Indonesia: Protestors gather in front of Indian embassy
Demonstrators urge Indian government to stop military operations, human right violations in Kashmir
A group of protestors on Wednesday held a demonstration in front of India's embassy in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, marking the Kashmir Solidarity Day falling on Feb. 5
The protestors chanted slogans against India and carried banners reading: "India, get out of Kashmir", "Stop killing people of Kashmir" and "Free Kashmir".
Activists asked the Indian government to stop the military operations and human right violations in Kashmir.
Azam Khan, the head of Kashmir Solidarity Organization, said that India should give the Kashmiri people a chance to choose their future.
Khan also said the people in the region should choose their fate with a referendum promised by the United Nations.
He also criticized the Indian embassy officials for rejecting to accept the meeting with protestors.
The demonstration, under the tight security measures of police ended, ended without any incident.
Kashmir Solidarity Day
Pakistan began observing Feb. 5 as Kashmir Solidarity Day in 1990.
The day is an annual demonstration of Pakistan’s support for the people of Indian-administered Kashmir.
Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full. A small sliver of Kashmir is also held by China.
Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought three wars -- in 1948, 1965 and 1971 -- two of them over Kashmir.
Also, in Siachen glacier in northern Kashmir, Indian and Pakistani troops have fought intermittently since 1984. A cease-fire came into effect in 2003.
Some Kashmiri groups in Jammu and Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.
According to several human rights organizations, thousands of people have reportedly been killed in the conflict in the region since 1989.