Japanese envoy in Valley to know ‘ground realities’

Srinagar: Minister of political affairs at the Japanese Embassy in India, Naoki Ito Wednesday arrived on a four day visit to understand ‘ground realities’ about Kashmir.“I am here to understand ground realities about the Kashmir valley and I will try to meet as many as people till Saturday,” Ito told after meeting chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani.     Earlier, in his meeting with the Japanese envoy at Hyderpora residence, Syed Ali Shah Geelani said India’s “expansionist” policy was the biggest hurdle in resolving the Kashmir dispute and no dialogue process can succeed until New Delhi gives up its intransigent approach on the 63-year-old issue. “Kashmiris are not terrorists or extremists. Nor do they have any association with communalism. We are involved in a just and democratic struggle for right to self determination, which has been promised to us by the international community and United Nations,” Geelani said, according to a statement issued here.“Kashmiris are not warmongers but want a peaceful settlement to the issue. It’s India, which intoxicated by power, is adamant on resolving the issue through the barrel of gun, and has placed nearly one-million armed forces  in Kashmir to subjugate and suppress Kashmiris,” he said.In response to a question by the Japanese delegation, Geelani said the state government was just “exhibitory” and “in reality it’s India which is running the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir through its home ministry, police and army.”“Omar Abdullah’s government cannot even release a prisoner on its own and it has no role in the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir,” Geelani said. On the law and order situation, Geelani said there was no peace in Kashmir but “marshal law.”“New Delhi has enforced the silence of graveyard in Kashmir through its forces and black laws. People are not even allowed to raise their voice against this oppression and youth are randomly sent to jails across the state under the draconian Public Safety Act,” he said.Geelani said the “easiest democratic and acceptable solution” to Kashmir issue lay in allowing people to decide their future through a “referendum.”   “Joint control, self governance or any other solution imposed on Kashmiris will be unacceptable,” he said and urged Japan along with the international community to play a role in resolving the issue for permanent peace in south Asia.