Hurriyat in the Dock
Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani
Hurriyat today has completed 19 years and 6 months since it first met on 27 December 1992 to consider as to why, "This paradise on earth has turned into a hell for its own inhabitants." Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Chairman J & K Awami Action Committee, called a meeting of the representatives of various religious, social and political organizations at Mirwaiz Manzil, to "consider ways and means to meet the growing menace of oppression and suppression by the Indian Security Forces."
Did Hurriyat understand the colossal responsibility ahead and discharge its duty as desired by it on 27 December 1992? The answer to this question should be based on looking at the kind of Kashmir that we are left with today and by looking at the consequences of a politico-militant struggle for our social fabric and the right of self-determination.
An independent and a non-Kashmiri judgement on the wisdom and achievement of Hurriyat has come in the book The Meadow authored by Adrian Levy and Cathy Scot-Clark published on 15 June 2012. The book in its chapter The Game at page 357 makes a shocking revelation and this revelation takes away all sheen from the claims and credibility of Hurriyat. It raises some very serious issues on the merits of Pakistani support to Hurriyat and some other elements in Kashmir.
The judgement at page 357 of the book reads, "India and Pakistan fought each other in the valley by manipulating the lives of others. Everything that happened here involved acts of ventriloquism, with traitors, proxies and informers deployed by both sides, and civilians becoming the casualties."
The judgement further reads, "Pakistan called it the Game. Pakistan tried something, India blocked it and turned it around, or the other way around, and there were so many angles to it, that really when you were playing it you forgot yourself completely, until it seemed like the most beautiful thing in the world."
There could be no two opinions that our leaders of all manner since 1990 failed to understand that they had become instruments in 'the Game'. They also failed to understand that "India and Pakistan were fighting each other in the valley by manipulating the lives of others." They also failed to understand that all that "happened here involved acts of ventriloquism, with traitors, proxies and informers deployed by both sides, and civilians becoming the casualties."
Is there a room to give a benefit of doubt to Hurriyat that it did not know about 'the Game' and about the manner in which it was being fought? More so the ventriloquists, traitors, proxies and informers used by India and Pakistan did not descend from heaven. It was happening on a daily basis. The quantum of liability takes serious dimension when we see that Hurriyat conducted itself in reference to Pakistan (establishment) and lead us to believe that Pakistan was offering political, diplomatic and moral support, while as in fact the support was a hoax to cover 'the Game', played through ventriloquists, traitors, proxies and informers.
The independent judgement in the book embeds that some elements in Hurriyat and many others may have conducted themselves in reference to the Indian desire. There ought to have been an equal share of ventriloquists, traitors, proxies and informers who would have been involved to counter the Pakistan 'Game'. It is clear that authors of Hurriyat politics and Kashmir militancy are fundamentally responsible to fight India-Pakistan war by manipulating the innocent lives in Kashmir. Advocating Indian or Pakistani positions in Kashmir as enshrined in the jurisprudence of Kashmir case is neither a crime nor a blemish on the integrity of Kashmiri leadership.
However, to act as instruments for India and Pakistan, at variance with the jurisprudence of Kashmir case and to manipulate Kashmiri lives, in 'the Game' and cause the murder of a generation and the murder of self-determination, is a 'rare of rarest crimes' and without pardon. Why did Kashmiri leadership fail to act in the interests of its own people and failed to urge for the implementation of UN mechanism on Kashmir? The political and militant role would have been left over to and taken over by 194 countries of the world.
It is interesting to note that both factions of Hurriyat and the militant leadership remained actively involved in 'the Game' and in the changing phases of the game. Kashmiri leaders (Hurriyat) in Srinagar, leaders in Muzaffarabad (AJK Leaders), Hurriyat representatives domiciled in Islamabad, Kashmiris employed in London, Brussels and Washington to play the Pakistani dulcimer as scripted in 'the Game' and later conceived by Musharraf all stand accused to have been involved in the 'rare of the rarest crime' committed by murdering a Kashmiri generation in the India-Pakistan fight, and in providing them ventriloquists, traitors, proxies and informers for the fight.
After the revelation by Adrian Levy and Cathy Scot-Clark published in their book The Meadow that "India and Pakistan fought each other in the valley by manipulating the lives of others. Everything that happened here involved acts of ventriloquism, with traitors, proxies and informers deployed by both sides, and civilians becoming the casualties," does put Hurriyat in the dock for its share of complicity of any and what manner. It does not remain any more important whether Hurriyat inscribes its trust in its Constitution or considers UN Resolutions practicable anymore.
There is a prima facie case against Hurriyat leadership, militant leadership and establishment in Islamabad on the basis that they have been manipulating the lives of the innocent people for 'the Game' in the valley. Hurriyat representation in Islamabad and their conduits in London, Brussels and Washington have a case to answer. Hurriyat has accrued a higher burden of responsibility and liability, on account of its pro people interest shown at the start on 27 December 1992.
Questions would be raised in regard to the bona fides of the first meeting of 27 December 1992, convened to consider as to why, "This paradise on earth has turned into a hell for its own inhabitants." Leaders and constituents in the Hurriyat, non – Hurriyat leaders, others associated with the Hurriyat and non Hurriyat politics have to face a rigorous regime of enquiry, in regard to any gains financial or other made out of this 'Game'.
Genuine questions would be raised in respect of the gains made by 'proxies' over the years.
Hurriyat leadership stands to explain the revelation made at page 357 in the book The Meadow that "The overwhelming strategy of the Game, was to use any means necessary to sow confusion, hatred and suspicion between the different religions, races and competing militant outfits in Kashmir, so that no one group dominated, and all remained weaker than India's security forces". The admission by one of the Indian sources that, "The Game went far beyond the age old tactic of divides and rule. We slandered and manipulated. We placed words into someone else's mouth to poison friendship. We created false fronts, fictitious outfits, to commit unthinkable crimes. We tapped phones, listened in to illicit lovers and blackmailed them. There was no moral compass..," makes Hurriyat leadership grossly responsible for either being an accomplice or inept to lead the case of the people, highlighted on 27 December 1992 and as accepted by the world community at the United Nations.
There is an urgent need that at the Kashmir level a Council of Elders with representation from all walks of life should move forward to investigate "ventriloquists, traitors, proxies and informers deployed by both sides in which the civilians became the casualties". Other options too need to be considered to conduct a thorough investigation into the role played by various elements in 'the Game'.
Author is London based Secretary General of JKCHR – NGO in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations. He can be mailed at dr-nazirgilani@jkchr.com
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Warm Regards
Mir Imran
Co-ordinator
Kashmir Chapter - JKCHR
Peer Bagh, Srinagar
Kashmir - India
Ph. 0091 194 2105927,
0091 194 2433032.
Fax. 0091 194 2431262
Mobile: 0091 9796138002
Email: -
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