World | Pakistan
1 killed as Kashmir protesters defy curfew
Police shot dead at least one Muslim separatist demonstrator on Monday as authorities tried to enforce a curfew in disputed Kashmir in the face of some of biggest protests in two decades against India's rule.
- Agencies
- Published: 12:38 August 25, 2008
Srinagar: Police shot dead at least one Muslim separatist demonstrator on Monday as authorities tried to enforce a curfew in disputed Kashmir in the face of some of biggest protests in two decades against India's rule.
Police had detained three separatist leaders to defuse protests planned for Monday. But in the outskirts of the summer capital Srinagar one protester was killed and a dozen people were injured when police fired bullets and tear gas at demonstrators.
Troops enforced a curfew in the centre of Srinagar, where a separatist rally had been planned, and armoured vehicles patrolled mainly deserted streets.
Police have killed at least 25 Muslim protesters and more than 500 have been injured in clashes in two weeks of demonstrations in Kashmir Valley after a land dispute between Muslims and Hindus snow-balled into massive demonstrations.
The crisis has strained relations between India and Pakistan, which both claim the region in full but rule it in parts. It has also raised fears of communal tension in the state, split between the Hindu-majority Jammu region and the Muslim Kashmir Valley.
Police said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chairman of Kashmir's main separatist alliance, All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference and hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani were detained in overnight raids in Srinagar.
"Both have been detained for precautionary measures," a senior police official, who asked to remain anonymous, said.
Another separatist leader, Mohammed Yasin Malik, chief of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, was detained later on Monday after he defied a curfew, police said.
These leaders are often detained before major protests in efforts by authorities to try and defuse demonstrations.
"The people of Kashmir were ready to defy the curfew and carry out the march to protest against Indian occupation," a statement from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference said.
One person was killed and dozens were injured on Sunday when police fired bullets, tear gas and used batons to disperse thousands of pro-independence protesters defying a curfew.
The recent crisis began after the state government promised to give forest land to a trust that runs Amarnath, a cave shrine visited by Hindu pilgrims. Many Muslims were enraged.
The government then rescinded its decision, which in turn angered Hindus in Jammu, the winter capital of the region.
The conflict has had little impact on national politics, with a consensus in India that Kashmir should stay part of the country, no matter what.
With a general election approaching early next year, political analysts say there is little chance of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh giving any concessions to the
protesters, with the government hoping that the demonstrations will peter out.
Most separatist groups seek the implementation of UN resolutions from 1948 for a plebiscite to decide on the future of the region. But the India government rejects a plebiscite.
While the protests are huge, the level of violence that has been seen recently in Kashmir pales when compared with the death toll of the past two decades.
In Kashmir, more than 43,000 people have been killed in violence involving Indian troops and Muslim militants since 1989. Human rights groups put the toll at about 60,000 dead or missing.
Levels of violence in Kashmir have actually been falling in the past few years amid tighter Indian security and a tentative peace process between Pakistan and India.
Share this article
More from Pakistan
More from World
News Editor's choice
-
Zoo elephants will go to wildlife parks
Order follows complaints from rights activists of treatment of animals kept in captivity
-
Diabetes: A ticking time bomb
Gulf News takes a closer look at the spread of diabetes in the UAE
-
What to expect at the Dubai Airshow
We preview what types of aircraft to expect at the Dubai Airshow
