THE BURNING KASHMEER

Geelani rises against violent protests
Not Averse To Talks; Official, Unofficial Emissaries Met Me During Detention
GK NEWS NETWORK


Srinagar, Aug 4: In a significant move, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani Wednesday came out openly against the current violence in Kashmir, saying “the agitators burning public properties are damaging the movement.”
80-year-old Geelani’s appeal came in the backdrop of the unabated protests in the Valley in which 46 people, mostly youth, have died since June 11 this year.
He said those indulging in stone pelting, burning offices, railway stations and vehicles “did not belong to the Kashmir movement” and were only causing harm to it.
“These violent acts are not helping our cause but inflicting damage to the movement. Our struggle against India should be peaceful. I appeal the people especially youth to stage peaceful protests and take to the ground if confronted by the troopers,” Geelani said, at a news conference at his Hyderpora residence, after being released today.
He, however, said that the ongoing violent protests are a reaction to oppression and brutality let loose by the government on Kashmiris, “but arson and other subversive acts are not part of the ongoing movement.” ”We should sit and devise the ways for taking the movement peacefully to its logical conclusion. When we resort to violence, India portrays it negatively before the world and in no way we should indulge in violence and continue the movement in a peaceful way to tell the world that we are an oppressed lot. We are unarmed and don’t have gun, grenade or weapon to fight with the troopers but our 50 innocent youth were killed by troopers,” he said.
About the deployment of more forces in Kashmir, Geelani said that it seems India has waged a war against any other country.
“India has accepted defeat by deploying more troopers despite presence of eight lakh troopers and paramilitary forces here. India has failed to crush the sentiment by using different tactics in the past 63 years,” he said, adding that the ongoing struggle is not for economic packages, roads and jobs.
“We want complete demilitarisation and we started the campaign from Shopian in 2009 and ‘Go India Go back’ is part of the same campaign.” he said.
He said that Devinder Singh Rana, political adviser of the chief minister Omar Abdullah met him during his confinement at Cheshmashahi sub-jail without his (Geelani’s) permission. “I told him (Rana) that we have nothing to do with the pro-India politicians whether Omar Abdullah, PDP or Congress. They are all same before us, who implement Indian policies in Kashmir, and it is in fact Delhi that rules the state. It was evident from the press conference of a National Conference minister who expressed helplessness before CRPF,” Geelani said and added that he told Rana: “I am fighting for the cause of self-determination.”
He said that Admiral Nair, Professor Amitabh Matoo and Professor Radha Kumar also met him during his confinement and discussed the current situation with him.
Geelani said that he told delegation that he is not averse to talks, but India should accept Kashmir as a disputed territory, revoke draconian laws and release all the political prisoners first.
“We are not against talks but India never showed sincerity but bowed trumpet of dialogue always to befool international community,” he said.
Condemning the silence of world bodies including United Nations on human rights violations in state, Geelani said that international community should increase pressure on India to stop genocide of Kashmiri and solve Kashmir in accordance with the aspirations of people.
Relying to a query Geelani said that it is necessary for chalking out programme that Hurriyat leaders should meet and consult each other. “But troopers are after them and leaders cannot consult each other. The imposition of curfew and undeclared is causing more damage to people,” he added. Meanwhile, Geelani in the evening addressed the mourners at Chanapora in uptown Srinagar where a youth namely Muhammad Iqbal Khan injured in police action July 30 succumbed.