- We’re preparing for long-term protest plan, says Mirwaiz
- ‘Our biggest achievement is one leadership, one slogan, one goal’
- Hurriyat (M) Chairman allowed to pray in Jamia Masjid after 5 months
Chairman Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday said that five-month long uprising raised the morale of people to an extent that Kashmiris put everything at stake and openly challenged world’s second largest military might with a message to resolve the issue. He said the biggest achievement of the ongoing uprising is that there is “one leadership, one slogan and one goal.”
Mirwaiz was allowed for the first time after July 8 to offer Friday prayers at historic Jamia Masjid here. It was after 19 consecutive weeks that government allowed Friday prayers at the grand masjid last week. Addressing the Friday gathering, Mirwaiz said the people of Kashmir showed not only to New Delhi but to entire world that nothing can break their resolve.
“A few lakh Kashmiris challenged world’s second largest military might. It’s not an easy task. New Delhi has over seven lakh forces here and there are black laws like AFSPA and PSA. They used pellets, bullets, tear gas and explored all other resources to break the will of people,” Mirwaiz said. “But people of Kashmir emerged strong despite facing all kinds of oppression. Those stating that five months of uprising went waste, should know that in the past 150 days, people’s morale went up to an extent that they put everything—lives, homes, education, trade, transport—at stake.”
Mirwaiz said it’s not easy to challenge a country like India. “The past five months helped people of all walks of life across Kashmir to come under one umbrella. There was a clear message to New Delhi that it has to resolve Kashmir no matter how brute oppression it resorts to,” he said. “It’s because of the five-month long uprising that today we have one leadership, one slogan and one goal. Today, even a toddler shouts slogans like ‘we want freedom.”
Mirwaiz said that sacrifices offered by the people of Kashmir have no parallel in the world. “Only a nation which has a deep commitment, resilience, determination and courage can sustain this kind of struggle,” he said. Mirwaiz said that people now have to inculcate resistance culture within and make resistance a way of life.
“The meaning and understanding of protest has to be extended beyond hartals. Deliberations are on in this regard. A transition from short term agitation to long-term initiatives, programs and sustainable modes of protest has to be made,” Mirwaiz said. “We have to understand that we have a long struggle ahead. The movement cannot always stay in the sprint mode. It is now time to prepare ourselves for the next phase. We have to survive and sustain ourselves to be able to fight brutal oppression.”
He said that the joint resistance leadership is currently working on alternate means of protest. “The road ahead has got cleared and we have moved closer to our goal. We now have to consolidate our gains,” Mirwaiz said.
Soon after the culmination of Friday prayers at the Jamia, Mirwaiz led a freedom march upto Mirwaiz Manzil Rajouri Kadal, where besides hundreds of youth, women and children had gathered. Addressing the people there, Mirwaiz said: “Jamia Masjid is the focal point of religious-political convergence of people’s aspirations and sentiments and is a very significant and powerful symbol of people’s assertion and resistance. Authorities fear as it is a threat to their very existence. So the grand masjid is closed and people are prevented from assembling there.”
Youth to shoulder bigger responsibility
Mirwaiz while praising the role of youth in the ongoing uprising said that youth despite facing worst form of torture and oppression continue to remain steadfast. “Our youth are our strength. They have to shoulder bigger responsibility and take the ongoing movement forward. Out of the 100 people killed by the forces during the uprising, majority were youth. We will not allow their sacrifices go in vain. The sacred struggle will continue till the movement reaches its logical conclusion.”
Welcomes Trump’s remarks: Mirwaiz welcomed the recent remarks of United States president-elect Donald Trump wherein he had assured Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that he will play his role in resolving all outstanding issues. “We hope Trump will use his good office and ensure New Delhi shuns its stubbornness and take concrete steps to resolve Kashmir issue according to the aspirations of people of Kashmir,” Mirwaiz said. He also thanked Pakistan for remaining at the back of people of Kashmir all the time.
Funeral in absentia held
After congregational Friday prayers, a funeral in absentia was held at Jamia Masjid for those killed in the forces action since July 8. The prayers were led by Imam of the Jamia.
Meanwhile, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday vowed to continue the protest programme while hinting that it would be comprehensive and for the long term.
Mirwaiz, one of the three separatist leaders who are steering the ongoing unrest by issuing week-long protest calendars, said the future protest programme would also include the functioning of trade and schools.
“We (separatist leadership) are not allowed to meet but despite this we are preparing a long-term programme to ensure that resistance will continue and your homes and trade will function and schools will also work,” Mirwaiz said during his first Friday sermon at the city’s Jamia Masjid.
Separatist leaders Mirwaiz, Syed Ali Geelani and Yasin Malik had recently attempted to meet but were barred from doing so by the police. The three separatists are jointly issuing weeklong protest calendars scheduling shutdown and work hours to steer the unrest, sparked by killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Mirwaiz said the separatist leadership was not tired of the long unrest. “We are not tired out…these five months have given us such strength that we can continue it for five years,” he said.
The separatist leader said the “past record of tyranny and oppression” has been beaten during the unrest. “I am meeting you after five months and past records of tyranny and oppression have been beaten during these five months. The right to live of Kashmiris has been snatched during these months,” said Mirwaiz, who heads the moderate faction of separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference.
