J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

No gunfire, shelling for 2 days
JAMMU, Dec 4 — The Indo-Pak border belt in Jammu and Kashmir i.e. relatively calm and there has been no gunfire and mortar shelling since the past two days.

‘Ethnic cleansing’ by militants in Doda
JAMMU, Dec 4 — The state unit of the BJP is concerned over migration of members of a minority community from different areas of Doda district. It has called for measures to foil the gameplan of separatists and militants for carrying out “ethnic cleansing” in the district on the pattern of the Kashmir valley.

Jehad in J&K against Islamic values: Markaz
NEW DELHI, Dec 4 — Welcoming the Ramzan ceasefire in Kashmir announced by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Aalami Roohani Markaz has appealed to “those spreading terror in the name of jehad,” to stop the bloodshed in the valley.

60 valley kids leave for country’s tour
SHARIEFABAD (Kashmir), Dec 4 — A group of 60 children from the valley chosen by the Army yesterday left for a tour of the country, as part of its “Operation Sadbhavana” in the state.

Release of DA instalment sought
JAMMU, Dec 4 — The president of the National Mazdoor Conference, Mr Subash Shastri, has urged the state Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, to personally intervene in releasing the instalment of dearness allowance (DA) due from July 1, along with the third instalment of the 5th Pay Commission arrears, in view of the hike in prices of essential commodities which has hit the employees hard.

No gunfire, shelling for 2 days
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 4 — The Indo-Pak border belt in Jammu and Kashmir i.e. relatively calm and there has been no gunfire and mortar shelling since the past two days.

According to Defence Ministry sources, Mr Vajpayee’s ceasefire announcement and Islamabad’s decision to observe restraint on the LoC have reduced tension along the border.

The sources said prior to the ceasefire announcement, Pakistani troops would fire about 50,000 rounds everyday on Indian border villages and posts. After the ceasefire, it dwindled to 15,000 rounds per day in different sectors.

After Islamabad announced restraint on the LoC, it further decreased to 1,000 rounds. It was only on Saturday that Pakistani troops fired mortar shells on an Army camp in Nowshehra sector of Rajouri. There was, however, no casualty.

The defence sources explained that Islamabad’s instructions to the troops to observe restraint might have reached border guards late.

State government sources said Islamabad’s decision to observe restraint had seemingly influenced Hizbul Mujahideen leaders. They had not rejected the ceasefire offer and had decided to adopt a wait-and-watch policy.

The Hizb is divided as far as its approach to the ceasefire is concerned. A majority of Hizb activists are in favour of adopting a low profile and watch the outcome of the proposed peace talks between the government and separatists. A section within the Hizb which had planned blasts was directed to wait for further orders.

Militant outfits dominated by foreign mercenaries, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jash-e-Mohammad, and Al Badr, have stepped up attacks on security forces. Their activists triggered a landmine blast in which an Army jawan was killed and 24 others, including four civilians, were wounded near Khanpur in Baramula district today.

Government reports said despite Islamabad’s decision, militants were being pushed into the valley from across the Kupwara sector. Wireless messages intercepted by the state government authorities confirmed that scores of militants, who had crossed into Kashmir, in recent days, were suffering from frostbite and other ailments owing to the freezing temperature in the border belt.

The messages indicated that SoS had been sent to agencies across the LoC to supply woollens and snow shoes to infiltrators so that they were not maimed because of frostbite.

Meanwhile, groups of displaced families from Pallanwala and adjoining areas in Akhnoor sector are waiting for peace to return so that they could go back to their villages.

More than 40,000 persons in Akhnoor, R.S. Pora and Samba belts migrated to safer places following heavy shelling and firing by Pakistani troops.

Ashok Kumar, a migrant, said they would watch the situation for another week. “If there is respite in firing, we may return to our villages and carry out farming. Gian Chand, another migrant, said more than 100 shops in Pallanwala and adjoining areas had remained closed for the past 18 months and if the Pakistani troops stopped firing, we will immediately reopen the shops.” 

‘Ethnic cleansing’ by militants in Doda
Tribune News Service

JAMMU, Dec 4 — The state unit of the BJP is concerned over migration of members of a minority community from different areas of Doda district. It has called for measures to foil the gameplan of separatists and militants for carrying out “ethnic cleansing” in the district on the pattern of the Kashmir valley.

The party president, Mr D.K. Kotwal, told newsmen here today that in recent days a large number of families belonging to the minority community had fled to safer places from upper reaches of Kishtwar subdivision, including Dechan, Patimala, Paddar and Gandhov.

Mr Kotwal blamed the National Conference workers and leaders for encouraging separatists for “carrying out ethnic cleansing”. Explaining this point, he said under pressure from National Conference leaders several security pickets had been removed from some sensitive areas in the troubled district.

He said that five Hindus had been killed near Dechan recently and it was the result of closing down a security picket. Between Patimala and Dechan, a distance of over 29 km, there was no security picket. Militants, he claimed, had been moving freely in this belt and several people belonging to the minority community were threatened if they did not leave their ancestral villages.

Mr Kotwal alleged that during the past over one fortnight militants had started indulging in extortion and many persons had been deprived of even their woollens.

The BJP chief supported the Prime Minister’s ceasefire announcement which could pave the way for peace in the state. He said at the same time, adequate security bandobast was needed to protect lives and property of the minorities in Doda district. He appealed to the Centre to “take care of the innocent people”.

