J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

6 militants killed in valley
SRINAGAR, Aug 7  — Security forces killed six militants and recovered arms and ammunition in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

15 held as R S Pora curfew continues
JAMMU, Aug 7  — Fifteen persons, including some political activists, have so far been arrested in connection with violence after killing of an animal in R S Pora on Saturday, even as curfew continued for the third day today, police official said.

Bhat, Geelani on collision course
JAMMU, Aug 7 — While the All Party Hurriyat Conference  leaders feel “confused” over the outcome of preliminary talks between the government and Hizb-ul Mujahideen, the Jamait-e-Islami has adopted a divergent attitude towards the proposed talks.

Bandh to protest yatris’ massacre
JAMMU, Aug 7 — Over 500 students held demonstration on the Jammu University premises today in protest against the killing of Amarnath pilgrims and labourers from Bihar in the state.

Labourers shifted from Kashmir
JAMMU, Aug 7 — About 30 families of labourers from Himachal, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, who have been working in Kashmir for the past several years, have fled from the south Kashmir areas where 27 Bihar labourers were killed by militants on August 2.

6 militants killed in valley

SRINAGAR, Aug 7 (UNI) — Security forces killed six militants and recovered arms and ammunition in the Kashmir valley during the past 24 hours.

Official sources said a powerful blast rocked Dal Lake this afternoon. However, no one was injured. The explosive was kept in a scooter at Gagerbal which exploded causing damage to some parked vehicles.

An official spokesman said security forces killed three militants in two encounters in the frontier district of Kupwara last evening. Some arms and ammunition including two AK rifles, six improvised explosive devices, a pika gun, eight grenades and five safety fuses were recovered from the slain militants.

Security forces also gunned down a militant in an encounter at Kushkidar in the Pir Panchal area of north Kashmir last evening. An AK rifle, two magazines, two grenades and two wireless sets were recovered from them.

Two foreign mercenaries were killed in an encounter between militants and security forces at Draman village this morning. Two AK rifles, six magazines, 284 rounds, four grenades and two boxes of improvised explosive devices were recovered near the site of the encounter.

15 held as R S Pora curfew continues

JAMMU, Aug 7 (PTI, UNI) — Fifteen persons, including some political activists, have so far been arrested in connection with violence after killing of an animal in R S Pora on Saturday, even as curfew continued for the third day today, police official said.

Meanwhile, demonstrations were held in Bishnah town, adjoining R S Pora, in protest against the arrest of villagers and political activists in this connection.

The Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Mr R V Raju said 14 persons were injured, two of them seriously, in clashes between the police and a group of people in the town on Saturday, after two government offices were set ablaze, a few vehicles burnt and a police station was attacked prompting the authorities to clamp curfew.

The situation in other parts of the region remained peaceful and the Amarnath yatris were proceeding from Jammu on schedule.

The situation in Doda, Udhampur, Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch, Bhaderwah and other areas of Jammu region was peaceful and under control and curfew had been lifted completely from all these areas except R S Pora.

Bhat, Geelani on collision course
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Aug 7 — While the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leaders feel “confused” over the outcome of preliminary talks between the government and Hizb-ul Mujahideen, the Jamait-e-Islami has adopted a divergent attitude towards the proposed talks.

The chief of the Jamait-e-Islami, Mr G.M. Bhat, has supported the proposed talks and said “we should not doubt India” but a senior party leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, considered as the backbone of the Hurriyat Conference has openly opposed the peace parleys on the plea that only tripartite talks, involving Pakistan, could resolve the Kashmir issue.

Though the tussle between Mr G.M. Bhat and Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been going on for the past three years the ceasefire announcement of the Hizb-ul- Mujahideen and its willingness to hold talks with the government have seemingly brought the two Jamaat leaders on a collision course.

Mr Geelani considered as hawk in the Hurriyat Conference, has a following not only in Jammu and Kashmir but in the international fora. However a majority in the Jamait-e-Islami has been supporting Mr Bhat. This became evident when Mr Bhat was re-elected chief of the fundamentalist organisation for the second time recently.

Syed Ali Shah Geelani had pitted Mr Ashraf Sehrai against Mr Bhat and the latter won by a margin of about 14 votes indicating the former had started making inroads in the Jamaat.

