[Reader-list] Peace march in Kashmir attacked by stone pelters

[Rajkamal Goswami]

hahahahahaha

On 11/8/10, Aalok Aima <aalok.aima at yahoo.com> wrote:
> how dare anyone, even symbolically, contemplate 'peace' in kashmir
>
> "One of the protestors hoisted a white flag, symbolising peace, atop the
> Clock Tower, they said." ..................... "An agitated youth also
> removed the white flag and set it ablaze."
>
> very very interesting, coming as it does after the posters questioning the
> 'strike-calendars' and articles in newspapers of kashmir doing the same
>
> .............. aalok aima
>
>
> http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?700266
>
> Anti-Strike Activists Clash with Protesters in Srinagar
> Srinagar | Nov 07, 2010
>
> Around 100 activists belonging to Jammu and Kashmir NGO Forum today staged a
> protest rally in Lal Chowk area of Srinagar against the continuous strikes
> called by separatist groups over the past few months, but their leader was
> attacked by some youths.
>
> Nearly 25 vehicles carrying the protesters, who had come from various parts
> of the Valley, assembled at Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) ground here,
> official sources said.
>
> Holding placards denouncing the frequent strikes, the car rally then
> proceeded towards the Clock Tower in Lal Chowk area, the sources said.
>
> One of the protesters hoisted a white flag, symbolising peace, atop the
> Clock Tower, they said.
>
> As the organiser of the rally Bashir Ahmad -- formerly associated with a
> national political party -- was talking to reporters, a group of youths beat
> him up and forced the anti-strike protesters to flee.
>
> Ahmad was bleeding from the mouth before being rescued by police personnel
> providing security cover to the rally.
>
> An agitated youth also removed the white flag and set it ablaze. Police
> detained the youth who brought down the flag while chasing away his other
> accomplices.
>
> Several groups of people appeared from nearby Kokerbazar, Maisuma and Court
> road localities and raised slogans and started throwing stones at the police
> personnel.
>
> Police burst teargas shells and used batons to bring the situation under
> control.
>
> This is second protest against the strikes called by hardline Hurriyat
> Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani since the ongoing unrest began in
> the valley in June.
>
> On September 1, a political activist organised a students' protest rally at
> Residence Road but had to beat a hasty retreat following opposition from
> some youths in the area.
>
> Earlier in the day, hundreds of roadside vendors defied Geelani's call for a
> 'civil curfew' as they displayed their merchandise in the popular flea
> market in Srinagar.
>
> Geelani had announced a three-day 'civil curfew' to be observed, beginning
> with arrival of US President Barack Obama to India yesterday, but the
> vendors decided to defy it.
>
> "We have seen enough of strikes and curfews for the past four months and now
> we want to feed our families. We cannot go on forever like this," a vendor,
> who identified himself only as Khalid, told PTI.
>
> The sentiments were echoed by many of Khalid's fellow traders at the Sunday
> market, but they did not speak on record for the fear of reprisal from
> separatist elements.
>
> The defiance of the strike call by vendors comes a week after an unknown
> group, Jammu and Kashmir Ittehadi Islami, circulated posters in the city
> asking the Hurriyat Conference to review its strike calendar as it was only
> harming the economy of the Valley.
>
> Kashmir Valley has been in the grip of protests, strikes and curfew since
> June when a 17-year-old boy was killed by a tear smoke shell allegedly fired
> by police at Rajouri Kadal area of the city.
>
> The hardline Hurriyat Conference, meanwhile, termed the protest as a "drama
> enacted by the ruling National Conference to mislead the visiting US
> President Barack Obama about the situation in the Valley".
>
> Acting general secretary of the amalgam Nissar Hussain Rather said, "Strikes
> and and protests are effective means to invite the attention of the world
> community towards Kashmir issue."
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Rajkamal