Srinagar, Sep 14: Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Wednesday said that Kashmiris won’t accept status-quo.
 Addressing a seminar on the sidelines of 18th session of United Nations Human Rights Council at Geneva, Mirwaiz said Kashmir issue can be resolved through sincere and continuous dialogue process between the parties of the dispute.
  “But the talks should be meaningful and not wastage of the time,” he said.
 “Inclusion of Kashmiris is must for the dialogue process to succeed.”
 Mirwaiz said, amalgam led by him engaged in parleys with New Delhi in the past  but these efforts “proved futile.”
 Delving on the recent revolutions in Arab Spring Mirwaiz said the Right to Self Determination of the masses should be accepted to establish peace in that region.
 “Kashmiris are also demanding their democratic rights and it is imperative to change the ground situation there,” he said, adding that world needs to resolve the dispute, which has been pending for the past 64-years in United Nations.
 Mirwaiz said peaceful protests and demonstrations are a dignified way of expressing sentiments and aspirations in civilized and democratic societies across the globe. “But in Kashmir in clear violation of United Nations norms peaceful protesters are dealt with brute force. Our 120 youth were martyred last year by forces and our senior leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz also fell to the bullets during Muzaffarabad march,” he said.
 Expressing concern over discovery of unmarked graves in north Kashmir by Police Investigation Wing of State Human Rights Commission, Mirwaiz said this is just a tip of the iceberg.
 “We don’t know about the whereabouts of our 9000 youth who were subjected to enforced disappearances during the past 20 years,” he said, urging international community to use its influence to get these investigated.
 “The sentiments and aspirations of people need to be addressed to prevent the occurrence of these heart rending and inhuman incidents,” he added.
 Among other prominent personalities of the globe, Prof Joshua Castelino, head of law department Essex, Dr Karen Parker chairperson International Education Development, Aoife Day , Abdul Majid Tramboo head of Kashmir Centre Brussels and Nazir Ahmad Shawl chairman Justice Foundation London also spoke on the occasion.
 Mirwaiz is also scheduled to meet the members of Amnesty International and International Committee of Red Cross of different countries to apprise them about "worsening human rights situation in Jammu Kashmir, plight of Kashmiri detainees in jails and alarming situation arising due to adoption of black laws including AFSPA and PSA".

Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Sep 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 IST