Author: Khursheed Wani
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: July 5, 2010
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/267111/Curfew-lifted-Valley-peaceful-again.html
Life returned to normal in Kashmir on Sunday
after prolonged spells of curfew and separatist-sponsored strikes, with exception
of southern Anantnag district, where curfew was reimposed following protests
against the recent killing of civilians.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a meeting
with prominent citizens in Srinagar city in a bid to make an all-inclusive
effort to bring peace and normalcy to the embattled State.
Shops opened and traffic plied on Sunday morning
to break the past week's monotonous omnipresence of security forces and their
vehicles. Despite a holiday, roads in Srinagar and inter-district links witnessed
traffic jams and a huge rush of commuters. Most of the people were seen shopping
for fresh fruits, eatables and essential commodities.
Srinagar city and other major towns were cloaked
under curfew following widespread protest demonstrations against the killing
of 11 civilians between June 11 and 29, allegedly at the hands of police and
the Central Reserve Police Force. Authorities clamped restrictions and rounded
up separatist leaders in a bid to avoid repetition of 2008, when the entire
Valley erupted against a controversial land transfer order favouring the Shri
Amarnath Shrine Board.
A senior police officer said the curfew had
worked. "There have been less protests and incidents of stone-pelting.
We had no fatal casualty since June 29," he told The Pioneer.
However, authorities have a tough challenge
to face on Monday. An underground separatist leader, Masarat Aalam, has asked
the people to march towards Anantnag to register collective protest against
recent killings. Though his 'Islamabad chalo' call has not been supported
by the moderate faction of the Hurriyat, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF
chief Yasin Malik, released on Sunday, authorities cannot afford to be lax.
"We will take all precautionary measures
to keep the situation under control," the officer said. Aalam is a sidekick
of Syed Ali Geelani, the hardline separatist leader who has been jailed for
spearheading an anti-India stir.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened
a meeting of prominent citizens, trade union leaders and representatives of
civil society and appealed them to join hands with the Government to establish
peace in the Valley. He also sought their suggestions on deliverance of better
governance and course correction.
The Chief Minister was asked by Home Minister
P Chidambaram, last week, to reach out to the civil society, along with Cabinet
colleagues, for political intervention to the ongoing crisis. During the past
week, several ministerial groups have visited Baramulla, Sopore, Anantnag,
Jammu and Pulwama to oversee the situation.
Abdullah, who is completing the first quarter
of his Government on July 5, is under flak for the recent upsurge in civilian
killings. The Opposition has blamed his Government for being "callous
and inefficient". Sources said a section of leaders in coalition partner
Congress is also opposed to the CM's style of working.
To make up for his apparent fall from grace,
the Chief Minister is repeatedly pleading for "political resolution of
Kashmir issue", a slogan akin to popular sentiment in Jammu & Kashmir.
"The Kashmir issue needs political resolution and this can only happen
when all the stakeholders make an effort in right earnest to find a solution,"
he told members of civil society.
"We have been strong votaries of dialogue
both internal as well as external to help resolve issues," said Abdullah,
underlining the urgent need to restore dialogue.
Prominent citizens, representatives of traders,
hoteliers, travel agents, houseboat owners, artisans, taxi operators, shopkeepers,
shikara union and transporters were part of his audience. Participants of
the meeting impressed upon the Chief Minister the need to rein in security
forces to avoid civilian casualties.
Asking them to help stop the practice of stone-throwing,
Abdullah said, "Maintenance of law and order and tranquillity is the
responsibility of both citizens and the Government. We should complement each
other in this task."
