Kashmiri doves descend for crucial peace talks

A Kashmiri woman walks behind a fencing of barbed wire of a security installation in Srinagar yesterday. Security checks and patrols have been intensified and many temporary barricades erected in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of Republic Day celebrations. PHOTO: Reuters

The separatists will be led by cleric and chairman Maulana Abbas Ansari, elected chief of Hurriyat in July.

The meeting on Thursday follows a surprising turnaround by the Centre in October to allow deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani to hold formal talks with Hurriyat.

Tap Here to Add The Daily Star As A Trusted Source

Separatists either want the Muslim majority region incorporated into Pakistan or for it to become independent.

However, their involvement in talks comes at a time of damaging division between hardline and moderate separatists.

In September the hardliners expressed no confidence in Ansari and declared the staunchly pro-Pakistan Syed Ali Geelani as their head.

Geelani's faction claim they are the real Hurriyat and oppose two-way talks between the Centre and Kashmiris, saying Pakistan needs to be included in the process.

Analysts have expressed doubt over the success of the talks because of the deep rift.

"In the absence of hardliners (in the talk process)... moderates can't win peace for the region," warned analyst Showket Ahmed.

Welcoming the Hurriyat-Centre talks, the Ladakh Union Territory Front has reiterated its stand that no group or individual have the right to decide or speak for the whole of Jammu and Kashmir.

The LUTF President, Tsering Dorjay, said, "All disputes related to the State of Jammu and Kashmir should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and people of all the regions of the state should be taken into confidence before reaching a final settlement of the dispute."

Although the Ansari-led faction does not enjoy the support of all the separatists opposed to Indian-rule in Kashmir, many Kashmiris who want to see an end to violence have welcomed the talks, saying the two sides have for the first time in 15 years broken ice and moved forward.

"Expecting much from these talks will be totally unrealistic," said Tahir Mohiudin, a journalist and political expert. "You can't expect them to break the ground in the first meeting," he said.

Mohiudin believes the Hurriyat will press the Centre to declare a unilateral ceasefire against militants, reduce its troop strength in the region, release political prisoners and put an end to alleged excesses by security forces.

"The first meeting will be more of a confidence building exercise and not a one in which solutions will be discussed," he said.

Mohiudin sees Thursday's talks as part of effort by the US, India and Pakistan to get the issue of Kashmir resolved once and for all.

India and Pakistan earlier this month reached a breakthrough to reopen bilateral dialogue, including talks on Kashmir.

Ansari will be helped at the talks by two experienced separatists and former heads of Hurriyat, Abdul Gani Bhat and Umar Farooq.

They will be joined by Fazal Haque Qureshi, who maintains a low profile but is respected by separatists and rebels for his integrity.

The fifth member of the team is 41-year-old Bilal Lone, the elder son of assassinated moderate separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone.