SRINAGAR: Its jail bharo stir having concluded, the JKLF is now planning a 48-hour hunger strike in New Delhi to highlight the plight of Kashmiri detainees, and may hold monthly candle-light marches in the capital to press for their release.
At a press conference here on Wednesday, Front chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik said that in the Delhi leg of its protests, the JKLF would also talk to Indian civil society which, according to it, had pledged to support a non-violent struggle in Kashmir.
Vowing to continue its stir over the issue of detainees, the JKLF chief said that the hunger strike, to be held at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, would be part of a multi-faceted campaign to bring the issue of Kashmiri detainees to the notice of the international community.
We will make the announcement soon, Malik said, adding that the hunger strike would continue its stir launched against life-terms awarded to Kashmiri detainees in old cases.
We will hold candle-light marches in New Delhi every month to press for the release of Kashmiri detainees, he said, asking all separatist parties to extend support.
The JKLF had announced a unilateral ceasefire in 1994 when the Indian civil society, the US, the UK and other European countries urged us to give up the path of violence and promised political space, he said.
But instead of providing political space, courts are being used to issue death penalties and life sentences for those engaged in the Kashmir freedom struggle, he said.
With space shrinking every day for non-violent resistance, the youth of the state may once again take up arms to resolve political issues, he said.
In 2008, the youth of the valley took a unanimous decision to transform their struggle to peaceful means, but still 72 protestors were killed in 2008, and 124 in 2010, he said.
The younger generation is debating whether the decision to transition to non-violent means was the correct decision, he said.
In view of this situation, the youth may take the violent path once again, he said.
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