Kashmir Questions And Answers -II

This is the second part of my interview with M K Tayal Editor Correspondent who is aiming to prepare report about the situation in Kashmir valley and its contours.



http://www.kashmirwatch.com/showexclusives.php?subaction=showfull&id=1254876557&archive=&start_from=&ucat=15&var1news=value1news



Considering that you have been brought up since the militancy started, how many operations would you have seen?

Being born in one of the sensitive area (downtown (Shaheri - Khas) Srinagar) of Kashmir which has always remained the citadel of movement, though kid in early 90’s but I have faint memories of early stages of armed rebellion, how young and old men were called for parades and cordons laid around every were and in our area and houses searched, how bodies of armed fighters were taken in procession towards martyrs graveyard Eidgah amid sky renting pro-independence slogans from our area and females wailing many bare footed running after processions mourning their loved ones who got killed at the hands of Indian forces. I still remember the names of the gory army operations: Operation Eagle, Operation catch and Kill, Operation Tiger in those days. One of my neighbor, Hilal alias waza a young guy hardly would have crossed 25 then associated with armed rebellion he was catched by forces in one of the cordons he was severally tortured and his stomach was torn with some sharp edged weapon and when he was thrown dead intestines were visible and out of his belly. I will never forget that shivering incident. Indian security forces were given free hand to indulge in worst kind of human rights violation to muzzle and suppress the people demanding right of self determination. Even now these human rights violations continue unabated all with total impunity from the law of land. Forces have been guarded with draconian legislations such as AFSPA, PSA, DAA etc even youth are languishing behind bars under the acts that have been revoked. The constant abuse of human rights violations by Indian forces and denial of basic right i.e. right of self determination has added to the alienation of people and in the words of SAFMA this alienation is complete and irreversible.

What do the young feel about Independence?

Though it was widely believed that this fourth generation of Kashmiris is not interested in freedom movement and is disillusioned with movement and busy in their own affairs but the agitation of last year proved all those wrong. They showed the way and lead the agitation remaining at the fore front leaders just joined them. They showed that they have the passion, determination to face all the odds with resilience. Their spark enthusiasted entire nation. They have grown under the difficult circumstances and saw the conflict closely all along these years they are more resilient than their predecessors and abreast with know how of technologies in every field. It will be better for India to shun obduracy and intransigence and avoid confrontation with these die hard youth in future who strongly believe that freedom is their birth right and eventually save the future of entire Sub- continent from getting beleaguered.

Are those with AK-47s and bombs not terrorists?

I have said this in earlier question that it all depends on which perspective one sees and analyses the things. Terrorism and freedom struggle are two different things and need to be looked separately from each other.

If they are freedom fighters, why do they kill innocent people in Ahmedabad, New York or anywhere in the world?

Killing innocent people were ever they are is most condemnable and must be condemned by all and no cause can be justified by killing innocent people. Kashmiri fighters have taken the extreme step after every peaceful method was frustrated by India. It is Delhi and Delhi alone which facilitated commotion and pell-mell in Kashmir by installing stooges through sham elections. It is India who reneged on the pledge of Plebiscite and managed the strangulation of economy of Kashmir through neocolonialist mode of administration, so it is India who provided enough ammunition to Kashmiri youth for a revolt against its authority hell bent on enslaving Kashmir at gunpoint using lakhs of its forces.

Why have they been declared terrorist organizations?

