Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz sends SOS letter to UN, Imam-e-Kaba, Pope, others

SRINAGAR: Hurriyat Conference chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Tuesday sent an SOS letter to Pope Francis in Vatican, the Dalai lama , Imam-e-Kaba, Shankrachrya and ambassadors of various countries in New Delhi, UN,EU and OIC regarding the urgent and grave situation in J&K.

Mirwaiz in a letter said that Hurriyat believes that a war is being waged against us by the ‘democratic’ Indian state, in total violation of all democratic norms. “The security machinery of India has embarked upon the strategy of ruthlessly crushing us and our resistance to its unprecedented brutality,” Mirwaiz said.

He said that there are not too many choices and options available to us. “The expectation that the society remain passive or non-violent in the midst of this brutalization is unrealistic. The younger population of the state has been on the streets for the past one-and-half months, with fatal consequences,” Mirwaiz said.

“As I write to you, the present phase of the unceasing and unprecedented violence in Kashmir is over forty days old. Now a sense of extreme urgency has built up due to the inexplicable lack of response from the international community to this explosive human tragedy. Why is the international community being a mute spectator? Is it awaiting some even more massive human tragedy to unfold in Kashmir before voicing their indignation? Aren’t 69 killings in less than 40 days, with over 6,000 youngsters and children injured – mostly blinded and maimed – enough for the consciousness of the international community to be stirred?,” Mirwaiz added in a letter.

He said that the Indian Central Reserve Police has itself admitted in court to using 1.3 million pellets in 32 days in Kashmir. “The indiscriminate and heartless use of the pellet gun at point-blank range on teenagers, with devastating consequences, has elicited enough negative reactions in editorials in Indian mainstream media,” he said.

Hurriyat chief said that the entire population of the Valley is barricaded inside their homes. Mobile phones and internet connectivity has been disconnected. “The Press has been gagged. Journalists are attacked and harassed on a daily basis. Families are in intense distress without information about their loved ones. Hospitals have been attacked and ambulance drivers shot at with grave consequences for expectant mothers and those needing emergency medical attention. Essential supplies have been blocked, and media operations banned,” Mirwaiz said.

“What is restraining the international community from speaking out against this extraordinary breach of democratic norms and humanitarian impulses? Is it some geo-political strategic imperatives or is it the lure of the Indian market or is it misinformation that is keeping the international community silent?” he added.

He said that Kashmir is akin to a tinder box at present, with extreme volatility in the political situation and without timely international intervention the consequences are bound to be ghastly. “The Indian state is also making the citizens of India complicit in this brutality by obfuscating and denying them information. There is an embargo on information coming out from Kashmir. Social network sites like Facebook have been forced to remove vital information from their sites under pressure from Indian netizens. No international human rights organization is being allowed into Kashmir for fear of exposure,” Mirwaiz further said.

Hurriyat chairman said that all attempts at dialogue fail because the Indian state is intransigent and insists Kashmir is its integral part – no matter if it has to kill all Kashmiris for that. They are not prepared to listen to Kashmiris. It has been an endless struggle and every time we confront a dead end.