War on streets of Kash

 Published in Daily Rising kashmir

http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24661&Itemid=44

Like weather in Kashmir, situation too seems unpredictable in Kashmir. It may be raining heavily followed by hot sun breeze and then roaring of air gushing in. Though weather has gained some what semblance of stability from past few days situation continues to be erratic, uncertain and whimsical.

Like the pack of cards one by one youth fall to iron from the barrel of gun. Anger churns out it is “war” on streets but of defenseless and powerful. Protests seethe in bringing uneasy calm of military jackboots. Curfewed people, curfewed streets, curfewed air, caging humans to their nests, perhaps sparrows and cuckoos too silent presenting ghostly silence, vicious turn of Sopore and Islamabad after Srinagar with rest writhing in pang and pain.

With gloomy faces and crossed hands starring and gazing at flashing pictures it is foreign secretaries of Indo-Pak shaking hands and smiling faces besides home ministers as well, discussing agony of Kashmiris; no way. Then what; covering their political hotchpotches and hodgepodges leaving the issue of core to gore.

Kashmir a cause celebre and simmering cauldron then how come devoid of mediating diligence, perhaps a result of our helmers disarrayed political wisdom guided by ego and materialistic lust. Tumult and confusion, division and disseverance compounding the destiny to make it look blur. 

What can be the result when sybarites and sycophants are left to govern the nation, a sorrow tale and woeful vale, making of our own, bedamn for our own, our navigators ceased to see the warning leaving us to grieve at the hands of pirates and collaborators of Delhi durbar with pawned and smudged consciousness, you can’t ask for benevolence from these who extract their pound of flesh from the bruised nation.

Time to play the innings with purpose and reason with courage and determination without wimpishness and weakness to regain the lost ground not only to outsmart the opposition but to defeat him on his own turf. A complete proclivity towards the sacred sentiment with devotion and sincerity then we say hail to the martyrs!

Insensitive Government

Human rights violations at the hands of those whom we are made to believe are for our own security of life, honour and property is not a new phenomenon in Kashmir. The Indian Prime Ministers promise of zero tolerance towards human rights violations hadn’t created any hope of change in ground situation in the hearts and minds of common people in Kashmir as the cruel experience of the past happenings has taught them how the gory crimes committed by men in uniform have been defended on the altar of national interests.

A new vicious and sinister design seems to be in place with youth the prime target of it. Countless innocent youth were killed mostly with tear gas canisters fired at above the chest heights with clear purpose to kill and not to disperse. As if gruesome killings of Inayat, Wamiq, Zahid, Zubair, Tanveer and others was not enough with a span of week three more youth, Tufail, Rafiq, Javed, were cruelly snatched by the followers of “Holy book” AFSPA, which allows them to kill innocents at will with total impunity.

Chief Minster’s yelling and shouting that ‘Kashmiris blood is not cheap’ seems apparently true, it is fetching money, medals, promotions and what not to merchants of blood and death. They have made best out of it from Ganderbal to Machil, from Uri to Srinagar, from hilltops to lanes and by-lanes of Kashmir. Every Kashmiri’s blood is a prized possession for them for which they need to be mangled like a maniac, a manifesto of duty unto their (Kashmiris) death.

A common Kashmiri finds himself oublietted; it is ironical that a government claiming to got elected by him behaving in such an insensitive, callous and cavalier way totally disconnected from the masses and lost in its phantasm world. When whole of Kashmir is seething and simmering with anger against the killings of youth government is busy in picnics in Gulmargh and entertainment of musical evenings.

Instead of reining troops and forces for their excesses government is coming with utopian utterances. For them Shopian a case of drowning, Wamiq a miscreant, Tufail’s a mystery death, it has failed in discharging its constitutional duty of protecting life, honour and property of its people. How shameful on its part to label a natural reaction against human rights violations ‘suicidal’ stopping short of admitting stifling and muzzling a norm for government to silence and crush the voice of dissent by iron fist.

It is high time for government to mend the fences before situation slips out of its hands and it will get doomed under the debris of its own grave mistakes.  Hurriyat leadership too needs to shun its egocentric stands and should formulate joint strategy to save the future of Kashmir from getting annihilated if they are really serious to pull Kashmir back from chaos, quandary and quagmire unless time will turn them irrelevant if they refuse to shun their differences for larger interests of people of Kashmir.   

Immature comments by Dr Tej Munshi

Dr Tej Munish's Letter 

Published in Greater Kashmir
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2010/Jun/23/immature-comments-by-dr-tej-munshi-9.asp

By Shah Waseem
 
This refers the letter “Let's save our children from becoming a canon fodder” by Dr. Tej Munshi published in G.K. With all due respect and regards to him, it seems he has very poor knowledge of resistance and rights movement in Kashmir. Kashmiris are not fighting on the basis of separate culture and language, though it has recorded rich history of more than 5000 years old and the resistance is more than four centuries old.

