The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik has strongly condemned the continued “wave of terror and intimidation” being unleashed by government forces across south Kashmir through CASOs.JRL in a statement issued to GNS said these cordon and search operations (CASOs) “to terrorise and harass” common people are deplorable, unjustified and against all principles of humanity.“Making people hostage in their own homes, thrashing them, vandalising their houses, detaining youth at will and then mercilessly killings civilians in this manner is absolute state aggression and state terrorism which the Indian state is perpetuating as a state policy, with impunity and without remorse,” the leadership said.It said that despite all this, the resolve of the people of south Kashmir to stand up against it is unwavering.“No military might has ever succeeded in suppressing people’s just political movements across the globe and neither will this. The dispute will have to be resolved politically in keeping with peoples will and choice,” the leaders said.
Meanwhile, the statement said that on the call of JRL, scores of leaders and activists assembled at the historic Jamia Masjid Srinagar for a joint protest sit-in against the “reign of terror” inflicted on the people of south Kashmir.The protest was led by JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik who strongly denounced the forces’ crackdown on dozens of south Kashmir villages and killing of innocent people, terming it as “barbaric and highly undemocratic”.Malik while addressing the protestors said the leadership won’t remain silent on the endless pain inflicted on the people of south Kashmir.“If forces and authorities don’t stop the open aggression being unleashed against the people of south Kashmir that includes thrashing of inmates and sudden search operations, the leadership won’t hesitate in asking people to hit the streets. The people of south Kashmir are being punished for no fault and they have been left at the mercy of forces as every citizen lives under constant fear,” he said. (GNS)