[Reader-list] Civil Society Responds to Present Crisis

[Khurram Parvez]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Srinagar, Sunday 10th
August 2008 

  

Today, on the
initiative of Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), a wide spectrum
of civil society actors participated in an urgent meeting to discuss the
Present Crisis and the Role of Civil Society. The meeting besides the members
of JKCCS was attended by the members of Chamber of Commerce and Industries
Kashmir (CCIK), Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF), Trade
Union Centre, Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti, Dr. Altaf Hussain, Dr. Mubarik
Ahmed, Zareef Ahmed Zareef (Valley Citizens Council), Prof. A.G. Madhosh
(Educationist), Shujaat Bukhari (Senior Journalist), Riaz Masroor (Executive
Editor – Rising Kashmir), Noor Ahmed Baba (Faculty of Political Science, University
of Kashmir), Dr. Shaikh Showkat Hussain (Faculty of Law, University of
Kashmir), Arjimand Hussain Talib (Columnist), Qazi Mohammad Amin (Retired IAS
Officer), Kumar Ji Wanchoo (Social Activist), Anwar Ashai (Businessman), Dr.
Abdul Ahad (Retired Commissioner Secretary), Noorul Hassan (Retired Chief
Conservator Forests), Dr. Rafi Punjabi (Social Activist) and students from
Kashmir University. After deliberations the participants agreed to adopt the
following resolution.

 

RESOLUTION

 

We, the members
of civil society, view the current situation obtaining in the Indian occupied
state of Jammu & Kashmir with grave concern. We, unequivocally, condemn the
riots against the Muslims of Jammu province being engineered by the fanatical
and extremist elements. We view with horror the threat to the lives, honor and
property of Muslims of Jammu province. We condemn the Gujarat type
administration of Jammu unreservedly. We express our total solidarity with the
Muslims of Jammu and assure them that all the Kashmiris share their pain and
anguish in this grave hour. 

            This
meeting also condemns the economic blockade of the Kashmir valley, Doda, Poonch
and Rajouri, resorted to by the Hindu extremist organizations and supported by
Congress and other Jammu based political and non political formations. This
meeting wonders as how the blockaders would succeed without the active
connivance of the Indian State with the presence of 7 lakh (700,000)
occupational forces in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, one wonders how
Jammu-Srinagar highway can be blocked by a few hundred miscreants without the
encouragement of the occupational forces. The economic blockade of the valley,
Doda, Poonch and Rajouri has created an unprecedented situation whereby there
is acute shortage of essential goods, particularly life saving drugs. Our fruit and other exports are blocked,
resulting in enormous losses of our economy. 

We acknowledge
with deep satisfaction, indeed pride, the economic assistance rendered by
ordinary Muslims of Kashmir to the Yatris going to Amarnath Cave. 

            We
also place on record the age-old harmony, tolerance and brotherhood shown by
the Muslims of Kashmir in spite of grave provocations emanating from the
communalist organizations and parties of India. 

            This
meeting reiterates to resolve of all Kashmiris to continue to be hospitable to
yatris in consonance with our centuries old traditions. However, the
participants agreed that the number of visitors to the Cave be regulated as
guided by the relevant International environmental laws, and the carrying
capacity of this region.

            The
meeting strongly condemns the attack on the office of the Greater Kashmir in
Jammu by the hooligans and the seizure of the newspapers of the Daily Etalaat
by State agencies.

            This
meeting invites the urgent attention of International community to the grave
human rights situation in Jammu & Kashmir whereby lives, honor and property
of Muslims are in serious jeopardy. The International community should take
urgent and serious notice of consequence of economic blockade of the Muslim
regions of the Jammu and Kashmir State. We urge the United Nations, the UN
Environment Programme, Green Peace, European Union, Common Wealth and SAARC
countries to intervene in the matter and allow historical and natural routes
for people and goods to flow to and fro from Jammu & Kashmir. This needs to
be addressed urgently if a great humanitarian and environmental tragedy is to
be averted. The international humanitarian agencies also need to focus their
attention on Kashmir and ensure adequate supply of drugs, particularly life
saving drugs to Kashmir. We demand the government to allow international
organizations be to respond to the need of the medical supplies particularly
the drugs needed for diabetes, anti-depressants, cardiac drugs and life saving
drugs for cancer patients. 

The participants
resolved to send a fact-finding mission to riot affected Jammu province to
record the truth and disseminate it. Another fact-finding mission should go
to Baltal and study the legal and environmental issues concerning the land
issue. 

The participants
unanimously supported the call for Muzaffarabad March of 11th
August.