Meet to find alternates to shutdowns

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 18: A meet proposed by moderate Hurriyat Conference faction chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to “find alternatives to shutdowns” was held here at Mirwaiz Manzil in Rajouri Kadal area today.
The meeting was attended by separatists, traders, civil society members, lawyers and religious clerics. However, the hardline Hurriyat leaders didn’t turn up for the meeting even as they too were invited.
Although police placed Mirwaiz Umar under house arrest and detained some leaders of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) but there was no bar on meeting. A Hurriyat spokesman said the meeting was presided over by noted educationist Dr Yousuful Umar of Islamic Study Circle.
“Despite all efforts of the state machinery to scuttle the initiative by arresting or detaining many invitees and activists, a mammoth six hour long meeting was held at Mirwaiz Manzil Rajouri Kadal ,which was attended by more than 150 participants from across the board organizations including the Bar Association, Jamiat-e- Ahli Hadees, Kashmir Economic Alliance, Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Darul-Aloom Qasmiya, Darul Aloom Bilaliya and Kashmir Civil society,” the Hurriyat spokesman said.
In the telephonic address to the gathering, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq thanked the participants for making it to the meeting despite the Governments heavily clamping down on it.
The Mirwaiz said: “Let each organization deliberate upon these objectives amongst themselves, compile their suggestions and select a representative who will put them before the forum,” adding that a forum could be formed where in these suggestions will be discussed by the selected representatives and the best ideas and suggestions conveyed to the top leadership who will then deliberate upon them and devise a strategy.
Mirwaiz said that the objectives outlined for the initiative cannot be achieved in a single meeting but will take time and as such it is a process that has been set into motion. He said that this process has to be all inclusive and anyone and everyone who can contribute to it is most welcome. He said that in these direction suggestions from people especially the Kashmir Diaspora and others will be invited online through social media.
“In their addresses the participants while condemning the house arrest of the Mirwaiz, thanked him for this long overdue initiative and said that it is the earnest need of the hour. While putting forth their suggestions, the participants said that it is amply clear that the Government is day by day hardening its policy of suppression and non tolerance of dissent and any and every form of freedom of expression is curbed. In such a serious situation it is incumbent upon all sections of society to find ways and means of how to resist this oppression”, the Hurriyat spokesman said.