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| Politics Forum Index » Radical Politics Forum » Black Conference against ‘tribal invasion’, says it... |
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| enayet... |
 Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 2:33 am |
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Filed Under: Agitations, Azad Kashmir, Balawaristan National Front,
Baltistan, Balwaristan, Gilgit, India, Jammu & Kashmir, Northern
Areas, PAK ADMINISTERED kASHMIR PAK, PAK PROXIES, POK, Pakistan
Watford, England, Oct 22: It was a conference of Kashmiri leaders.
Leaders of all hues were present. But it was not a routine get
together where the home grown from Srinagar, Mirupur and Muzaffarabad
meet, exchange notes, fire salvos at Delhi and Islamabad and then go
for sightseeing around London.
From what has been on display, it was an unusual ‘Black Conference’ of
Kashmiri leaders to decry the tribal invasion of their state on this
very day in October sixty-two years ago. It was a quite a contrast to
the Black Demonstrations Kashmir is witness to year after year on the
day Indian army arrived in Srinagar ‘at the request of the Maharaja’
The message from the deliberations from the ‘Black Conference’ is also
very strident.
‘Declare the tribal invasion as an unprovoked aggression on the State
of Jammu and Kashmir’, it demanded unanimously.
Hosted by Kashmir Nationalist Party and attended by leaders of 13
parties from both sides of the LOC, the conference asked the world
community to ‘acknowledge’ and ‘declare’ that the tribal invasion had
‘desecrated’ sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir and ‘clearly violated’
the Standstill Agreement between the Governments of Jammu and Kashmir
and Pakistan.
Speeches at the conference reflected the simmering anger over the
tribal invasion, which speaker after speaker said had changed the
course of Kashmir history and marked the beginning of long separation
of hundreds of families, some of them forced to live as refugees in
their own country.
The Black Conference had a single point agenda – historical wrong of
1947 invasion, though it adopted a 14-point resolution unanimously.
Setting the tone for the discussion, KNP Chairman Abbas Butt said the
struggle of Kashmiris for justice was neither against India nor
Pakistan nor the people of the two countries.
‘Our struggle is not against Pakistan or Pakistani people; it is not
against India or Indian people. Our struggle is against injustice and
wrong policies of Pakistan and India. If India and Pakistan change
their Kashmir policies and people of Jammu and Kashmir get their right
of self-determination, we can all live in peace and harmony and work
for peace and stability of the region’, Abbas told the participants in
his welcome address.
A booklet circulated at the meet brought into focus ‘historic
evidence’ that the State of Jammu and Kashmir was independent at the
end of the British Raj. It also explained that the tribal invasion was
supported by Pakistani authorities in ‘clear violation’ of the
Standstill Agreement concluded between the Maharaja Government and
Government of Pakistan’.
Elaborating on the theme, Dr Shabir Choudhry, Spokesman of Kashmir
National Party, in his key note address, said, the aim of the tribal
invasion was to punish the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir who refused
to accede ( to Pakistan or India). “It (the invasion) undermined our
sovereignty and deprived us of our independence. It divided our
beloved motherland and divided families and the nation. It killed
innocent Kashmiri men and women. It plundered and looted Kashmiri
resources. It is the main cause of our present miseries and troubles,’
Choudhry said remarking that ‘this tragic event had changed the course
of our history and our destination’.
Dr Shabir Choudhry further said, ‘If there was no tribal invasion then
there might have been no Kashmir dispute as we see it today. It was
possible that both countries in absence of this dispute could have
resolved other issues and could have developed friendly and cordial
relations; and that could have led to peace and stability in the
region’.
He said, ‘The genie of extremism and hatred released in name of jihad
in October 1947 to advance political agenda, continue to spread
extremism and hatred. Unfortunately that policy of promoting extremism
to advance political agenda continued until very recently, and forces
of extremism and hatred have become power in their own right. They
have already affected lives of millions of people. Like any other
living being, it wants to live and flourish; and has become out of
control. Like Frankenstein monster it has turned against its creator,
hence we see cries in Pakistan about terrorism, jihad and establishing
writ of government, all claiming to be on the right path’.
Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, Chairman of UKPNP complimented the KNP
leadership for holding the Black Conference. ‘This is a daring step.
It (the Black conference) is something new. It makes people think of
what had happened in October 1947. Which were the forces that caused
so many problems to us?’
He called for a reorientation of the Kashmiri struggle. ‘We must not
follow the old line which was given by those who had interest in
territory of Kashmir’.
Sardar Shaukat went on to remark: ‘Our strategy was wrong. That is why
we have not made any progress in the last sixty two years. We must not
be afraid of criticism and exploring our history which has been
distorted by those who occupy us’.
Get facts right, he told all interlocutors on the Kashmir issue. He
was happy that Shabir Choudhry and KNP together had done considerable
work.
Reiterating that the Kashmiri struggle is a political struggle, the
PNP Chairman said that it was not a fight against any religion or any
community. ‘We have common problems and we have common enemy and that
is illiteracy, poverty, and extremism’.
