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| PM won't hold talks with separatists: Omar | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR, June 3: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday ruled out the possibility of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh holding direct talks with the pro-freedom leadership during his forthcoming Kashmir visit.
"I think the PM is coming to Kashmir to attend a SKAUST convention and not to initiate talks with the separatists. If any sort sorts of talks with separatists are to take place, they would be held by interlocutors. The PM won't be involved in the initial state," Omar told reporters here on the sidelines of an official function.
However, Omar was quick to add that PM had kept "the doors of talks open". "The PM has repeatedly said that anybody willing to shun violence and talk would be engaged. Certainly he would get involved at a particular state. But, I don't think there is any possibility of him talking to separatists during the upcoming Kashmir visit," he said.
When asked about the issues he was likely to take up with the PM during his visit, Omar said issues pertaining to the security and politics in the state were likely to be taken up. He added that the recent fake killings in Machil and other alleged human rights abuses would be discussed as well.
Responding to a question about the Machil killings and other alleged human rights abuses, Omar said the government was committed to its zero tolerance against human rights abuses.
"We have initiated a probe into the Machil incident. The police and army are also carrying out their investigations. Let the investigations be over," he said.
Omar said the government had no intention of hushing up the case as being alleged by separatists and the opposition. "The case wasn't brought to surface by Hurriyat or opposition parties. Police did so. If we intended to hush up the case, we wouldn't have ordered a probe," he said, adding that the Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony had categorically made it clear that anyone found guilty won't be spared.
Omar said several people had filed complaints before the police after the Machil incident. "Graves were dug; bodies identified but no such incident of HR abuses has surfaced. This shows that we don't want to hide anything," he said, "whoever is guilty will be punished. I don't think I need to say anything more. Let the enquiry be completed."
On the question of AFSPA and other special powers enjoyed by troops being responsible for human rights abuses, Omar said AFSPA and other such special powers would be diluted slowly. "We have promised that the special powers would be revoked whenever the situation improves," he said.
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