US military personnel began an operation to deliver Christmas presents to troops in Syria. Troops taking part in 'Holiday Express' transported stockings stuffed with gifts to five bases in the country's east on Monday.

Special Christmas delivery for US troops in Syria

Indonesia has partially lifted an internet blackout imposed following civil unrest in the country's easternmost region of Papua, but is yet to restore access in areas where the most violent protests erupted, a government statement said.

The region of Papua has suffered the most serious civil unrest in years since mid-August over perceived racial and ethnic discrimination. Some protesters have also demanded an independence referendum, something Jakarta has ruled out.

About 6,000 police and military personnel have been flown in to Papua, reinforcing a heavy military presence in a region that has endured decades of mostly low-level separatist conflict.

The government had throttled internet speeds in the region for a few days before cutting off access entirely in the two provinces in the region from August 21.

Late on Wednesday, the communications ministry said in a statement it had restored internet and data access for most parts of Papua except for certain places, where it would continue to monitor the situation in coming days.

The decision was taken because the security situation in those areas had "normalised" while "the spread of hoax information, lies, expressions of hatred, provocations related to Papuan issues, had begun to decline," it said in a statement.

The government had maintained the internet blackout in places where protesters torched buildings, such as the capital of Papua province Jayapura and the capital of West Papua province of Manokwari.

The shutdown also continued in some rural towns, including Deiyai, where some civilians were killed during a clash between security forces and protesters last week.

Authorities and activists have given different accounts on the incident and the internet blackout has made verifying information difficult.

Indonesian authorities have accused Benny Wenda, the chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, a separatist group, of orchestrating the unrest in Papua.

Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo told media that diplomatic channels would be used to hold Wenda accountable. A spokesman for Indonesia's foreign ministry declined to comment.

Wenda, who resides in Britain, was quoted in media as saying the Indonesian government should focus on resolving the Papuan issue rather than making accusations against him.

Police have also named a prominent human rights lawyer and activist Veronica Koman a suspect in connection with her Twitter posts about an incident that triggered the unrest.

The protests followed racist slurs against Papuan students, whose dormitory was tear-gassed during their detention in the city of Surabaya on Java island on Aug17, Indonesia's Independence Day, for allegedly desecrating a national flag.

Several Papuan students in Jakarta, who were accused of treason for their protests, have been arrested.

Police have also identified two people suspected of hate speech from the Surabaya incident, who were in a crowd that mobbed the Papuan student dormitory. Two military personnel are also being investigated for their involvement in the incident, while three others have been suspended.

Papua and West Papua provinces, the resource-rich western part of the island of New Guinea, were a Dutch colony that was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised UN-backed&nbsp;referendum in 1969.

Indonesia has partially lifted an internet blackout imposed following civil unrest in the country's easternmost region of Papua, but is yet to restore access in areas where the most violent protests erupted, a government statement said.

Indonesia has partially lifted an internet blackout imposed following civil unrest in the country's easternmost region of Papua, but is yet to restore access in areas where the most violent protests erupted, a government statement said. The region of Papua has suffered the most serious civil unrest in years since mid-August over perceived racial and ethnic discrimination. Some protesters have also demanded an independence referendum, something Jakarta has ruled out. About 6,000 police and military personnel have been flown in to Papua, reinforcing a heavy military presence in a region that has endured decades of mostly low-level separatist conflict. The government had throttled internet speeds in the region for a few days before cutting off access entirely in the two provinces in the region from August 21. Late on Wednesday, the communications ministry said in a statement it had restored internet and data access for most parts of Papua except for certain places, where it would continue to monitor the situation in coming days. The decision was taken because the security situation in those areas had "normalised" while "the spread of hoax information, lies, expressions of hatred, provocations related to Papuan issues, had begun to decline," it said in a statement. The government had maintained the internet blackout in places where protesters torched buildings, such as the capital of Papua province Jayapura and the capital of West Papua province of Manokwari. The shutdown also continued in some rural towns, including Deiyai, where some civilians were killed during a clash between security forces and protesters last week. Authorities and activists have given different accounts on the incident and the internet blackout has made verifying information difficult. Indonesian authorities have accused Benny Wenda, the chairman of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, a separatist group, of orchestrating the unrest in Papua. Police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo told media that diplomatic channels would be used to hold Wenda accountable. A spokesman for Indonesia's foreign ministry declined to comment. Wenda, who resides in Britain, was quoted in media as saying the Indonesian government should focus on resolving the Papuan issue rather than making accusations against him. Police have also named a prominent human rights lawyer and activist Veronica Koman a suspect in connection with her Twitter posts about an incident that triggered the unrest. The protests followed racist slurs against Papuan students, whose dormitory was tear-gassed during their detention in the city of Surabaya on Java island on Aug17, Indonesia's Independence Day, for allegedly desecrating a national flag. Several Papuan students in Jakarta, who were accused of treason for their protests, have been arrested. Police have also identified two people suspected of hate speech from the Surabaya incident, who were in a crowd that mobbed the Papuan student dormitory. Two military personnel are also being investigated for their involvement in the incident, while three others have been suspended. Papua and West Papua provinces, the resource-rich western part of the island of New Guinea, were a Dutch colony that was incorporated into Indonesia after a widely criticised UN-backed referendum in 1969.

