The Hindu : National : Tarigami calls for peace zones

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Friday, May 26, 2006

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National

Tarigami calls for peace zones

Shujaat Bukhari

CPI(M) leader outlines strategy to bring peace to Kashmir

SRINAGAR : Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader M.Y. Tarigami called for a political resolution of the Kashmir problem on the concluding day of the round table on Kashmir chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on Thursday.

The CPI (M)'s State Secretary said India and Pakistan had failed to reach an agreement on Kashmir, and Kashmiris were paying the price.

Outlining an alternative strategy, which would lead to sharing of responsibilities by both countries, he called for the development of peace zones and a gradual reduction of troops in the State.

He also urged fair and prompt trials for all detainees, and the release of those not involved in serious crimes.

He demanded substantive relief for victims of violence and monitoring of central security forces deployed for internal security by the Human Rights Commission.

The veteran CPI(M) leader urged India and Pakistan to ease restrictions on travel documents to ensure maximum possible people-to-people contact on both sides of the LoC, expand academic, legislative, social, cultural, media, sports interaction between institutions, and identify and initiate joint developmental and environment projects.

Both the governments should evolve a mechanism for joint management of water resources, electricity, tourism, and environment. Trade in goods and services should be developed through traditional routes across the LoC.

Besides, roads and buses plying between two parts of Kashmir, it was time to restore telephone links.

It was axiomatic that unless the two countries made peace with each other, there would be no peace and reconciliation in Kashmir. "Wisdom and statesmanship lie in consistency and patiently following the course of negotiated settlement of issues amidst challenges, howsoever formidable."

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