Kashmiri movement is a national liberation movement, poles apart of that Alqaeda and Taliban, aimed to achieve the unification of its forcibly divided parts using the unfettered right of self determination promised under the 18 U.N resolutions to which both India and Pakistan are signatories and world witness to them. India has the added responsibility under what she calls the Instrument of Accession which according to her has been signed by Maharaja of Kashmir to let people of Kashmir decide whether they want to remain with India or Pakistan or choose to remain Independent. Despite their clarion commitment regarding referendum in Kashmir they blatantly reneged on their promise and doesn’t they feel that their betrayal and perfidy has costed them their honour as a great nation and then how India can stake claim to the permanent membership of U.N Security Council when it tramples the resolution passed by the same body under its military foot. Coming back to question British labeled Bhagat Singh as terrorist why because he was demanding freedom for his motherland and that went against the interest of British but for the same reason and for the same work he is remembered as hero and a martyr by Indians. Similarly Nelson Mandela, who was the leader of ANC’s armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe, was declared as terrorist by White apartheid government and imprisoned for more than two decades in Robben Island and later he becomes president and is awarded a noble prize for peace for the same work for which he was declared as terrorist. So it is high time to stop looking from jaundiced vision and through the prism of west who until recently called the Taliban zealots as “Mujahideen” till it served their national interest and now the dreaded terrorists and threat to world peace. Kashmiri freedom fighters have limited their struggle in J&K and have no international agenda but India by using military approach to strangulate, batter and pulverize Kashmir is inadvertently communalizing what is a basically a simple political issue and hence many extremist groups have thrived on the sympathy wave and this was echoed by David Miliband as well when he wrote in an opinion peace that “ resolution of the dispute over Kashmir would deny extremists in the region one of their main calls to arms….”. India already with problems in more than 16 states shouldn’t let these groups to gain strength by leaving Kashmir dispute in limbo. So resolution of Kashmir is must otherwise its domino effect will engulf and destabilize the peace of whole of South Asia.

Have they not approached you to join them?

It is the ones own conscious that determines what to do. In one of the previous questions I told you that they have made way for political leadership to take the front seat as now the situation demands that, earlier they took the driver seat to highlight the Kashmir dispute in the international arena. Now it is for political leadership to the lead but India is not allowing that by imposing curbs on peaceful protests and rallies. Being the sons of soil they have made it clear that if India shuns the obduracy and accepts Kashmir as disputed as accepted by international community they will leave arms in an eye blink time. Because they haven’t taken arms as hobby nor they have any international agenda to follow their struggle is limited for the freedom and liberation of their motherland and to remind India of its own promise of plebiscite.

If they have, why have you not joined the cause?

Aggression is not only on one front but is launched on all fronts to consolidate hold on an occupied territory by an occupier be that Militarily, Political, Diplomatic, Economical. Social, Cultural onslaught, so the response to that demands struggle on all fronts not on any single one only. I to my best of my ability though not practically doing my bit towards contributing the sacred cause of Independence.

Why do you think is Pakistan supporting the militants?

You should look for the answer to this question in as why India supported the Bangladeshi’s Mukti Behni and with the active help of Russia embarked on a plan to cut the Bangladesh from Pakistan although it was a legal part of Pakistan according to the Partition act of 1947. Why Germany and Japan supported the Subash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army.

Kashmir Questions And Answers -1

This is the first part of my interview with M K Tayal Editor Correspondent who is aiming to prepare report about the situation in Kashmir valley and its contours.

http://www.kashmirwatch.com/showexclusives.php?subaction=showfull&id=1254423893&archive=&start_from=&ucat=15&var1news=value1news
http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17345&Itemid=44

What is the present situation in the valley?

Kashmir is a powder keg, rather a flash point in South Asia. Without its resolution there can’t be permanent peace and no guarantee of stability in whole Indian Sub-Continent. Regarding to present situation in Valley, situations are not permanent they keep changing with the occurring of events which shape it accordingly. Before Assembly elections National Conference had promised that if N.C comes to power it will release pro-freedom leaders, activists and other people, who had been imprisoned in the wake of agitation here due to economic blockade. But unfortunately despite passing off so much time they keep to be languishing in jails, others have been kept under house arrest and N.C has displayed iron-fist in dealing with the situation here, pro-freedom leadership is being denied political space and even peaceful protests by people is being ruthlessly stifled. Though there may seem a lull here but it is temporary such kind of arm twisting methods adds to the alienation among the people. It is infact these kind of things which slowly and steadily brew anger among people and which comes in the shape of some spontaneous reaction by people. Last year before June no outsider would have imagined that people who seem to be busy with their day to day affairs will rise in such large numbers that took observers and analysts by surprise seeing lakhs of people attending the marches breaking the myth of normalcy. Even after elections people protested in large number against the dastardly and inhuman double rape and murder of a teenage student and her sister in law in Shopian.

