Srinagar, Nov 1: The Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called off strike on Friday, November 5, in view of Diwali.
In a statement, Geelani said, “Islam teaches us to respect sentiments of other communities. We want to maintain that we are not fighting against India because it is a Hindu-majority country. Kashmiris are only demanding their right to self-determination promised by India. The Hindus and Sikhs are part and parcel of our society and we, from the core of our heart, respect their sentiments. We have decided to call off the strike in view of Diwali.”
 Pertinently, the All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) had urged Geelani to call off the strike on November 5.
 Meanwhile the APSCC has welcomed the Hurriyat decision and decided to celebrate the festival with simplicity. “The Valley has lost more than 100 young innocent lives during the five months of the ongoing turmoil. On Deepawali, the Sikh community will express solidarity with the parents and families who have lost their dear ones,” the APSCC chairman told PTI.
 Meanwhile, Geelani has said the ongoing movement has started to receive support from the Indian civil society. “From Arundhati Roy to Gautam Navlakha have been rendering support to our cause. Even Chidambaram (Union Home Minister) and Omar Abdullah (CM) intentionally or unintentionally have accepted some facts regarding Kashmir,” Geelani said.
 To mark the anniversary of ‘massacre of Muslims in 1947 in Jammu,’ Geelani announced that upcoming week will be commemorated as martyrdom week. He urged the people to make the civil curfew call from November 6 successful. “Kashmiris should impress upon the US president Barrack Obama that peace will continue to elude South Asia and the threat of the war between nuclear powers India and Pakistan will linger on till the resolution of the Kashmir dispute,” he said.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 1 Nov 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
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