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Kashmir: Green Turns Red

By Idrees Athar

17 August, 2010
Countercurrents.org

A sequence for which ratio of a term to its predecessor is the same for all terms is called a geometrical progression or a sequence. This is how the loss of youngsters in the recent violence can be described. One gets to the verge of despair and madness at the turn of events and the macabre images that doted our screen both television and computer. It looked as if the angel of death was drunk and scolded by Lord took his hangover in the raw blood of Kashmiri Youth. It was as if he took many avatars, impregnated himself or herself or none-self in the barbaric occupational forces and their tipped collaborators in Kashmir, drawing a vicarious pleasure in killing unarmed civilians. The angel drank blood of all hues and tastes, nine years old to sixty five years old and vomited a lot of blood back filling the hospitals - (Sorry Dispensaries) to the brim.

This angel is a cruel one and gets new wings every time the Software called National Conference is ‘installed’ in the hardware - Paradise for the aliens and Hell for the natives. The latest version of this software is a modified version where the module was that of history and syntax was 'modern'.

At the release ceremony of this Software the ‘Engineers’, who created it had termed it as a Paradigm Shift after the medieval element was taken out of it describing that as an erroneous solution owing to the past experience. This one was the best bet of the ‘Engineers’. One of the ‘Engineers’ is a soft spoken, Thirukkural inspired, fully starched clothing wearer and the main architect with his sub -ordinate-a hawkish, ‘slip of the tongue’ nationalist.

Somehow these ‘Engineers’ integrated their ‘whims and fancies’ into this new Software and every new command, every task was conceived, implemented and made operational by them. And finally the system had an internal virus leading to mismatch of the Software and the Hardware - both were incompatible. The machine initially bleated, grunted and finally blew. When the engineers were asked about it they used some mild terms "war of ideas and ideologies", “agitational terrorism” and "across the border (read Server) instructions (read Disturbances). They gave conflicting views about one screw of the machine - nine or seventeen years old.

On the podium of SKUAST on its convocation the CEO of the company that crafts this software had tried to Shah-Faesalize --whose phrases “enterprise of violence” and “constituency of peace” may have sounded like the poems of Bulle Shah to him -- the Kashmiri youth. He reached out with a new analysis of the ‘Machine’. Those who have lost their earning capabilities or in a gonzo-journalist Praveen Swami’s words ‘sweeped by modernity’ are frustrated and are indulging in Stone Pelting (a pejorative word for Saangbaazi – In Kashmir no one throws stones at each other in a mutual fight come what severe it may be. However when an animal hounds after a Kashmiri, stones are pelted toward animal. Incidentally Muslims throw stones toward the symbolic devil in Makkah). He had assured for more job creation, equal opportunities and benevolent economic packages.

Closer home their public interface was busy with Gucci, Ray-Ban and BlackBerry. Unfortunately a novice in the art of Statecraft he was or made to appear too tied to the apron strings of his masters. He couldn’t muster enough courage to be a representative of himself or his (if he considers them so) people. His colleagues and advisors were dancing to the tune of popular Bollywood song “Rana Ji muje maaf karna galti mare se ho gayi” (I am sorry Rana Ji it is my fault). Muhammad Iqbal’s couplet sums him up “ Pani Pani Kar Gayi Muj Ko Qalandar Ki Ye Baat. Tu Jhuka Jab Ghair Ke Aage Na TaN Tera Na ManN” ( I was ashamed at this advice of a saint. For I have lost my sense of Being, Honour and Dignity when I bowed before the Stranger).

His opponents in search of political gains left no stone unturned. One member lost his political acumen, predicted the destiny of an entire nation and turned politically senile. The others couldn’t fathom what is happening or were adding fuel to it. Their master lately a friend of people is in hibernation.

The Separate –Ists exhibited their usual ‘reactive’ behavior and fished in the proverbial troubled waters. The hawkish group began to control and coordinate the reactionary response much like his speeches in the Ragdo Ragdo in an impeccable Urdu with Iqbalian diction. Not to mention the slips that they commit. Or the conversion of famous Eid Gah Chalo into a damp squib by the “Karakulli and Gown Brigade” (KGB) as Junaid Matto describes them.