He wondered loud as to why people of ‘Azad’ Kashmir have to say good -
bye to their homeland at the age of fifteen and become a migrant.
Answering the question himself, Sardar Shaukat said, ‘It is because we
were invaded. We are occupied and our State is forcibly divided. Our
resources are being exploited by those who occupy us. If we were
masters of our own resources then we could have been very well off’.
Mahmood Kashmiri, President of NLF, Ayub Rathor, and Mumtaz Rathor of
JKLF Farooq Papa group, Usman Kayani, Secretary General of UKPNP
Britain, Jameel Latif, President of UKPNP,Nawaz Majid Kashmiri,
Secretary General of KNP Britain Zone
Mujtaba Ali Shah, Secretary Information of the United Kashmir People’s
National Party (UKPNP), NAP leader, Asghar Malik, NSF leaders Asif
Masood, Ali Adalat, representative of KIN Mahmood Kashmiri, ,Surrinder
Kaul, President of Kashmir Peace Committee and Surriya Makhdoom,
representing World Sindhi Congress were amongst the several speakers
at the Black Conference.
Mahmood Kashmiri said, ‘Those who criticise and say that we should not
look at the past mistakes are wrong. It is absolutely crucial that we
analyse past mistakes of the Kashmiri leadership, and blunders of our
so called friends that we know who has been sincere with the cause of
people of Jammu and Kashmir’.
NLF President added, ‘It is only appropriate that we struggle on this
side of the LOC; and other Kashmiris struggle in other parts according
to their situation and according to their strategy’.
‘It was a wrong policy that we must liberate Srinagar first and then
liberate this side of Kashmir’ Mahmood Kashmiri said. ‘It was wrong at
that time and it is wrong now. We have problems on this side of the
LOC and we have to struggle on this side according to our situation.
What sense does it make to have a protest against a Commissioner of
Mirpur when injustice is being done by the Commissioner of
Muzaffarabad.’
Ali Adalat, representative of KIN said, ‘We people of Jammu and
Kashmir have got our priorities wrong. We are confused with our
identity. We don’t know if we are Pakistanis or Kashmiris. I can
understand there could be pressure on people in Pakistani Administered
Kashmir to speak out, but what holds them back in UK. Why they are
afraid of getting themselves recognised as Kashmiris that we also
benefit as an ethnic minority group’.
Ali Adalat said, ‘True both India and Pakistan have exploited us
economically and otherwise. We also have been victim of communalism
and extremism. But why we are not taking a lead and ensure that we get
our rights recognised in Britain. We ensure that we are not excluded
from decision making process, as we were excluded in the past be it in
1947, UN Resolutions, Tashkant Agreement, Shimla Agreement any many
other subsequent agreements’.
He said, ‘We have to learn from past mistakes. I agree that the Tribal
Invasion was a blunder. If the aim was to help Muslims then why attack
an area where there was 95% Muslims. Why not attack and help Muslims
of Jammu where they were in minority and where they were being killed.
They attacked Srinagar which is more than 135 miles, but did not go to
Jammu from Sialkot which is less than 20 miles’.
NSF leaders Asif Masood, fully appreciated the efforts of the KNP
leaders and expressed their full support to cause of united and
independent Jammu and Kashmir. Asif Masood said, ‘Those who tell us to
liberate Srinagar first are wrong and are trying to divert our
attention and our resources’.
He said, ‘We have always opposed politics in name of religion. We
opposed militancy in name of Jihad even when many organisations
praised it and took pride in being part of that’. He said, ‘We need to
have unity among ourselves and correct strategy to liberate the State.
Our struggle is on this side of the LOC and not on the other side’.
Surrinder Kaul, President of Kashmir Peace Committee, said, ‘It is
important to set historical record right. As a child I witnessed this
tribal invasion and have personal memories of this tragic event. These
people did not come to Kashmir to liberate us or help anyone’. He
said, ‘We people of the divided Jammu and Kashmir must interact with
each other that we have better understanding of each other. It is
important to have conferences like this, but I wish if we can have a
conference like this in Srinagar and other places of the State’.
..Surriya Makhdoom, representing World Sindhi Congress said, ‘The
People Sind voted for Pakistan. It was the Sind Assembly which passed
a resolution in support of Pakistan. But after becoming a part of
Pakistan we are still not enjoying our full democratic rights. We are
still struggling for our educational, linguistic and cultural rights’.
She fully supported Kashmiri struggle for right of self determination,
and urged that we should all work together for peace and fundamental
rights of the people in the region.
NAP leader, Asghar Malik, said, ‘We have always supported the cause of
united and independent Jammu and Kashmir and will continue to do so’.
He appreciated the hard work done by the KNP leadership and assured
the audience ‘that his party will support the cause of unity and work
for united and independent Jammu and Kashmir’.
He said, ‘We are not against Pakistan but it is our birth right to
struggle for our fundamental rights and independence of our
motherland’. He said, ‘It is only appropriate that we struggle on this
side of the LOC, but coordinate with other parties struggling in other
areas’.
