Perilous Times
Fourteen killed in Koran protests across Indian Kashmir
SRINAGAR, India | Mon Sep 13, 2010 12:11pm EDT
SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - Police shot dead at least 13 people Monday
in anti-government and Koran demonstrations across Indian Kashmir in
the biggest single death toll from protests in the disputed region in
years.
The toll includes nine people killed in police clashes after Muslim
protesters set fire to a Christian missionary school and government
buildings in two districts to denounce reports that copies of the Koran
had been damaged in the United States.
One policeman was also killed by stone-throwing protesters defying a
curfew in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley.
The deaths are a huge challenge for the Congress-led government, which
has been criticized for failing to treat the protests seriously,
underscoring a policy limbo in New Delhi that may spill over into
tension with Pakistan, which claims Kashmir.
The nuclear-armed neighbors have twice gone to war over Kashmir since
independence.
Police said these Koran demonstrations, attended by thousands in
western Kashmir, quickly turned into separatist protests against the
Indian central government -- a day after authorities slapped a curfew
on much of the restive Himalayan region.
Protesters, many wearing green headbands, shouted "There is no God but
Allah" and "Death to America." Witnesses said crowds in Budgam burned
an effigy of U.S. President Barack Obama.
At least 113 policemen and 45 protesters were injured. Police in
Kashmir said separatist leaders were inciting the violence.
Kashmir has seen mass rallies against Indian rule in the last three
months and at least 70 protesters had been killed by police.
Demonstrations on other issues -- such as the Koran -- can often
balloon into wider anti-government sentiment.
Sunday, two people were killed in a third straight day of violent
protests in Afghanistan sparked by a U.S. pastor's threat to burn
copies of the Koran, the Muslim holy book.
While pastor Terry Jones dropped his plans, there were at least two
incidents of abuse of the Koran in Lower Manhattan in New York
Saturday. Two evangelical preachers not affiliated with any mainstream
church burned two copies of the Koran in Tennessee.
It was unclear which incidents the Kashmiri demonstrators were
denouncing. Iranian TV reports were aired in Kashmir on Sunday about
alleged desecrations of the Koran - a grave insult to Muslims who
believe the Koran to be the literal word of God.
DEFYING A CURFEW
A new generation of young Kashmiris, who have grown up with house
raids, police killings and army checkpoints, feel increasingly angry at
Indian rule and champion street protests rather than the violent
militancy that characterized the 1990s.
The protests unfolded as Indian authorities extended a curfew Monday in
most of Kashmir, deployed thousands of troops to quell protests and
prevented a planned march by separatists to a U.N. office in the
region's biggest city.
"The latest incident today shows they have not learnt from past
mistakes and things have clearly gone out of hand," said political
analyst Amulya Ganguli.
In Srinagar, Kashmir's main city, troops patrolled streets, erected
barricades and blocked roads leading to the offices of U. N. Military
Observer Group in India and Pakistan.
In a sign of increasing concern in New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh made a rare public statement on Kashmir, although a cabinet
meeting failed to come up with any public decision.
"The youth of Kashmir are our citizens and their grievances have to be
addressed.... We are willing to talk to every person or group which
abjures violence, within the framework of our constitution," Singh said.
In a potential embarrassment for the government, the New Delhi-backed
leader of Kashmir state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was reportedly
under pressure to resign for failing to contain deadly anti-government
protests.
But there is little risk for the Congress-led Indian government. Most
Indians show little interest for what is happening in Kashmir and there
is a general consensus in the country that Kashmir should remain part
of India.
The government is considering a partial lifting of the Armed Forces
Special Powers Act in Kashmir as part of a peace initiative expected in
the next few days.
The law gives security forces sweeping powers to shoot, arrest, search
and detain people in battling a separatist insurgency. But the army
appears opposed to any relaxation and Monday's protests may have also
dampened the chance of reform.
(Writing by Alistair Scrutton; Editing by Paul de Bendern and Ron
Popeski)