Should Kashmir get Independence?

As a Kashmiri definitely yes, many national and international opinion polls have suggested that over whelming majority of people of Jammu and Kashmir want to see Kashmir as an Independent, neither with Pakistan nor with India. There is an immediate need felt by many in India and Pakistan that this is the high time o resolve this dispute through tripartite talks so that it gets resolved peacefully and amicably. So on negotiations table nether India will accept to pull its troops and hand over its administered part to Pakistan nor Pakistan will do the same. And Kashmiris won’t accept any solution which negates their national aspirations. Already military solution to this dispute has been ruled out because both India and Pakistan are nuclear powers so can’t afford war. So the best possible way out is that both countries cease their claim over the respective parts of Kashmir under their control and allow them to get united and declare Kashmir as an independent country. It will be a buffer state between the two and a bridge of friendship between them. Lingering this dispute means to put peace, prosperity, progress, welfare and security of one and half billion people of South Asia in peril. So Independence of Kashmir as an Independent State recognized by India, Pakistan and World community is the only way out from this tangle.

Has the Indian government done enough for development?

This needs to be seen in right perspective. Kashmir has been bestowed with abundance of natural resources by Almighty especially water. But it has been exploited by India as well as Pakistan. Both Countries have builted large dams which suit their national interests and ironically Kashmiris on both sides have been left out. This is sheer injustice. India has stretched its claws over this sector and robbed Kashmiris of this resource. The power projects which are running in Kashmir are feeding north India and other states. Out of the total 24000 M.W’s which NHPC produce 16000 M.W’s come from Kashmir alone. And Kashmir gets only meager royalty which doesn’t cross more than 12 %. Kashmir at present has the potential of producing 20000 M.W’s of power and still we reel under darkness and power curtailments mostly in winter. And ironically we have to buy our own power generated by our water from northern grid at whooping costs. Due to Indus Water treaty Kashmir has suffered loss of more than 65000 crores so far. From a long time no productive investment has been made in Kashmir and Kashmir has been deliberately turned into consumer state our annual import from Indian states stands at more than 36000 crore rupees. And in this scenario India doesn’t do any favor to us by spending any amount in development. For your information the announcement of giving 24000 crore package to Kashmir few years ago by Indian P.M was made out of that 18000 crore were for power projects of which Kashmir doesn’t get any benefit. It is our money out of which few pennies are used in so called development.

Do you support calling a person with an AK-47 who dies in the valley a martyr?

My opinion doesn’t matter much in this regard. It depends on a person from which angle he sees the things in Kashmir. Kashmiri ultras are terrorists if one believes that they have no logic or right for holding gun against Indian rule. Similarly Subash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, the great sons of soil of India, are terrorists if one believes British have the right to rule India. India promised right of self determination to Kashmiris before whole world and then backtracked. And in the instrument of Accession which India claims Maharaja has signed it is clearly mentioned that this accession is temporary subjected to ratification by the will of people of Jammu and Kashmir. So India is legally and morally bound to held plebiscite in Kashmir to ascertain wishes of people here. Elections as substitute to referendum were itself ruled out by India’s first Prime Minister Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru in the Indian parliament when he said that Elections in Kashmir are meant just for administrative purposes and neither that administrative assembly nor this ( Indian) parliament can deicide fate of Kashmir. Here as rejoinder I repeat the India’s first Prime Minister Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru’s pledge in January 1952 that “Kashmir is not the property of either India or Pakistan. It belongs to the Kashmiri people. When Kashmir acceded to India we made it clear to the leaders of the Kashmiri people that we would ultimately abide by the verdict of their plebiscite; if they tell us to walk out I would have no hesitation in quitting Kashmir….. We have taken the (Kashmir) issue to United Nations and given our word of honour for peaceful solution. As a great nation we cannot go back on it. We have left the question for final solution to the people of Kashmir and we are determined to abide by their decision…” (Amrit Bazar Patrika, Kolkatta, Jan. 1952). Armed rebellion in Kashmir started when India payed no heed to the moderate voices who called for peaceful settlement of Kashmir and to remind India of its own promise that is why when any armed guerilla dies in any encounter people here call him a martyr and thousands of people including women and children come out for his funeral amid tears and sobs of whom Indian media calls “terrorist”.

Is militancy about to end in Jammu and Kashmir?

Indian strategists and analysts live in fantasy and make believe world in this regard. Violence is not the favorite hobby or recreation of Kashmiri youth who have taken arms. It will die down in few days without the support of local population. As I said in earlier question there is emotional attachment of people towards armed guerillas because India frustrated every move for the peaceful settlement of Kashmir dispute so in one way itself responsible for the creation of militancy in Kashmir. Any struggle has two fronts Political and armed when you crush the peaceful and political struggle with brute force what is the alternative. But at this point of time they (ultras) have maintained low profile just to pave way for the peaceful struggle so it is upto India to grab the opportunity. Political struggle has been allowed to take the drivers seat by the resistance leadership and you saw last year how people of Kashmir transferred this struggle into peaceful one successfully, India should respect that and avoid repeating its mistakes as situation can take ugly turn any time. India should start meaningful and result orientated talks with Kashmiris and Pakistan and there should be some change felt on ground by common people of Kashmir. This should be the first step in resolving and addressing this issue. Till India harps on bogey of ‘integral part’ and ‘cross border terrorism’, ultras will feel tempted to continue their activities just to add to the Indian vulnerability and bewilderment. It is therefore absolutely preposterous to think about breaking the will and resolve of Kashmiri ultras through military operations.

Pot calling the kettle black

The statement of Indian Prime Minister ManMohan Singh at the plenary session of G-20 summit at Pittsburg in which he accused the Pakistan of using “terror” as State policy against India has come at a time when India faced diplomatic embarrassment by some world leaders calling for end to Kashmir conflict owing to its inherit potential to destabilize the whole equation in South Asia according to the national aspirations of Kashmiris at many international forums and at UNGA 64th session recently and at a time when foreign ministers of both countries were about to meet.

It is the talk of resolution of Kashmir dispute that pinches the body politic of India as despite promising self-determination to Kashmiris before whole world she backtracked and through sheer military muscle is holding it against the wishes of its local populace and against her tall ‘ideals’ of peace and justice which stand strangulated, pawned and mortgaged by herself.

The rhetoric by Indian P.M at G-20 summit is a desperate attempt by India to camouflage the real dispute of Kashmir under the bogey of cross border terrorism and facilitate commotion to escape from focusing on real issues and in the end to put blame on Pakistan’s shoulders for the failure of dialogue to yield any positive outcome. As since 1947 India has been concentrating on conflict management rather than on conflict resolution to consolidate its hold over Kashmir.

Due to the lingering of Kashmir dispute the peace, prosperity, progress and welfare of one and half billion people of South Asia is in peril mainly due to jingoism and belligerence of India but she can not afford to remain away from addressing this vexed dispute amicably for ever as it will threaten its national integrity, neither valiant people of Kashmir who have invested their every thing be that blood, honor, property for the independence and sovereignty of Kashmir will allow this. Here, we as traumatized, victimized, bruised and enslaved people of Kashmir cannot but express our gratitude to Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi and Pakistan’s foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit for lending moral support to the cause of independent Kashmir.

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

Shopian Tragedy

Entire nation has been in deep shock and anguish over the deplorable incident of Shopian in which two women were allegedly raped and murdered. While the relatives of the victim and people blame C.R.P.F stationed in that area as the Culprits involved in this shameful act government despite promising quick action has been callous towards taking any head way in the inquiry of this incident as reportedly even F.I.R hasn’t been registered yet in the concerned police station. The probes called after such kinds of gross human rights violation have miserably failed to punish the perpetuators of these dastardly acts and this has been the prime factor that people have lost trust over these inquiries. And more so the unbridled powers enjoyed by troops under different draconian laws have make them to behave above the law of land.

There have been protests over this incident and it is quite natural, but the way authorities have dealt it with brute force resulting in killings and injuries to hundreds of youth can prove disaster for the government as this can pave way for the mass agitation on the pattern of last year. So it is better for the government to come up with truth and take stern action against the culprits in their own interest and restrains from putting restrictions on the pro-freedom leadership.

This heart rending incident has provided ammunition to the opposition part P.D.P to fire at the government. but the memory of people is no so short that they will forget the gory incident of similar nature of Badra Payeen, Handwara where in November 2004 troops raped mother daughter duo and then government led by Mufti Sayed at first even denied the reports and then tried to hush up the case. Then in opposition N.C had also led demonstrations against it. Kashmiri people have no trust over these sycophants who do this political gimmickry just for power and to enjoy the perks and privileges. These regional pro-India parties who are collaborators of New Delhi in their every heinous crime have been rejected and subjected to disgrace even in Jammu last year when they were kept hostage at airport for hours and on sangarsh samiti protest were made to sit outside on Aug 9. If at all they are sincere they should stop running with hare and haunting with horn and stop running passive “separatism” when they get out of power to gain public sympathy. Rather they should work for the realization of national aspirations of people of Kashmir, which is complete independence of Kashmir.

People of Kashmir have proven time and time again their full commitment towards the struggle for independence and sovereignty and it is up to India to shun the obduracy and rigid stand and cooperate with Pakistan and pro-freedom leadership of Kashmir in working towards finding a durable solution to the vexed issue of Kashmir. The rejection of India towards the offer of talks from Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has putted spanner in the efforts of building a stable atmosphere in the sub-continent but India can’t run away from fulfilling its international obligations on Kashmir forever. As due to its domino effect Kashmir turmoil can engulf the peaceful areas of India. Soon India understands it the better for her.

Lest We Forget

Conscious and valiant people of Kashmir will never allow letting these sacrifices go waste.

May 8 reminds us one the darkest and bloodiest day in the Kashmir’s history of occupation and suppression. It was on this day in the year 1991 that about 29 innocent people were brutally martyred by C.R.P.F near martyr’s graveyard Khnayar, when a funeral procession of 3 local militants killed in an encounter was going on, trigger happy C.R.P.F personnel run amok and fired indiscriminately at the people adding another day in the long list of bloody massacres in Kashmir.

Kashmir’s history is full of such acts were humanity was putted to shame and these are in no way acts of human rights violation but war crimes committed as to spread fear psychosis among people of Kashmir demanding their inherent, pledged, fully deserved and unfettered right of self determination. And it is the denial of this basic right by which peace has eluded and the rein of uncertainty is prevailing in the sub-continent.

It is due to the supreme sacrifices offered by lakhs of Kashmiris who gave their red hot blood which took this dispute from cold storage and highlighted it in international arena. Conscious and valiant people of Kashmir will never allow letting these sacrifices go waste. Sagacity and prudence demands resolving this vexed issue in tune with the national aspirations of Kashmiris otherwise its inherent potential can destabilize the peace of whole South Asia.

Beyond election boycott

Finally ending all speculations the Peoples Conference chairman Sajjad Lone decided to join the fray by announcing to participate in parliamentary elections few days ago in a press conference at his residence. Whether it is going to yield something positive for the people of Kashmir if he wins will come to fore automatically. If he is able to get elected to the Indian parliament, which according to him is ‘change of strategy not ideology’, his own work will judge him what his intentions were. Sheikh Abdullah the ‘tallest’ leader of Kashmir and only leader who enjoyed influence in every region of Jammu and Kashmir left the ship midway still the resistance movement of Kashmiris for their inalienable and birth right of self-determination didn’t fizzled out and later infact became strong enough to challenge the hegemony of India. As the movement for Independence is always bigger than any individual and remains alive and kicking as long as sentiment is alive in the hearts and minds of people.

