Geelanis US visa: Umar Farooq said no,Yasin Malik said yes
A cable sent in March 2007 reveals that the embassy sought suggestions over Geelanis visa application for travel to US for treatment. Moderate Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was against giving a visa to Geelani,saying it would be a big mistake for the GoI to issue a passport to Geelani because he would stir up trouble. But JKLF chief Yasin Malik was supportive,arguing that the Muslim community in the Valley will respond positively to this kind of gesture.
Separatists a divided lot
A cable sent in April 2006 says the separatists lack clear aim and there are leadership squabbles. It says Shabir Shah cannot bear to defer to Mirwaiz Omar Farooq,whom he views as a young upstart while Yasin Malik tries to outflank the Mirwaiz by engaging in diplomacy with terrorist groups across the border. The Mirwaiz meets regularly with Musharraf and makes news-grabbing statements to maintain his position.
Ikhwan notorious for its torture
Recommending rejection of a visa application by former MLA and Ikhwan leader Usman Majid,a cable sent by the US embassy terms Ikhwan as a notorious group. Beginning in the early 1990s,Indias security forces used Ikhwan to combat terrorism in the Valley. Known for its brutal and corrupt practices,Ikhwan is notorious for its use of torture,extra-judicial killing,rape,and extortion of Kashmiri civilians suspected of harboring or facilitating terrorists.
Kashmiri politics as filthy as Dal Lake
In a cable titled Kashmiri politics as filthy as Dal lake,US diplomats said corruption in the Valley cuts across party lines. Most Kashmiris take it as an article of faith that politically-connected Kashmiris take money from both India and Pakistan, says the cable. Nor is the administration exempt from corruption. Rumour has it that some security force officers bribe their way into Kashmir assignments that give access to lucrative civil affairs and logistics contracts.