Srinagar: Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik termed the fresh wave of arrest spree of Hurriyat leaders, activists and youth, launched across the Valley by the forces as part of political vendetta and revenge against them, through might and arm twisting methods. Delhi is leaving no stone unturned to crush every Voice raised in the valley expressing Kashmiri peoples sentiment and aspirations.
In a joint statement issued to KNS, the leadership said that continuously asking Hurriyat leaders including Altaf Ahmed Shah, Advocate Shahid-ul- Islam and a few business to report at the office of NIA in New Delhi, and then confining them to a room there for the whole day from morning to night, on the pretext of so-called questioning just to harass and scare them is extreme deplorable. The leadership said such totalitarian moves are being adopted by Delhi and its agencies with a view to pressurize the pro-freedom leadership in Kashmir and weaken the people’s struggle. The leaders said all these illegal and unethical methods cannot cow down the leadership or in any way deter people from their just struggle nor can the help in the resolution of the Kashmir dispute. The leadership condemned the Arrest of Altaf Shah, Ayaz Abar and Mehrajudin Kalwal in this regard.
Joint Resistance Leadership said that branding Syed Salahuddin as a terrorist by the US administration is highly unjustifiable and regrettable. They said that people of disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir under Indian occupation have for the past 70 years people of Kashmir are peacefully engaged in their struggle for freedom through self-determination as promised to them by UN and supported by US, UK and the world community. Where as it is incumbent upon the international community including the US to honor this commitment made to the people of J&K by granting them self-determination and settle the dispute which is bleeding Kashmiris each day and has led to their genocide under brutal Indian occupation and has made J&K the world highest militarized zone with over eight lake Indian forces station here to keep the people captive. People of Kashmir are peacefully and resiliently resisting this occupation by a mighty military power and demanding their just right, despite the fact that all means and methods of resistance are barred to them by force. Their hope is that the international community which acknowledged and backed their legitimate right to self-determination in accordance with internationally accepted democratic norms and justice will always support their just struggle and eventually truth and justice will prevail.
As a reaction to international inaction in resolving this dispute despite their commitment and witnessing unprecedented oppression against their innocent people and feeling pushed to the wall, some people took to arms to fight this brutal military repression and illegal occupation of their land, as a way to achieve freedom for it .That the US has targeted a veteran freedom fighter among these ,under Indian state influence is unfortunate and uncalled for .
While the US claims to espouse and stand for democratic principles of liberty and justice how can it turn a blind eye to their brazen violation in this part of the world? What kind of double standard and opportunism is the US exhibiting they asked? Especially when the United States has always acknowledged that the dispute in and on Kashmir has to resolved for peace and stability of the region and has in fact many times offered mediation between India and Pakistan over resolution of this dispute
The leadership said that declaring a Kashmiri freedom fighter as terrorist will not resolve the Kashmir dispute or bring peace. What it can do, is embolden Indian Government to further suppress Kashmiris and further increase the level of human rights violations committed against them by Indian armed forces. (KNS)