|

Six-Point Agenda To Resolve Kashmir Crisis: Dr. Fai

Articles, Uncategorised

San Francisco. March 29, 2014. Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General of “World Kashmir Awareness” has announced a six point agenda to set a stage for the resolution of Kashmir issue. He was addressing a well represented seminar entitled “Kashmir: A reminder to the American policy makers,” here at Fremont, California. The event was sponsored by the American Muslim Alliance and Pakistani American Democratic Forum which are headed by a well-known political scientist, Dr. Agha Saeed. Mr. Mike Gravel, former member of the U.S Senate, Mr. Naeem Baig, President of Islamic Circle of North America and Dr. Hatem Bazian – a prominent Arab American leader spoke on the event.

Dr. Fai while expounding on his 6 points suggested that,

(1). The conflict over Kashmir cannot be resolved through military means. Kashmir issue is a political issue and has to be resolved through political means;

(2). There has to be a cease-fire from all sides during negotiations. Negotiations cannot be carried out at a time when parties are killing each other;

(3). Talks must be tripartite between India, Pakistan and genuine leadership of the people of Kashmir;

(4). There cannot be and should not be any condition from any party, other than commitment to non-violence and to negotiations;

(5). Negotiations should be initiated simultaneously at four different levels, including:

(a). an intra-Kashmir dialogue between the leadership of the Kashmiri political resistance, and the leadership of Azad Kashmir, Gilgat Baltistan and the leadership of minority groups in Kashmir;
(b). talks between the government of India and Pakistan;
(c). talks between the Governments of India, Pakistan and the Kashmiri leadership;
(d). talks between India, Pakistan, Kashmir, China and the United States.

(6). There should be third party facilitation to make sure that the talks between India, Pakistan and Kashmiri leadership remain focused. Third party facilitator could be a person of an international standing, like Nobel Laureate, Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa or Dr. Kofi Annan of Ghana or Mr. Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Prime Minister of Norway or Ms. Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner on Human Rights.

Dr. Fai who was the key-note speaker added that there have been various round of talks between India and Pakistan, including the Summit between Dr. Manmohan Singh and Mian Nawaz Sharif in New York in September 2013. These talks, Fai emphasized, are taking place because there is a deeper engagement of the United States with both New Delhi and Islamabad. There is also a realization that the time has come both countries need to address all the issues including the issue of Kashmir.

Fai further elaborated that the people of Kashmir support the talks between India and Pakistan. Because these talks have opened the doors of understanding and mutual respect between these two neighboring countries. It has also created an atmosphere of reconciliation and normalization. But talks, Fai warned, without any defined parameters and the talks which are not time bond and result oriented are not going to lead us anywhere. If there is no break through in the thought processes, if there is no change in the mindset, then talks between India and Pakistan even if at the summit level will not guarantee peace in the region of South Asia.

Dr. Fai said that the sentiments of people of Kashmir are for Azadi. He quoted a survey which was conducted by monthly Outlook and was released by UNI on November 5, 2004 and the survey said that 78 per cent of the people of Kashmir want Azadi. Dr. Fai quoted another survey which was conducted by Hindustan Times and CNN-IBN and NDTV on August 12, 2008. According to this survey, 87% people of Kashmir preferred Azadi for Kashmir. He added that London-based Chattam House had another survey in Kashmir which was released by BBC on May 27, 2010. According to this survey 90 to 95 per cent of the people of the Valley want Azadi. Such a nation where the sentiments of Azadi are on the increase cannot remain subjugated for ever, Fai alerted.

Fai concluded by reminding President Obama to listen to Candidate Obama who said on October 30, 2008 that “We should probably try to facilitate a better understanding between Pakistan and India and try to resolve the Kashmir crisis.”

Former Senator Mike Gravel of the United States Senate said, I am an American and I love my country. There are many beautiful things about this country but I am terribly embraced by the miscarriage of justice in the case of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, Dr. Sami Al-Arian and now Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai. The only way to fix this problem is to fight back and help restore America’s original promise.

Dr. Hatem Bazian said, there is willful attack on Muslim leadership and institutions in the United States and Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai’s case is a latest example. This simply tells us that Dr. Fai was doing something great for the cause he loves the most and for his people. We appreciate the courage and leadership of our brother Dr. Fai.

