June 25, 2002	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 13, 1423

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MUZAFFARABAD, June 24: The Muttahida Jihad Council, an alliance of the Kashmiri Mujahideen groups, on Monday expressed disappointment over the declaration signed by the European Union leaders while pointing out that the declaration had “deliberately and injudiciously” sidelined the truth that was the basis of tensions between India and Pakistan.

In a letter to Islamabad-based ambassadors of the European Union countries, the alliance noted with regret that the declaration had ignored the reality that the struggle being carried on in the length and breadth of Kashmir was indigenous and sanctified by the UN resolutions and UN charter.

“People of Kashmir expect from the European Union to unfreeze the UN package on Kashmir and spell it out as one of the corner stones for de-escalating India’s wilfully manoeuvred tensions to serve her coercive diplomacy,” said the letter, signed by the MJC chief Syed Salahuddin.

“It seems quite obvious that instead of maintaining a logical and visible impartiality, the EU leaders have chosen to fall in the Indian trap,” added the letter, copies of which were also faxed to media organizations.

The MJC made it clear that without addressing the woes of the Kashmiris, peace will continue to remain a hazy dream in the region. Terrorism or cross border terrorism “being illogically stamped on our movement was a greatest historical dishonesty, it said.

“The way the Germans did not accept the Berlin Wall and ultimately demolished it, people of Kashmir too will remove the artificial line drawn on their motherland against their wishes,” it said.

The MJC pointed out that India had intensified its sate terrorism against non-combatant innocent people after Sept 11, but “unfortunately no reference was made to it by the EU leaders in the declaration.”

“This is a paradox, wisdom of which in least understandable.” Of the elections India plans to hold in the occupied territory in October, the MJC said those could be welcomed by every Kashmiri if held to determine the political future of the state in accordance with the UN resolutions.

“But if the polls are for choosing a local authority under Indian constitution, these are unacceptable and futile.” The EU support to India to hold these elections at gunpoint seemed to be an insult to the democratic traditions, the MJC said.

“We expected that the EU would be more pragmatic, rational and supportive of the wishes of the people of Kashmir, who are passing through a long night of darkness. We hope the torch-bearers of liberty, fraternity and democracy will not stand with the oppressor (India) but with the oppressed people,” it said.

“We also hope that the EU leaders will re-examine the ground realities, concede the raison d’etre of the struggle and take a grand initiative for restoration of the basic right — right to self determination of the Kashmiris.”