Specify agenda, let's talk, separatists tell New Delhi

In a significant development, the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) of separatists on Tuesday expressed willingness to join the dialogue process, provided the Centre comes clear on the agenda of talks and involves all the stake-holders including Pakistan in the process.

"Let Government of India clarify on what it wants to talk, and speak in one language. We are ready to join the process," said the JRL leaders after holding an extraordinary meeting to discuss the recent statement of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

JRL is a conglomerate of Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani, moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, who spearheaded the 2016 unrest in Kashmir.

"Since whole of J&K is a divided territory and half of it is in Pakistan, this dispute has three stakeholders — India, Pakistan and people of this land. Meaningful talks based on a clear agenda underlined by sincerity among all the three stakeholders are an assured and peaceful way to resolve the conflict in all its forms and dimensions. Absence of any one stake-holder in the process will not yield any solution," said the separatist trio.

What has added a new dimension to the whole process is that the Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah is, for the first time, on board. Geelani has all along been rejecting the talks with New Delhi reasoning that Kashmir should be accepted as a dispute first. This time round he is one of the signatory of the JRL statement.

"Talks that are so held keeping in view the concerns and needs of stakeholders especially the most afflicted party, to the satisfaction of all, will surely be successful and result oriented," the leaders said.

JRL said since people of J&K are at the receiving end of the lingering 70 year old conflict and being the worst affected, they are most keen to find an end to it. "And hence we have always advocated that being a political and human issue it needs to be addressed likewise, not militarily as GOI has been doing. And for a political redressal of the conflict dialogue among stakeholders is the best process and option available", said the separatist trio.

JRL said the stakes for people of Kashmir are very high and they have invested heavily in their struggle for Right to self-determination. "And we cannot afford to be part of an ambiguous efforts that has no clarity and direction," they said.

Separatist trio noted that JRL does not want to score points by highlighting the discrepancies and conflicts in statements of various leaders but wants to understand what Government of India is conveying through them to respond accordingly.

"While Mr Rajnath Singh says there should be dialogue with both Kashmir and Pakistan, Ms Swaraj puts a rider and says no talks unless terror is stopped. Then Mr Amit Shah gives a spin saying ceasefire is not for the terrorists but people, while DGP issues a statement that it's for terrorists to come back home. All this ambiguity leaves little room to consider the talk about talks seriously with a purpose or warrant a response," the JRL said.