[mobglob-discuss] CWI members abducted and tortured by Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen members d uring anti-war protest in Kotli, Azad (Pakistani) Kashmir

[Andy Lehrer]

please forward
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From: CWI <CWI at worldsoc.co.uk>
Date: Sat, 8 Jun 2002 16:21:00 +0100
Subject: CWI members abducted and tortured by Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen members d
uring anti-war protest in Kotli, Azad (Pakistani) Kashmir


Committee for a Workers' International
PO Box 3688
London
Britain
E11 1YE

Tel: ++ 44 20 8988 8760
Fax: ++ 44 20 8988 8793
E-mail: cwi at worldsoc.co.uk
Website: www.worldsocialist-cwi.org

Dear Comrades,
Enclosed as an attachment is a Socialist Party press statement and one by
Jammu and Kashmir National Awami Party giving an account of attacks by
reactionary jihadi Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen fighters on a demonstration organised
by NAP Kotli (led by CWI members) today in Kotli, Azad (Pakistani) Kashmir.
Kotli has been shelled repeatedly over the last few days by the Indian army.

Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen attacked the demonstration three times: Firstly by a
local Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen leader driving a motorbike into the demo and being
repulsed; then by the same individual firing shots from a revolver directly
at demonstrators; and finally by two trucloads of Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen members
arriving at the demo firing Kalashikovs into the air. During these attacks
one CWI member was beaten up and another sympathiser was abducted and
tortured. Both have been seriously injured and hospitalised as a result of
these attacks. During these attacks police stood by. At later interviews at
the local police station, officials implied that they could not take action
because Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen was "protected by larger powers". This means that
they are backed by Pakistani military intelligence, the ISI. During
interviews with Individuals linked with the ISI attempted to pressurise NSF
and JKNAP members to drop the case they had filed with the police.

The demo has had an electrifying effect in the town and will be followed up
with other demos in cities elsewhere in Azad Kashmir next weekend. The local
population has linked the shelling of the town with the existence in the
town centre of a jihadi Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen camp. They also understand that
the same Hizb-Ul Mujahadeen group is responsible for the attacks on those
who are struggling for an end to the war.

CWI comrades in Kashmir said: "Not only are we facing shells provided to the
Indian army by Tony Blair's government, we are facing shells fired by the
most reactionary Islamic jihadi groups in Kashmir as well"

Can comrades please raise this issue as widely as possible and act
immediately on it by sending letters of protest to the following individuals
and  demand to know why nothing was done by local authorities during these
attacks:

1)General Pervez Musharraf
President & Chief
Executive  of Pakistan
Email:  CE at pak.gov.pk

2)Mr. Abdul Sattar
Foreign Affairs of Paksitan
E-mail: pakistanfm at hotmail.com
           pakfm at isb.sdnpk.org
Phone: +92-51-9211942
Fax :- +92-51-9207217

3)Mr.Abbas Sarfraz Khan
Kashmir Affairs, Northern Areas
E-mail: safron at isb.perd.net.pk
Phone:- +92-51-9211405
Fax:-  +92-51-9202494

Can comrades also please send letters expressing solidarity with NAP and NSF
members to the following email address: napkotli at yahoo.co.uk
International Centre