Agreement and Disagreement in Geneva*
Leaders appearing at any international forum have to ensure that the interest floated is inclusive to serve the interests of ‘all people’
There could be hardly any disagreement on agitating the Right of Self-Determination of all people of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, on highlighting the violations of human rights of all manner, prisoner’s rights, on the question of people’s empowerment, gender equality, opportunities for a decent living, corruption free administration, freedom of press, rule of law and on the will of the people as the basis of any government in Srinagar, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit.
In this regard the appearance of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq at a Seminar organised on March 10, 2011 in Room XXIII at Palais de Nations from 2pm – 4pm was a matter of common interest for every Kashmiri delegate wearing one or the other hat at the 16th Session of UN Human Rights Council. It would not have augured well for our sense of responsibility if Kashmiri delegates at the UN had decided to stay away from the Seminar. There is a total agreement in receiving a prominent Kashmiri leader and in expressing solidarity with organisers of the Seminar who have a long standing commitment to the Rights Movement of the People of Kashmir.
Alongside with all agreement there is a room for genuine and substantive disagreement among Kashmiri delegates at the UN in the best interests of the people of Kashmir. There is a growing trend that NGOs who have failed to deliver in their mandated fields and principal geographies have been taken over (rented) by State Subjects from all the three administrations of Kashmir. The association of these Kashmiris attracts the interest of the establishment in India and Pakistan. The trend has started coming to the attention of the ECOSOC and Swiss based Interfaith International is the first NGO that became first casualty of ECOSOC cognizance last year. It has been suspended for 2 years and as a result can’t participate in any UN activity at Palais de Nations. A number of Kashmiris who enjoyed the protection of Interfaith International in the past have been rendered orphans and obsolete for at least 2 years. The NGO has to think twice before taking anyone of these under its wings.
The Seminar on “Defending the Will of the People” that was addressed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was organised by International Educational Development. Mirwaiz conducted himself in an able and dignified manner. But the Seminar had its down side as well. It was co-sponsored by The International Islamic Federation of Student Organizations (IIFSO) and International Human Rights Association of American Minorities (IHRAAM). IIFSO is an international student and youth federation and is mandated to “serve, develop, integrate, and represent the Islamic student organisations worldwide while building bridges with other cultures in order to participate in building a brighter future for Muslim youth”. IHRAAM has a mandate to facilitate members of minority communities to bring their activities and needs to the attention of the UN. If the work of an NGO remains at variance with its principal mandate, it does not remain convincing at the UN and any work (all or bulk of it) outside the principality of the geographies is not looked at with an eager eye. The three NGOs involved in the Seminar have a history at the UN and in more than one manner their dulcimer does not keep the dignity of the tune. The only point of interest in these organisations for any other Kashmiri remains the association of Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai Executive Director Kashmir Centre, Washington and Barrister Majid Tramboo Executive Director of Kashmir Centre, Brussels. Both are lovable and decent human beings. But their employment in these Centres and their accredited roles in IIFSO and IHRAAM don’t reconcile well for an inclusive and convincing work on the Rights Movement of the people of Kashmir. International Educational Development organisation has so far not made any contribution to educational development in any part of Kashmir. It has continued to offer itself on a very limited basis for a routine service and for very little substantive work in the larger interests of the people of Kashmir. Unfortunately Kashmir has turned into a lucrative business for many NGOs and there are people who remain on the look out to rent an NGO. The partnership with these NGOs has made many Kashmiri delegates not only insensitive to the common call of conscience but their enduring sponsorships have made them arrogant too. The question of the Rights Movement in Kashmir does not mean anything to these regulars. Their interest remains preparation and submission of a summary of their hip hops and stage managed shows which are covered by media people duly paid to cover these events. Inviting chosen media people and political personalities and paying for their air travel and accommodation has continued to promote a serious corruption. These events are not covered on the basis of their merit.
The seminar on “Defending the Will of the People” has done more harm than good to the cause of the people of Kashmir and even Mirwaiz may have felt uncomfortable on hearing one of the speakers, namely, Loghman Ahmadi of Congress of Nationalities for a Federated Iran. Ahmadi raised the question of Iran exporting proxy wars in its neighbourhood. Iran is a member nation of UN and an important member of OIC as well. It does not serve the cause of Kashmir if an event organised by Kashmiris is seen to accuse Iran as an exporter of proxy wars.
Raising the question of many nationalities in Iran and warning the audience of Iran which exports proxy wars in the neighbourhood may have found some favour in US administration (or anti Iran lobbies) but such an adversarial approach against Iran does not serve any interests in the Rights Movement of the people of Kashmir.
JKCHR delegation which was at the 16th Session of UN Human Rights Council and has always queried the substantive merits of NGOs rented by some people for a limited purpose had not been informed or formally consulted by any one of these NGOs as an NGO with a legitimate and profound interest in the Rights Movement of Kashmir. JKCHR delegation on the contrary was formally informed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to remain available for a meeting at the end of the Seminar. It may be recorded as an expression of good conscience that Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai a long time and close associate remained very visible in reminding Mirwaiz that a meeting was due with JKCHR delegation and others in Geneva.
Unfortunately the NGOs ignoring their principal mandate within the principality of their geography and readily available on rent in other areas, sponsorship and the employments as Executive Directors without any accountability except serving the sweet will of the master, has made the servants very insensitive and profusely arrogant. It appears that four to five people carry the truck load of Kashmiri tragedy on their shoulders and they have started believing that off-loading coaches of people outside UN gates or bringing them to beef up the numbers at a seminar would in reality cause any stir in Delhi to live up to its promises in Kashmir.