Kashmir dispute is a nuclear flash point of whose domino effect can engulf even peaceful areas of India and destabilize peace and stability of entire South Asian region, already its resolution has been termed must and road for peace in Afghanistan. The comment of Dr. Munshi that “None seems to be interested in the Kashmir issue” seems amateurish. Dr. Sahib should turn the pages of history and peep into it carefully and he will get the answer that Kashmir dispute has been lingering due Indian obduracy and intransigence.

Kashmir is not a case of secession from India as Dr. Sahib believes it is an internationally recognized disputed territory and it is India who promised Kashmiris right to self determination before whole world. Even the ‘instrument of accession’ which India says Maharaja of Kashmir signed is temporary subjected to ratification or rejection by the reference to the will of people.

Of his opinion that “at no spot on this globe could violence win” he should bother his head to have look at that it is India and India alone which facilitated commotion and pell-mell in Kashmir by installing stooges through sham elections, by reneging on the pledge of plebiscite, and by managing the strangulation of economy of Kashmir by neocolonialist mode of administration.

It is ironical and classic example of hypocrisy that ‘followers of Gandhi’ term even peaceful protests by a besieged and oppressed population as “agitational terrorism” deserving nothing but bullets, bayonets and tear gas canisters that too directly on their heads. Dr. Sahib you should seek the answers of violence from Delhi establishment not from a vituperated Kashmiri nation.

Azam Inqilabi pays tributes to martyred youth

Chief Patron Jammu Kashmir Mahaz-e-Azadi (MeA) Muhammad Azam Inqilabi has paid glowing tributes to the valiant people martyred at Pampore, Khrew, Sopore, Baramullah, Srinagar, Bandipora, Pulwama and other places of Kashmir Valley.  Azam Inqilabi while paying tributes to these martyrs has said that there has been considerable increase in the suppression and repression by Indian troops and they are on killing spree which has become there norm now.

Inqilabi added that entire Kashmir has been turned in to a slaughter house, and in this scenario we appeal to the people of book in America, Canada, Europe and other countries to understand that Muslims and Christians are spiritual descendants of Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S) (Abrahim) and for Muslims to have faith in prophet-hood of Hazrat Isa (A.S) (Jesus) and Hazrat Musa (A.S) (Moses) is necessary as having faith in Prophet-hood of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), the halal food of people of book or marriage with them this all brings us close together and we reject so called clash of civilizations as we have no fight with them. Inqilabi added that let us all people of book join and start steps aimed at ending of disputes and conflicts like Kashmir, Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

MeA Patron also appealed to the Muslim nations like Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, Malaysia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other brotherly countries to create balance of power by making united naval power in Indian Ocean so as to carve path for freedom of slave nations like Kashmir. Inqilabi emphasized that if these Muslim nations don’t pay any heed to our appeal than in coming years they may have to face Indian hegemony.  

India’s preoccupation with Kasab

Published in Rising Kashmir 

India’s preoccupation with Kasab

http://www.risingka shmir.com/ index.php? option=com_
content&task=view&id=23262&Itemid=44

Waseem
Shah

“Ajmal Kasab gets what he gave: Death” reads the headline
of one of the India’s leading daily. The lone “assailant” of Mumbai attacks was
handed out death sentence on four counts and life term on five counts by Special
Court judge M.L Tahiliyani, who said “Death penalty must be imposed there is no
other option”. Mumbai attacks were shocking and heinous in which more than 150
innocent people got killed. No body with his senses intact will condone this
horrible incident and no cause what so ever can be justified in which innocent
people loose their lives.

But the way Indian media portrayed the verdict of awarding
death sentence to Kasab showing extra mile of energy in body language, people
bursting crackers, from bigwigs to tea vendors jumping in joy, political
parties from all hues and cries welcoming death sentence as if India has got
rid of some big monster makes it look like an act in vengeance rather than what
they say getting justice. Even some went to an extent of asserting that his
(Kasab’s) “arms and legs be chopped off”.

I fail to understand what will be reaction of same people
jubilant over this death sentence if suppose Pakistan announces the similar
kind of judgment to Sarabjit Singh, an Indian citizen alleged to be a spy
convicted for his involvement in 1990 serial bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan.
Demanding his release and pronouncing Kasab’s death sentence a clear message to
Pakistan smacks dichotomy on the part of Indian body politic, you can’t have cake
and eat it too there can’t be contradicting rules for the same game.

