Srinagar, Sept 7: The Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Tuesday accused New Delhi of reacting to his five conditions for restoring peace in the Valley by killing of four youth in Pattan on Monday. He said Kashmiris were left with no option but to intensify the ongoing agitation.
“Instead of taking any action on implementation of my conditions, New Delhi has made its intentions clear by killing of four innocent persons in Pattan. I want to maintain that these barbaric acts will propel further alienation and hatred towards New Delhi. Kashmiris are left with no option but to intensify the ongoing agitation to save their respect, identity and attain right to self-determination,” Geelani told Greater Kashmir.
 Geelani, who is spearheading the ongoing ‘Quit Jammu & Kashmir Movement,’ earlier this month set five ‘minimum’ conditions for reviewing the ongoing protest agitation. The conditions included start of demilitarization, revocation of special powers to armed forces, release of political prisoners, guarantee from Prime Minister that no further killings or arrests will take place and conviction, under war crimes, of troopers and policemen involved in civilian killings.
 “New Delhi is leaving no stone unturned to crush the ongoing movement. On one hand the Indian leadership talks of the so-called confidence building measures and on the other they have let loose a reign of terror to crush the just movement,” he said.
 Geelani said instead of releasing the youth, police and troopers have intensified the crackdown on peaceful protesters and pro-freedom leaders. “But youth have taken the mantle of the ongoing struggle and no pressure tactics can stop them from carrying the movement forward,” he said.
 Geelani accused Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of trying to hoodwink the people by demanding revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act. “Last month he ruled out revocation of AFSPA, saying troopers have been asked to exercise maximum restraint to avoid civilian causalities. Yesterday he gave a statement saying there is need of firm action on revocation of AFSPA. This is sheer hypocrisy,” he said.
 Geelani came down heavily on the Army’s Northern Command Chief, Lieutenant General B S Jaiswal, for stating that troopers need AFSPA for special circumstances. “Unfortunately these so-called special circumstances are firing on peaceful processions and unarmed protesters. By virtue of AFSPA, the troopers enjoy license to kill Kashmiris,” he said.
 The veteran leader castigated the Indian civil society and international human rights organizations for, what he termed, adopting criminal silence over the massacre of Kashmiris. “It is ironical and rather a matter of shame for the international community that they have preferred to remain silent over the killings of 69 teenagers and youth. If the United Nations and Organization of Islamic Conference are sincere they should impress upon India to stop the killing spree and resolve the dispute according to aspirations of Kashmiris,” he said.

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