Indonesia restores internet access in parts of restive Papua region

An old&nbsp;tea&nbsp;warehouse&nbsp;collapsed in&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&#39;s&nbsp;capital&nbsp;killing at least&nbsp;seven people on Wednesday, hospital sources said, with some people feared trapped in the rubble.

Police said at least 12 people were inside the building, near the R. Premadasa cricket ground, at the time of the&nbsp;collapse.

Pushpa Soysa, the head nurse at the National Hospital of&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka, said&nbsp;seven&nbsp;bodies were brought to the hospital.

Police, soldiers and firefighters were searching for those believed trapped, television pictures showed.

The reason for the&nbsp;collapse&nbsp;was not immediately clear.

Military personnel were rushed to the private company in the commercial quarter of Grandpass to search for those crushed inside.

An old tea warehouse collapsed in Sri Lanka's capital killing at least seven people on Wednesday, hospital sources said, with some people feared trapped in the rubble. Police said at least 12 people were inside the building, near the R. Premadasa cricket ground, at the time of the collapse. Pushpa Soysa, the head nurse at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, said seven bodies were brought to the hospital. Police, soldiers and firefighters were searching for those believed trapped, television pictures showed. The reason for the collapse was not immediately clear.

Tea warehouse collapse kills seven in Sri Lanka capital

A woman injured in clashes between security forces and protesters in south Kashmir died in hospital, taking the death toll in the ongoing unrest to 42, even as curfew remained in force in the Kashmir Valley today. 
 
Neelofar was injured in retaliatory firing yesterday after protesters pelted stones at an Army vehicle in Qazigund. 
 
Two other persons, including a woman, were killed and seven others injured in the incident. 
 
A police spokesman, giving details of the incident, said an army patrol had come up against a road blockade at Churaht Qazigund while moving towards&nbsp;Devsar. 
 
&quot;The security force party while removing the obstructions came under heavy stone pelting by the miscreants from two sides. The Army party warned the mob to maintain distance but it did not relent. 
 
&quot;Some miscreants tried to snatch weapons from them and tried to set ablaze the vehicles. Despite repeated warnings the mob did not disperse and army fired in self-defence in an effort to move out from the spot,&quot; the spokesman said, adding six persons were injured in the incident out of which two had succumbed last night. 
 
Curfew meanwhile remained in force across the 10 districts of the Valley, with no sign of clashes between protesters and security forces coming to an end. 
 
The clashes began soon after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in a gun battle with security forces on July 8. 
 
Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength across the Valley to enforce the strict implementation of prohibitory orders, the official said. 
 
He said there have been no reports of violence from anywhere in the Valley so far today. 
 
Normal life also remained paralysed for the eleventh day today due to the separatist-sponsored strike which has now been extended till July 22. 
 
In a joint statement, Kashmiri leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Mohammad Yasin Malik yesterday said the shutdown in the Valley will continue till July 22. However, they announced a half day-relaxation from 2 pm &nbsp;onwards on July 21. 
 
Mobile phones and mobile internet services stayed down while newspapers failed to hit stands for the fourth day. 
 
