It
also exhibited around 5000 demonstrations in 5000 Kashmiri villages
and coverage of the signature-gathering campaigns over the last few
years.
Launched
in June 2003, the signature campaign was undertaken by the JKLF to
guarantee inclusion of Kashmiris in any future talks to resolve the
Kashmir issue.
It
also plans to organize similar exhibitions in leading Indian
universities, the US and Europe.
Peace
Mandate
JKLF
chief Yasin Malik described the signature campaign as the Kashmiri
people’s verdict for peace and inclusion in the India-Pakistan
dialogue.
“The
Kashmir issue can be resolved only through genuine dialogue process
between India, Pakistan and representatives of Kashmiris.
“I’m
here with the mandate of trust and with message of peace,” he
asserted.
“We
have recorded the most transparent and democratic verdict by people
and every form marks the identity of the person interviewed,” Malik
averred.
“Every
village told us a new story”.
The
JKLF chief urged Indian intellectuals to support the voice of people
for Kashmir.
“You
have to engage Kashmiri people in the peace process, if you want
acceptable solution of Kashmir issue,” he said.
Founded
in 1965, the JKLF is the oldest Kashmiri secessionist movement and was
the first to raise arms against the Indian army and administration in
Kahsmir.
Malik,
who has spent many years in Indian jails, charged that despite
renouncing armed struggle in 1994, Indian security forces have killed
600 members of his organization since.
He
himself was arrested 100 times during this period and was subjected to
six murder attempts since.
“Was
Gandhi ever sent to interrogation centers by the British?” Malik
asked.
He
cautioned that if Kashmiris are sidelined from the Indo-Pakistan peace
process, Kashmir will witness more violence.
Gandhian
Way
The
gala was attended by a host of prominent personalities, diplomats and
intellectuals.
Gandhian
leader Nirmala Desh Pandey told the exhibition organizers that their
campaign “has been done in true Gandhian way to demand your
rights.”
Mohandas
Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi, was the charismatic
leader who brought the cause of India's independence from British
colonial rule to world attention.
His
philosophy of non-violence, for which he coined the term satyagraha
has influenced both nationalist and international movements for
peaceful change.
By
means of non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi helped bring about
India's independence from British rule.
“It
is a democratic exercise and it is the only way to achieve what you
want to achieve”, Pandey told the exhibition organizers.
“One
of former Indian generals told me that non-violence is the biggest
weapon. He told me that those who take up arms can be dealt with
easily, but it is difficult to deal with people linked with
non-violence movements,” she said after inaugurating the event.
Columnist
Praful Bidwai said “We’ve to innovate new methods to fight for
justice and Yasin Malik has made an innovative and imaginative
method”.
Occupation
 |
|
Malik being detained during a demonstration in Sringar on 7 October 2004.
|
“There
are 800,000 Indian troops present in Kashmir. India doesn’t need
this huge presence of army to flush a few thousand militants, but they
have been sent to control the local population”, Booker Prizewinner
Arundhati Roy told reporters after visiting the exhibition
“These
soldiers are occupation forces.”
She
contended that militancy was spreading across many parts of India,
“primarily because of oppression,” asserting that democracy
“means nothing for oppressed people.”
Professor
Kamal Mitra Chenoy of Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University blamed the
lack of democracy in Kashmir on the 57-year-old dispute.
He
lashed out at the “oppression of Kashmiris (and) use of force
against civilians through unlawful acts”.
“Those
who oppress others can’t live themselves free,” Chenoy said,
blasting the Indian media over its Kashmir reportage.
Rights
Violations
India’s
former envoy to UK and acclaimed journalist Kuldeep Nayar confessed
that human rights violations have taken place in Kashmir.
“There
is no one,” he said, “who can deny that human rights violations
are happening in Kashmir. I met Yasin Malik first time when he was
on fast unto death to protest against violations in Kashmir,” Nayar
recalled.
“He
wanted to meet me and when I enquired what he wanted, he replied
Amnesty International team should be allowed to come to Kashmir.”
“And
when I later went along with other colleagues to Kashmir,” Nayar
said, “we prepared a report which Pakistan later exploited in United
Nations.”
After
gaining independence from Britain in 1947, both India and Pakistan
engaged in a deadly war over the disputed Himalayan region of Jammu
and Kashmir.
From
April 1948 to 1957, the UN passed a series of resolutions, affirming
the right of self-determination of the people of Kashmir in accordance
with a referendum to be held under international auspices.
India
considers all of Kashmir to be an integral part of India, and often
makes statements domestically about acquiring the Pakistani half,
known in Pakistan as ‘Azad’ (free Kashmir).
The
Pakistani leadership repeatedly indicated willingness to accept
alternatives such as a demilitarized Kashmir, if sovereignty of Azad
Kashmir was to be extended over the Kashmir valley by which India
would retain parts of Kashmir on its side of the Chenab river, and
Pakistan the other side.
Geographically,
Pakistan controls the northwest portion (Northern Areas, Pakistan and
Azad Kashmir), India controls the central and southern portion (Jammu
and Kashmir).
Both
countries routinely exchange fire along the 750 kilometer (465 miles)
Line of Control and their 230 kilometer (143 mile) international
borders until November 26, 2003, when ceasefire was agreed between the
two countries and is still holding.
The
year 2003 also witnessed signs of rapprochement between both countries,
that had fought two wars over the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir.
According
to unofficial estimates, more than 38,000 people have died in
Indian-administered Kashmir since 1989.
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