THE incident in Indian-occupied Kashmir on July 8, which is now available on YouTube as a video clip, exposes the real face of Indian armed forces in occupied Kashmir. It shows an innocent man lying under the debris of a residential house destroyed in a cordon-and-search operation, crying for help. However, he was killed at pointblank range in broad daylight by Indian security forces.

The video clip shows that soldiers kneeling on the ground remove debris, informing their superior of an entrapped innocent person. The soldiers were ordered to shoot him mercilessly. This is only one incident. Unarmed Kashmiris face such brutality on a daily basis.

Indian security personnel kill helpless Kashmiris and get away with it under the protection of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). The inquiries, often conducted by the perpetrator themselves, either remain inconclusive or are covered by anti-terrorism actions. Thanks to the double standards of international organisations and NGOs who overlook such gruesome acts of the mighty power. Besides, India is knocking at the doors of that club.

The freedom struggle in Indian-occupied Kashmir represents genuine aspirations of a nation, defined by a unified culture and strengthened by a strong religious identity. It is as old as India itself. Since its occupation of Kashmir, the Indian
establishment has intelligently manipulated this genuine freedom struggle into militancy, based on Islamophobia. Since 1989, over 93,000 innocent Kashmiris have been killed on the pretext of being 'terrorists'. Only last year, 122 youths were killed.

It is a wake-up call for the UN Security Council, Human Rights Council, ICRC, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. State terrorism in Kashmir, if condoned, will lead to frustration of youths who become supporters of international terrorism which is in no one's interest.

свернуть