Kashmir Freedom: Kashmir struggle needs change in approach

Published in Daily Pakistan Observer

http://pakobserver.net/201207/28/detailnews.asp?id=167055
 

There is forced silence prevailing in the valley, which some perceive as peace. But everyone is well aware of the fact that even a small incident can snowball into a major unrest. However current mood in pro-freedom camp caught by inertia and controversies hardly suggests anything challenging for the government, at-least till 2014. The date set for US led NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, which many analysts suggest will be challenging period for Pakistan, but many believe post-withdrawal equation may favour Pakistan and may see increasing Iran-Pakistan cooperation in Afghanistan, unlike the past.

Events in Kashmir have largely been influenced by situation in Pakistan. Today Pakistan has number of issues to worry about and finds it hard to continue its backing to Kashmir struggle the way many Kashmiris and Pakistanis themselves would want it to do. From many years Pakistani establishment has been pushing for some sort of “compromise solution” and by and large has remain content and in a way helped in pushing Kashmir to cold storage. Even some reports say India and Pakistan are involved in some behind the curtain negotiations on Kashmir, which may see some ‘Confidence Building Measures’ about Kashmir but shorn of altering the status-quo, despite it being fraught with dangerous consequences.

In all along these years there has been little or no effort by Kashmir leaders to project the indigenous nature of the struggle. They have remained comfortable by aligning themselves to the interest of governments of India and Pakistan. Though those parties who are in JK Assembly by virtue of fighting elections can’t claim to work for resolution of Kashmir issue as long as they are in the Assembly as UN resolution of 1957 says “…any action that assembly may have taken or might attempt to take to determine the future shape and affiliation of the entire state or any part thereof, or action by the parties concerned in support of any such action by the assembly would not constitute a disposition of the state in accordance with the above principle.”

By and large politicians of all hues and cries in J&K are seen as political employees of governments of India and Pakistan. Unfortunately same holds true for majority of leaders claiming to fight for freedom and rights of Kashmiris. For the past six decades world saw Indian and Pakistani leaders meeting to discuss Kashmir issue keeping their respective national interests in mind, with tone and tenor of Kashmiri leaders hardly suggesting anything relating to Kashmiri interest or different to what India and Pakistan had to say. With Kashmiri leadership lacking independent approach and voice about their own issue world saw it as bilateral problem to be solved by India and Pakistan, that too despite people of Kashmir having suffered immensely and being the prime party to the dispute. 

Though strong and stable Pakistan is must for resolution of Kashmir issue but complete reliance on Pakistan has in a way harmed our cause and in-fact pushed Pakistan towards trouble as it has also suffered due to lingering of Kashmir issue. Pakistan’s maneuvering of ideological dissent in Kashmir compounded the problem. Had India pushed Bangladesh’s (then East Pakistan) Mukti Bahini to urge for accession with West Bengal, the issue would have been still there even now. Despite being a legal part of Pakistan according to partition plan of 1947, India’s military intervention in East Pakistan was seen as support to Bangladesh’s national struggle not an attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty. But Pakistan miserably failed to do the same in Kashmir despite being the fact that Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory and instead neutralized half of the population in 90’s by supporting a particular group only and thus undermined Kashmir’s national liberation struggle.

The question of Independent Kashmir is not new and in-fact was there since the inception of Kashmir dispute. Abdul Qayoom Khan, ex-Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir and leader of Muslim Conference, who swears by accession of Kashmir with Pakistan mentions in his book “Muqadma-e-Kashmir” that on June 4, 1947 Lord Mountbatten presented partition plan in a press conference and about the status of princely states he said they are free to choose whether they can opt for independence or merger with India and Pakistan. According to him Nehru was against granting princely states the option of Independence, however Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah supported the move.  Further he mentions that in the convention of Muslim Conference on 19 July 1947, Choudhary Hameedullah Khan presented resolution for opting independence for Kashmir. He says at that time people of Kashmir had only three options merger with India, merger with Pakistan or Independent Kashmir. However later Muslim Conference voted for accession of the state with Pakistan.

And as such “instrument of accession” which India claims was signed by Maharaja Hari Singh which even if believed was signed by him is temporary in nature and needs to be subjected to ratification or rejection by people. Hence that exercise has to be conducted for its ratification or rejection by the people in shape of referendum and that too has to contain option of independence as Kashmir was a princely state in 1947.  

