Srinagar, Sep 24: Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Saturday hailed Palestine’s bid for full membership of UN, saying that ‘our time will soon come.’
Addressing the annual meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in New York, Mirwaiz said Kashmiris deeply understand the grievances and sufferings of the Palestinians “as we too are besieged, humiliated and scattered throughout the world.”
“We, too, travel on documents that do not reflect our national aspirations. We, too, have numerous UN resolutions in the books that mandate our inherent right to self-determination.  We, the Kashmiri people, understand the suffering of Palestinians better than others, since we too are living a similar nightmare,” he said.
Hailing Palestine’s bid for full membership of UN, Mirwaiz said, “Let me say to the people of Palestine that the people of Kashmir, proudly, are the first to congratulate you on your bold initiative. Let it be written in history that an oppressed people are overjoyed looking at you in your moment of glory, confident that our time will soon come.”
Mirwaiz expressed hope that United Nations policy towards Kashmir will not be determined by its strategic value towards India and Pakistan, but by the principles of justice.
Mincing no words in castigating New Delhi for alleged human rights violations in Kashmir, Mirwaiz said rights of Kashmiris are trampled militarily.
“India flagrantly abuses international law whether it is the imprisonment of political prisoners or the recent gruesome unearthing of more than 2,000 mass graves in Kashmir,” he added.
Mirwaiz said demand of right to self-determination for Kashmiris has become more relevant in the wake of the revolutions in Arab Spring this year.
“The basic principle for a just solution of Kashmir was laid down here at the United Nations in the international agreements embodied in the Security Council resolutions of 1948 and 1949 to which the governments of India and Pakistan are parties. That principle is self-determination. This essential principle can never become obsolete nor overtaken by events, as India argues. In fact it has become more relevant after the world has witnessed the Arab Spring in 2011,” he said.
Mirwaiz said it is time for a ‘new vision’ that acknowledges the sweeping changes occurring throughout the Middle East.
“The people’s revolt in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia and the sagacious leadership of OIC are just a few signs signifying this unbelievable resurgence in the Islamic world.  A great tide of change is sweeping the heart of the Middle East and people are willing to sacrifice all to tear down those walls of tyranny that were, for too long, dishonoring the dignity of the common man,” he said.
Drawing a parallel between Palestine and Kashmir, Mirwaiz pitched for full membership of Kashmir in Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“Let us promise to support the people of Kashmir by giving them full membership in this august body of the OIC,” Mirwaiz said.
Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz enjoys observer status in OIC.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 24 Sep 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:00:00 IST