LIFESTYLE 19 - 21
AMUST
UMMAH 22 - 24
EDUCATION 25 - 27
TRAVEL 28 - 29
SOCIAL 30 - 31
AUSTRALASIAN MUSLIM TIMES
www.amust.com.au ISSUE # 166
/
Multicultural News & Views
SEPTEMBER 2019; MUHARRAM 1441
/
PH: (02) 9158 3020
/
Digital Newspaper Available
EMAIL: INFO@AMUST.COM.AU
/
$2
Paradise lost: Modi annexes Kashmir
A glimpse of the valley of Kashmir.
Kashmir under occupation. Mohamed Ainullah The valley of Kashmir, akin to paradise on earth has now been in total lockdown for almost a month where Kashmiris remain caged under brutal lockdown by Indian military using strict curfew conditions, razor wire roadblocks and total ban on communication with suspension of internet, landline and mobile phone services since Monday 5 August. Taking its cue from the “only democracy in the Middle East”, Israel, that has a long history of occupation and oppression of its indigenous Palestinian population, the Hindu nationalist government led by PM Modi of the “largest democracy in the world”, India, finally annexed Kashmir embarking on a new wave of brutal oppression, disenfranchisement and human rights abuse of its indigenous population. The life is at a standstill in the valley for a month now with all educational institutions closed, shops shut down with shortage of food, medicine and access to healthcare. More than 6000 people have been arrested, including three former chief ministers and a large number of teenagers and many of them shifted to jails elsewhere in India. In spite of the oppressive military crackdown and lack flow of information, there have been reports of daily clashes are taking place between people protesting against the government’s unilateral move in changing
the status of the state of Jammu & Kashmir. More than 180 people have been admitted to hospitals with injuries sustained from tear gas and pellet gun wounds while many more injured avoid going to the hospital for fear of being arrested. The Modi government’s unilateral move and total lockdown of the Kashmir valley, the complete clampdown on communication and movement of people with the arrest of hundreds of people has been condemned by Melbourne protest against the annexation of Kashmir on Saturday 10 August.
Proudly Printed in Australia by Spotpress Pty Ltd
neighbouring Pakistan as well as China and the United Nation. The major opposition parties in India have now joined forces demanding the immediate release of Kashmiri leaders and political prisoners, restoration of communication and freedom of speech and movement in the Kashmir valley. However, a delegation of India’s main opposition politicians, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who had flown on
Saturday 24 August to Srinagar, the capital of J&K in order to observe the situation on the ground was sent back to the capital, New Delhi. “The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological wing, RSS, are celebrating the abrogation of Article 370, while the majority of people don’t even know what the Article is,” Ghulam Nabi Azad, of the Indian National Congress said. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is a Hindu supremacist organisation advocating India to be a Hindu nation. The Hindu Nationalist Party BJP, currently in power in India is the political arm of RSS led by PM Narendra Modi, a lifelong member of RSS. “They are cheating the people by saying they have restored the communication by restoring a few telephone lines. Only government officials have landlines. So, is this facility only for officials? There is a complete communication blockade.” Mr Azad further added. A group of activists, economists and writers presented their observations of the situation in Kashmir in New Delhi on Wednesday 14 August after returning from a five-day trip to the Kashmir Valley. The delegation compiled several videos of their trip showing deserted streets dotted with road blocks without people even on the day of Eid-ul-Adha, a major Muslim festival on Monday 12 August. contunued on page 3
Dispose of this paper thoughtfully - PLEASE RECYCLE