Those who have got swayed by the verdict on Mumbai attacks
“lone surviving culprit” fail to realize and think over the many important
questions as of how the attackers easily managed to cross sea barrier and enter
with such heavy amount of arms and ammunition. What about the Killing of Hemant
Karkare (ATS Chief) who died due to the bullets which hit his chest when he was
wearing a bullet proof jacket.

Hemant Karkare and his colleagues who were killed during
Mumbai attacks had unveiled the brutal truth of India’s home grown saffron
terror activities, how many of them were convicted for carrying deadly blasts
in different parts of India in which innocent people were killed. So much of
time has went since Gujarat riots despite clear and ample evidences available
of who the culprits and perpetrators are how many of them were awarded death
sentences for killing, massacring and mutilating thousands of people.

There is another version relating to Ajmal Kasab that he
was arrested in Katmandu in 2006 by Indian agencies with the help of Nepalese
forces. This version is that Nepalese forces arrested almost 200 people
including Kasab before 2006 and his application in this regard was lying pending
in the Nepalese Supreme Court in which Nepalese forces and Indian High
Commission were made respondents. Whether this is true or not but the fact is
that Kasab was just tool at the hands of those who were behind all this
episode, by hanging him nothing will change.

The motives of the extremists and those with vested
interests need to be hanged and defeated and it can’t be done by using rhetoric
meant for containment of local populace. For that India needs to move beyond
its closed mindset and reciprocate and show the willingness and commitment
towards talks the way Pakistan is showing. The guarded reaction shown by
Pakistan towards the death sentence of Kasab shows their commitment towards
talks with India which unfortunately is lacking from Indian side as any
incident leads to knee jerk reaction which derails entire process.

The recent meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and
Pakistan at thimpu in which they decided to carry forward talks is a welcome
step and should be carried forward without letting any incident having its
ramifications on it. But India needs to understand that the best way to
eradicate the menace of violence backed by vested interest who want carry on
their mill at the cost of peace and tranquility in the region is to defeat them
by showing will and courage to address the core issue of Kashmir, of course
keeping in view the national interests of Kashmiris for which the pro-freedom
leadership needs to rise and divest of the self defeating mode and exert like
true protagonists of the cause dearer to each and every Kashmiri.

 


 

Biased to the core

Published in Daily Pakistan Observer
http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=20598


Biased to the core
By Shah Waseem

The dichotomy, biasedness, partisanship has creped in entire Indian body politic, almost in every important institution of India with media being no exception to it. Neutrality and unbiased approach is the symbol and true spirit of journalism, but Indian media has always tried to be loyal and innocuous enough to bury the ethics of media under the debris of so called national interest in Kashmir. It is this which makes them to cover their cameras with their eyes too when Kashmiris are victimized, vituperated and writhing in pain, inflicted by so called custodians of law. But their adrenalin runs high when it comes to counter the often repeated “separatist campaign supported from across” which makes them vocal and articulate in their mad and senseless sensationalism good enough to bring two nuclear armed neighbors to the brink of war.

Indian media does ‘great and yeomen’ service to their nation by projecting victim as guilty and guilty as innocent. The cries of Shopian and Kunanposhpora not strong enough to break the belligerent glasses of their ‘national interests’ and clear their jaundiced vision, they puff chests in pride while twisting facts in Kashmir. Indian media today is in whirlpool of duplicity and double standards. Where every thing goes in line with the power corridors of New Delhi and objectiveness and balanced reporting is shown the exit door.

About politics and their Kashmir policy it is for every one to see, it is here where justice, human rights, democracy and all universal values are vomited out before crossing over to Jawahar Tunnel. A classical example of hypocrisy where Gandhian principles are talked about but even peaceful protests by a besieged and oppressed population is labeled as “agitational terrorism” deserving nothing but bullets and tear gas canisters that too directly on their chests and heads to make way for ‘complete national integration’. Where young ones are taken as enemy agents and imprecations on national security. Where resources are plundered and pennies are offered back to an ‘undeserving’ lot. Where Kashmiris have exclusive rights on Indian Bullets but all this appears blur in front of ‘glamour’ of Indian media.

Time to accept the facts

Published in Daily Rising Kashmir

Time to accept the facts

http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21415&Itemid=44

Against the solemn pledges of its founding fathers, India can’t escape from its international obligation of granting the right of self-determination to Kashmiris

Waseem Shah 

Eight young souls have fallen prey to the military prowess of Indian forces since the beginning of 2010. Bolstered with the unbridled powers, the security forces have become reckless and callous with least regard for human life. They easily escape from any sort of accountability and enjoy the freedom to kill whom they like. Kashmir is nothing but a combatant zone where they (security forces) have been deployed to restrict, stifle and muzzle the voice of people.

