October 07
The Chairman of Ummat e Islami and Mirwaiz Of South Kashmir, Qazi Ahmed Yasir has called for Redwani Chalo on the 12th of October against the establishment of Army camps in South Kashmir. He also said that Ummat e Islami will enact ballot boxes at all the main squares of South Kashmir where people will be asked to chose between Azadi and India.
“We request people to vote come out in heavy humberds and defeat India on the day of elections in South Kashmir,” Mirwaiz South Kashmir said in Islamabad today while addressing a presser. The Chairman of Ummat e Islami said that despite his ill health, and a day after coming back from a Hyderabad Hospital he visited the Redwani Kulgam area where an Army camp has been recently established. The people of the area have been on a complete strike since then.
Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said that Four camps are located in a distance of less than three kilometeres, In Singam, In Frisal, in Khudwani and now in Redwani Bala. This heavy presence of Army has intimidated the local population at the area of more than 6000 inhabitants.
He said that the state of Jammu Kashmir has the population of more than 12 million, as according to the 2011 evaluation, the number of inhabitants in the state was 12,548,925. There is an estimated 700,000 security forces, giving it an extremely high 70:1,200 force to population ratio. It is not a small number. So in reality India has deployed 1-soldier to 12-Kashmiri civilians.
He said that Army has forcibly snatched land from the locals, Chopped at least a thousand trees worth 30 lakhs, the Army did not take anyone’s permission. The locals told me they are also planning for mass migration if the camp is not removed from this area. “Mohammed Maqbool Malik, a local of Redwani had saved the trees for the marriage of his two daughters, however the Army overnight chopped them all, Devastating the life of Maqbool,” Mirwaiz Said.
“Suspicion and fear continue to permeate the residents of the Redwani area. A knock on the door late at night sends spasms of anxiety through households, afraid that a family member will be asked by the Government forces to step outside for “a minute” and then never return. Psychological trauma related to the violence has been enormous, as life itself is constantly under threat,” Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said.
A School located just besides the camp, ‘Mustafa Memorial Public School’ has been locked down since last Monday, the day when the Army camp took a permanent shape, Mustafa Memorial School shares common borders with the camp. The children in these schools feel threatened and scared in the presence of the military personnel and due to the closeness of the camps that were likely to be targets of explosive weapons. The children know that this proximity puts them at greater risk.
From Kashmir, Official Stats reveal that, In 2013-2014 there were 296,535 girls enrolled in education within urban areas. This figure fell to 96,896 girls in 2015-16, amounting to a 67% decrease in girls in education.
Since 2016, many camps have been set up and re established in many residential areas of South Kashmir, which include one in Pahnoo, followed by another at Nagisharan, Breenti, Khudwani, Mahmoodpora, Redwani, Singam, Chillipora and Zainpora areas of South Kashmir.
The Army has barged into the locality at least 7 times since they set-up the camp here in the middle of the village, more than 12 locals including a minor have been detained. “Our houses are raided in the night, there hardly is any young boy who sleeps at home, we fear torture. We turn off the lights of our house after 6 pm.”
The area has shut down for the tenth consecutive day today. Are we giving them an ear? Are we listening? The media, i believe should stand with them.
India needs to understand that camps do not decrease the fear among locals, but produces an environment of fear and chaos among locals. If India wants to be in a state of war with Kashmiris, We want to tell them through your medium that every Kashmiri is ready to fight this war, But we must resolve issues amicably.
Regarding the issue of Elections, Mirwaiz Qazi Yasir said “We will tell the Army that we are not afraid of them, we will come out in huge numbers and defeat their nation, their elections,” Mirwaiz Qazi yasir said.
I want to ask a very simple question. Why are Municipal elections and Panchayat elections necessary when your Islamabad Parliamentary seat has been vacant for the past three years? Why is it that the life of less important or less privileged people is put under stake? It is of course the poor who will participate in the elections, Why is the Indian Government wanting to widen its vote bank politics on the blood of common Kashmiris? Everyone must understand this and try to disassociate himself/ herself from the bogus drama.
We cannot have elections under the barrel of the gun, You cannot be having camps, more armed soldiers and then boast of fair elections, the Centre has provided additional 400 companies of central paramilitary forces to secure the election process.
He said that Ummat e Islami will keep ballot boxes at every main square of Islamabad and ask people to come out and choose between independence and India.
He demanded the release of Political prisoners including Sarjan Barkati, Shabir Shah and others.