(PTI) 
 
&nbsp;

Life remains paralysed for the eleventh day. Mobile phones stay down, newspapers fail to hit stands for a fourth day

A woman injured in clashes between security forces and protesters in south Kashmir died in hospital, taking the death toll in the ongoing unrest to 42, even as curfew remained in force in the Kashmir Valley today. Neelofar was injured in retaliatory firing yesterday after protesters pelted stones at an Army vehicle in Qazigund. Two other persons, including a woman, were killed and seven others injured in the incident. A police spokesman, giving details of the incident, said an army patrol had come up against a road blockade at Churaht Qazigund while moving towards Devsar. "The security force party while removing the obstructions came under heavy stone pelting by the miscreants from two sides. The Army party warned the mob to maintain distance but it did not relent. "Some miscreants tried to snatch weapons from them and tried to set ablaze the vehicles. Despite repeated warnings the mob did not disperse and army fired in self-defence in an effort to move out from the spot," the spokesman said, adding six persons were injured in the incident out of which two had succumbed last night. Curfew meanwhile remained in force across the 10 districts of the Valley, with no sign of clashes between protesters and security forces coming to an end. The clashes began soon after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in a gun battle with security forces on July 8. Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength across the Valley to enforce the strict implementation of prohibitory orders, the official said. He said there have been no reports of violence from anywhere in the Valley so far today. Normal life also remained paralysed for the eleventh day today due to the separatist-sponsored strike which has now been extended till July 22. In a joint statement, Kashmiri leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and Mohammad Yasin Malik yesterday said the shutdown in the Valley will continue till July 22. However, they announced a half day-relaxation from 2 pm onwards on July 21. Mobile phones and mobile internet services stayed down while newspapers failed to hit stands for the fourth day. (PTI)

Woman injured in clashes dies in hospital, taking death toll in Kashmir to 42

Hundreds gather to protest against the killing of a 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani. As they agitate they pelt stones to show their anger and injure the police. In return, the police resort to firing pellet guns instead of firing guns with bullets. This has resulted in many of the rioters being injured and some even being blinded. There are people of all ages protesting. Some of the injured standing on the sidelines are as young as five years old. One wonders how existing in this cycle of violence will impact them in the long term. 
 
History of Stone Pelting 
 
Stone pelting is not a new phenomenon. Palestinian youth and children were pelting stones between 1936 and 1939 against the British. In the 1980s stone pelting became more organised. From December 1987 till the signing of the Oslo agreement in 1993 large groups of children and youth were involved in it. The Palestinians have also used sling shots and crude bombs. It garnered global attention and many who have tried to bring similar global attention to Kashmir have adopted stone pelting as a means to do just that. 
 
Kashmir&rsquo;s stone pelting history dates back to the summer of 2008 when young men took to the streets to launch violent protests against the continued deployment of security forces. In 2010, the situation spiralled out of control when the alleged fake encounters of three youths and the accidental death of a school boy during tear-gas shelling became flash points. A rage quietly building up exploded with rare vengeance as the youth fought pitched battles with the men-in-uniform. It became a do-or-die struggle for a people determined to wrest freedom from the Indian establishment. 
 
However Bashir-ud-Din Ahmed, former Grand Mufti, called stone pelting un-Islamic. &ldquo;Islam strongly prohibits any form of violence. The stone pelting practice is surely un-Islamic. It causes inconvenience to people and propels more violence,&rdquo; the Grand Mufti said. However, this is the same Grand Mufti who banned the entry of four Christian pastors in the Kashmir valley, accusing them of forcible conversions. 
 
Impact of living with violence 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/stance-20160718012302.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
 
&nbsp;
</div>
Living with violence has a massive impact on the population, especially in the lives of children. There is a plethora of research on how turmoil and violence in society impacts children. It impacts the mental health of people in the long term. The effects also translate into increased rates of depression and substance abuse. 
 
A case in point is the increased incidence of drug abuse in Anantnag. Many blamed it on unemployment and easy availability of drugs but the core issue was the failure to recognise the real cause: violence in their society. A recent report from Baramulla district shows that 20 per cent of students in higher secondary schools and 30 per cent in colleges are consuming drugs. 
 
