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Hizb Heading Towards Split As "Peace Brigade" Revolts
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Hizbul Mujahidin commander Abdul Majeed Dar |
By
IOL Correspondent
SRINAGAR,
Kashmir, May 10 (IslamOnline) - Kashmir's premier independence
claiming organization, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), accredited for
sustaining over 13 years of armed resistance, is facing the worst-ever
crisis. It expelled three of its commanders on May 4 and continues to
kick out those who reject the expulsions.
The
slinging match continues as the two sides wash their dirty linen in
public. This all is happening ahead of Prime Minister Atal Behari
Vajpayee’s visit to the strife-ridden state with the next assembly
elections round the corner.
Since
then, media has been reporting the divisions in Hizb- the main
anti-peace faction led by its Kashmir-based chief, Syed Salahuddin,
and the pro-peace group spearheaded by Abdul Majid Dar. Hurriet
Conference has termed the cease-fire initiative a "hasty step
that would not lead to anywhere."
However,
many believe Dar and Salahuddin were never on better terms with each
other. They refer to some clashes between two groups of HM militants
in Azad Kashmir which led to casualties. The gun-battles were actually
an outcome of serious differences of opinion between the two senior
leaders.
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Hizbul Mujahidin chief Syed Salahuddin |
Whatever
the truth, it was this cease-fire decision, according to reports, that
was the main factor for a major HM reshuffle last year in which Dar
was ousted and replaced by hawkish leader Saif-ul-Islam. All his
commanders were also removed from the key positions. Since then Dar's
sympathisers within the outfit had been issuing pro-peace statements
from time to time.
Barring
occasional peace overtures through the local Urdu media, they were
silent. But when they were expelled last week, there was a harsh
reaction. Within days two surviving commanders came openly in support
of the expelled trio claiming support of 700 militiamen under their
control. They too were expelled and dubbed "traitors and
renegades." Insisting that HM was nobody’s estate or a fiefdom,
the rebelling leaders said if Syed Salahuddin will come out of his
cozy environs of Azad Kashmir, let him come to Kashmir for only two
months. Even the ground realities will force him to change his
strategy".
The
charges and counter-charges have stunned the people. The government
and the security agencies are terming the developments as welcome
shifts. Ordinary people, however, avoid making comments. Bu even
laymen admit that a formal split in HM will have a severe impact on
militancy because HM has all along been the "big brother" in
Kashmir militancy.
Many
foresee a major change in the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC),
the political conglomeration of the Kashmiri separatist outfits, in
case a formal split takes place. This will encourage the moderates and
may lead some of them to participate in the polls by proxy. Even APHC
Chairman Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhat recently stated that "two or more
leaders (from APHC) might be thinking of contesting polls".
"Nothing
is going to happen", says a senior separatist leader Fazl Haq
Qureshi, the man whom Dar appointed a point man when he declared July
2000 cease-fire. "Since he is continuously talking peace, I
believe he will be coming over ground and float a political party. He
wants to fight peacefully on the political front", he added.
Qureshi rules out the possibility of a gang-war that will be akin to
the civil war of the early years of militancy.
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