Srinagar, Oct 2 (IANS) Kashmir Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Thursday expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine and regretted the loss of life in Ladakh.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a religious conference, Mirwaiz Umar said wherever there is conflict in the world, real peace can be achieved only when justice is done to people involved in that conflict.

Referring to the Palestine issue, Mirwaiz expressed strong solidarity with the people there saying, “We eagerly want the ceasefire to be implemented and the genocide of Palestinians to end.

“But beyond a temporary cessation of war, what is required is a genuine, fair and lasting peace process. Whether it comes from the West or the Islamic bloc, such a process must accommodate the aspirations of the Palestinian people above everything else.

“Their inalienable right to their land, their future, their dignity, and their commitment to an independent Palestinian state must form the foundation of any meaningful settlement. Without this, peace will remain elusive.

“Decades of suffering endured by the Palestinians is a matter of shame for global conscience especially World leaders . A selective approach to peace that ignores justice, only perpetuates conflict”, he said.

He expressed sorrow and regret at the recent loss of precious lives. He said, “It is unfortunate that the Government of India instead of addressing the aspirations of people of Ladakh is complicating the matter further, by being harsh on them.

“History has shown time and again that peace cannot be enforced through coercion. For peace to take root, commitments made to the people must be fulfilled, and dialogue must replace confrontation.”

He also expressed concern on what he called oft repeated restrictions on his movements by the authorities.

“For the last three consecutive Fridays, I have been placed under house arrest without any explanation. I do not know when or why restrictions will be imposed on me again. Even peaceful meetings of the Ulema Council are disallowed.

“In my opinion, the government of India must rethink its policy on Jammu and Kashmir. Issues cannot be resolved through use of force and control of narrative. Constructive engagement and dialogue are a far better and humane way of achieving sustainable peace”, he added.

In his comment on Waqf properties he said, “The community should be allowed to manage its religious institutions with autonomy and dignity. The sanctity of religious institutions must be preserved.

“Interference and intervention in religious matters must stop, as they hurt the sentiments of people and create unnecessary friction”, he suggested.

–IANS

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