According to Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law, which is rarely seen in Kashmir. As even peaceful protests by Kashmiris demanding their right of self determination, promised by India, are being dealt with iron fist.

It was India who took Kashmir dispute to UN and promised plebiscite to Kashmiris before the whole world. In his historic address broadcasted by All India Radio (AIR) on November 2, 1947 then Indian PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said, “We have declared that the fate of Kashmir is ultimately to be decided by its people. This pledge we have given, while the Maharaja has supported it, not only to the people of Kashmir but also to the world at large. We are prepared when peace and law and order has been restored to have referendum held under the auspices of UNO.”

But how bizarre it is, on the part of India which claims to be world’s largest democracy, to backtrack on its own promise so brazenly and then lay claim for permanent membership of UNSC of whose resolution it is continuously violating. Against the solemn pledges of its founding fathers and relentless struggle of the people of Kashmir, India can’t escape from its international obligation of granting Kashmiris the right of self determination. Time cannot abrogate moral values and commitments nor invalidate international community’s right to intervene in conflicts arising from denial of freedom. We have the example of East Timor, where a dispute was settled through a reference to the wishes of people under UN supervision, where Indonesia upheld people’s verdict.

How shameful for India that on one hand it parrots peace to the world and is proud of its peacekeeping efforts in many parts of world as in DRC, MONUC and on another hand dreaded killers and extortionists whose hands are drenched red by the blood of innocent Kashmiris who are demanding nothing but the life of their own choice.

Kashmir dispute is lingering because of hypocrite attitude of Indian leadership and with it the peace and security of South Asia is in peril, though subtle the re-engagement of India and Pakistan is a welcome step but needs to be followed with sincerity and without any pre-conditions attached to it, but yes talks which sans Kashmiris are bound to fail as is evident from the past. Kashmiris are the real stake holders as their every thing is on stake, neither they nor their national aspirations can be kept aside forever. 

Feedback at waseemshah57@yahoo

Denial of treatment to Shabir Shah

The arrests and detentions can’t dampen spirit of those who are committed to the cause. He has all along fought peacefully for the right which has been recognized by international community under the auspicious of UN’s Security Council 

This refers to the denial of proper treatment to senior pro-freedom leader Shabir Shah which is condemnable to say the least. Shabir Shah has spend more than half of his life in torture chambers, interrogation centers and various jails of India for espousing the cause of unfettered right of self determination of people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The denial of medicare to Shabir Shah which has created heavy impact on his health is sheer vendetta on the part of authorities which want to stifle and muzzle the voice of dissent. The arrests and detentions can’t dampen spirit of those who are committed to the cause. He has all along fought peacefully for the right which has been recognized by international community under the auspicious of UN’s Security Council and according to international conventions and norms for political rights.

Denial of proper treatment amounts to criminal negligence and a malicious intent to harm him physically after failing to browbeat his sentiments, which doesn’t suit the advocates of ‘peace and democracy’.

Human Rights & Self Determination

Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute and there are as many as eighteen resolutions which have been passed by UN’s Security Council favoring Kashmiri people’s inalienable and unfettered right of self determination. According to International Court of Justice the principle of self-determination has the legal status of “erga omnes” which means “flowing to all”. Accordingly state owes an obligation to the international community to respect this basic right of people under their jurisdiction or administration in all circumstances. But after six decades this basic and fundamental right is yet to be respected in Kashmir and Kashmiris continues to remain oppressed, victimized, humiliated and enslaved. The denial has led to massive human rights violation, brutal killings, arrests, detentions, rapes and molestations enforced disappearances and custodial killings, these the tools used by the state to muzzle and stifle the voice of Kashmiris.

Since only from January this year eight young souls have fallen prey to the tyranny of troops and police forcing people to come on streets and government to bring back the ghost of undeclared curfew’s to suppress the protests against human rights violations. Despite government calling for probes to give ‘exemplary punishment to the culprits’ nothing has been done so far, as troops continue to indulge in massive human rights violations with lack of accountability and the availability of impunity.

There are many cases where the perpetrators of have been identified yet they have got away because of the presence of the draconian laws which are empowered to them. Indian Prime Minister’s assurance on the soil of Kashmir about ‘Zero tolerance’ to human rights violation proves a mere political gimmick. And will prove so in future as long as the draconian laws which are implemented in the state are not withdrawn, which will also make atmosphere conducive for the resolution of Kashmir dispute.

