This is the text of the speech delivered by APHC Chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani at LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi on 21st of October, 2010.
I thank the organizers for organizing this historic and impressive gathering. It is not important that all the people over here should agree with the idea of azadi. However, we should love all humans and respect their feelings. Quran mentions that “we have created Human Beings as dignified.” We should not lose sight of this human bond in response to any provocation.
For Kashmiris azadi is the only way. We are often asked: What do you mean by azadi? Whether we will be able to uphold and ensure justice for all after azadi? Sitting in Delhi , when we talk about what azadi is, the answer should not be difficult. Indians also fought British colonialism. Similarly, Kashmiris also aspire for freedom from the Indian occupation. Questions are being asked about justice we are aspiring for and its implications in context of minorities. I want to assure that we will guarantee protection to them with respect to their person, faith, places of worship, culture, and other symbols of religion. No one should be in any doubt in this respect. We have been ordained to uphold justice towards our adversaries. We are not allowed to use abusive language against the deities of other faiths. It is our duty to abide by these injunctions. liquor remains forbidden for Muslims, in the state of our estimation yet non-Muslims will be free to consume it if their religion permits such consumption. If even a pot containing a liquor of a non-Muslim is broken state has to compensate for it. India has no justification for forcible occupation of Kashmir . We have suffered a lot under the Indian military rule. Since 1947 lakhs of Kashmiris have been killed by the armed forces of India . We are victims of and witness to continued suffering, trampling of dignity and the murder of our children. This terrible experience makes us to demand azadi from India . Through this august gathering, we want to tell millions of Indians that it is your responsibility to rise up against the oppression of Kashmiris. Keeping quiet in the name of national interest when human life is being trampled and inhuman treatment is being meted out to people goes against the basic principles of humanity. There are 8 lakh Indian army personnel in Kashmir , and they have occupied more than 28 lakh kanals of land. Kashmiris are being forced to show their identity by personnel of an alien army in their own land. The natives are asked to prove their ‘nativity’. Till this day, dozens of our daughters who were gang raped by your army in Kunan Poshpora area in the early 1990s remain in shock. It is the duty of the people of India to fight and raise their voice against this injustice. All those who believe in justice should extend their hand of solidarity to the people of Kashmir .
Asiya Jan and Nilofer were raped and killed in Shopian by the Indian forces. Investigations were ordered only when massive protests erupted across the valley against it. The official report predictably denied any rape and concluded that ladies drowned in a shallow stream. This is the model of justice which Indian state upholds in Kashmir . Moreover, the army is felling forests and has set up saw mills to plunder the forest resources of Kashmir . Electricity is generated out of our waters but the people of Kashmir do not get any benefit out of it. Azadi is indispensable for our survival. When India ’s forces first came to Kashmir in 1947, it was said that their stay will not be permanent. This was the promise of the Indian state. Later on it was said in 1948 that Kashmir is a disputed territory. Indian government signed documents and endorsed UN resolution to this effect. Later on it backtracked from its commitment. India needs to fulfill its promises. We are reminding them of their promises through our struggle.
But the price we are paying for it is enormous. Some eminent Indian historians have called into question the very legality of accession by arguing that Hari Singh never signed the instrument of accession with India . The accession is a blatant concoction of history. The aspiration for azadi cannot be crushed by force and violence. We tried to raise our voice even in the State Assembly, but the Indian rulers paid no heed to it. We believe that the way Subhash Chandra Bose mobilized the people of India against the British for freedom, same way it is our right to mobilize and fight for our freedom. We all witnessed what happened when the Amarnath Shrine issue came up in 2008. How millions of Kashmiris came out to protest. Indian State responded with bullets. Those who ask us about what will happen to minorities after azadi should remember how our people opened langars for the Amaranth yatris even when we were being killed by Indian Army. It was not a favour on our part but as an obligation towards humanity. We want to tell the Indian state, even when your army is killing and dishonoring us, we take care of your injured soldiers. This is because we adhere to human values. Unfortunately, Indian State never reciprocated to this humane behaviour of Kashmiris. Indian armed forces have killed 111 Kashmiris in the last four months. Not a single member of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) or Army personnel has been killed by the unarmed people of Kashmir . Even if India engages all its forces in Kashmir , it cannot crush Kashmiri aspiration for freedom. It is better for Indian State to read the writing on the wall. Till the time India ’s military occupation continues, we will not give up resistance. It is completely non-violent and indigenous resistance.
Today, in this gathering when we hear the voices of support from across India , we feel encouraged and emboldened. In India , there are others who also remain victims of oppression and are fighting for justice. We support them. We should stand against injustice and oppression everywhere. Everyone within Jammu and Kashmir be they Dogras of Jammu or Budhists Ladakh are our brothers. We have repeatedly appealed to Kashmiri Pundits to return and stay with us. We assure them that they will be safe in Kashmir . In a democratic spirit decision of the majority has to be accepted regarding future of the state. Our vision is the demand for azadi. We want an end to the forcible occupation of Jammu & Kashmir. Our slogan is Go India Go Back. We are not against dialogue butt all dialogues in the past have failed because India on the one hand expresses its willingness for talks while on the other hand it insists that Kashmir is an integral part of India . We cannot be a part of such dialogues which don’t concede the vision of Azadi. We have put forward a Five-Point charter this August on the basis of which can create conducive atmosphere resolution. Kashmir as an international dispute and has to be recognized so. Only then can a dialogue begin. The killing of 111 people during the last 4 months in police firing must be probed and the guilty punished. The geographical integrity of Jammu & Kashmir has to be upheld, and the decision of the majority of its population has to be respected.
We are also asked whether in a free Kashmir the minorities will have a chance to flourish. It is strange to hear such questions from a country where 13,500 members of Sikh minority were massacred within days after the assassination of Indian Prime Minister. We wonder such a question come from a country where thousands of Muslims were killed in cold blood for no crime of theirs. It is surprising the question is asked from a state where a 500-hundred-year-old mosque is demolished by Hindu extremists with tacit support of the state. Yet, we want to assure all and one that justice will be the guiding principle of free Kashmir, where the well being of minorities will be guaranteed. I want to affirm that we will behave as brothers towards members of religious and national minorities of Jammu and Kashmir. Indian state has appointed a group of so-called interlocutors to talk to the people of Kashmir in order to find out what they really want, and what they are struggling for. If Indian state, after all the killings, murders, rapes, atrocities and 150 rounds of negotiations stretching over a period of six decades does not know what the Kashmiris want, we remain justified to conclude that this is another time-buying tactics on their part. I want to declare from this platform today that the interlocutors will be boycotted, and all the people of Kashmir must boycott them entirely. We will not talk till the time you show sincerity. We have been demanding Azadi in the face of naked oppression, and we will continue fighting for it till it is achieved. We feel encouraged by the support that has been extended to us by the oppressed people of India. We too extend our solidarity to all the voices of resistance against injustice in India. I once again thank the organizers for conducting the convention.
No comments:
Post a Comment