Informed sources said the rift between the two could cause a vertical split in the organisation. But both of them have felt the need for tolerating each other for the benefit of the party. These sources said Jamait-e-Islami leaders had been trying to ride two boats, one favouring a dialogue for resolving the turmoil and the other for continuing the ongoing “jehad.”

Late last year Mr Bhat had even opposed the gun culture and stated that the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen was not the military wing of the Jamait-e-Islami. This double standard has been adopted by the Jamaat leaders to ensure the safety of its leaders and activists and keep the options open in case one side lost the battle. If the government won the battle against the militants, whether through talks or by military action. Mr Bhat would be in a position to save his organisation. And in case the militants continued to call the shots Mr Geelani could be instrumental in securing survival of the Jamaat activists.

While the battle of wits continued to bog the Jamait-e-Islami, Hurriyat Conference leaders said they were “confused” and supported Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s stand that under the existing political vacuum the proposed talks between the government and the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen would have a meaningless exercise.

A senior Hurriyat Conference leader said: “There is no meeting ground between the two sides” and said that the way the government had accepted the ceasefire offer of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen indicated that the Centre was trying to sideline the APHC.

He admitted that “we have been sidelined”. He said after the ceasefire announced by the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen no mediators from the government had any link with “us”.

As the date for the second round of talks between the two sides for working out the modalities for the parleys is drawing near the Kashmir valley has been gripped by suspense and fears. Suspense over the outcome of the talks, if at all they are held, and fears that in case the talks did not take off or failed Hizb-ul Mujahideen activists may take to the gun again and fight with vengeance.

The government it seems does not want to take any hasty step. In the context of threats of fixing the deadline for talks the government has already conveyed to Hizb-ul- Mujahideen leadership that it should not set deadlines as many things had to be sorted out.

The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, has said those who have set the deadline may keep on changing it because for talks both sides needed time. He has predicted that ultimately Hizb men will join the national mainstream because no government in Delhi can afford to handover Kashmir to Pakistan or accept the separatists’ demand for total ‘azadi’.

Bandh to protest yatris’ massacre
From Tribune Reporters

JAMMU, Aug 7 — Over 500 students held demonstration on the Jammu University premises today in protest against the killing of Amarnath pilgrims and labourers from Bihar in the state.

They took out a procession and blocked the main road for several hours. They also burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and raised slogans against the Prime Minister.

Students and research scholars demanded judicial inquiry into the recent massacres, besides imposing President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir.

The student community opposed the talks between the Hizbul and the government, saying that another group of militants would take to the guns and vitiate the atmosphere in the state.

They also criticised the state and the Central government for their failure to provide proper security cover to the pilgrims.

SHIMLA: Residents of the town had to go without vegetables, milk and other essential items as shopkeepers observed a complete bandh in protest against the killing of pilgrims by militants in Kashmir.

Besides the Mall and Lower Bazar, markets in the suburbs like Tutu, Dhalli, New Shimla and Boileauganj also remained closed. The call for bandh was given by the local Snatan Dharm Sabha, Sri Guru Singh Sabha and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Reports of bandh were also received from Sunam and Fatehgarh Sahib.

Labourers shifted from Kashmir
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Aug 7 — About 30 families of labourers from Himachal, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, who have been working in Kashmir for the past several years, have fled from the south Kashmir areas where 27 Bihar labourers were killed by militants on August 2.

These families were brought by the police and taken to Samba in Jammu.

One Maharaja from Uttar Pradesh said he and his family members were in Kashmir for the past 12 years, working in fields and brick kilns. He said the way 27 labourers were killed in one day “we had no alternative but to flee from the area.”

When asked whether they would return to Srinagar they said they had bid it goodbye.

Bhola Ram from Himachal said he had been working as a labourer in Kashmir for the past 20 years. “I have never witnessed such a panic as was created after the killing of the labourers,” he said, adding that the militants were in Army uniforms and in the name of checking “sprayed bullets on the labourers.”

They said they would look for work in Samba and the adjoining areas.

Bhola Ram said even security forces suggested that the non-local labourers should quit Kashmir as they would not be able to get security.

Veer Chand from Madhya Pradesh said, “ I have been in Kashmir for the past 45 days. I had thought I would earn a fortune but the way our men were killed I have fled from that place.”