Protest held outside White House against killing of Muslim girl in held Kashmir

WASHINGTON, April 30 (APP):Hundreds of people gathered outside the White House in Washington to protest against the rape and killing of a an 8-year-old Muslim girl in the Indian held Kashmir as protesters demanded the US and the world community to help Kashmiri people in securing their right to self-determination to end these atrocities
The incident happened in January but drew media attention this month after police filed charges against the accused, including top government and police officials, who raped and killed Asifa Bano in a Hindu temple in Kathua, a city in the Indian-held Kashmir.
People including civil right leaders, journalists, lawmakers and from diverse nationalities took part in the protest during which speakers highlighted the atrocities by the Indian forces and state terrorism of India.
The killing of Asifa Bano drew widespread outrage and was also highlighted in the American media, which described such crimes as part of an organized and systematic campaign by nationalist forces that want to terrorize women, Muslims, Dalits and other underprivileged citizens.
Asifa, who belonged to a nomadic Muslim community of Kathua, a city in the Indian-held Kashmir, was abducted, drugged, gang raped inside the Hindu temple and finally murdered.
Those who wanted to conceal this atrocious crime included two sitting ministers of the state government belonging to the Indian ruling Bharatiya Janta Party of Prime Minister Narandra Modi.
Speakers at the rally said the whole purpose of this heinous crime was to dislodge this small community of Bakarwals. Rape was used as weapon of war. This is a crime against humanity which needs to be condemned by all and one in the comity of nations, they said.
The rally participants demanded the government of the United States to send a clear message to the Government of India that such barbarity has no place in the comity of nations in this day and age.
They also called upon the US Administration to play an active part in ensuring that the promises made to the people of Kashmir at the U.N. more than seven decades ago, be fulfilled and an opportunity given to the people to participate in a free and fair referendum to determine their future in line with their inalienable right to self-determination.