Mujtaba Ali Shah, Secretary Information of the United Kashmir People’s
National Party (UKPNP) expressed ‘his serious concern on rise of
religious intolerance in areas of Pakistani Occupied Kashmir and
Gilgit-Beltistan’. He said, ‘Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and other jihadi groups
have entrenched their positions in Azad Kashmir and the puppet
government of Azad Kashmir has instructed the local administration to
accommodate the Pakistani and other jihadis by all means possible,
including in madrassahs and sate run schools’.
He said, ‘He was a witness to the murder of a young Shia student in
Muzaffarabad at the hands of LeT terrorists after the martyred student
protested against the activities of LeT soon after the 2005
earthquake’.
Nawaz Majid Kashmiri, Secretary General of KNP Britain Zone said, ‘The
Tribal invasion communalised the Kashmiri politics in which people of
the State suffered immensely. It was this unprovoked attack which
forced the Maharaja to join India’.
He said, ‘Our struggle is not for any accession or against any
religion. Our struggle is for a secular and independent Jammu and
Kashmir where all ethnic minorities of the State can live in peace and
harmony.’
Jameel Latif, President of UKPNP Britain in his short speech assured
the audience that his party ‘Will not shy away from speaking the truth
and speak for the rights of our people’. He said, ‘We were the first
party to hold a demonstration outside the Pakistani High Commission to
protest against the new package for Gilgit and Baltistan and against
annexation of this area to Pakistan’.
Ayub Rathor, representing JKLF group of Farooq Papa expressed his full
support for the conference and assured the audience that his party
will support unity among the Kashmiri parties. He said, ‘If we remain
divided and don’t set out our priorities then it will be very
difficult to get independence.’
Arshad Khan of Muslim Conference, Moohammed Nazam Bhatti, President of
KNP Britain Zone thanked all those who made such brilliant
arrangements for this conference and said, ‘We always have taken a
lead in promoting the cause of people and independent Jammu and
Kashmir’. He said, ‘I was only fifteen years old when I became one of
the younger members of the JKLF when it was formed in 1977. Like my
other colleagues I have worked all my life to advancethe cause of a
secular and independent Kashmir’.
Arshad Khan of Muslim Conference, differed with the other speakers and
said, ‘The Tribesmen came to help people of Kashmir. It is possible
that there were some bad people as well who committed some crimes. My
party policy is that we should become part of Pakistan, but I respect
views expressed by other speakers. We need to understand each other
and tolerate criticism.’
Usman Kayani, Secretary General of UKPNP Britain said, ‘If people of
Pakistan can hold demonstrations against injustice in Pakistan and no
one questions their loyalty and no one calls them traitor, then why
should we be afraid of holding demonstrations against those who do
injustice to us’. He said, ‘Our first loyalty is with our motherland
and not with our neighbours, no matter how good is our neighbour.’
Mumtaz Rathor of JKLF Farooq Papa group and other speakers also
expressed their views and assured the audience to work for the cause
of Kashmir.
The resolution adopted unanimously at the conference interalia said
1. Declare that the Tribal Invasion supported and directed by
Pakistani authorities was aggression against the State of Jammu and
Kashmir. It desecrated sovereignty of the State which was independent
at that time of this unprovoked aggression;
2. Agree that the tribal attack was a clear violation of the
Standstill Agreement signed by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir and
the Government of Pakistan;
3. Recognise that this aggression carried out in name of jihad was
designed to force the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir to accede to
Pakistan. It resulted in death and suffering of innocent Kashmiris;
and changed the course of our history as the Maharaja was forced to
seek help from India and accede to India against his will;
4. Note that the accession was provisional in nature and had to be
ratified by the people of the State, however they never had chance to
express their opinion on this matter;
5. Welcome the resumption of dialogue as that is the only way forward
to resolve the Kashmir dispute; but emphasise that people of the State
must have a final say on the future of the State;
6. Express their determination to promote the cause of peace,
democracy and equality for all citizens of the State; and oppose
forces of extremism and hatred;
7. Acknowledge that terrorism has added to problems of the people of
the State and it should be opposed in all its manifestations;
8. Affirm their determination to oppose all those forces who want to
divide the State of Jammu and Kashmir, as the State is one political
entity and must remain so;
9. Resolve to continue their struggle for unification and independence
of the State;
10. Strongly believe that the State of Jammu and Kashmir is multi
religious and multi cultural; and this aspect of our society and
culture must be recognised and promoted.
11. Urge the British government and governments of other countries to
recognise people of Jammu and Kashmir as Kashmiris and not reclassify
and redefine them as Pakistanis or Indians.
12. Demand that people of Jammu and Kashmir who were uprooted because
of the troubles in the State must be settled back in their homes with
dignity, honour and safety.
13. Emphasis that right of movement within the State is our
fundamental right; and CBMs are designed to prevent free movement of
the Kashmiri people. We demand that restrictions in the CBMs must be
lifted that people of the State could easily interact with their
fellow citizens.
14. Support democratic, economic, educational, cultural and linguistic
rights of the Sindhi people.
posted by admin on 10.22.09 at (no spam) 6:30 am |
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