: safron@isb.perd.net.pk
Phone:- +92-51-9211405
Fax:- +92-51-9202494