Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday described army commander’s statement statement of army that 2018 was a remarkable year for them in Kashmir as they killed over 250 militants as extremely “unfortunate and inhuman.”
“it is strange that a well trained armed force meant to fight another well trained armed force is celebrating and patting its back on killing young men and boys, some as young as 14 ,while some budding intellectuals and academics, and calling it remarkable!,” Mirwaiz said addressing the Friday congregation at historic Jamia Masjid here.
“They are boasting of killing are not some hard core armed gurellias and terror mongers, but sentiment driven youth forced to take to arms as a consequence of severe repression due to forcible control and what they ( youth)feel , failure of political means to express what is essentially a political demand for self determination.”
He said it was simply the intensity of their passion that drives the young boys, who are poorly trained and starved of ammunition to be able to give a real fight , in the “greatly unequal battle to an armed force of a country.”
“ And yet these boys do, and give up their precious lives for the cause they hold dear. The pain and loss that all of Kashmir feels at their martyrdom only adds to people’s resolve and pushes more young to join in.”
Instead of admitting this, he said, the “armed force of a country that prides itself in the history of its freedom struggle by honouring the likes of Subhas Chander Bose who raised Indian National Army to fight the British colonial rule , sells the killing of these armed youth as a great achievement to people of India.”
Mirwaiz said that many in Indian army have in their write ups and lectures admitted that J&K is a political problem that has to be resolved as such .
Mirwaiz said the whole world reiterates that there can be no military solution to the dispute.
He said those who are using Militirasation to prolong the status quo should understand that it comes with a cost and keeps increasing complexities .
Mirwaiz said that while the incumbent governor has said that Government does not want to kill militants but militancy , if it is so and they are sincere then government should address the cause that is leading these educated and young boys to take to arms by starting a political process in earnest to address the sentiment behind it and resolve the dispute.
“It will not only save the lives of our youth but soldiers also , end militarisation and the resultant atrocities that governor sb wants leadership to convey to him, and end the uncertainty and hostility that the region is hostage to for past 71 years.”
