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JK:
Who said what........?
Staff
Reporter
United
States of America
"…
[The US] is wholly conscious of the need to continue to pressure
Gen. Musharraf to desist from recourse to incursions across the LoC
and violence, especially during the elections in J&K."
- George W. Bush, US President, New York, September 12, 2002.
"I reaffirmed to the
minister [Indian External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha]… we
spoke to the Pakistanis about not interfering in any way with these
elections… We have reaffirmed to the minister we would continue to
press the Pakistani Government to do everything possible to stop
cross-border infiltration, and to remind them of the commitment they
have made not only to the United States but to the international
community that they do not support such activity and would work
actively to stop it."
- Colin Powell, Secretary of State, Washington, September 9, 2002.
"Kashmiris, Pakistanis and
Indians must do their part to ensure that the upcoming elections can
be held in safety without interference from those who would like to
spoil them… recent attacks on officials and political party
activists in Kashmir cannot be to derail the elections."
- Christina Rocca, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia,
Washington, September 6, 2002.
"The US feels that free and
fair election in the Valley would be an expression of the will of
people and may help a movement forward. It has to be seen whether it
gets broader participation… "Our concern is (that) the
election are free of violence."
- Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State, Washington, September
4, 2002.
"We see an opportunity in
the elections. It can be part of the larger process to establish
peace…We don't have a magical solution. We urged them [All Parties
Hurriyat Conference] to see an opportunity in these elections."
- Lisa Curtis, Senior Asian affairs advisor to the George Bush
administration, Srinagar, August 26, 2002.
"I will be speaking to the
Pakistani side to make every effort to avoid disturbing these
elections… If you have enough outsiders to watch the election
process this would benefit the Indian Government… Elections (in
Jammu and Kashmir) alone, however, cannot resolve the problems
between India and Pakistan or erase the scars of so many years of
strife."
- Colin Powell, Secretary of State, New Delhi, July 28, 2002.
Terrorist
Groups
"We
are responsible for the blast [Shaleel village near Kupwara] outside
the polling station as we do not believe in these elections."
- Sheikh Jabbar, Spokesperson, Lashkar-e-Jabbar, September 16,
2002.
"The
boycott is a referendum against India. Now the international
community and the world powers must accept the Kashmiris' decision
and exert pressure on India to accede to their basic right… The
leadership of the Mujahideen is with the people of Kashmir and will
accelerate the resistance movement against the occupation
forces."
- Syed Salahuddin, chief, Muttahida Jehad Council, Muzaffarabad,
September 16, 2002.
"(Following the killing of
Law Minister Mustaq Ahmed Lone) …We will continue such attacks on
all who are participating in the polls."
- Lashkar-e-Toiba spokesperson, September 11, 2002.
"We not only stand by our
announcement to disrupt the mock polls, but we are vigorously
implementing it… We have killed around 25 activists, including
candidates, of the National Conference (the ruling party in occupied
Kashmir) in the past three months. All of them were active in
electioneering… These people want to keep up and strengthen
India's rule in Kashmir. Whosoever, whether Muslim or non-Muslim,
Kashmiri or non-Kashmiri, strengthens India's illegal occupation
will be our target, just like the Indian soldiers… There is no
harm in killing those who want India's system or constitution in
(held) Kashmir."
- Abdur Rafia, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, Muzaffarabad, September 10,
2002.
"We are of the firm opinion
that no Kashmiri will take part in the polls willingly. If anyone
showed up at the polling stations, he would have been driven there
at gunpoint by the task force or the renegades… We [candidates]
regard them as treacherous. Their crime is not less than those who
have forcibly occupied our land. They are the real culprits and we
will target them."
- Sheikh Jameelur Rehman, chief of Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen,
September 10, 2002.
"The people of Kashmir, who
are fighting Indian occupation at different levels, will completely
boycott the polls by themselves… We are not killing even those who
are taking part in the elections, although we believe they are
committing treachery and betrayal with the blood of the
martyrs."
- Salim Hashmi, spokesperson of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, September 10,
2002.
"Active workers and members
of (the ruling) National Conference have already been warned. No
political organization or party will be allowed to make a sell-out
with the blood of martyrs."
- Al Badr, Srinagar, September 3, 2002.
"We appeal to the employees
and transporters to remain away from the election drama and not
extend cooperation to the pro-India administration in this regard…
Participation in the elections is an act of betrayal with the 90,000
martyrs and no Kashmiri can commit such a mistake."
- Saif-ul-Islam, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen ‘commander-in-chief’ for
Kashmir, August 27, 2002.
"Our principal stand is
clear and categorical. Everybody who is directly participating in
the forthcoming assembly elections in Kashmir is our target.''
Ghulam Rasool Shah, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen ‘Supreme Commander’,
August 20, 2002.
"We welcome (United States
Secretary of State Collin) Powell's announcement that Kashmir is an
international issue. But as far as his stand on the forthcoming
farcical exercise (elections) in Kashmir is concerned, we disagree
with him… We make it clear that we are least concerned about the
polls, whether they are free, fair or fraudulent."
