After failing to evoke a “constructive” response from all Muslim body, Organisation of Islamic Countries, peacenik Hurriyat chairperson Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is taking “Kashmir miseries” to all secular world body – United Nations in coming days.
Mirwaiz led All Parties Hurriyat Conference made documentary ‘Children of Conflict Torn Kashmir’, which was last week banned by state administration from screening at a local hotel. The next day, Mirwaiz decided to release the same at his Rajbagh office.
In his early forties, Mirwaiz, who has been vocal about engaging with New Delhi and Islamabad, on tri-lateral basis, spoke about the “human rights violations being done to Kashmiris at the hands of forces”. While screening was on, South Kashmir’s Tral was mourning death of three Hizbul Mujahideen members which included a tenth class topper.
Taking a different route this time, Mirwaiz is sending the DVDs of the documentary to all the embassies and Human Rights groups so that they will get to know about the impact of the Kashmir conflict on Kashmiri children.
A known face in OIC, Mirwaiz hoped that United Nations shall take concrete steps to stop further violations.
Alleging that government was trying to create a pattern of detentions, suppression, Mirwaiz sees “India’s oppressive” policies as a reason why Kashmiri youth pick up guns.
A strong votary of dialogue, Mirwaiz is ready to give “enough leg room” to India and Pakistan to move ahead. He sees no reason to be concerned whether “Hurriyat is involved at first or at a later stage” in parleys. “There has to be a mechanism,” he said, “for that, they need to first engage with themselves.”
Youngest leader to head APHC, so far, Mirwaiz stood many internal rifts within the party, however, didn’t cast away the “need to engage peacefully for the larger cause of South Asia”.
Advocate of former BJP PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s initiatives, Mirwaiz with his latest statement asked two nuclear armed neighbours not to “see Hurriyat as hurdle in revival of their friendship”.
– Riyaz Ul Khaliq
