| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| Kashmir militants reject terrorist tag |
| 2002-06-02 |
| Militants in Kashmir have appealed to the world not to confuse their freedom struggle with terrorism. The United Jihad Council (UJC), an umbrella group of Kashmiri militant groups, accused India on Saturday of trying to deflect attention from what it called "state terrorism" in Kashmir and the legitimate right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination. "The government of India has launched a media blitz to disinform the international community about the genuine, indigenous and home-grown struggle for freedom initiated by the Kashmiris themselves," UJC leader Syed Salahuddin said. "We appeal to all leaders believing in the principles of fair play in justice not to mix up a genuine people's struggle for self-determination with terrorism," he said in a letter faxed to embassies in the Pakistani capital Islamabad. If the Kashmir gunnies aren't terrorists, there aren't any terrorists in this world... Western sympathy for guerrilla groups has waned after an attack on the Parliament in December and on a military camp in Kashmir in May in which suspected militants killed more than 30 people, mainly the wives and children of Indian soldiers. ... and that's why. The UJC said Kashmiris had only taken up arms against Indian "occupation" after peaceful means of resistance had been exhausted, and appealed for international pressure on India to resolve the question of Kashmir for the sake of regional peace. "All routes to avoid this nuclear holocaust pass through Kashmir," Salahuddin said. "Our struggle will continue until the last drop of our blood to attain freedom from Indian occupation." All routes, right up to the edge of nuclear holocaust, have lain through Kashmir and the gunny organizations making up the MJC. Any country can put up with a concentrated campaign of shootings, kidnappings, arson, explosions, mutilations, beheadings, and grenades flying every which way for only so long. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |