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Leaders See Similarities in Egypt, Kashmir Uprising

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Feb 12: Two main pro-Indian and separatist leaders Saturday said there were similarities in Egypt revolution and Kashmir uprising last summer.

"Tens of thousands of people took to streets in Egypt to demand justice and democracy and ouster of president Hosni Mubarak. The Egyptian army's role was laudable as it protected the people and did not use force against them," pro-Indian leader and chairperson of Peoples Democratic Party Mehbooba Mufti said while addressing a press conference here. She said in Kashmir when people took to streets last year, they were dubbed as Lashkar agents, militants and drug addicts and excessive force was used against them.

At least 112 protestors, mostly teenagers, were killed in police and paramilitary soldiers action in Kashmir during the summer unrest last year.

Mehbooba said the Kashmiri people were the first to respond to the global call for non-violence post 9-11 but India didn't respond to the "transition." "Kashmiris chose ballot over bullet, but the leadership in the government of India did not respond to the transition the People participated in 2002 elections but the Indian government and its leaders failed to respond to the change from violence to peaceful movement," she said.

Stating that the situation in Egypt resembles with Kashmir, she also said, "We have a similarity with Egypt as they were fighting for democracy and we are fighting inspite of democracy for the past 63 years. The Kashmir issue has been hanging for the past six decades."

"Peace needs to be given a chance but in Kashmir we are witnessing repression, arrests of youth and re-establishing of security camps, which is against the popular demand of withdrawal of troops from the civilian areas. New army, police and CRPF camps are being set up at various locations," Mehbooba said.

While advocating "freedom" for the people on both sides of the Line of Control (defacto border between India and Pakistan in Kashmir) in travel and trade matters, she said Kashmir should be declared a free economic zone in the SAARC region.

Meanwhile, senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani has welcomed the change of regime in Egypt.

"The Egyptian revolution is an encouraging event for oppressed nations across the globe including Kashmir. The determinations of Kashmiris that our struggle would succeed soon and India, despite its might, would have to budge before power of the people, has grown stronger," he said.

The ailing separatist leader said the discipline shown by the Egyptians during the 18 days of protest is an example Kashmiris should follow and holds the lesson for Kashmiris that a peaceful and disciplined movement is more effective than disorganized agitations. He, however, said the situation in Egypt cannot be compared with Kashmir because "the army in Egypt is local and cares for the lives of people while, on the other hand, the Indian army in Kashmir is an occupational force, which considers killing Kashmiris as its national duty."

Geelani also said police in Kashmir should learn from the Egyptian army, which instead of killing its own people allowed them to express themselves.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.