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| Tuesday, 2 March 2004 |
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Kashmir chief says give peace a chance after surviving assassination bid JAMMU, Monday (AFP) Indian Kashmir's chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, who escaped assassination by Islamic separatist militants last week, appealed for peace talks to be given a chance. Sayeed was targeted Friday at a rally by guerrillas who threw two grenades at him. He was unharmed but the attack killed a girl and injured three other people. The hardline rebel group Jamiat-ul-Mujahedin claimed responsibility. "Talks have begun between India and Pakistan and the centre and the Hurriyat Conference. These chances do not come again and history will not repeat itself," Sayeed told a public meeting in Pahalgam, southeast of the summer capital Srinagar. "The government wants peace with dignity in the state and not the peace of the gravyard." At least seven people were killed in Kashmir in separate incidents over the weekend as rebels opposed to Indian rule stepped up their activities amid peace moves by India and Pakistan. In February, both countries agreed on a "basic roadmap" for peace aimed at ending five decades of enmity over divided Kashmir. They have agreed to start a dialogue on all issues, including Kashmir, in May or June after the Indian elections to be held in four phases in April and May. Leaders from Kashmir's main separatist alliance, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), also held high-level talks last month with Indian officials. Sayeed's appeal came after more than 20 people were injured when police in Kashmir used teargas and batons to break up two Muslim processions and detained over 100 people, police and witnesses said. Religious processions have been banned in Kashmir for security reasons since an anti-Indian revolt erupted in 1989 that has killed more than 40,000 people by official count. Separatists put the toll at twice as high. While appealing for calm on Sunday Sayeed also promised to check human rights violations in Kashmir by Indian troops. "It's unfortunate some excess have taken place despite clear instructions. We will ensure human rights violations are stopped altogether," Sayeed said. |
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