Elections in Jammu and Kashmir have always been a hectic affair for the government of India with ‘separatists’ by and large calling for boycott of elections under Indian constitution and ‘mainstream’ leaders naturally busy in wooing the voters to vote for them in lieu of basic amenities. No leader of any shade of opinion has ever dared to seek votes for the ‘integration of Kashmir with Indian union’. Whether Assembly elections or Parliamentary elections it has been an accepted fact by all that these elections have no bearing on future status of disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. As U.N resolutions have already stated that State Administration can’t take any decision which can have any impact on future status of Kashmir. And India’s First Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru himself declared in Indian parliament that Indian parliament can’t take any decision on behalf of people of Kashmir.

Boycott call given by pro-freedom leadership infuses fresh oxygen to the election campaign of ‘mainstream’ leaders and lends it more credibility. And claims of pro-freedom leadership that makes boycott only way to respect the sacrifices of martyrs and vindication of pro-freedom sentiment allows New Delhi to manipulate this to hoodwink international community using its biased media which always shows long queues of people waiting for their turns to cast votes and sells this to out side through its strong propaganda mill as rejection of ‘separatist’ ideology and acceptance of its ‘democracy’.

The only logic that elections in a disputed territory (Jammu & Kashmir) under its occupants (India) constitution will legalize its hold can’t be the justification for ever to remain away from polls as it has to be seen through the prism of its merits and de-merits. As disassociation from elections makes this battle exclusive only for collaborators who represent India in Kashmir and leaves no option for people other than to turn to them for at least basic amenities which makes them relevant and their existence a necessity. They enjoy perks and privileges of power without any real fight from any quarter. The national struggles take natural course and ends only after its logical conclusion it can take from few to even hundred’s of years till then people have also to live as well which can’t be possible without basic amenities. Half of pro-freedom leadership can join the fray and rest can continue to take this resistance struggle forward. There is no need for hundreds of parties propagating the same cause. Even if half of pro-freedom leadership doesn’t participate directly in elections at least they can identify honest and upright people so that they can participate in elections to undo the wrong committed by ‘mainstream’ leaders so far, they can provide some sort of relief to the people, check the exploitation of our natural resources particularly of water, get the state back on the track of development. For this an amicable environment needs to created so as to make this task easily.

It has to be introspect by all as when every time this nation comes close to success in denting the colonial hegemony some thing unusual happens and entire movement either gets derailed or fizzles out. We have to learn from the mistakes committed not only during the mass movement of 2008 due to which it couldn’t be converted fully into peoples revolution but it has to be seen why the revolution of early 90’s lost the track only after two years of its commencement. Movement can’t be sustained only by strikes and stone pelting substantial things needed to be done. Conviction, dedication and commitment are the essential ingredients of any liberation struggle and if a workable and farsighted strategy is added to it can be converted in to a success no matter how much strong an occupying power may be.

Taliban Specter

India is trying hard to equate our struggle with that of Al-Qaeda and Taliban to garner support of west but our struggle is a national liberation movement poles apart from Taliban aimed to achieve complete independence and reunification of our forcibly divided parts of Kashmir.

This refers to the news report of some agencies that Taliban may have reached to the Kupwara forests. It seems to be a well calculated move by India to malign our genuine freedom struggle by associating it with that of likes of Taliban and Alqaeda. Our struggle is a resistance movement based on U.N resolutions which are near about 18 in number passed by U.N Security Council to which both India and Pakistan are signatories and world witness to them. Even those who have taken up arms have declared to fight under the Geneva conventions and have restricted their fight with India within J&K. India is trying hard to equate our struggle with that of Al-Qaeda and Taliban to garner support of west but our struggle is a national liberation movement poles apart from Taliban aimed to achieve complete independence and reunification of our forcibly divided parts of Kashmir.

