Hurriyat Conference seeks US intervention on Kashmir

Seeking US intervention, the moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference launched a signature campaign to ask President Barack Obama to change America's policy on Kashmir as India and Pakistan have "failed to resolve" the issue bilaterally.

"The US has maintained for a long time that India and Pakistan should resolve Kashmir issue bilaterally but a result-oriented dialogue cannot take place when there is such a huge trust deficit between the parties to the dispute," Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said. The Hurriyat chairman, while announcing the launch of the signature campaign, claimed that the current situation in Kashmir has made third party intervention inevitable. "There have been many accords and agreements between India and Pakistan over the past 63 years but the issue is still there. The international community has to redouble its efforts for resolving Kashmir issue without which peace cannot be achieved in South Asia," he said.

Mirwaiz said Hurriyat Conference has framed a petition for the signature campaign, which will continue till November 5 -- a day before the scheduled arrival of Obama in India. "The campaign will be launched in all parts of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed on August 14, 1947. It will be submitted to the US President through the US embassy in New Delhi on November 6," he said.

The Hurriyat hoped that Obama will use his "influence" to prevail upon India to take steps for a peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue in accordance with wishes and aspirations of the people of the state, the Mirwaiz said. "We have for long been advocating a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue between India, Pakistan and people of Kashmir. To facilitate it, we seek an appointment of a special rapporteur of international stature which is indispensable to help rebuild the trust amongst the stakeholders and reinstate their confidence in the dialogue process."

The Hurriyat reiterated its demand for withdrawal of armed forces from all civilian areas, release of political detenues, activists and students and repeal of all "draconian and repressive" laws. It has also demanded setting up of credible and time-bound processes of accountability to identify and punish the guilty of human rights violations and restoration of right to peaceful assembly, association and demonstrations.