It was India who took Kashmir dispute to U.N and promised plebiscite to Kashmiris before the whole world. In his historic address broadcasted by All India radio on 2^nd November, 1947 then Indian P.M Pandit Nehru Said “We have declared that the fate of Kashmir is ultimately to be decided by its people. This pledge we have given, while the Maharaja has supported it, not only to the people of Kashmir but also to the world at large. We are prepared when peace and law and order has been restored to have referendum held under the auspices of UNO.”

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 it is continuously violating. Against the solemn pledges of its founding fathers and relentless struggle of the people of Kashmir India can’t escape from its international obligation of granting Kashmiris their right of self determination by calling U.N resolutions as outdated. Time cannot abrogate moral values and commitments nor invalidate international community’s right to intervene in conflicts arising from denial of freedom. We have the example of East Timor, where a dispute was settled through a reference to the wishes of people under UN supervision, where Indonesia upheld people’s verdict.  

How shameful for India that on one hand it parrots peace to the world and is proud of its peacekeeping efforts in many parts of world as in DRC, MONUC and on another hand dreaded killers and extortionists whose hands are drenched red by the blood of innocent Kashmiris demanding nothing but the life of their own choice are awarded and encouraged to do more and praises are lavished on them for their ‘public services’. 

Kashmir dispute is lingering because of such hippocratic attitude and policies of Indian leadership and with it the peace and security of South Asia, though the recent thaw in Indo-Pak relations is encouraging after India expressed desire to resume talks which may be restarted after Chidambaram’s visit to Pakistan yet the success lies in sincerity and respecting human rights, pledges and resolutions to which both India and Pakistan are signatories as continued stand-off suits neither India nor Pakistan.  

India's Role in Afghanistan

Published In Rising Kashmir, Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Watch 
 http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20414&Itemid=44
http://www.kashmirwatch.com/showexclusives.php?subaction=showfull&id=1264795825&archive=&start_from=&ucat=15&var1news=value1news 
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=3_2_2010&ItemID=42&cat=14

The news report that “India to disfavor NATO forces exit” in war ravaged Afghanistan at a multilateral conference which was held in London on the matter of Afghanistan shows and exposes the malevolent, malicious, mala-fide and nefarious intent of Indian leadership and its policy towards Afghanistan, as it wants to use it as its bastion to spread the trouble in Pakistan.
  
 

There is already enough of evidence which has proven it beyond any doubt that Indian agency RAW and Israel’s Mossad nexus have developed vicious interests in the pell-mell and commotion in Afghanistan to pursue their heinous agenda, camouflaged under the ‘peace and developmental works’, which has brought death and misery to the Afghan people. After all what is the objective of spending more than USD 1-3 billion, when over 70% of Indian population is reeling under abject poverty.

It is the occupation of Afghanistan and the disruptive role of RAW which has caused extreme turbulence in Pakistan with its spillback effects on Afghanistan. India has made deep inroads in all spheres of life in Afghanistan with the active help of Israel as it wants to spread its hegemony and increase its military presence to be able to encircle Pakistan and spread its influence in central Asian states. Already India according to reports has established an airbase in Tajikistan which became operational in 2007 and where many Indian MiG-31 bombers are parked. Farkhor base gives IAF option to strike Pakistan from the rear. India would therefore not like to lose these strategic benefits and in consonance with Israel, which has huge influence over Washington would keep advising USA to convert Afghanistan into a permanent military base, which will have serious repercussions on the security and future of South Asia.

Already it has been a confirmed report by an American institution that Indian intelligence agency RAW is funding and supporting terrorists to keep pot boiling in Afghanistan so that Pakistan remains busy in bloody conflicts along its Afghan border which has now spread deep inside its territory making situation worse, Delhi wants to exploit the conditions in its favour and by spreading the propaganda of safety of Pakistan’s nukes.

Accordingly India and Israel are running their dirty business on the future of poor Afghanis even by fake incidents so as to justify NATO troops presence there, Anderson Cooper of CNN showed video of snipers (Mossad or Israeli soldiers) killing American soldiers in Iraq. Many Afghan soldiers have been trained by Blackwater to kill US soldiers while conducting joint operations, with a purpose to enrage US troops so that slaughter continues. That is why Delhi is getting stomach cramps when any rational talk of quitting Afghanistan by foreign troops comes which will usher an era of peace and prosperity in the region. Here under the garb of peace and developmental works India is doing great injustice to Afghanistan and ultimately to herself as great and conscious Afghanis will never forgive India’s dubious role in fomenting trouble there, with already by it’s intransigence and belligerence turned South Asia into a nuclear hotspot by vituperating Kashmiri peoples national sentiments and by keeping Kashmir dispute lingering.