In his well-known steadfast style Syed Ali Shah Geelani called for boycotting the forthcoming municipal elections, describing it as a weapon for the freedom struggle.

The octogenarian leader believes that participating harms the struggle when the government projects elections as a substitute for plebiscite. In an interview with Izhar Ali, he spoke about issues in the ongoing Kashmir discourse.

KL: A section of the media reported that you had expressed willingness to hold parleys with Government of India, is it true?

SAG: No, we never said we would hold negotiations with any government representative, though we’re not against meaningful and result-oriented dialogue process. If you remember in August 2010, we had given 5-point formula for any further negotiations on the Kashmir issue. Unless India accepts the five points- Kashmir as a disputed territory, withdraw occupying forces and draconian laws, release all the political prisoners, and particularly probe the killing of 125 youth in 2010 and punish the killers, we will not hold any dialogue with the Government of India.

KL: You met a cross-section of people in New Delhi, what was the outcome?

SAG: In my meetings with the civil society collectively or at the individual level at Malviya Nagar (New Delhi), I apprised them about the real situation of Kashmir. On February 3, Ram Jethmalani had invited his friends, and he had invited me as well. In the party, I cleared my stand with the guests that Kashmir was a disputed territory, and it needs to be solved. I had a lot of engagements in the two and half month stay in Delhi.

KL: You met civil society members, pro-India politicians but declined to meet interlocutors, why?

SAG: Because we knew that they would come up with a solution that will be within the ambit of the Indian constitution. It would be autonomy or economic package. However, that’s not the solution. So it was pointless to talk to them.

KL: Does Pakistan’s change in policy towards Kashmir worry you?

SAG: No, it doesn’t bother us. I assure you that the people of Pakistan aspire that the Kashmir issue should be solved on the basis of right to self-determination. The ups and downs in Pakistan will have no impact Kashmir issue.

KL: What will be the effect of internal crisis in Pakistan on Kashmir?

SAG: Certainly, it makes an effect. After all, the people have an emotional bonding with Pakistan, and their sentiments are hurt when situation turns bad there. So that’s why we say that the situation must remain peaceful there and the instability there should be addressed.

It’s very painful. We feel disheartened when we see in Balochistan, Taliban or other groups killing each other mercilessly. Madrassas, schools and colleges being torched. Or decomposed bodies dumped in Balochistan. That’s why we believe that the stability in Pakistan is not only must for it, but for the oppressed nation of Kashmir as well.

KL: You expressed disappointment over Pakistan’s decision to grant MFN status to India, why?

SAG: Even today, we’re against Pakistan’s decision. We told them that you should see what India is doing in Kashmir. How oppression is being carried out here. How its forces are tarnishing modesty of women, how our water resources are being exploited. Our land is being occupied. And in these circumstances, granting MFN status to India by Pakistan is not in the interest of the people of Kashmir.

KL: Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar has invited you to Pakistan, will you go?

SAG: Well, you can see I’m not even allowed to move out of my house. You can see a big police van standing on the entrance of my house. They write name of visitors, including media men and women. So how can you expect that a person restricted to his house can visit Pakistan? A person who is not allowed to move out in his valley or state, how can he go? I don’t have a passport. How can we go somewhere without a passport?

Recently, my daughter who lives in Jeddah had fallen ill. My wife and I wanted to visit her. But that time too we were not given passports. You might be surprised that we had filed a case in the court, and then the passport officer said he would issue us passports if we withdraw the case. We withdrew the case, but they didn’t fulfill their commitment.

KL: Did anyone from Government of India approach you in New Delhi?

SAG: Yes, M M Ansari, one of the three interlocutors approached me. We told them that we didn’t meet you in Srinagar, how will we meet you in Delhi. Wajahat Habibullah had also expressed his desire to meet me. I said you’re still on a government post after retirement, I won’t meet you. No one else approached us.

KL: Former Pakistan Foreign Minister, Khurshid Muhammad Kasuri had disclosed that India and Pakistan were very close to a deal over Kashmir but you opposed that. What was the deal?