Even UN resolutions on Kashmir do not negate option of Independence as many believe so. UN resolution of 13 August 1948 state “Kashmir is a disputed territory whose future status shall be determined in accordance with the will of the people.” To determine the future status it can have any number of options. It is UN resolution of Jan 5. 1949 which limit choice between India or Pakistan only. In total there are 18 resolutions favoring right to self-determination of Kashmiris. However passing of one resolution doesn’t mean previous one is discarded. These all resolutions are complementary in nature and must be seen in its totality. Right to independence is essential ingredient of right to self-determination and no individual, group or party has right to circumscribe it. By putting restrictions of accession with India or Pakistan only it ceases to be right of self-determination and rather becomes right to accession.

 Furthermore All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) fighting peacefully to achieve the objective of right to self-determination mentions in its very first objective that it will strive: “To make peaceful struggle to secure for the people of the state of J&K the exercise of the right of self-determination in accordance with the UN Charter and the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council. However, the exercise of the right of self-determination shall also include the right to independence as explained in sub-clause (ii).”

So every party belonging to the APHC has legal obligation to explain right to self-determination, they can’t elucidate it before the public as per their own personal wish as they are constitutionally bound to stress on the three options included in this exercise as otherwise would be violation of APHC constitution.

More-ever Kashmiris in many opinion polls conducted so far have overwhelmingly voted for Independence as their preferable choice. Still after rendering innumerable sacrifices by Kashmiris logjam and stalemate continues over Kashmir. It is high time that leadership gives a thought for change in approach and strategy about Kashmir struggle. That will be befitting tribute to all martyrs of Kashmir and only way of achieving long lasting peace in the region.

Broken Promises

Published in Kashmir Watch
http://www.kashmirwatch.com/showexclusives.php?subaction=showfull&id=1264332143&archive=&start_from=&ucat=15&var1news=value1news
The increase in human rights violations despite the promise of zero tolerance by none other than Indian Prime Minister himself and step up in militant activities across the valley clearly indicates the failure of ‘peace process’ to produce any concrete result of whose effect would have been felt on ground and would have provided some relief to the victimized and assuaged the bruises of people of Kashmir. This ‘Peace process’ which both India and Pakistan had claimed to be irreversible now has got stalled by one or other reason mainly due to the belligerence and obduracy of India as it continues to be in denial mode and always takes shelter in employing time gaining tactics mainly when it comes to the core dispute of Kashmir.

The recent peace conference in New Delhi and many other such conferences have more or less advocated for phased withdrawal of troops from Jammu and Kashmir and revocation of draconian legislations, which are the main source of human rights violation as they provide unbridled powers to troops and provides them total impunity from any sort of accountability, in Kashmir as valid suggestions for making atmosphere conducive for any meaningful and result oriented talks to happen and succeed.

Indian leadership, which continues to harp on the rhetoric of Mumbai attacks to find an exit route from any meaningful discourse on Kashmir dispute and eventually to put the blame of failure on its neighbor’s shoulders, should take cue from Pakistan as despite facing tremendous problems at their home in shape of cruel and continuous bombings which have taken heavy toll of precious lives there (of which they claim to be even have documented proof of India’s involvement) are still sticking and calling for stalled ‘peace process’ to be resumed rather than pointing fingers at India as they fully know that such exercises are tantamount to be playing on the nefarious designs of terrorists who want to scuttle any such move which will usher an era of peace, prosperity and security in South Asia.

Indian policy makers should kept in mind that Kashmiri nation has never accepted slavery nor they will in future, this nation has given innumerable sacrifices for the sake of complete independence and has continued the heroic resistance which is alive and kicking right from 1585 A.D. The anger and resentment of people over the hackneyed policies of India on Kashmir can anytime snowball into full blown revolution much stronger than witnessed in 2008 which will shake the foundations of imperialistic vampires as the fourth generation of Kashmir’s is fully committed towards the sacred goal of Independent and Sovereign Kashmir and are abreast with the technological know how.

How grotesque it is on the part of India which claims to be world’s largest democracy to renege and backtrack on its own promise of plebiscite so brazenly and then lay claim for permanent membership of UNSC of whose resolution its is continuously violating. If time is the criteria for things to become outdated then so called accession, if any it has happened, has become outdated even more than U.N resolutions calling for unfettered right of self determination to allow Kashmiris to decide their fate freely. Even according to so called instrument of accession which India harps on mentions it to be conditional and temporary, subjected to reference to the will of people for its ratification. So India is bound by both ways to honour its commitment of holding plebiscite to ascertain the wishes of Kashmiri people.

