Date:18/01/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/01/18/stories/2004011802951000.htm

National

'Vested interests trying to derail peace process'

By Shujaat Bukhari

JAMMU, JAN. 17. The former Hurriyat Conference chairman, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, has said that the proposed talks with New Delhi will be held in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiris and criticised those who questioned the representative character of the Abbas-led Hurriyat Conference of which he is a member.

Reacting to the statement made by the hardliner and chairman of the splinter group of the Hurriyat, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, he sought to send a "strong and clear" message from the highest religious seat in Kashmir, the Jamia Masjid, where he delivered the Friday sermon. "My family kept the [pro-freedom] movement alive when these very leaders were members of the Assembly. They still get the Assembly pension and dub us as anti-movement. My father laid down his life for this movement and I cannot imagine a sell-out as we cannot betray thousands of our martyrs," he said.

He alleged that forces which had vested interests vis-à-vis the bloodshed in Kashmir were trying to hamper the peace process, but "we have decided we will not allow that". These "elements" were exploiting the sentiments of the people for "their own interests and were not making any contribution in evolving a long-lasting strategy to find an amicable solution of the problem".

The Mirwaiz also took exception to the statements given by some militant outfits saying that they had been issued without assessing the ground situation. He appealed to the militants to monitor the situation before issuing any statement. He said the proposed talks with the Hurriyat would be the first test of sincerity for the Centre on resolving the Kashmir issue and claimed that the peace process in the region was being facilitated by the United States.

After talks with Delhi, the Hurriyat delegation would go to Pakistan to hold talks with the militant leadership and the Government. "We are committed to our stand and will not deviate from that. We will be going to Delhi as representatives of Kashmiris," he said.

Stressing the need for tripartite talks for resolving the Kashmir issue, he said the peace measures initiated by India and Pakistan had been due to the suggestions provided by the conglomerate.