SAG: They wanted to settle down Kashmir issue on the basis of four-point formula proposed by former Pakistan President, General Parvez Musharraf. I told them in clear words that the Kashmir issue needs to be solved according to the wishes and aspirations of the people. Four-point or five-point formula won’t work. That’s unacceptable to us.

KL: Some media reports also talk about freezing Kashmir issue for 10 years, what’s your view to any such proposal?

SAG: (Laughs) It can’t be frozen. It’s a simmering issue and it can’t be frozen on papers. It’s an issue pertaining the future of 1.30 crore people. It depends on the ground situation. The supreme sacrifices rendered by the people of Kashmir can’t be forgotten – like, Wajahat Habibullah said that we should forget past. Past can’t be forgotten. Till now, 6 lakh people, including those from Jammu have been martyred. 10, 000 people have disappeared after arrest, modesty of women has been outraged, and hamlets have been devastated. Even now our youth are being rotten in jails.

Teenagers are being rotten under PSA. In police stations, our youth are being victimized. Arrests continue unabated. Even now Tehreek-e-Hurriyat members are not allowed to meet people. Police are chasing our men. People are kept in different police stations for months before being booked under PSA and shifted to jails. And when court quashes their detention orders, they are again slapped with fresh PSA orders. And when second PSA is quashed, they again slap a fresh PSA. This process continues. So in this scenario, how is it possible to freeze Kashmir issue?

KL: Media reports say that Hizb has suggested Sehrai’s name to replace you, you differ on the suggestion?

SAG: See, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat has a set up, a constitution. Whenever Chairman has to be elected, elections are held. All the allies participate in the elections and choose the chairman through voting. There is no system that the outgoing Chairman handpicks a person for the post.

KL: Dr Farooq Abdullah has demanded punishment for parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, how do you view his statement?

SAG: Farooq Abdullah even signed the death warrant of Shaheed Maqbool Bhat. After his signature, Maqbool Bhat was hanged. He wants to stay in power by keeping his masters in New Delhi happy. His religion, faith, future, culture is power.

KL: Is there any chance of reunification of Hurriyat Conference?

SAG: We talk on principles. We don’t talk for the sake of symbolism. In June 2008, we entered into two-point agreement with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. One, to make efforts to solve Kashmir issue on the lines of right to self-determination. Second, tripartite talks when India accepts disputed status of Kashmir. Though, tripartite talks is not compatible with the idea of RSD but due to some constraints that time, and to rope in some allies we had accepted the idea of tripartite talks.
It (tripartite talks) will happen only when India accepts Kashmir as a dispute. And then when tripartite talks will be held, United Nations or any friendly country will supervise and monitor it. On these two points, we had an agreement with Mirwaiz. That document has my signatures, Mirwaiz’s, Sehrai’s, and MasratAlam’s signature. Now you can very well assess if the agreement we had reached is being followed of not.

KL: You clashed with Sharia court over the verdict in the Christianity conversion row, why?

SAG: We didn’t clash on the issue that conversion should go unchecked. It should be checked. But at the same time the solution is not to ban the Christian preachers. The solution is that we have to set up such institutions where highest quality of education on the pattern of Convent, Biscoe or DPS is given to the students. Besides, we have to set up Bait-ul-Maal (welfare fund) in villages and towns for orphans and widows. We have to impart religious education to the people. When this will be done, no one will convert to Christianity.

KL: You seem to be angry with media, are you?

SAG: No, I am not angry. But Indian media never portrays real situation of Kashmir to its people. Even the reporters who come to Kashmir fail to present true picture to the outside world. I compliment the youth who participated in the conference called by Wajahat Habibullah and sought complete freedom for Kashmir from Indian occupation.

KL: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah described 2011 as most peaceful year for Jammu and Kashmir, do you agree?

SAG: As far as the claims of 2011 being a peaceful year is concerned, it was only with the barrel of the gun and the atrocities committed by police that a graveyard like silence was created in Kashmir. Even in 2010, according to media reports 233 persons were killed. It was not a peaceful year.

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