By Gowhar Nazir
Srinagar
Aug 16, 2006:
Chairman of the moderate faction of Kashmir's All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq today urged the Hizbul
Mujahideen to participate in talks without laying any preconditions.
The head priest maintained that dialogue was better than deadlock and
advocated involving Hizb, the largest indigenous militant outfit in
the state.
"Mujahideens should also be involved in talks," he said referrign to militants fighting Indian rule in Kashmir.
Mirwaiz was speaking at Public Vision - II, an interactive programme
organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS).
The Hurriyat chairman also took a dig at the mainstream politicians in
the state saying "They represent Delhi in Kashmir, not Kashmir in
Delhi".
"Hurriyat is a symbol of resistance in J&K," he added.
However, Mirwaiz said right to self-determination was non-negotiable.
"Any agreement to be reached has to be in agreement satisfying all
parties involved in Kashmir dispute," he said.
"Sentiment has to be addressed. Kashmiris are on a strong political
wicket. We should, therefore, not shy away from talking and give India
an opportunity to prolong its occupation," he added.
Mirwaiz informed he was heading for Ireland next month to study the
Irish Peace Model and to learn about the negotiated settlement there.
Briefly talking about new proposals on Kashmir like United States of
Kashmir (USK), joint management, self-governance and demilitarization,
Mirwaiz said, "In today's world you don't get what you deserve or
desire, you get what you can negotiate."
Chairman of the hardline Hurriyat faction Syed
Ali Shah Geelani who spoke in the second session stressed upon the people to get
united against "Indian occupation".
"I'm not in favour of forced unity. I'm not in favour of forced
marriages," Geelani said. "Since 1947, dialogues on 130 counts were
held but nothing came out of these because of India's insincere
attitude and rigidity."
Reacting sharply to Chief Minster Ghulam Nabi Azad's speech of August
15 in Bakshi Stadium, Geelani said, "We're not separatists. We're
freedom-loving people."
Azad had renewed his call for Hurriyat to participate in the third
roundtable conference and asked militants to shun guns.
Geelani said that the biggest terrorist states were USA, followed by
Israel and India. "We are not an integral part of India and the day
India will stop parroting integral part rhetoric, I will start talking
to it," he added.
Peoples Democratic Party Mehbooba Mufti was also invited but she
rejected the invite at the last minute citing parliamentary
engagements as the reason.
Last year JKCCS had invited National Conference president Omar
Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Mohammad Yasin
Malik to share the platform together in the programme Public Vision-I.
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