Washington, August 28 (KMS): The United States of America and the United Nations have expressed concern over the prevailing tension in occupied Kashmir.

Deputy spokesman of the State Department, Robert Wood said in Washington that the US was always concerned when tensions rose in South Asia. He maintained that the United States had always encouraged the governments of India and Pakistan to negotiate their differences peacefully. Robert Wood said this while responding to a question regarding the resurgence of tensions in occupied Kashmir.
 
Voicing concern over the recent killings and violence by Indian troops in the occupied territory, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva called on the Indian authorities to respect the right to freedom of assembly and expression, and comply with international human rights principles in controlling the demonstrators in occupied Kashmir.

The Secretary General of the Editors Guild of India, K Sachidananda Murthy in a statement in New Delhi pointed out that the journalists in occupied Kashmir had been beaten up by police and troops and there was a gross misuse of curfew. A conglomerate of four Indian human rights organisations, People's Union for Democratic Rights, issued a report after its six-member delegation visited occupied Kashmir. The report said that freedom is the primary demand of Kashmir and firing incidents by Indian troops, resulting in the killing of over 35 peaceful protesters, were unprovoked and aimed to kill.

Meanwhile, big processions were taken out in Handwara and Maisuma despite strict curfew orders. The demonstrators demanded immediate release of all Hurriyet leaders and activists. APHC leader, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi continued to remain under house arrest for the fifth day, today. In Srinagar, Indian troops rampaged the office of Muslim League, vandalised the house of a photojournalist, Inam-un-Nabi and damaged the properties of people at various places particularly at Habba Kadal. They also attacked a hospital in Handwara.