As many as 22 people from intelligentsia including former bureaucrats, Judges and top journalists from Jammu and Kashmir under the banner of ‘Group of Concerned Citizens’ have dispatched a memorandum to President of India Pranab Mukerji asking him to curb the armed forces and initiate a direct and open dialogue for lasting solution of Jammu and Kashmir Dispute.The signatories are Muhammad Shafi Pandit Former Chairman Public Service Commission, Hasnain Masoodi Former Judge J&K High Court, G.R.Sufi Former Chief Information Commissioner, Abdul Wahid Former Vice Chancellor Kashmir University and Founder Vice Chancellor Central University Kashmir, Hashmatullah Khan Former Vice Chancellor SKUAST University, Fayaz Ahmed Kaloo Editor-in-Chief, Greater Kashmir, Masood Hussain Artist, Rafiq Masoodi Former Additional Director General, Doordarshan, Munshi Ghulam Hassan Former Chairman J&K Bank, Reyaz Ahmed Jan Former Advocate General, Mhuhammad Zaman Azurda Professor, Former Dean & Head, Faculty of Arts, Nusrat Andrabi Professor, Former Principal Government College Nawakadal, Anuradha Bhasin Executive Editor Kashmir Times, Feroz Ahmad Former Commissioner/Secretary to Government, A. R. Khan Former Member State Human Rights Commission, Isfandayar Khan Former District Development Commissioner, Syed Noor-Ul-Hassan Former Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, G.H.Kangu Former Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, G.H.Rather Former Development Commissioner Power, Gazala Noor Amin Entrepreneur, Krishan Lal Entrepreneur and G.D. Bakshi Progressive Farmer.
The memorandum a copy of which lies with news agency CNS reads that, Jammu and Kashmir has been on the boil for the last eight weeks. The discontent and discord in the State may not be new. Its history is replete with umpteen incidents of mass uprising after brief intervals of lull, against suppression of political aspirations. The spread and magnitude of public anger, this time however, is without a parallel in its strife-torn history. At no stage, of political struggle spread over seven decades, have been such a large number of people killed, maimed and blinded in various crowd control measures by the security forces and police, within a few weeks. The unrest has spread to Pir Panchal Region, Chenab Valley and Kargil Region. There is no sign of an early respite. The Central Armed Police Forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police have been wantonly firing pellet guns above waist, resulting in eye injuries to most of the victims. Till date, 75 people have been killed in the firing resorted to by the police and other security forces, more than 700 have been completely or partially blinded, and the number of injured has crossed ten thousand. Property – both public and private, worth millions has been damaged during protests or nocturnal raids-a weapon of reprisal, introduced of late. The loss to business and related activities, has crossed seven thousand crore rupees. The situation is alarming and, if left unaddressed, may have disastrous fallout not only on people of Jammu and Kashmir, but the entire region.”The memorandum further reads that: “The Jammu and Kashmir Dispute, commonly known as “Kashmir Dispute” is not an administrative or developmental issue.
The people of Jammu and Kashmir with tourism, handicrafts, horticulture and agriculture, as back bone of their economy and higher per capita income, are economically better placed as compared to the people of some other States. While making an effort to settle the dispute, focus therefore is not to remain merely on financial packages or administrative interventions.”“The “Kashmir Dispute” is a political dispute, with its genesis in the broken promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, by the Government of India, from time to time since 1947, and non implementation of UN Security Council and UNCIP Resolutions. The Dispute has its roots also in failure of India and Pakistan to carry forward dialogue contemplated under Tashkent Declaration of 1966, Shimla Agreement 1972, and bilateral talks held from time to time. The Dispute, over the years, has consumed lives of thousands of people, left thousands orphans and widows, without a source of sustenance. Thousands have disappeared leaving behind, old aged parents, half widows and half orphans. In the last two and a half decades, more than hundred thousand people have lost their lives, because of the turmoil directly linked to non-resolution of the Dispute, simmering for the last seven decades. The value of property and resources lost runs into billions. The Government of India has been spending billions of rupees on acquisition of military hardware and maintenance of more than half a million troops and para-military forces in the State. The Dispute has, triggered arms race and, lately, nuclear proliferation in the subcontinent, making the State a nuclear flash point, threatening the security of the entire sub-continent.
