China voices concern over unrest in occupied Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: In a rare policy decision, China stepped in to voice its concern over the unrest in Kashmir calling for a proper settlement of the issue through peaceful means.

Human Rights Watch has also called on the Indian authorities to credibly and impartially investigate police use of force during protests in the Indian held Jammu and Kashmir.

The Chinese concern came after ruthless violence resulted in 51 Kashmirs killed, hundreds injured and over 70 blinded as they were hit in the face with pellets by Indian security forces in occupied Kashmir.

The killing of Kashmiris continued on Tuesday in the wake of the assassination of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, where Indian soldiers fired on a stone-throwing crowd defying a curfew, killing three people, police officials confirmed.

“The Chinese side is concerned about the deaths and casualties caused,” foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement.

China’s position on the Kashmir issue has been “consistent”, Lu was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua news agency. “The Chinese side hopes relevant parties can resolve the issue through peaceful means,” Lu said.

Indian media reports say that authorities in the IHK have lifted a three-day ban on the printing of newspapers but editors and owners said “the Kashmir government had yet to guarantee smooth media operations in the prevailing tense situation.”

There is complete confusion as printing of newspapers came to a standstill where in a surprising statement Adviser to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Amitabh Mattoo expressed his surprise as he was quoted as saying, “Sometimes decisions taken at a local level are not something the highest authority approves of. There was some miscommunication. We need to know who took the decision on the ban. We will take action once the crisis is over.”

He added that the decision to temporarily ban newspapers publication was made without the knowledge of the state’s top elected official, Mehbooba Mufti.

Pressure on the Kashmiri government continued with Washington Post commenting on the media ban and earlier the Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) called on authorities in occupied Kashmir to stop harassing and obstructing the media, and lift the ban on newspaper operations.

“Rock-throwing at demonstrations is serious but does not provide police a free pass to use force against protesters,” Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said.

“The Indian authorities need to send a clear message that lethal force is only an option when a life is at imminent risk, and those misusing force will be held accountable.”

“A major grievance of those protesting in Kashmir is the failure of authorities to respect basic human rights,” Gangulycurrent and accurate information,” CPJ said in a statement.

“The Indian government should immediately lift its ban on newspaper operations and restore the free flow of information,” Steven Butler, CPJ’s Asia programme coordinator, said in a statement on Monday. “It’s obvious that Kashmir’s longstanding difficulties have nothing to do with the operation of a free press, and that preventing professional journalists from doing their jobs can only make the situation worse.”

“Rock-throwing at demonstrations is serious but does not provide police a free pass to use force against protesters,” Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said.

“The Indian authorities need to send a clear message that lethal force is only an option when a life is at imminent risk, and those misusing force will be held accountable.”

“A major grievance of those protesting in Kashmir is the failure of authorities to respect basic human rights,” Ganguly said.“Ensuring that rights are protected and prosecuting those responsible for abuses would be an important first step.”

Owners and editors say that the situation would be reviewed today (Wednesday) but the government must admit that a ban had been put in place and also guarantee that “media operations are not being hampered from the movement of staff, to news gathering, printing and the distribution of the newspapers”.

The Washington Post meanwhile in a report said, “Unwilling to take any chances, Indian authorities appear to be persisting with their clampdown to avoid aggravating tensions in view of Pakistan’s call for a “black day” on Wednesday to protest India’s handling of dissent in Kashmir.”

Information has been thin, with most cellular and internet services, as well as landline phone access, not working in the troubled areas, except for Srinagar, the main city in the Indian Occupied Kashmir.

Police began raiding newspaper offices and seizing tens of thousands of local newspapers on Saturday, imposing a ban on their printing until Monday. They also detained scores of printing press workers. Editors and journalists held a protest march in Srinagar late Saturday, carrying placards reading “Stop censorship” and “We want freedom of speech.”

Kashmiri editor Hilal Mir of Kashmir Reader commented, “There is nothing surprising about (the ban on the press). They want their propaganda machines to run smoothly. The local media was not only covering the mayhem but also questioning the Indian media propaganda. They have airdropped some people and they do it every time. On normal days they do it through other means like pressurising the owner and editor. Don’t you find it surprising that Barkha Dutt finds 1,500 people injured - whom she sees with her own eyes in the SHMS (Shri Maharaja Hari Singh) hospital - and then she goes to the Army Hospital and finds some 14 security people, sitting cosily on the beds, and she compares them both as if they are similar?”