Author: Manu Pubby
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: September 13, 2011
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/In-Brussels--a-centre-keeps-promoting-the-Fai-line-on-Kashmir/845614/
The Washington-based Kashmiri American Council
(KAC) may have been left defunct after the arrest of its director Syed Ghulam
Nabi Fai, but work continues as usual at the Kashmir Centre in Brussels that
has also been named in a FBI chargesheet as being funded and run by the ISI.
Fai was arrested in July on charges of trying to use ISI funds to influence
American policy on Kashmir.
The Kashmiri Centre office on the upscale
Rue Belliard street is full of literature on alleged human rights violations
in Kashmir and atrocities by Indian security forces. Its director, Abdul Majeed
Tramboo, has been holding protests outside the Indian Embassy in Brussels
complaining the Indian government is "leaning on the crutches of the
United States" to spread misinformation about the centre.
The centre, which the FBI named along with
the London-based Justice Foundation as being run by elements within the Pakistani
government, may now come under the scanner with a letter having been sent
to the Belgium Prime Minister by an organisation headed by Member of European
Parliament Geoffrey van Orden, asking for a probe into its funding.
The Europe India Chamber of Commerce (EICC)
has written to the Yvens Leterme, asking Belgian authorities to investigate
the activities of the centre, alleging that it has been created and is being
run by the ISI. Pointing out that British authorities have already started
a probe into the London-based Justice Foundation, the EICC has urged the Belgian
government to probe the organisation as it threatens "the peace and security
of Belgium and Europe" and is working to "damage Belgo-India relations".
Van Orden is an influential leader who is
on the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee as well as the subcommittee
on security and defence. The Kashmir Centre, which focuses mainly on gathering
support from the European Union that has its headquarters in Brussels, has
been accused in the letter of being used by the ISI to create a spy network
in Western Europe.
"The arrest if Mr Fai of the Kashmiri
American Council must and should prompt your government to investigate and
shut down this ISI run outfit in our midst simply because the Kashmir Council
is just the modus operandi of the ISI to infiltrate into Europe," the
letter says.
The centre itself has denied any links with
foreign agencies and says it is independent and is working to promote the
cause of the Kashmiri people for self-determination. Tramboo was not available
for comment but officials at the centre told The Indian Express that there
has been no impact of Fai's arrest on the functioning of the organisation
and its activities are continuing as usual. "Nothing has changed. We
are continuing our work and there is no question of our being funded by any
government agency," an office bearer said.
Tramboo has been active and vocal about the
FBI charges against Fai. In a statement released on August 15, when he organised
a protest outside the Indian embassy, he said his centre would not "cease
the pursuit of justice" for atrocities committed by Indian security forces
in Kashmir. He said the centre had come under attack because of the "quality
of the work" and because the Indian government was working with the US
to "spread misinformation and bad will".
