news details |
|
|
| Confusion among separatists mounts with PM's talks offer | | | Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's announcement that he was willing to talk to all those who were on the other side of the fence has seemingly brought internal contradictions and conflict within the militant outfits and separatist organisations on the surface.Though the Prime Mnister's statement evoked reaction and response from all the separatist groups and those of the militants,there does not seem any end to conditions and preconditions being laid by the separatists and militants on the pattern Manmohan Singh had imposed.While Manmohan Singh said that talks would be held if the separatists abandoned the path of violence the Muzaffarabad based United Jehad Council,which is headed by Syed Salahuddin,has conveyed to the Prime Minister,Manmohan Singh,that he should not impose any preconditions.While announcing that the Council was ready to join the talks it has made it clear that the Indian Government should not say that it was willing to hold talks with
separatists if they abandoned violence.The Council has stated that violence could come to an end once the dialogue proceeded smoothly and showed signs of success.But the Council has not forgotten the incident of 2000 when one of the commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen,Majid Dar,announced a ceasefire before he was invited for talks by the Government representatives.The talks failed and Dar was killed in 2003.There is only one similarity between the stand taken by the United Jehad Council and the two factions of the Hurriyat Conference.The Council says its will join talks if Delhi declared that Kashmir was a dispute.This is exactly the stand taken by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.The Council has said that it could participate in talks if the Government of India carried out confidence building measures in the shape of repeal of the AFSPA,Public Safety Act,release of all political detainees,end to human rights violations by the Indian security forces,The Council
has stated that talks with militants groups could be result oriented if Dr Singh implemented its above listed demands.This is exactly the stand taken by Molvi Umar Farooq,who heads the All Party Hurriyat Conference. He has made one more addition by demanding withdrawal of troops from the civilian areas.But there are other rebel groups,including Jamaitul Mujahideen,JKLF(R)Mass Movement and Peoples' Freedom League that have rejected Manmohan Singh's offer for talks.Jamaitul Mjahideen has said that the offer for talks was a lollipop to lure Kashmiris and accordingly it has suggested to people not to be carried away by the offer.The JKLF(R) has said that the offer for talks was simply a move to tide over internal crisis and keep its flock together in Jammu and Kashmir.The Mass Movement has rejected the offer of talks and the Peoples'Freedom League has described Manmohan Singh's offer for dialogue as an eyewash. As the level of confusion in the camp of
militants and separatists keeps on rising it will become very difficult for the Government of India to rope in all those groups,that matter,so that a beginning could be made in removing the veil of mistrust.One may not be surprised if the entire separatist camps suffered major erosion and confusion once the Government of India
tells each separatist group and militant outfits to nominate two to three representatives who could be invited to the talks. Some of the separatists have suggested to Delhi to settle the kashmir issue through triangular and not bilateral talks.Even the United Jehad Council has favoured triangular talks on the plea that bilateral parleys held in the past had failed to resolve the Kashmir issue.These separatists want representatives of the people of Kashmir to be involved in the triangular talks.Who are these represenatives ? Who will choose genuine peoples'reprtesentatives ?The task is quite difficult when there is a mushroom growth in the number of separatist groups and militant outfits.In such a situation Manmohan Singh may have to hold talks with leaders of the mainstream political leaders if the separatists continue to remain divided.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