Referring to the proposed panchayat poll in the state, Mr Kotwal suggested that the election should be held on a party basis. He demanded that the decision taken by the government to nominate 33 per cent women to the panchayats be immediately revoked as it was undemocratic and aimed at helping the ruling party gain control over the panchayats. He also demanded that 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution be made applicable to Jammu and Kashmir and seats for women in panchayat bodies be reserved so that each seat witnesses a contest.

Jehad in J&K against Islamic values: Markaz
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 4 — Welcoming the Ramzan ceasefire in Kashmir announced by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Aalami Roohani Markaz has appealed to “those spreading terror in the name of jehad,” to stop the bloodshed in the valley.

Talking to reporters here, members of the Markaz, which is a gathering of Ulemas, said that “jehad” being waged in the valley in the name of Islam was against Islamic values. The Vice-President of the Markaz, Mr Maulana Mohammad Ali Johar, said grievances could be resolved by talking to the government and not by resorting to violence.

Regretting loss of innocent lives in the valley even after India’s unilateral ceasefire, Markaz members appealed to the youth, who had been misguided in the name of religion, to seize the chance of returning peace to the valley.

The General Secretary of the Markaz, Mr Mohammad Shahid Khan, said unlike the previous governments, which tried to solve the Kashmir issue by not involving Muslims of the country, the present government had involved the country’s biggest minority.

He said the government had provided the Muslims of the valley an opportunity for peace by announcing unilateral ceasefire during the auspicious Ramzan days.

The Ulemas said Islam was a religion of peace and violence was to be eschewed at all costs in the holy month of Ramzan.

He said Mr Vajpayee’s ceasefire announcement was a sign of respect for the sentiments of Muslims living in India and Pakistan and the step had been welcomed all over the world. The Markaz office-bearers include Bakal Utsahi, Maulana Hasan-ul-Hashmi, Maulana M.A. Rabbani, Maulana Mohammad Yakub, Mohammad Muslameen Barni and Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman.

60 valley kids leave for country’s tour

SHARIEFABAD (Kashmir), Dec 4 (PTI) — A group of 60 children from the valley chosen by the Army yesterday left for a tour of the country, as part of its “Operation Sadbhavana” in the state.

Accompanied by six teachers and Major Sukhdev Singh, the beaming and enthusiastic children in the age group of 10 to 18 years left for over a three-week tour organised by Kay Force of the Army under the aegis of 15 Corps in its effort to bring peace, give better life and instil confidence in the young generation of the valley.

“We are lucky to visit those places which we have read in our books and will be meeting those personalities which we have seen on television sets and the architectural masterpieces which have historical background”, was the reaction of a group from among those chosen for the tour.

“The group will visit Delhi, Agra and Mumbai as part of the operation and we have made all arrangements regarding their safety, security and accommodation”, officiating General Officer Commanding of Kay Force, Brig O.P.S. Chouhan, said while flagging off the two vehicles carrying the children.

Representing various schools of Srinagar, Badgam, Baramula and Kupwara districts, the children, besides visiting places of historical and cultural importance, were scheduled to meet film stars in Mumbai and naval officers, he said.

Release of DA instalment sought
From Our Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 4 — The president of the National Mazdoor Conference, Mr Subash Shastri, has urged the state Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, to personally intervene in releasing the instalment of dearness allowance (DA) due from July 1, along with the third instalment of the 5th Pay Commission arrears, in view of the hike in prices of essential commodities which has hit the employees hard.

Addressing a rally of the National Mazdoor Conference here yesterday, Mr Shastri said other states had already released the DA and Jammu and Kashmir should follow suit.

Mr Shastri said the recent government order to the state treasury that no bill should be kept pending and cleared within 48 hours of its receipt was a clear pointer that the state was no longer facing a financial crunch.

Other demands highlighted by Mr Shastri included the regularisation of services of daily wagers, increase in their wages from Rs 45 to Rs 100 per day and the transfer of the GP Fund account of state government employees in nationalised banks. 

Ladakh Buddhists hold rally

LEH, Dec 4 (PTI) — Over 20,000 Buddhists of Ladakh organised a rally here today, demanding the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and union territory status to Ladakh. They also criticised successive governments for neglecting the region.

“If Biharis have Bihar and Tamils have Tamil Nadu, we should also have a separate identity, different from that of being part of Kashmir,” President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), which took out a procession along with the Ladakh Monastries Association said.

The LBA president, Mr Tsering Samphel, demanded the union territory status for Ladakh and statehood for Jammu while Mr Lama Nyantak, president of the outfit’s youth wing, sought the trifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. He welcomed the Ramzan ceasefire.

Mr Nyantak alleged that Ladakhis had been discriminated against since Independence just because “we belong to a miniscule and distinct religious, ethnic and cultural background.”

Referring to the 1989 agreement between the LBA, the state government and the Centre on the formation of the Ladakh Hill Development Council (LAHDC), LBA general secretary P.T. Kunzang said the lahdc “has fallen short of our expectations.”

The rally, which started by burning an effigy symbolising Pakistan’s ISI, passed through Leh town, covering a distance of 5 km and culminated at the Polo Ground.

Some Buddhist monks taking part in the rally threw stones at government buildings but were stopped by the police.