Geelani Memo Asks Army To Desist From Violence

Srinagar, Sep 20, KONS: Ahead of its Tuesday programme of protests at district headquarters, the Hurriyat (G) on Monday issued a memorandum to the Indian army, appealing to the conscience of the forces personnel to plainly tell their political leaders that they would no longer perpetrate violence and excesses on Kashmiris.
The memorandum points out that Jammu and Kashmir had been a sovereign state at the time of sub-continent’s independence in Aug 1947, and was a Muslim majority state at the time of partition.

“But on October 27, 1947, India forcibly sent its troops to the state, and later itself took the dispute to the United Nations,’ it says, recalling the several UN resolutions that had been passed thereafter granting the people of the state the right of self determination in choosing either India or Pakistan.

“In his speech to the Indian parliament on February 12, 1951, the then prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru had said that the UN resolutions would be upheld and the people of Jammu and Kashmir asked whether they wanted to go with India or with Pakistan,” the memorandum says.

“But these promises have not been kept so far, and we take this opportunity to remind you of this pledge,” it says.

The memorandum asks the armed forces to search their own hearts and minds to see how they would feel if someone occupied their homes, raped their women, and killed their nine-year-old children.

“We know that you are here to earn your livelihood, and we also know that you follow one or the other religion, but no religion permits to shed the blood of innocents and to destroy their property,” it says.

“We appeal to you to see through the deceptions and cunning of your leaders, and restrain your hands from bloodshed so that you may be able to face your God when you depart from this world,” it says.

“The people of Jammu and Kashmir have never believed in vindictiveness. Otherwise 4 lakh pilgrims would not have been able to perform the Amarnath Yatra. We arranged community kitchens for the pilgrims even in hartals when our near and dear ones were being cut down with bullets,” it says.

“We have always promoted brotherhood, and will always do so,’ it says.

“Now we have expectations from you that you will tell your political leaders in plain words that you are restraining your hands from inflicting further violence. Tell them in clear terms that you will no longer be a part of the excesses being perpetrated on the Kashmiri people, particularly innocent youngsters,” it says.

“We will be grateful to you on the basis of humanity,” it says.