- Salim Hashmi, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen spokesperson, Islamabad, July 31,
2002.
"Any person, who as a
candidate, or as a voter or supporter or as a transporter, takes
part or assists in the elections willingly, will be deemed a traitor
and meet an exemplary fate…No person will escape his fate who
betrays the blood of 80,000 martyrs in Kashmir, or who tramples over
the feelings of the Kashmiri people by participating in the
elections."
- Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan occupied Kashmir,
July 27, 2002.
"… Take [All Parties
Hurriyat Conference] a clear, categorical and unequivocal stand
regarding the so-called elections in the occupied territory [Jammu
and Kashmir] and represent the sentiments of the Kashmiris by
launching a vigorous anti-polls campaign."
- United Jehad Council, Muzaffarabad, Pakistan occupied Kashmir,
July 2, 2002.
"Those who are thinking of
participating in the so-called election will be dealt with exemplary
punishment."
- Jameel Ahmed, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen spokesperson, Srinagar, June
28, 2002.
"Participation of Kashmiri
people in the election could give a severe blow to the
movement."
-Tahirul Islam, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen ‘deputy commander’ June 28,
2002.
"These politicians [Jamaat-e-Islami
and All Parties Hurriyat Conference] …leaders were the champions
of armed struggle at the onset of militancy and used to take lead
over one another but have succumbed to the political pressure and
just for the lust for power term armed struggle as the handiwork of
misguided people."
Saif-ul-Islam, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen ‘commander-in-chief’ for
Kashmir, April 29, 2002.
"Muslims of Jammu and
Kashmir cannot stand as candidates and fight elections under the
Indian Constitution as it amounts to strengthening the illegal
occupation of Jammu and Kashmir by India… Elections under the
Indian Constitution are in the interest of New Delhi. Therefore, all
adult Muslims cannot take part in the electoral process… anybody
who violates the decree and stands as a candidate or campaigns will
attract death penalty."
- Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, April 10, 2002.
"If any Hurriyat leader
including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the Democratic Freedom party
leader, Shabir Ahmad Shah, are found involved in any (election)
activity, it would attract serious consequences.''
- Jammu and Kashmir Islami Front, Srinagar, March 24, 2002.
"Hizbul Mujahideen believes
in democracy and is prepared, like before, for meaningful talks to
resolve the Kashmir issue…"No militant associated with Hizbul
Mujahideen will ever participate in the elections under the Indian
Constitution."
- Juniad-ul-Islam, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen spokesperson, Srinagar, March
16, 2002.
All Parties Hurriyat Conference
"The world should no more be
misguided by the false Indian propaganda that the drama in the name
of election could be alternative to promised plebiscite… Instead
of achieving anything, the sham elections will lead to more
violence, coercion and intimidation by the over 700,000 Indian
security personnel deployed in the state."
- Yusuf Nasim,
Convenor, APHC Pakistan chapter, Islamabad, September 17, 2002.
"Elections for running the Government were held in the
past also and they achieved nothing. The election chapter is closed
for us as we have made it clear time and again that we cannot dilute
our decision of 1996."
- Abdul Ghani Bhat, All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman,
Srinagar, September 5, 2002.
"By holding these elections
India wants to present this (Kashmir) struggle as India's internal
problem…"Kashmir is not India's internal problem. It is an
international issue."
- Abdul Ghani Bhat, All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman,
Srinagar, August 30, 2002.
"We are not against the principle of elections but we
will never become a part of polls which just elect
governments."
- Maulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq, All Parties Hurriyat Conference
Executive Council member, Srinagar, August 30, 2002.
‘‘It (participation in polls)
depends...if India, Pakistan and the leadership of Jammu and Kashmir
can sit together and evolve a mechanism to ascertain the wishes of
the people here towards the resolution of the Kashmir
issue’."
- Abdul Ghani Bhat,
All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman, Srinagar, August 17, 2002.
"Life is like a changing
ocean, anything can happen in future. But right now we have no plans
of participating in the polls… Jamaat has lost faith in the
electoral process despite being part of the exercise for over 15
years."
- Abdul Ghani Bhat,
All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman, June 29, 2002.
"We consider, rightly so,
the answer to our problem does not lie in Assembly elections so we
will not participate in the process or exercise."
- Abdul Ghani Bhat,
All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman, April 4, 2002.
"We do not want to install
any other Mr. Farooq. It makes absolutely no difference as far as we
are concerned. Elections do not provide the answers to questions we
ask."
- Abdul Ghani Bhat,
All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman, Srinagar, April 4, 2002.
"How can you expect that
election would solve the vexed Kashmir issue as 1996 elections have
created more problems and since then a large number of people have
been killed."
- Abdul Ghani Lone,
All Parties Hurriyat Conference Executive Council member, Srinagar,
April 1, 2002.
"Elections cannot alter the
basic realities about Kashmir. It is a disputed territory and it
will stay that way."
- Syed Ali Geelani,
All Parties Hurriyat Conference Executive Council member, January
2002.
A
compilation by Institute for Conflict Management, New Delhi
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