By Kashmir Watch
Thursday, October 21 · 2:00pm – 8:00pm
LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House, New Delhi [auditorium is close to the Mandi House Metro Station]
Speakers confirmed:
Syed Ali Shah Geelani (Chairman, Hurriyat Conference (G)) as Chief Guest
Arundhati Roy (Writer and Activist)
Najeeb Mubaraki (Assistant Editor, Economic Times)
…S.A.R. Geelani (Professor DU & Working President CRPP)
Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain (Professor of Law, University of Kashmir)
Varvara Rao (Revolutionary Poet & Professor)
Gursharan Singh (Noted Dramatist and President of CRPP)
Shuddhabrata Sengupta (Artist and Writer)
Justice A.S. Bains (Retd. Chief Justice, Punjab High Court)
Dr. N. Venu (General Secretary, NPMHR)
Dr. Aparna (CPI (ML)- New Democracy)
Thiagu (Tamil Writer)
Malem (CPDM)
The happenings in Kashmir over the past few months need no retelling. The situation has deteriorated to extreme levels with unarmed civilians, mostly young teenagers, being killed by the Indian armed forces with impunity. The toll from June 11 has reached 109, with the numbers of injured, maimed, blinded much more. Curfews, bullets, tear smoke have become a routine to suppress the peaceful democratic protests.
While many people have shown concern about the recent turn of events it is very important to contextualize the whole situation. We need to ask the question as to why people are getting killed in hundreds, injured in thousands, kept behind bars, tortured and maimed. It is important at this juncture to bring the attention towards the fact that the basic issue at hand regarding the Kashmir dispute is the Self-Determination of the people of Jammu & Kashmir for which they have been steadfast and hence been the target of the repressive military machine of the Indian State. The people of Jammu Kashmir are clear about the fact that what they want is Azaadi which they have time and again defined in coherent terms of letting them decide their own future.
The latest people’s resistance which forms the part of recently launched ‘Quit Jammu Kashmir Movement’ needs to be viewed as a continuity of the Resistance movement (Tehreek) which the people of Kashmir have been sustaining for over six decades. The political dispute vis-a-vis Kashmir need not be confused with the superficial measures like the removal of AFSPA, human rights violations, other draconian acts, stopping of unlawful killings, torture, enforced disappearances etc. Though all these things do exist and need to be stopped at any cost, they manifest only symptoms of a broader and deeper malaise�a militarized governance used to maintain a military occupation of the region by the Indian state, through its armed forces, numbering at least 7,00,000.
To highlight these concerns and issues the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP) is organizing a public meeting regarding the Kashmir issue titled ‘Azadi: The Only Way’ on Thursday, 21st of October at LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House, New Delhi from 2 pm – 8 pm.
[ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND]
Organized By:
Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP)
e-mail: thearrested1@gmail.com
Endorsed By:
Kashmiris in Delhi (KiD)
Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights and Justice (NPMHR)
Campaign Against War on People
Democratic Students Union (DSU)
Tamil Students Union
Virasam Revolutionary Writers Association (Andhra Pradesh)
Posted by pakistanpal 
