Regional elections end with less violence in Kashmir

Srinagar (India), Dec. 24 (EFE). - The Indian Kashmir shut your appointment today with a high turnout election in an environment marked by less violence, a massive police presence and a boycott call by separatists that hit the regional capital, Srinagar, though less than in previous elections.
The seventh and final phase of elections held in 21 constituencies today, called for the vote of 1,638,000 Kashmiri of Srinagar and the Hindu-majority southern areas surrounding the winter capital, Jammu, where turnout was high.
There, according to the Indian Election Commission, 68 percent of voters went to the polls, while 20 percent did in Srinagar, where in past elections, also boycotted, voted just 5 percent.
"With these data, the share of the total of the seven phases has been of 61.5 percent, up from 43 percent in 2002," he said at a press conference the head of the Commission, BR Sharma.
The slight fog which ushered in Srinagar woke to a sunny day, although most voters stayed home in an unusual environment for the watchful presence of thousands of troops from the security forces.
The separatist Hurriyat Conference, powerful in the city, had called for a boycott of the elections and had called for a protest march today to be from the central Red Square, but police stopped the device separatist attempt.
"It will be difficult to demonstrate in Red Square. All access is closed. Have controls, blocked everything. It is very clear that the Government does not want the march to take place, "he told Efe on the eve of President Umar Faruq Hurriyat.
In anticipation of incidents, the authorities had already declared Tuesday a curfew in the city, so that the streets deserted of pedestrians and woke up with a very restricted traffic and subject to controls.
At least fourteen people were injured in riots in some districts of the civilian areas of Srinagar, where separatist groups fought the paramilitary strongly guarding the polls.
"I did not vote. We have 700,000 soldiers in our region. Is this what they call elections? Neither Pakistan nor India are interested in solving the conflict cashmere. And who gets the people, "a shopkeeper told Efe affected by the curfew.
Although the campaign has been marked by the development promises of the leading candidates in recent days have also become important tensions between India and Pakistan following the Mumbai attacks in late November.
The India attributed the attacks to the Kashmiri separatist group Lashkar-e-Toiba, operating from Pakistan, the country with which the dispute-and deals-the territory of Kashmir since independence and partition of the subcontinent in 1947.
"I voted because I want peace. I do not want war. We have 20 years of war have only served to sink and leave us without work, "says an old tour guide in front of the beautiful Dal Lake, the main attraction of the city.
Kashmir has plunged nearly two decades of conflict, and although in recent years the situation had improved, a dispute over ownership of land in summer pilgrimage prompted a wave of protests by Hindus and Muslims that left 40 dead.
That renewed tension raised fears that the elections would mark a return to violence, but according to the Election Commission has just the opposite happened: five civilians have died in this election, compared with 63 who died in 2002.
"This election has surprised many by the high turnout and the absence of violence. There is no fear of reprisals for voting. And people want a solution to their problems of everyday life, "he said in an interview with Efe the candidate of the nationalist National Conference, Omar Abdullah.
According to Hurriyat, however, the high turnout is the result of fraud Kashmiris in rural areas, where he said Faruq, the Indian Army has great power and pushes citizens to the polls.
The Indian Election Commission, which has strongly denied that possibility, plans to have the votes next 28, the wait both the National Conference as the other favorites, the Congress Party and the Democratic Party.

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Thematic area:

1. Indian Kashmir morning full process to renew the Regional Assembly
2. Kashmir, life under curfew
3. Indian Kashmir voting begins for the Assembly, with separatist boycott
4. The National Conference is imposed at the polls in Kashmir
5. India and Pakistan open historic trade routes in Kashmir