Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 19: A four-member Delhi-based journalists’ delegation, which was in Kashmir to assess the situation in the aftermath of the unrest triggered by the killing Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July, today concluded its visit.
Addressing a press conference here, senior journalist and Director, Centre for Policy Analysis, Seema Mustafa, said they were here as independent journalists and not on any ‘political mission’.
“This is not for any kind of mediation between New Delhi and Srinagar. We thought to try and bring out a comprehensive report by speaking not so much to those in authority, but speaking more to the people of Srinagar,” she said.
Mustafa, who was heading the delegation, said they met a cross-section of people including moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and held detailed discussions with them on the situation in the Valley. “Our emphasis has been on people. We have met more than 70 people, a lot of young people, different members of the media, bureaucracy and academicians. We had very long and detailed discussions with them.”, she added.
“From the separatists we met Mirwaiz. We could only meet him. We tried to meet (Syed Ali Shah) Geelani but could not, though we spoke to him on telephone and we spoke to (JKLF chief Yasin) Malik as well. As the Hurriyat is now united, so we presume that Mirwaiz spoke for everybody,” she said.
The senior woman journalist said the report would be released on December 6 in New Delhi and would be presented to Parliamentarians, civil society and maybe to the Union Government as well. “The report would be very comprehensive. It is not a one or two page report or some kind of recommendations alone, it is going to be a fairly analytical report about the situation in Kashmir particularly in the last few months,” she said.
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