The most obvious fall out of living with violence is a constant state of anxiety in which one loses the sense of purpose and planning. When one wakes up each morning one has no idea how the day is going to be. There is an acute sense of helplessness and the only way for many youths is to get out of the Valley for a semblance of normality in their lives. But those who stay back are condemned to a harrowing existence. It is an experience no child must be put through in any society. 
 
Regarding military presence 
 
The argument pertaining to military presence and the resultant violence is as old as humanity. The reality is that with military presence in an area, there is bound to be a spurt in violence, which in turn affects the economy of the region. Militaries come with deep pockets and things begin to change rather dramatically. Recent reports of sexual exploitation by United Nations troops show exactly what happens when troops land at your doorstep. 
 
The military personnel are usually young, staying far away from their families and having lived with violence and threat to their lives, they may already have been suffering from psychological troubles. So when military arrives in your neighbourhood it is never great news. 
 
A few years ago I was in the Northern Afghanistan city of Kunduz. The Taliban had set up their anti-aircraft guns and other artilleries in civilian neighbourhoods. When the US troops or the Northern alliance troops would respond, it caused massive casualties among children. The world would then see the images and talk about the stupendous death toll. This is also what the NATO described as &ldquo;Friendly fire&rdquo;, when friends would get hurt while the enemy was being fired at. 
 
The reality is that armed groups will have to be kept out of your neighbourhood for peace and normality. I was in the middle of a gun battle in Kashmir in 2005. We were caught in the crossfire between the security forces and four terrorists who had taken over a home. The residents had informed the police about them after being forced to play host for a week. When the police went in and surrounded the place, a gun battle ensued and almost the whole house was destroyed. 
 
Living with violence is not easy, it destroys your existence. 
 
Encouraging terrorism as a strategy against a democratic government is not something that has worked in the long term. Terrorism works only against dictatorial societies, so in case one decides to use terrorism as a strategy against a democratic society, large investments have to go in to win the war of propaganda against the State. 
 
Kashmir has been represented by children of its own soil whether it was Omar Abdullah in the recent past or Mehbooba Mufti. They are bright Kashmiris who would like to see the best for their state and their people. 
 
Apart from being politicians and criticising the opposition party when they are out of power, they still mean well for their people. But the terrorists&rsquo; only goal is to create an Islamic State which does not fit into the idea of a modern Nation-State that is secular and has space for all, regardless of religion and ethnicity. 
 
Terrorism thrives on fear. It can only increase conservatism in liberal societies. A recent study demonstrated how Spanish attitudes gravitated towards conservative values after the Madrid train bombings. So what terrorism does is create a larger pool of conservative societies and this may change the very fabric of democracies. 
 
Two pictures that went viral recently represent the strategy and the outcome. One picture is of a five-year-old girl who was hit by pellets as police responded to stone pelting. The other is of the 12-year-old daughter of a Colonel of the Indian Army who was killed in Kashmir and she blamed Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist for it. 
 
The problem with extremist stances is that no one wins in a protracted struggle. We as humanity are losing, losing our way on the journey towards becoming a civilization.

There is very little understanding of the trauma of people living in conflict zone Kashmir

