South Asia Citizens Web

Bangladesh 1971: Addressing Claims of War Crimes, Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. Recorded at Wilkins Theater at Kean University on 18 October, 2009

Dear friends,
We are attaching a copy of the letter addressed to DG Prisons on behalf of family of Afzal Guru requesting for (1) belongings of Afzal, allowing to say prayer at the grave and for handing over his body to family. This is for your information.
ND Pancholi Nandita Haksar

When Kashmiris say they don’t feel part of India, they are only reiterating a truth that Indian politicians and governments voice all the time. What else does it mean when politicians and large sections of the media talk of how happy ‘Indians’ are at the hanging of Afzal Guru, when his execution
is touted as a cathartic closure for ‘India’. We are told that the ‘Law’ has taken its course, the ‘Law has come full circle’. Where is this law when the widows of Delhi 1984 are still waiting for justice — and people like HKL Bhagat have died before they could be hung (not that this was ever a worry for him); when the murderers of Gujarat 2002 are still roaming free, and having the EU and others cosy up to their government?

Dedicated to all the women and children who have been abused, harassed, raped and killed because of Gender Based Violence. Events in Delhi, Mumbai and Colombo part of one Billion Rising Campaign

Afzal Guru is hanged and with this the valley is burning. It is time that the government must think of abolishing the death penalty. Crime does not end with execution. Neither will terrorism be over with the hanging of Afzal. Terrorism is an ideology and must be countered by ideological minds. It is time; we look the entire Kashmir issue from the perspective of Kasmirirs and not make Kashmir a symbol of India’s ‘secular’ consciousness. Let Kashmir be freed from this bondage of Islamic Kashmir or secular Kashmir. Let it enjoy the freedom like any other state. It is beyond doubt that Kashmiris today feel that they are being put on ‘test’ under ‘Indian nationalism’ which has very little to do with the issues in Kashmir.