Instead of creating suspicion and dissention among Kashmiri leadership by drumbeating about so called quiet talks to defer the solution of Kashmir dispute which means sowing the seeds of future unrest with colossal dimensions India should shun its outdated policy of subjective rhetoric and polemics and should display sagacity, prudence and magnanimity and a strong will to address the Kashmir dispute as continued logjam will jeopardize the strategic interests of both India and Pakistan. India should initiate meaningful steps to remove deep mistrust in the hearts and minds of Kashmiris which she has creating by her wrong policies and should held tripartite talks involving Pakistan. The sane and seasoned leadership of Kashmir will be there to help both India and Pakistan to come out of this vortex and quagmire honorably.

Sheikh Aziz: Man with a mission

http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15779&Itemid=44
The calmness which Sheikh Aziz had on his face while he received bullets was the calmness of his fulfillment of the promise he had made before his nation to fight till the last drop of his blood

Death is inevitable and every one has to taste it one or other day. But who live and fight for a cause are remembered even after they depart. Particularly those who gave their precious life while striving to take their nation out from the shackles of slavery and for the freedom of their motherland, they are glorified, eulogized and remembered as martyrs. They live in the hearts and minds of their fellow nation men and become a source of inspiration for their people and for those around the world who strive for their birth right of freedom. Kashmir’s history is full of such son’s of soil who stood firm with courage, dedication and commitment and laid their life for the sacred cause of independence of this occupied nation, Sheikh Aziz is one such bright star among the galaxy of martyrs.

Sheikh Aziz got emotionally attached with the liberation movement of Kashmir when he was just 20 years old, and started with as a student leader and worked with many students and youth organizations to pursue the cause to which he was completely wedded to. And in 80’s discharged his duty as leader of Peoples League in Pulwama. As and when nation and situation demanded he fulfilled his responsibility amicably joined the armed struggle in 90’s in a bid to highlight the Kashmir cause globally and to show the world that Kashmiris are not cowards but people who want to live with self respect and dignity and as free people in the comity of nations.

In 1998 he was taken as APHC executive member and there on carried forward his struggle for the unfettered and globally recognized right of self determination on political front. And had to face tremendous difficulties and obstacles and hardships in this path and had to spend almost 16 years of his life in different prisons and interrogation centers but he faced them all with great compassion and resilience. And always lead from the front.

In August 2008 the communal frenzy chauvinists who had gathered from all over India in Jammu enforced economic blockade of Kashmir to punish the Kashmiris who had successfully protested en-mass against the transfer of land to SASB (Shri Amarnath Shrine Board) as it was part of evil design to change the demography of Kashmir to perpetuate the status-quo. This had alarmed the followers of Indian Modii’sm to which they resorted to cruel blockade with the tactic support of Government and Intelligence agencies. It was once again Sheikh Aziz who lead the sea of people towards the Muzaffarabad on the call of coordination committee for Muzaffrabad march, in a move to smash away the bloody line that separates the Kashmiris forcibly, fully knowing the dangers on the path he was treading when others preferred to sit at their safe dens.

Thus he once again proved his unflinching commitment towards the liberation struggle of Kashmir while leading the lakhs of people peacefully towards the Muzaffarabad to trample the C.F.L under foot but that proved too unbearable to occupational and imperialistic powers who showered bullets which pierced his chest and other valiant protestors martyring nine people including Sheikh Aziz on spot besides wounding hundreds of others at Chayal Boniyar on 11th August 2008.

The calmness which Sheikh Aziz had on his face while he received bullets was the calmness of his fulfillment of the promise he had made before his nation to fight till the last drop of his blood, calmness of that he lived and is sacrificing his life for his motherland, calmness of that he was about to achieve victory through martyrdom.

The martyrdom of Sheikh Aziz and other 70 people who were martyred ruthlessly during last years agitation has infused new vigor and passion among people. The blood of martyred leader has ignited the revolution in the hearts and minds of Kashmiris which will slowly and steadily spell doom for the oppressors and pave way for the dawn of freedom of Kashmir. Kashmiris are destined to achieve their birth right as they have shown indomitable courage and steadfastness from more than four centuries and sacrificed lakhs of its son’s for achieving this target with Sheikh Aziz one of the leading lights who taught an undying lesson to his oppressed nation through his martyrdom. May Almighty accept the martyrdom of Sheikh Aziz and bless his soul with his choicest blessings, as in the words of a poet Sheikh Aziz emulated the same:

Zameen pyasi thi Lahoo pyila diya
Mujh par watan ka karz tha Jo mein ney chuka diya