Hurriyat (M) rejects wikileaks on Afzal Guru

Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference (M) Thursday strongly denied the claims made by whistleblower site Wikileaks that the Hurriyat faction was not in favour of India pardoning the 2001 Parliament attack case convict, Afzal Guru and that it was unable to express this view publicly, “given the mood in the Valley and the threat from militants.”“This is a conspiracy not only against Kashmiris’ freedom movement but also against the principled stand of Hurriyat Conference. Unsuccessful attempts to defame the image of Hurriyat Conference are being made by publishing these so-called Wikileaks exposes. Not only Afzal Guru, Hurriyat has raised the issue of releasing all Kashmiri prisoners and termed their detention as illegal and a violation against human rights, during its talks with Indian leadership and at international forums,” the amalgam said during an executive level meeting here today.During the meeting presided over by Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Hurriyat (M) executive members termed Kashmiri prisoners detained in various Indian jails as an “asset for the freedom movement, who are   rendering huge sacrifices in the ongoing movement for right to self determination.”“The allegations leveled by Wikileaks are far from reality. The Hurriyat has been raising its voice against the human rights violations committed against Kashmiris, and cannot even bear the talk of capital punishment for any Kashmiri, let alone supporting it. The so-called Wikileaks exposes are now being used to protect petty interests,” they said. A  US diplomat’s cable leaked by Wikileaks has claimed that while as JKLF Chairman, Yasin Malik had opposed capital punishment to Afzal Guru, a Hurriyat(M) leader had allegedly told a consulate political officer  that the Hurriyat faction was “remaining as quiet as possible because they do not feel strongly that India should pardon Afzal.”The consulate political officer is further quoted in the leaked cables as having said that members of the Hurriyat(M) were unable to express this view publicly “given the mood in the Valley” and the threat from militants.