Eid ul Azha is honoured in Kashmir, but few celebrations can take place with curfew and communication blockade still in place for the eighth day:
- The usual open air large-scale Eid prayers are forbidden. Instead some small mosques have been open and allowed for prayers.
- Reports of some men being able to walk in pairs to attend prayers.
- Shops, banks and ATMs remained closed; reports of people queuing outside branches of J&K Bank for hours, both in Pulwama and Srinagar.
- Reports of people having trouble accessing hospitals and healthcare, and medications are running low.
- People are also having difficulties leaving the hospitals due to lack of public transportation and curfews blocking the roads.
- Online versions of local newspapers have been unavailable since 5 August; yet journalists are succeeding in printing small numbers of brief hard copies to circulate news locally.
News
Sameer Yasir and Jeffrey Gettleman, New York Times (120819): With Pens, Paper and Motorcycles, Journalists Chronicle Kashmir Crackdown.
Sameer Yasir, Suhasini Raj and Jeffrey Gettleman, The Telegraph (120819): Kashmir report: ‘Living hell here’
Bashaarat Masood, The Indian Express (120819): In separatist stronghold Sopore: ‘Do not misunderstand our silence as surrender’
Azaan Javaid, The Print (120819): J&K govt refuses to give information on Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti’s whereabouts
Huffington Post India (120819): Hundreds Of Kashmiris Protested In Srinagar On The Eve Of Eid: Report.
CBC Radio (120819): The Current for August 12, 2019
Protests in Soura after Eid prayers, August 12, 2019
The Wallstreet Journal (120819): Protesters Demonstrate in Kashmir Despite Indian Clampdown.
AFP (120819): Civilians with pellet gun injuries fired by Indian forces being brought to a local hospital in Srinagar for the treatment.
Shaswati Das, Livemint (120819): Complete shutdown, heavy stone pelting, all main mosques out of bounds. Here is a snippet of violence and public outrage against the clampdown, in Hyderpora (Srinagar).
The Wire (120819): Ground Report: Angry Kashmir Empty on Eid as Restrictions Return to Srinagar
Livemint (120819): Curfew brings life in Kashmir to a standstill ahead of Eid today
Scroll.in (120819): Kashmir ground report: A cancer patient struggles to reach hospital for chemo, others can’t get home
The Wire (120819): Stuck in Hospital After Losing a Child, Waiting 3 Days for 1 Call: Life in Kashmir Today
The Wire (120819): ‘I Am More Afraid Than I Have Ever Been’: A Personal Account From Kashmir.
Statements
Human Rights Watch (120819): “India Needs to Step Back in Kashmir.”
Sixty-four citizens comprising Kashmiri Pandits, Dogras and Sikhs have stated that they “unequivocally condemn the abrogation of Article 370,” and have made a call for “an immediate lifting of the state of siege” in the Valley. Full list of names and statement available on The Quint.
Rep. Thomas Suozzi, Democratic Party, United States
“I am concerned Prime Minister Modi’s recent actions in Kashmir have contributed to tensions higher than ever; our administration must make Kashmir a major focus. PM Khan’s recent trip to USA assures we are working together to counter extremism and other issues.”
Kashmir Scholars Consultative and Action Network KSCAN 