Srinagar, May 18: The 2-member Amnesty International team, which is on a six-day Kashmir visit,  on Tuesday called on Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, and various political and human rights activists.
The team comprising Bikram J Batra and Ramesh Gopal Krishan called on Mirwaiz at his Nageen residence in the afternoon. Mirwaiz who was flanked by advocate Shahid-ul-Islam had a 45 minute discussion with the visiting delegation.
The Mirwaiz termed the AI team’s visit as a welcome step. “It was our desire that AI team should visit here as in past they were denied visa. When I was in Geneva last time, I had a meeting with the AI and I appealed them to send a team here. Irrespective of political ideologies, AI should play a positive role,” he said.
The Hurriyat Chairman said the AI voice had become weak in the past as they weren’t talking about Kashmir. “The visiting AI team told us that they would look into all issues including Public Safety Act, arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances.”
Mirwaiz termed AI team’s visit a good beginning. “The AI should take a stand on human rights issues in Kashmir and if New Delhi won’t act, they should make it public,” he added.
The Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Muhammad Yasin Malik during his interaction with AI team asked them their priorities and apprised them about the Kashmir situation.  
 “Here women don’t know whether they are widows or their husbands are alive, children don’t know whether they are orphans as thousands of youth have been subjected to enforced disappearance in the past 20-years,” Malik told the team.
Stressing for demilitarization of Kashmir, Malik told the AI members that during his Signature campaign, he had found that people in rural areas were subjected to human right abuses. “The continuation of the draconian laws like AFSPA gives license to the army and other forces to commit human right violations. The laws need to be repealed,” he said.
The AI team also met Hameeda Nayeem, wife of detained Hurriyat (M) leader, Nayeem Ahmad Khan.
“I briefed them about detention of Nayeem Sahib, as focus of the AI team’s visit is on preventive detentions. I told them that my 7-year-old son was alone at home when his father was arrested, as I was in Jaipur to attend a seminar,” Hameeda told Greater Kashmir.
“We also had a general discussion on human rights violations in Kashmir,” she added.
Earlier in the day the delegation met JKLF (R) leaders, Javed Ahmad Mir and Bitta Karate. They also called on Muslim League leader Abdul Ahad Parra.
It is for the first time in past 20 years of conflict, that the rights watchdog has visited Kashmir.
Later in the evening the AI team called on chairperson of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons, Parveen Ahanger and its legal advisor, Advocate Mir Hafizullah.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 18 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 18 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 IST