Mirwaiz circumspect of Manmohan’s offer for ‘talks’

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh faced furious protests on the second day of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. In addition, the Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq gave a rather cool response to the Indian Primer’s offer to hold talks with groups demanding independence from Indian rule.

Kashmiris seeking independence from Indian rule enforced a total shutdown in the Old City areas of the town. Protesters hit the streets and demanded an immediate end to human rights violations by the security forces. They raised slogans against the army and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

Despite holding an olive branch to the separatists, there was no positive signal from the Hurriyat camp. The Machhil fake encounter bid has been casting a long shadow on the prime minister’s mission to Kashmir valley.

Meanwhile, the All Parites Hurriyat Conference on Tuesday urged the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh to address the root causes of the Kashmir dispute.

The Chairman of the APHC, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq clarified that his party is willing to hold meaningful talks with the Indian government. However, he added that the outfit was disappointed with the ‘circuitous approach’ adopted by the Indian Prime Minister while inviting groups other than mainstream political parties for talks.

“When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves,” Farooq said, citing a famous education quote.

He also urged the Indian Prime Minister to adopt a more direct approach to hold talks with those groups seeking an independent Kashmir.

“We were hoping that there will be a direct offer for talks rather than taking a circuitous route. Kashmir is a political problem and we have to find a political solution. There can be no military solution to the Kashmir issue,” Mirwaiz told PTI responding to Singh’s fresh offer on Monday for dialogue with those groups willing to lay down their arms.

The Chairman of the APHC added that it is about time that India and the people of Kashmir resolve their dispute, once and for all.

“We all realise that 60 years have gone by and the problem is still unaddressed. We have to dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves,” he said, suggesting that Pakistan, India and the people of Kashmir must sit down and hold meaningful dialogue. He also said that while it was a good sign that the Manmohan Singh reached out to Pakistan from Kashmiri soil, he believed that Indian government still has some way to go before the people of Kashmir will be convinced.

“I feel that he has not reached out to the people of Kashmir from the soil of Kashmir. We were expecting that he (Manmohan) would be more open in his efforts to reach out to the people of Kashmir and say yes we need to find a solution to the Kashmir issue,” said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

The APHC Chairman also demanded that the Indian government take certain steps to implement a four-point programme which has been suggested by his group.

The four points suggested by the Hurriyat include a commitment for upholding the human rights, gradual demilitarisation and repeal of “black laws.”

Published in the Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2010.