Syed Ali Shah Geelani

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Syed Ali Shah Geelani (born September 29, 1929)^[1] is a separatist leader from the Indian controlled part of Jammu and Kashmir, who favours the accession of Kashmir to Pakistan. Though he is a member of Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, he has also formed another party for the struggle of breaking away from India and securing the Right to self-determination for the Kashmiri people. "Tehreek-e-Hurriyat " which is a component of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a political front created to further the cause of the secession of Kashmir from India.

He has been appointed a member of a leading Muslim world forum, Makkah-based Rabita al-Aalam al-Islami (Muslim World League). He is the first Kashmiri to receive this honour. Distinguished Muslims personalities like Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi and Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi from the Sub-continent have been members of this world forum.

Regarding Kashmiri Pandits he is of the opinion that "We want to live with our Hindu and Buddhist brothers. We have never pressurized anyone. Hindu brothers who left Kashmir were never told by us to leave the state. It was the Indian government that asked them to leave Kashmir."

Syed Ali Shah Geelani is a literary person and an admirer of Allama Iqbal, a philosopher poet of sub-continent. He has authored books, including "Roodaad e Qufus" a tale of prison which is narration of his life story.some of the books authored by the author are Roodaad e Qafas part 1 and part 2,Qisa dard,Muqadam i Ilhaq,Naw i Hurriyat Kashmir,Millat i Mazloom,Tu baqi Nahaien,Ek pahloo ye ha Kashmir ki tasweer ka, Kralgund sa Jodhpur tak,Bharat ka istmaari harbe,Rehrawan i Ishq, Ummeed i Bhaar, Rasool i Rahmat assar hazir main, Iqbal apni paygam ki roshni main,saad i darad part i and part ii,11 September ka baad, Deed u shneed and others .

1 Early Life
2 Peace process
3 Illness
4 See also
5 Notes

[edit] Early Life

Syed Geelani was born in the town of Sopore, which is located in the district of Baramulla.

[edit] Peace process

Geelani does not think that the current peace process between India, and Pakistan has helped resolve the conflict.^[2] He has blamed this on India, citing that they have not accepted Kashmir as a disputed territory, and have declared it an "integral" part of India.^[3]^[4] Additionally, Geelani has stated that their cannot be a peaceful solution until human right violations such as custodial killings, rapes and arrests are stopped.^[3] He has also said while Pakistan has shown flexibility in its position, India continues to be rigid in its stance. Geelani believes that India is "cheating Pakistan", and that it has no intention to solve the dispute. ^[2]

Although most of Geelani's criticism is directed at India, he has also criticized the Pakistani government. When asked about Pakistan's policy regarding Kashmir he stated "your strategy is to shake hands with the people who play with our lives, rape our daughters, arrest our people, kill them and discard their bodies in police stations".^[2] He has also criticized the Pakistani media for not reporting violations of human rights in Indian-administered Kashmir due to fear of undermining the peace process.

Geelani has blamed Pakistan's recent handling of the conflict largely on President Pervez Musharraf. He has said that Musharraf is succumbing to pressure from India and the U.S, and that he is "fearful of India's military and economic power and has no faith in himself or his people".^[5] Geelani also states that Musharraf does not have support from the people of Pakistan regarding his position on Kashmir. He has told Musharraf to "leave us alone", if he cannot support the Kashmiris the way Pakistan has been doing since 1947.^[6] He has went as far as to call the present regieme headed by Musharraf an enemy of the Kashmiris, while maintaining that the Pakistani people remain their allies.^[7]

To solve the conflict Geelani has said that India must withdraw its military, end human rights violations, and hold a plebiscite with the people of Kashmir deciding to join with either India or Pakistan.^[8] Any other solution such as self-rule, joint control, demilitarisation, or more autonomy for Kashmir, is opposed by Geelani, who says self-determination which was promised by India and the United Nations is the only acceptable solution.^[9] Geelani admits that some of the population would perfer independence from both India and Pakistan, but he does not believe an indepedndent Kashmir would be feasible, as Kashmir's neighbours including China would not accept it.^[10]

[edit] Illness

Geelani has been diagnosed with renal cancer, and has been recommended by doctors to go overseas for treatment. After Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervened, Inidan government agencies returned Geelani's passport to his son.^[11] His passport was seized in 1981 due to accusations of "anti-India" activities, and with the exception of his Hajj pilgrimage in 2006, he has not been allowed to leave India.^[12]^[13]

During a regular check-up doctors discovered that Geelani's "only kidney has developed malignancy".^[14] An infection forced doctors, four years ago, to remove his left kidney.^[13] Although the cancer is in its early stages, it is life threatning, and he will need to have surgery. Following the advice of his doctors at Apollo Hospital, Geelani was set to travel to either the UK or the USA for specialized treatment.^[15] However his request for a visa was turned down by the Americans, and as his health deteriorated he went to Mumbai for surgery. Doctors at the Tata Memorial Hospital successfully performed surgery on his kidney.^[16] The reason given by the U.S for turning down Geelani's request for a visa was, that he has" failed to renounce violence". This decision was declared a violation of his human rights by his supporters and family.^[17]