Vikram singh
SPNer
- Feb 24, 2005
- 455
- 418
Srinagar, India - Amnesty International Saturday urged India to investigate the recent killing of civilians in Kashmir, as thousands of troops enforced a strict curfew in parts of the revolt-hit region.
Muslim-majority Kashmir valley has been hit by strikes, demonstrations and curfews over the killing of 11 civilians during the last month by Indian police and paramilitary forces struggling to control separatist rallies.
"The organisation is calling on Indian authorities to investigate all the killings," the London-based rights group said in a statement.
It added that "any security personnel, as well as any protesters" involved in wrongdoing should be brought to justice, and urged India to "avoid excessive use of force while dealing with demonstrators."
The authorities in Indian Kashmir have already ordered a probe into some of the killings.
Troops have enforced a strict curfew in parts of the summer capital Srinagar, southern Anantnag and northern Kupwara towns, police said.
The curfew was briefly lifted in Anantnag on Saturday morning but had to be reimposed after protesters clashed with troops firing tear-gas.
In Srinagar, police backed by paramilitary soldiers sealed off neighbourhoods with barbed wire and blocked major roads to enforce a curfew in some parts of the city, the largest in Indian Kashmir.
A general strike called by Muslim separatists has closed shops and offices in the Kashmir valley for six days running.
Separatists have fought against rule by New Delhi for decades, struggling for independence or for Muslim-majority Kashmir to join neighbouring Pakistan.
The region's top separatist, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Saturday called for the withdrawal of troops from civilian areas.
"The situation will improve if police and paramilitary forces are withdrawn from civilian areas," Farooq told a news conference.
"These camps (of security forces) inside civilian areas are big irritants. There is a need to shift them," he said, and warned New Delhi to release jailed separatist leaders or face more protests.
Separately, the Indian army said its troops killed four suspected militants early Saturday along the de facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
"The four were killed when they were trying to infiltrate into our side from across the Line of Control," a military spokesman said.
The insurgency, which New Delhi says is fuelled by Pakistan, has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
News - Asia: India urged to probe Kashmir killings
Muslim-majority Kashmir valley has been hit by strikes, demonstrations and curfews over the killing of 11 civilians during the last month by Indian police and paramilitary forces struggling to control separatist rallies.
"The organisation is calling on Indian authorities to investigate all the killings," the London-based rights group said in a statement.
It added that "any security personnel, as well as any protesters" involved in wrongdoing should be brought to justice, and urged India to "avoid excessive use of force while dealing with demonstrators."
The authorities in Indian Kashmir have already ordered a probe into some of the killings.
Troops have enforced a strict curfew in parts of the summer capital Srinagar, southern Anantnag and northern Kupwara towns, police said.
The curfew was briefly lifted in Anantnag on Saturday morning but had to be reimposed after protesters clashed with troops firing tear-gas.
In Srinagar, police backed by paramilitary soldiers sealed off neighbourhoods with barbed wire and blocked major roads to enforce a curfew in some parts of the city, the largest in Indian Kashmir.
A general strike called by Muslim separatists has closed shops and offices in the Kashmir valley for six days running.
Separatists have fought against rule by New Delhi for decades, struggling for independence or for Muslim-majority Kashmir to join neighbouring Pakistan.
The region's top separatist, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Saturday called for the withdrawal of troops from civilian areas.
"The situation will improve if police and paramilitary forces are withdrawn from civilian areas," Farooq told a news conference.
"These camps (of security forces) inside civilian areas are big irritants. There is a need to shift them," he said, and warned New Delhi to release jailed separatist leaders or face more protests.
Separately, the Indian army said its troops killed four suspected militants early Saturday along the de facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
"The four were killed when they were trying to infiltrate into our side from across the Line of Control," a military spokesman said.
The insurgency, which New Delhi says is fuelled by Pakistan, has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
News - Asia: India urged to probe Kashmir killings