Mr. Naeem Baig, President of Islamic Circle of North America said the victims should not feel weak. They will have to stand up but it is our responsibility to help them to materialize their dream. I have been witnessing the work of Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai for the last twenty years The way he has projected the cause of Kashmir in this country is exemplary. We are here to work with him to bring peace and justice to the region of Kashmir.

Similar Posts

  • |

    Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai Expressed Sympathy, Condolences and Solidarity with the bereaved families in Peshawar

    Washington, D.C. December 16, 2104. These cowardly contemptible murders of 141 people, including 132 children, mostly under 16, in Peshawar, Pakistan are condemnable no matter what the motivation of the terrorists. This massacres is unmitigated evil, an earmark of barbarism contemptuous of civilization. We must understand that terrorism is never acceptable no matter how seemingly urgent the political objective or how evil the opposition. Terrorism at anytime, any place, and by anyone can never be and must not be tolerated in a civilized society. Terrorism invariably corrupts the culprits and the common human rights of mankind.

  • |

    Kashmiri American community vowed to continue the struggle for self-determination

     

    bombay1

    Washington, D.C. June 5, 2012. The Kashmiri-American community in the Washington metropolitan area has vowed to continue their struggle for right to self-determination. At an impressive gathering at Bombay Tandoor, Tysons Corner, members of the community including academics, political activists and friends of Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, pledged to carry forward his work during the period of his incarceration.

    Speaking on the occasion, Dr Fai said there is no restriction on him to continue his work for a universally acknowledged cause. He clarified to his well-wishers that the prosecution had withdrawn charges initially leveled against him to be the agent of a foreign government.

    Judge Liam O’Grady, while announcing the verdict for two-year imprisonment earlier this year, had made it clear that “it’s (sentencing) necessary, even though you have done some very moving things on behalf of the Kashmir people and that your cause is a wonderful cause,” Fai told the gathering.

    Dr. Fai urged the community members to continue to support the cause of Kashmir. He quoted again Judge O’Grady who said, “I sincerely hope that while you’re at a minimal security facility like Cumberland, that I see no reason why you can’t continue to advocate on behalf of the Kashmiri people and to write. I know that the KAC is dormant, I guess is the word for it at this stage, but there may be an opportunity to arrange conferences through other people in the future, and I hope that cause continues to be identified as an important international matter. And good luck to you.”

    “No solution to the 65‑year‑old Kashmir conflict that does not command a consensus among the 17 million Kashmiri people can endure, Dr. Fai stressed, just as no solution to East Timor held a chance of success until the East Timorese leadership was consulted and a referendum on independence from Indonesia was held.”

  • |

    Human Rights: Are They Universal?

    “Only on paper has humanity yet achieved glory, beauty, truth, knowledge, virtue, and abiding love.” George Bernard Shaw

    It is tragic that civilized nations have fallen from their lofty calling: namely, human rights for all mankind. There is a sad commentary on the state of human rights all over the globe. It seems to me that until there evolves a generally accepted moral duty among peoples and nations to assist all victims of widespread human rights violations by force or other stiff retaliation, human rights enforcement mechanisms will operate haphazardly and whimsically for reasons unrelated to the harm to the victims or the villainy of the perpetrators. It is the job of all human rights defenders to jump-start that moral evolution.

  • |

    The Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ Needs to be Applauded: Dr. Fai

    Washington, D.C. December 10, 2013. 

     

    “We need to applaud the 1948 ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’, which stands as a moral reproach to wrongdoing nations that may facilitate reforms, even though its lofty provisions safeguarding fundamental human rights remain dishonored in many parts of the world,” said Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the United Nations Human Rights Day.

  • |

    Peace still possible in the region of subcontinent: Dr. Fai

    Washington, D.C. February 6, 20114. “The United Nations Security Council resolutions on Kashmir were not resolutions in the routine sense of the term. Their provisions were negotiated in detail by the United Nations Commission with India and Pakistan and it was only after the consent of both Governments was explicitly obtained that they were endorsed by the Security Council. They thus constitute a binding and solemn international agreement about the settlement of the Kashmir dispute,” said Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai in a paper read during a seminar organized by Mohtaram Shabir Ahmed Shah Sahib in Srinagar entitled: Kashmir Dispute and the Role of the United Nations.