‘If the govt gives Hurriyat political space, we’re ready to play our part’

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

Ever since the All Parties Hurriyat Conference released its trial balloon for a parallel ‘Election Commission’ to monitor the forthcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, its youngest member — Mirwaiz Umar Farooq — has been camping in the Capital. In between shopping trips to New Delhi’s markets for his marriage in June, the Mirwaiz talks about why the Hurriyat was left with ‘‘no option’’ but to float this plan. Excerpts:

The Hurriyat Conference’s idea of a parallel election commission sounds practically non-feasible. What is the idea behind it?

THERE are three basic parties involved in the dispute on Kashmir: India, Pakistan and the Kashmiri people. Both Indian and Pakistani opinions are well represented by their governments; it is the Kashmiris who need to throw up credible representatives to speak on their behalf. The election commission that we have proposed would pave the way for creating this third party. We are ready to prove our mandate, over which we are often questioned.

Has your faith in the Indian election system completely eroded? Wouldn’t you like to give it another try?

I REALISE that electoral malpractices take place everywhere — in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, for instance — and these are considered minor flaws within the overall system of governance. But in Kashmir, the manipulations were of a different nature. The state was involved in subverting and thwarting the wishes of the people. Our disillusionment with the election commission is total.

But this proposition is not practical.

I GUESS we should have asked for elections under United Nations supervision. But then we felt that Indian leaders get offended at the mere mention of the UN, so we dropped the idea. We have tried to offer a way out, let the government come up with something better.

Post September 11, the government feels that its stand on Kashmir is better understood. It also feels that the Hurriyat is in its weakest phase. Why should the government entertain such ideas at this stage?

THE complacency of the Indian government is misplaced. Today, India has the weakest position on Kashmir. The way Musharraf is going about it, India can no longer delay the initiation of a dialogue on Kashmir. In fact, India may continue to say that it doesn’t accept third party mediation but the fact is, such mediation has already started. The way Americans and Europeans are getting involved in the issue, India is already feeling the heat.

One way of looking at it is that Hurriyat leaders are warding off pressure for participating in the assembly elections. Otherwise, what is the legal and constitutional sanctity of the proposed election commission?

WE don’t need to care about such things. We want to shed the impression that the Hurriyat is shy of fighting elections to prove its popularity. We believe that we represent the majority opinion in Kashmir, and only a credible election will prove our claim.

What would be your next step?

WE expect members of our election commission to meet soon in New Delhi. We hope that the governments of India and Pakistan will facilitate the meeting.

That’s asking for a lot.

OUR aim is to push for a new beginning. This is an honest effort, and the two governments should see the spirit rather than the letter of our proposal. In fact, surprisingly enough, there has been no reaction from Islamabad.

On the ground, people want an end to violence in Kashmir. Politically, too, after September 11, violence as a means of achieving political aims is unlikely to work. Does the Hurriyat have a concrete proposal in mind?

I AGREE that it would be difficult to justify violence in Kashmir after September 11. I can say with authority that the Hurriyat is the only forum that can bring an end to violence in Kashmir. For that, we should be allowed to go to Pakistan, where we would meet leaders of the United Jehad Council and prevail upon the boys to give up arms and give the political process a shot instead.

So your old proposal of helping restore normalcy in Kashmir stands?

WE are ready to help check bloodshed in Kashmir but for that, the Indian government should give the Hurriyat some political space. Again, our efforts will not work if New Delhi does not have an action plan on the ground. Let it come up with a comprehensive plan, like releasing political detainees, checking human rights violations by security forces and so many other things. If the Indian government is willing to address our concerns, we are ready to play our role.

It appears the government wasn’t averse to letting international observers for the elections. There has also been some talk of releasing detainees.

NOTHING has materialised. Of course, international observers will not be of any help to us since the entire government machinery is involved in subverting the process. There has been no word from the government on other packages. There have been no mediators at work. And we are sure the Government of India has no concrete policy on Kashmir.

Also:
Profile of All Party Hurriyat Conference