Unless the constituency of agreement is enhanced in Geneva and the constituency of disagreement narrowed down we shall all be accused of trading the misery of our people and accruing a criminal liability. Sponsor should be advised not to disturb the guidance of article 257 of the Constitution of Pakistan and should be educated on the significance of State Subject Notification of 20 April 1927. Mirwaiz or any other leader appearing at any international forum has to ensure that the interest floated is inclusive to serve the interests of ‘all people’.
*First published in Rising Kashmir dated: 21/03/2011
About Blogger:
Dr Syed Nazir Gilani is the Chairman of London-based Jammu & Kashmir Council for Human Rights (JKCHR),He is also heading International Kashmir Alliance (IKA).
The views expressed by this blogger do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of Mahazi Islami.
Hota Hao Shab O Roz Tamasha Mere Aaghe….. Oue movement for liberation from India has become a kindegarten school where teachers are taght to sing rhymes to children so that somehow the children are tolerated till their school time is over.Such are our teachers(Leaders) and such is our maturity. Bazeecha I Atfall hai Kashmir Inke Aaghe…
Kashmir has indeed become a cheque to be cashed in by people around both inside Kashmir and outside of it. People of different backgrounds both inside the valley and outside have taken over roles that are well defined based on the circumstances the valley is in. This works exactly like an employee doing his/her defined job in an office. Nevertheless, even if it so, however, the question remains about their being accountable for their jobs. Are these selected people accountable to some one even after getting paid for their roles?Are these seminars get conducted they way they should have been? Do we put an impact we are supposed to in these seminars? The answer is big NO. For instance, there were many seminars conducted by Dr. Fai and unfortunately all of them turned out to be pure chicken parties for the participants. The speakers who claim to represent the sentiment of people in Kashmir such as Mirwaiz do hardly take the trouble of looking into the motives of the seminars as they just want to participate to score points to show off their credibility.
Dr Gilani’s column deserves proper attention. The fact that a seminar purportedly convened to highlight Kashmir Cause, was used by Iranian renegades to advance their US manufactured agenda, is condemnable, shameful, and extremely hurtful. Hurtful in the sense that Kashmir Cause has been made into a global cause and movement by the enormous sacrifices of the Kashmiri people and, the youth in particular. I, as someone who is in a position to testify, can confirm that the boys who laid down their lives, did so with Islamic motivations, with the aspiration that Kashmir should be freed from India, Islam should reign supreme. Bringing down the Islamic order in Iran is the topmost item on the agenda of the West led by the United States of America. US congress allocated a particular sum of money(I think $200m, someone may correct please if that is not the exact amount) to bring down the regime there. The renegade at the Kashmir Seminar was part of this US campaign. The point is not whether his speech will have any effect or not; given on the one hand a full-fledged involvement of US in anti-Iran moves with military option being left open,and on the other, a successful demonstration by the Islamic Republic to manage the threats and ward off the dangers,the words of this renegade are insignificant, but what matters is who are we serving? Who are we throwing our platforms open for?In the name of Kashmir’s freedom are we being used by all the evil and dark forces in the world? Is it the tribute we are paying to those resting in the graveyards in the Occupied Kashmir? The ongoing historic uprising in the Middle East essentially revolves round one single demand: Leaders Not Mercenaries. Our brothers participating in /organising, such seminars MUST make sure that they should not be seen doing others’ jobs in the name of doing their own people’s job.Nothing will stop the Kashmiri youth from taking the queue from their likes elsewhere in the Muslim world.
If wishes were horses beggars would ride if Allah shall grant one of my wishes immediately i would ask HIS HIGHNESS to reveal to our leaders their mental age (maturity) to them So that they could not help laughing at them selves as they not can perform their role well The so called leaders who live on sssssponsord roles can not be expected to think for themselves They produce themselves for any role that is tailored for them by the YAZEEDS of their time No wonder
As an eye witness these seminars and conferences have no any significance in present World scenario, for me it looks like a London’s busiest railway station, where every fifteen mints trains are departing to other parts of the country. From last 15 years in general and particularly in last 7 years are witness that these so called Kashmeres are organised every half an hour an international conferences where 10 people are speakers and same number some times less than speakers are participants. The same faces which I am witching from last ten years. It may suite for them to achive some material benifits, but question is what we achieved so form from these conferences. Yes some people bought luxury homes in London, Washington and some other parts of the world on the name of Kashmir. If anybody is expecting any change by these programmes it means he is living fool’s paradise.
I want to emphasize on two fronts described below by Dr. Syed Andrabi and Dr. G.N. Falahi.
Yes, I agree with Dr. Andrabi Saheb on the fact that young souls who offered their precious souls just for the Islamic motivations even if they come from camps titled as ‘Nationalist’ or ‘Secularists’. And those individuals or organizations that participate in these seminars or workshops must ensure that they don’t become toys for others to play their cause. For instance, recent participation of Geelani Saheb in India Today Enclave was so nicely analyzed by Farzana Versey in her write up titled ‘Living Through the Media Darkly’ (http://www.countercurrents.org/versey220311.htm) wherein she described what purpose was to achieve by bringing in Geelani Saheb.
And as Dr. Falahi Saheb described about how these seminars have failed to do a bit for the Kashmir cause instead offering material benefits for some people who are on board of the stage that claims to represent freedom sentiment of Kashmir.
The question remains on both the fronts, who are they accountable to? Who have assigned them to such roles?