Desire of people to be free far stronger than military power: Mirwaiz

Srinagar, May 10: Reacting to the latest statement of Army Chief on Kashmir, Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Thursday said that the Kashmir conflict is a real political and humanitarian problem and can be addressed politically and with compassion.
“Military solution will only make it more chronic,” he said.
“The British forces like the Indian forces of today had all the means and methods to keep India occupied. But yet they had to abdicate because the will and desire of people to be free to choose their destiny and be masters of their fate is far stronger than every military power,” he said.
Mirwaiz said the Indian army chief needs to ask of his political bosses the basic question that is asking. “Why does a regular army need to be stationed here in gullies streets villages on roads outside people’s homes in such huge numbers ? Why are people supporting and sacrificing their life for young boys who leave bright careers and pick up arms? Why are the educated boys who know the strength and number of the forces still choose to take this path? Why are his men being made the cannon fodder and paying the price with their life in an issue which he too admits is not military?
The Indian armed chief acknowledges that killing one resistance youth with arms will make ten others pick it up why?
The APHC said his threat that to bomb us like Syria is real but so is the resilience of people to stand by their commitment to achieving the universal right to freedom and self-determination for which they have been consistently struggling for the last 70 years and hugely sacrificing. Army chiefs come and go. But the commitment made by both Indian and Pakistani leadership at the UN and ratified by the world to the people of Kashmir stands and gives the current situation its context.