Invites her to visit Kashmir to see “sufferings of people”
SRINAGAR: In his letter to Angela Merkel, Chancellor Germany, Kashmir’s octogenarian separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani, has expressed concern that despite repeated requests and pleas, the German ambassador to India decided to go ahead with the musical concert of Zubin Mehta.
“We believe that this concert is being used by India to legitimize its military Occupation of our land and whitewash its shameful atrocities in Kashmir,” the text reads, according to a local news agency, CNS.
Geelani has told her that the Kashmiri people have “always been grateful for the principled support for universal human rights and a peaceful, negotiated settlement to all international disputes by the members of the European Union.”
“But Kashmiris are dismayed and disappointed by the decision of the German Embassy in India to organize a concert in Kashmir conducted by Zubin Mehta as part of ‘broader engagements’ with Kashmiri people.”
The text dispatched to German Chancellor reads that Kashmiri people had “high hopes” that Germany, after reunification, will play a meaningful and responsible role in the resolution of the Kashmir dispute for an enduring and just peace in South Asia.
“But the decision of the Germany Embassy to organize this music concert against the wishes of the Kashmiri people has forced me to seek your intervention. Kashmir is a disputed territory and such an intervention undermines the efforts of Kashmir freedom fighters who have been struggling against India’s illegal military occupation since 1947.”
“We remain convinced of Germany’s good intentions but are disappointed that the recent initiative of the German Embassyis indifferent and insensitive to the aspirations of Kashmiri people.”
“We are also disappointed that the German Embassy in India has relied on the same security grid for the concert which has been internationally indicted for its serious human rights violations. We hope you would immediately intervene to stop this concert as it is a very unfortunate development in relation to the future of peace in this region.”
Before concluding his text, Geelani has invited the Chancellor Germany to visit Kashmir herself and witness the sufferings of the people.
“I invite you to Kashmir to witness for yourself the oppression which Kashmiris face even in their everyday lives. Lastly, I again appeal to you as a leader of Germany and Europe to intervene in this matter.”
