KASHMIR CRIES FOR FREEDOM

ZULFIKAR MAJID
Srinagar, August 18: Undeterred by reports of curfew in the morning, lakhs of people from all over Kashmir converged in the TRC Ground in the city’s high security zone on Monday to demand freedom.
Pledging to take the ongoing movement to its logical conclusion, pro-freedom leadership across the board Monday urged intervention of international community and asked New Delhi to ‘read the writing on the wall’ and solve the Kashmir issue according to the aspirations of the people of the Jammu and Kashmir. People from all walks of life and all towns and villages of the Valley reached the TRC Ground and upto 11 am the ground was full with the people. Outside the ground, lakhs more were on the roads.
The leadership pledged before the people, “Till we get freedom, this movement would continue. We also urge the international community, particularly United Nations, to intervene in Kashmir.”
First to address the mammoth gathering was Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik, who reached early. Mirwaiz and Malik asked New Delhi to accept the demands of people including the right to self-determination.
For near about 10 minutes people responded with zest to slogans raised by Mirwaiz including “we want freedom, hamari mandi, Rawalpindi.”
Mirwaiz read aloud the memorandum which was to be presented to UN office, seeking right to self-determination and then spelled out demands including opening of Muzaffarabad and other trade routes with AJK and Pakistan, revocation of draconian laws including Armed Forces Special Powers Act and release of all detainees.
He said government of India should comply with these demands of people and should show eagerness in addressing the larger Kashmir issue. People during the speech were calmly listening and responding and applauding him. Flanked by other leaders, Mirwaiz said resolution of Kashmir issue was must. “Till New Delhi won’t settle the Kashmir issue according to the aspirations of Kashmiris, peaceful struggle would continue.”
“Our struggle is peaceful. We urge the Indian people who believe in humanity and democracy to assess how brutally its troops are killing unarmed Kashmiri protesters,” he urged.
“Marches to Pampore and UN office, which remained peaceful despite the participation of lakhs of people, has made it clear to the world that the people of Kashmir are peace loving,” Mirwaiz maintained
Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who arrived later, urged UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon to personally visit Kashmir and “see what people of Kashmir want?”
“Our demand is that Indian troops should leave the state and UN troops should be deployed here and then plebiscite should be held. When this demand is met, all the problems would be solved,” Geelani said.
The veteran pro-freedom leader urged the UN to send its troops to “protect the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir, who are being killed by the Indian troops.”
He also urged the international media to visit Kashmir to highlight the plight of the people. “Indian media is part of war machinery. They aren’t projecting the facts. We urge media from USA, Europe and other countries to come here and see what people of J&K want. They want right to self-determination.”
Geelani urged the people to carry forward the movement on three points. “One is Islam as a complete way of life, second is complete freedom from the clutches of India and unity on the lines of Islam. You have to pledge that you would work on these three points peacefully,” he urged. Lakhs responded with “certainly.”
He welcomed the resignation of Pakistani president, General Parvez Musharaf saying, “I want to give you a happy news that the man who caused major damage to Kashmir cause during the past eight years has gone as he was rejected by the people of Pakistan. Pakistani General (Musharaf) did extensive damage to Kashmir cause, Pakistan and Islamic community. But I remind it to the Pakistani rulers that Pakistan has been created in the name of Islam. Socialism, Secularism and Nationalism won’t work in Pakistan.”
“We are Pakistanis and Pakistan is ours because we are tied with the country through Islam,” he roared, as the crowd cheered him and chanted, “Hum Pakistani hain, Pakistan hamara hai” (We are Pakistanis, Pakistan is ours).
Yasin Malik in his speech vowed that the peaceful struggle would continue till “we achieve complete freedom.”
“The sea of people has assembled here despite restrictions by the government. Everybody present here is demanding plebiscite. It is a people’s revolution and it would lead us to complete freedom,” Malik said.
“Our united demand is opening of all trade routes with AJK, Pakistan and safety of Muslims of Jammu from the communal forces,” he demanded.
Amid slogans like “Issi saal lenge azadi, Uss paar be lange, iss paar be lange, azadi”, the JKLF chairman pledged that they wouldn’t allow anybody to break the unity.
“Our path and goal has to be one,” he vowed.
Malik said the people of the state will not allow anybody to weaken the struggle for which more than a lakh have sacrificed their lives.
Senior Hurriyat leaders Shabir Ahmad Shah and Nayeem Ahmad Khan also addressed the people.
“We pledge today that till we won’t get freedom, this movement would continue,” they pledged.
Earlier, hundreds of trucks and buses overflowing with protesters - some sitting on roofs and hanging out of windows arrived at the venue from Srinagar and all districts and tehsils besides other far-flung and remote areas.
The TRC Ground, Moulana Azad road, Residency road, Dalgate road, Lal Chowk and other adjoining areas were full of people, who were raising pro-freedom, anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans.
Locals were distributing food, fruits and water among the processionists.