These kind of false notions are being spread to justify the presence of 7 lakh troops who have been empowered by draconian laws which provide them total impunity from the law of land. Which is the root cause of human rights violations by these so called security forces. The wanton use of force and arm twisting methods employed during previous elections may be used again for the parliamentary elections but these kind of cheap tactics won’t be able to break the will of valiant Kashmiris who have been fighting for their inherent, internationally recognised, pledged, fully deserved and unfettered right of self-determination. Elections or no elections won’t change the future status of Kashmir dispute as elections in real sense are meant for the development issues only. The more India will use force to crush the movement of Independence aimed actually to remind her of its own promise from which this “world’s largest democracy” backtracked upon the stronger will be the resentment and will of Kashmiris and history bears testimony to this fact.

Condemnable act

We as citizens of an oppressed nation (Kashmir) felt greatly grieved and our heart bleeds when we hear of such attacks in our brotherly country. We have saw enough of blood shed in Kashmir, we have saw our near and dear ones being ruthlessly murdered

This refers to the brutal suicide attack near Pir Wadhai Chowk on Peshawar road in which nine innocent people got killed and several others were injured, which is a condemnable act, whosoever are the culprits behind this dastardly act can not justify any cause by killing innocent people. We as citizens of an oppressed nation (Kashmir) felt greatly grieved and our heart bleeds when we hear of such attacks in our brotherly country. We have saw enough of blood shed in Kashmir, we have saw our near and dear ones being ruthlessly murdered, we have saw numerous massacres, encounters, killings, blood of our young and old ones being spilled like water, we have saw naked dance of death and destruction which has consumed our entire young generation. Much blood rather than water has flown through Jehlum. The recent decision of government of Pakistan of reinstating Iftikhar Chaudhary and other judges has defused the crisis but the suicide attacks engineered by invisible hands continue unabated, which has wreaked havoc and deteriorated the law and order and internal situation as well as given a bad name and impression to Pakistan to outside world. We Kashmiris hope that Pakistan will come out of all troubles and an era of long lasting peace, security and progress will take driving seat there and we desire to see a developed and powerful Pakistan in all respects which will be not be in the interests of people of Pakistan only but to the Kashmiris and to the whole Ummah as well. Then it will that country of which Quaid Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah dreamed of.

Yes what else they can do?

This refers to the statement of State’s Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather that “Government would probe a probe into the incident (killing of a youth at Nowhatta). What else we can do?” This shows the helplessness of this State Assembly in protecting the rights and safeguarding of life and property of people. Right from 1988 countless probes have been ordered which haven’t bore any fruit and neither any conclusion has been drawn from these probes. And if culprits have been identified in some cases the state is not competent enough in bringing perpetuators of these heinous crimes to book. The cold blood Murder of two innocent youth at Bomai Sopur is still fresh and now the gruesome killing of a youth at Nowhatta and brutal crushing of another youth under a forces vehicle, who is battling for life in a hospital, has added to the anger. This can have dangerous ramifications if the situation continues to remain grim and government continues to order probes just to hoodwink and divert public attention, rather than taking these issues seriously and repeal the draconian AFSPA, which empowers unbridled powers to the Security forces, which it has promised unless its own credibility will be under stake and will be dented.

Every sane person strongly condemns these inhuman acts and even “mainstream” leaders and government itself has condemned these acts equally on the floor of Assembly, then if such things still continue to occur it naturally gives impression that things are out of control of the government. And those who matter actually are pulling the strings behind curtains. If C.M being head of Unified Command Council has issued strict orders to the forces to respect human rights then one fails to understand why such kind of happenings continue to occur with such pace.

People of Jammu & Kashmir want the withdrawal of Security Forces from the civilian areas on the priority bases, rest can be gradual, and the repealing of the draconian laws which are the root cause of human rights violation. If the government continues to ignore these genuine demands of people then situation can take an ugly shape. The probes ordered by government won’t serve any purpose as till now nothing has come out of these processes and if something has happened to these probes is that these files continue to gather dust in government offices and nothing else.