Mirwaiz Calls for Shutdown on April 12
SRINAGAR; Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Wednesday called for a shutdown on April 12 against the proposed move of extension of Tosa Maidan lease to Army and asked people to hold peaceful protests against the extension in this regard.
Addressing a news conference at Rajbagh Hurriyat Headqaurters, Mirwaiz said that the strike call is against the land lease agreement between State government and Indian Army of Tosa Maidan meadows in central Kashmir which has been used by later for artillery exercises.
While giving reports about the report on Tosa Maidan prepared by Human Rights Division of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz said that according to the Government in the past five decades, 63 people have been killed and many others disabled in several accidents related to unexploded shells.
All the victims belong to the villages around Tosa Maidan. He said that according to locals 150 people have died, while hundreds others have been injured. The people who were injured can’t even beg for living as they have become permanently handicapped.
“Villages such as Drang, Shunglipora, Arizal and Harthpanzre are also full of people who have been disabled or grievously injured by explosions of unexploded shells,” he said.
“Since 1964, for six months from May to October every year, the meadow sees scenes of simulated warfare carried out by the army. During this period, the villages reverberate with the barrage of shelling and deafening explosions, forcing the villagers to stay indoors most of the time.
The human cost of the military exercises is now causing an outcry not only in the affected villages but across the Kashmir Valley. It all started in 1964 when state awarded 3000 sq km stretch of Tosa Maidan meadow to Indian army on lease for conducting firing drills.
In the span of 49 years, state government admitted that 63 residents were devoured by artillery drills and some 43 have been left maimed.
Tosa Maidan was leased to the army in 1964 for setting up an artillery firing range with the 50-year lease. Tosa Maidan’s lease to the Indian army ends on the 18th of April 2014 this year.”
He appealed people to observe a complete shutdown on April 12 and also hold peaceful protest. Mirwaiz said that it would have grave repercussions if lease would be extended to Army.
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Addressing a news conference at Rajbagh Hurriyat Headqaurters, Mirwaiz said that the strike call is against the land lease agreement between State government and Indian Army of Tosa Maidan meadows in central Kashmir which has been used by later for artillery exercises.
While giving reports about the report on Tosa Maidan prepared by Human Rights Division of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz said that according to the Government in the past five decades, 63 people have been killed and many others disabled in several accidents related to unexploded shells.
All the victims belong to the villages around Tosa Maidan. He said that according to locals 150 people have died, while hundreds others have been injured. The people who were injured can’t even beg for living as they have become permanently handicapped.
“Villages such as Drang, Shunglipora, Arizal and Harthpanzre are also full of people who have been disabled or grievously injured by explosions of unexploded shells,” he said.
“Since 1964, for six months from May to October every year, the meadow sees scenes of simulated warfare carried out by the army. During this period, the villages reverberate with the barrage of shelling and deafening explosions, forcing the villagers to stay indoors most of the time.
The human cost of the military exercises is now causing an outcry not only in the affected villages but across the Kashmir Valley. It all started in 1964 when state awarded 3000 sq km stretch of Tosa Maidan meadow to Indian army on lease for conducting firing drills.
In the span of 49 years, state government admitted that 63 residents were devoured by artillery drills and some 43 have been left maimed.
Tosa Maidan was leased to the army in 1964 for setting up an artillery firing range with the 50-year lease. Tosa Maidan’s lease to the Indian army ends on the 18th of April 2014 this year.”
He appealed people to observe a complete shutdown on April 12 and also hold peaceful protest. Mirwaiz said that it would have grave repercussions if lease would be extended to Army.
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