Over 1000 students were part of a protest held in LUMS today. This protest happened in spite of the fact that the Police had spoken to students in LUMS and said that if they did anything (even within the campus), they would be baton charged. Police surrounded the LUMS campus from the morning, before the protest began. Plainclothes policemen were wandering around campus warning students about the impending crackdown. It was relayed that they knew the names of the students at the helm of the movement and they would be targeted. Many LUMS students attempting to enter the campus were denied entry by the police from the onset.
However, the protest went ahead as planned. Students and faculty gathered first in the sports complex, where, after reciting the National Anthem, they began the proceedings. Student and faculty speakers outlined the cause of the movement and their demands, which were, the removal of the martial law, the release of all lawyers, activists, teachers, students and leaders detained by the law enforcement agencies, the reinstatement of the judiciary and an end to the curbs on the media. By this time, we were informed that police were forcefully preventing media personnel from getting into the campus to cover the event. Nevertheless, the protest continued; the crowd slowly moved outside the sports complex, in complete silence, symbolic of the way in which their voices were being suppressed.
However, when they reached the entrance, where the police was present, armed with batons and teargas, the Vice Chancellor came out and ordered everyone to stay inside and move away from the academic block. The crowd then changed direction and made a round of the academic block, with the atmosphere getting more heated up, the crowd indignant at the stifling of their voice. During this round, it was made evident to many of us that plainclothes policemen and intelligence officials were present in the crowd, trying to create confusion and pandemonium, as well as take pictures of the student leaders involved. In the huge crowd, however, it was impossible to accurately isolate these people and have them removed. Meanwhile, a UET student attempting to enter the campus was beaten up by the police and detained, along with a member of the LUMS ITSC staff, though this is unconfirmed.
Right after this, about half the number of initial protestors carried out a silent, peaceful protest where they simply sat down in front of the Main Entrance in front of the police personnel. Most of the protestors placed masking tapes over their mouths, in a show of silent solidarity as they faced the police. At this time, all media personnel attempting to leave the campus were accosted by police with their cameras confiscated. The Police presence since then has multiplied and they are still at the gates. Reports are that they have been ordered to procure at least 15 people for detainment. The administration has denied them thus far. They remain outside. We are not sure what the outcome will be.
We have heard of the valiant efforts of our student brethren at FAST as well, who remain besieged inside their university. We salute you for your courage and call for a united effort against this military brutality. We call upon the entire student community of Pakistan to rise up against this criminal, authoritarian regime. Together, we will take this to its inevitable conclusion.
In Complete Unity.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Details of the LUMS rally and Police Response
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9 comments:
Proud of you guys
Please continue the struggle against oppression and injustice. If we fail today, our next generation will not forgive us. There is always bright morning after the dark night. We pray and wish you courage and success.
One man has hijacked the whole country with the help of terrorists like MQM, religious extremists, and Badmash Choudharies.
We the peaceful and patriotic citizens of Pakistan are with all the forces fighting for justice.
Good luck,
AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF
Dear President Musharraf,
We write to protest the large scale arrests of lawyers, judges, members of accredited political parties, journalists, and academics under the Emergency that you have declared in Pakistan. We urge you to drop charges against them expeditiously and to ensure that under no circumstances are they tortured or held without rights to habeas corpus. We are deeply disturbed and angry that those who should have been the greatest resource to ensure a secure democratic future for Pakistan are being threatened and are being held without due recourse to law. We feel that you have contributed to the destabilization of Pakistan and urge you to move towards the restoration of democratic processes at your earliest.
Sincerely,
1. Veena Das, Johns Hopkins University, USA
2. Naveeda Khan, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University, USA
3..Katherine Ewing, Duke University, USA
4. Didier Fassin, EEHS, Paris, France
5. Jackie Assayag, EEHS, Paris, France
6. Amita Baviskar, University of Delhi, India
7. Nandini Sundar, University of Delhi, India
8. Deepak Mehta, University of Delhi, India
9. Yasmin Saikia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
10. Kamala Visveswaran, University of Texas, Austin, USA
11. Kamran Ali, University of Texas, Austin, USA
12. Sanjay Reddy, Columbia University, USA
13. Stefania Pandolfo, University of California, Berkeley
14. Sadia Abbas, Williams College, USA.
15. Aamir Mufti, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
16.Bruce Grant, New York University, USA
17. Adam Falk, Baltimore, MD, USA
18.Ana Alonso, University of Arizona, USA
19. Bill Maurer, University of California, Irvine, USA
20. Neil Hertz, Johns Hopkins University, USA
21. D. Rutherford, University of Chicago, USA
22. Peter Redfield, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
23. Paola Maratti, Johns Hopkins University, USA
24. Sara S Berry, Johns Hopkins University, USA
25. Jane Guyer, Johns Hopkins University, USA
26. Erica Shoenberger, Johns Hopkins University, USA
27. Sammena Mulla, Williams College, USA
28. Deborah Poole, Johns Hopkins University, USA
29. Lori Leonard, Johns Hopkins University, USA
30. Clara Han, Johns Hopkins University, USA
31.Stacey Leigh Pigg, University of British Columbia, Canada
32. Niloofar Haeri, Johns Hopkins University, USA
33. Neena Mahadev, Johns Hopkins University, USA
34. Isias Rojas Perez, Johns Hopkins University, USA
35. Simone Tubenberger, Johns Hopkins University, USA
36. Bhrigupati Singh, Johns Hopkins University, USA
37. Maya Ratnam, Johns Hopkins University, USA
38, Ranendra K Das, Johns Hopkins University, USA
39. Pamela Reunolds, Johns Hopkins University, USA
40. Thomas cousins, Johns Hopkins University, USA
41. Rodney Sappington, Johns Hopkins University, USA
42. Vaibhav Saria, Johns Hopkins University, USA
43. Marieke Wilson, Johns Hopkins University, USA
44. Anand Pandian, Johns Hopkins University, USA
45. Citlali A Reyes-Kipp, Johns Hopkins University, USA
46. Ross John Parsons, Johns Hopkins University, USA
47. Vini Meyers, Johns Hopkins University, USA
48. Richard Helman, Johns Hopkins University, USA
49.Akhil Gupta, University of California, Los Angeles
50. Anila Daulatzai, Johns Hopkins University, USA
51. Chitra Venkatramani, Johns Hopkins University, USA
52. Stanford Carpendter, Arts Institute, Chicago
53. Andres Dapuez, Johns Hopkins University, USA
54. Hester Betlem, Johns Hopkins University, USA
55. Imran, Uni SA, Australia
Salute to the courageous students.
Please extend this protest among the other universities and colleges all over Pakistan specially in Karachi, Quetta, Multan, Islamabad and Peshawar.
Students can make the history. Keep it up guys.
Hi
I'm British News Producer covering this story. How can I get in touch with the students leading this protest? We may need an interview tomorrow Sunday (11th).
It's urgent!!
Thanks
PROTEST IN ISLAMABAD
November 14, Wednesday 3 30 p.m. Aabpara Chowk In the form of FLOWER AND BLACK BAND SHOW
pop po po
Excuse me, if I can get the names of the leaders, could you please tell me it is for a job.
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