Authorities impose restrictions to foil separatist UN march

Authorities Friday imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir to thwart a protest march of separatists to United Nations (UN) local office, officials said.

The march was jointly proposed by the region's separatist groups after congregational afternoon prayers to lay stress on world body to pressurise Government of India to return the mortal remains of two Kashmiris hanged in Tihar jail of New Delhi.

Contingents of Indian police and paramilitary were seen enforcing restrictions outside the UN office and in Lal Chowk (red square) - the heart of Srinagar. Barricades have been laid in city center and outside the UN office to restrict movement of traffic and people.

"The restrictions have been imposed to prevent any disturbance in the city," a police official posted outside UN office to supervise restrictions told Xinhua.

"It's a precautionary measure, for government doesn't want the situation to deteriorate."

The police official was not authorised to talk to media using his name and designation.

An office of United Nations Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) is stationed in Srinagar since 1949. The office was set up to monitor the ceasefire line, now known as LoC, a de facto border that divides Kashmir into Indian and Pakistani controlled parts.

The region's three main separatist leaders - Syed Ali Geelani, MirwaizUmar Farooq and Mohammed Yasin Malik have been placed under house arrest to prevent them from leading the protest rally.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the psyche of residents across Indian-controlled Kashmir. Authorities fear participation of senior separatist leaders in UN march would ignite tempers in the region and trigger anti-India demonstrations.

Last year at least 90 people most of them teenagers were killed and over 14,000 injured (including those blind and maimed) in police and paramilitary shooting during protests that hit the region for around five months. Authorities resorted to strict measures and arrested around 8,000 civilians to contain protests.

On Thursday the Muslim majority areas of the region observed a complete shutdown in response to a call given by separatist leadership on fourth death anniversary of Indian parliament-attack convict Mohammed Afzal Guru.

The separatist groups have called for a similar shutdown on Saturday to mark death anniversary of another separatist Mohammad Maqbool Bhat.

Guru, a Kashmiri was executed on Feb. 9, 2013 for his role in Indian parliament building attack in 2001. He was hanged in New Delhi's Tihar jail and buried inside the jail premises.

Like Guru, Bhat too was hanged and buried inside Tihar jail on Feb.11, 1984. He was among the founding members of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a pro-independent group.

Many in the region believe Guru and Bhat were denied fair-trail. Both are seen as martyrs in Kashmir.

Every year since 1990, a strike was being observed in the region on Feb. 11 to mark death anniversary of Bhat. However, with the hanging of Guru, the strike period has been extended to Feb. 9 as well.

The pro-India and separatist parties have been urging New Delhi to hand over mortal remains of Guru and Bhat. However, the federal government rejected the plea, fearing it could trigger large scale protests in the region.

"Government of India is morally and ethically responsible for returning the mortal remains of the martyrs back," a statement jointly issued by separatists earlier this week said. "It is worst form of human rights violation that even after a person's death he was being subjected to political vendetta."

A separatist movement and guerilla war challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

source: Xinhua