This leads to misallocation of precious and scarce resources, and perpetuates the state of poverty for the teeming millions, living below the poverty line. India and Pakistan have fought four wars over the Dispute and the two countries, with nuclear arsenal, cannot any more afford to get entangled in an armed conflict.”“We sincerely believe that a lasting solution of the Dispute through dialogue with all the stakeholders would be in the interest of people of the subcontinent in general and people of Jammu and Kashmir in particular. The experience teaches us that, Track II initiatives are time consuming, rarely yield any results and therefore not an option. Direct dialogue is the only way forward. An open dialogue with the representatives of those leading the ongoing movement and overall struggle for realization of political aspirations, without questioning the legitimacy of the leadership, is imperative. Confusion, grossly misplaced, is being created regarding the identity of those leading the ongoing movement and overall struggle for realization of political aspirations and therefore required to be associated with the proposed talks. The Government of India headed by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Shri Manmohan Singh has previously held dialogue at the highest level with important stakeholders. The Government of India should resume that process by restarting dialogue at that level and follow it up by broad based institutional mechanisms for a holistic and lasting solution. The impression sought to be created that only 5% of population is associated with the movement is misleading and belied by the situation on ground. The current movement is a mass uprising and not the handiwork of a few people.
Furthermore, dialogue is to be held with all the stakeholders without any preconditions. Once the Prime Minister has signified his intention to initiate dialogue within the ambit of Insaniyat – a concept higher than any law and even Constitution, for a lasting solution of the Dispute, there is no reason to make dialogue subject to any conditions. A meaningful dialogue will also help in moving towards a harmonious and dignified return of all the persons displaced because of conflict, to their native places.“We, against above backdrop, implore and beseech Your Excellency, to impress upon the Government of India to initiate and announce, direct, immediate, purposeful and result oriented dialogue with all the stakeholders especially those with whom such dialogues has been held in 2004 and 2007 for a lasting solution of “Kashmir Dispute” within a reasonable time frame.”In the meantime, we suggest that following confidence building measures be taken to create conducive atmosphere for conducting a successful dialogue.“To repeal or withdraw harsh laws like Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978, J&K Disturbed Areas Act, and other laws, rules, notifications, orders in conflict with the concept of Rule of Law.”“To reduce the footprints of Army, Para-military Forces and Security Forces, especially, in civilian areas, relocate such forces and make Jammu and Kashmir Police and Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police responsible for maintenance of law and order.”“To immediately ban and stop use of pellet guns.”
“To appoint a Commission of Inquiry headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India to inquire into all civilian killings, blindings (total and partial), maiming, grievous hurt caused by Security Forces and Police firing, other crowd control measures, and nocturnal raids, damage to movable and immovable property during such raids, on and after July 8th 2016 till the Commission initiates its proceedings, and to fix the responsibility for the excesses committed by the Security Forces and Police.”“To ask the Inquiry Commission to determine compensation to be paid to the dependants of the deceased and each of the victims, and the persons whose property was damaged during nocturnal raids, having regard to the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court and High Courts from time to time and to ask Central and State Governments to pay compensation so determined to the concerned.”“To direct the Army, Security Forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police to strictly adhere to the guidelines laid down by Hon’ble Supreme Court in Peoples Union for Civil Liberties and another Vs. State of Maharashtra Criminal Appeal No. 1255 of 1999 decided on September 23, 2014 and Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families Association and another Vs. Union of India and another, Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 129 of 2012, decided on July 8th 2016, and guidelines issued by COA known as Ten Commandments and noticed in EJEVFA case, during anti militancy operations.”“We, respectfully, crave for Your Excellency’s kind indulgence, at an earliest so that millions of people of Jammu and Kashmir, and subcontinent are saved from catastrophe, that may otherwise, befall them, without their fault,” the Memorandum reads. (CNS)