Hundreds gather to protest against the killing of a 22-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani. As they agitate they pelt stones to show their anger and injure the police. In return, the police resort to firing pellet guns instead of firing guns with bullets. This has resulted in many of the rioters being injured and some even being blinded. There are people of all ages protesting. Some of the injured standing on the sidelines are as young as five years old. One wonders how existing in this cycle of violence will impact them in the long term. History of Stone Pelting Stone pelting is not a new phenomenon. Palestinian youth and children were pelting stones between 1936 and 1939 against the British. In the 1980s stone pelting became more organised. From December 1987 till the signing of the Oslo agreement in 1993 large groups of children and youth were involved in it. The Palestinians have also used sling shots and crude bombs. It garnered global attention and many who have tried to bring similar global attention to Kashmir have adopted stone pelting as a means to do just that. Kashmir’s stone pelting history dates back to the summer of 2008 when young men took to the streets to launch violent protests against the continued deployment of security forces. In 2010, the situation spiralled out of control when the alleged fake encounters of three youths and the accidental death of a school boy during tear-gas shelling became flash points. A rage quietly building up exploded with rare vengeance as the youth fought pitched battles with the men-in-uniform. It became a do-or-die struggle for a people determined to wrest freedom from the Indian establishment. However Bashir-ud-Din Ahmed, former Grand Mufti, called stone pelting un-Islamic. “Islam strongly prohibits any form of violence. The stone pelting practice is surely un-Islamic. It causes inconvenience to people and propels more violence,” the Grand Mufti said. However, this is the same Grand Mufti who banned the entry of four Christian pastors in the Kashmir valley, accusing them of forcible conversions. Impact of living with violence Living with violence has a massive impact on the population, especially in the lives of children. There is a plethora of research on how turmoil and violence in society impacts children. It impacts the mental health of people in the long term. The effects also translate into increased rates of depression and substance abuse. A case in point is the increased incidence of drug abuse in Anantnag. Many blamed it on unemployment and easy availability of drugs but the core issue was the failure to recognise the real cause: violence in their society. A recent report from Baramulla district shows that 20 per cent of students in higher secondary schools and 30 per cent in colleges are consuming drugs. The most obvious fall out of living with violence is a constant state of anxiety in which one loses the sense of purpose and planning. When one wakes up each morning one has no idea how the day is going to be. There is an acute sense of helplessness and the only way for many youths is to get out of the Valley for a semblance of normality in their lives. But those who stay back are condemned to a harrowing existence. It is an experience no child must be put through in any society. Regarding military presence The argument pertaining to military presence and the resultant violence is as old as humanity. The reality is that with military presence in an area, there is bound to be a spurt in violence, which in turn affects the economy of the region. Militaries come with deep pockets and things begin to change rather dramatically. Recent reports of sexual exploitation by United Nations troops show exactly what happens when troops land at your doorstep. The military personnel are usually young, staying far away from their families and having lived with violence and threat to their lives, they may already have been suffering from psychological troubles. So when military arrives in your neighbourhood it is never great news. A few years ago I was in the Northern Afghanistan city of Kunduz. The Taliban had set up their anti-aircraft guns and other artilleries in civilian neighbourhoods. When the US troops or the Northern alliance troops would respond, it caused massive casualties among children. The world would then see the images and talk about the stupendous death toll. This is also what the NATO described as “Friendly fire”, when friends would get hurt while the enemy was being fired at. The reality is that armed groups will have to be kept out of your neighbourhood for peace and normality. I was in the middle of a gun battle in Kashmir in 2005. We were caught in the crossfire between the security forces and four terrorists who had taken over a home. The residents had informed the police about them after being forced to play host for a week. When the police went in and surrounded the place, a gun battle ensued and almost the whole house was destroyed. Living with violence is not easy, it destroys your existence. Encouraging terrorism as a strategy against a democratic government is not something that has worked in the long term. Terrorism works only against dictatorial societies, so in case one decides to use terrorism as a strategy against a democratic society, large investments have to go in to win the war of propaganda against the State. Kashmir has been represented by children of its own soil whether it was Omar Abdullah in the recent past or Mehbooba Mufti. They are bright Kashmiris who would like to see the best for their state and their people. Apart from being politicians and criticising the opposition party when they are out of power, they still mean well for their people. But the terrorists’ only goal is to create an Islamic State which does not fit into the idea of a modern Nation-State that is secular and has space for all, regardless of religion and ethnicity. Terrorism thrives on fear. It can only increase conservatism in liberal societies. A recent study demonstrated how Spanish attitudes gravitated towards conservative values after the Madrid train bombings. So what terrorism does is create a larger pool of conservative societies and this may change the very fabric of democracies. Two pictures that went viral recently represent the strategy and the outcome. One picture is of a five-year-old girl who was hit by pellets as police responded to stone pelting. The other is of the 12-year-old daughter of a Colonel of the Indian Army who was killed in Kashmir and she blamed Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist for it. The problem with extremist stances is that no one wins in a protracted struggle. We as humanity are losing, losing our way on the journey towards becoming a civilization.

Kashmir unrest: Whirlpool of violence

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