Being in the mid twenties I cannot claim to be a member of this young teenage group. However having seen the Kashmiri movement at the microscopic level from the last twenty years with ancestral history of association with Plebiscite front, Custodial torture, then death and consequently and lately “surrogate nemesis” of my Career - JKLF (Amanullah) I can point out some major lacunae of ours.

1. It is the clichéd Proletariat that is losing their lives, wealth, careers while as the petty bourgeoise is politicking on them. Most of them are emotional and do not know what they are uttering. Their utterances are being exploited by the Mullah brigade and others. A critical analysis will show us that the martyrs of these times were either from lower middle classes or poorer sections and above all educated-passive bystanders. It is apt to mention that these people are sincere and if the God of Retribution is taking cognizance they will be relishing in the Promised Paradise. These innocent boys do not perhaps know what damage the following slogans cause. “Bharat ki barbadi tak jang rahe gi” or “Bharat teri mout aaye Lashkar aaye” ( Or musingly Bhabhi aaye on the arrival of foreign bahu in Kashmir). Whoever crafts these slogans and distributes them like wildfire is a fanatic and uncouth. Whether he is referring to the Lashkaars of 1947 or their present manifestations he is unaware of the Sufi cultural ethos of Kashmir’s Islam, whose beacon was Shah–e –Hamadan vis-a-vis the savagery tendencies of the Tribals.

2. Whether it is India or not one thing is very much clear – Our destiny DOES NOT at all lie with Pakistan. The Islamic republic of Pakistan (holed up between the conflict of Muslim Nation State and Islamic Republic) founded by a non – practicing muslim (Some say a wine drinker and married to a non muslim) was referred to as Kafire- Azam by the brigade that now champions the cause of Kashmir’s accession with Pakistan ((Musharaf’s Speech on Pakistani television some years ago). We wish Pakistan and Pakistani’s prosperity, happiness and goodwill and let them show the same. The chain group divisions in the armed guerillas was a clear ploy of Pakistani agencies masterminding the working of majority of them. The Holy Quran aptly signals us “When it is said to them Do not make mischief on earth. They say we are the only ones that put things aright” (Surah Baqarah, Ayat 11). Ask any Pakistani returned or trained Kashmiri nationalist.

3. The mammoth oppressor India, which has lost the civilisational attributes of its ancient Philosophers, Thinkers and Reshis has definitely crossed the boundaries in Kashmir. Agha Shahid Ali wrote in Farewell “My memory is again in the way of your history. Army convoys all night like desert caravans”. We cannot forgive you of what you have done to us. As Basharat Peer wrote in “A Letter to Unknown Indian” “We haven’t forgotten the deeds and the dates”. Our strength will not wane at all by the military might you have or may exhibit. The earlier you realize the better. Kalhana’s proscription of spiritual power over military power has not been digested by your policy makers – though a Hindu chronicler. We want you to progress as your well wishers but not on our corpses. We know your rising population and emerging market has given you an edge over others and the world’s crony capitalist predators are in your support but you must not forget the Laws of Karma.

4. Kashmiris more particularly Muslims have to realize that no one is with us. Whether UN, whose chief showed a mouse behavior recently or OIC (O I See – a bunch of eunuchs dancing to the tune of ‘Pied Piper’). No one except the Lord is with us. Our installed, self-styled or accidentally created bunch of leaders, whether mainstream or secessionists have to come to senses and realize their responsibilities. Have you ever thought over this - to drop your luxurious, egoistic and Sponsored agendas – Be Kashmiris and Be your true selves. Do not encourage the Bloodshed and do not commit to mischief on earth. It is only because of the loss of individuality of the Kashmiri – Self that we are butchered mercilessly and played like pawns. Coincidentally the three ‘leaders’ – Umar Farooq, Sajad Lone and Omar Abdullah are all educated from a Christian missionary school Burn Hall. What about their roadmaps? Have they a common origin from some unknown ghost who may appear centuries after, much like the Zionists appeared in Palestine eons after? How many of us have realized all of this?

I had vowed some years ago not to write even a single line – much against my intrinsic tendencies. The gory images of young boys and their descriptions rattled my conscience. For days I couldn’t sleep. Despite the bunch of high worded prayers nothing came to my rescue. I might have dived into Che Guevara model but my Gandhian weaknesses of the soul prevented me. “ I do not believe in short-violent-cuts to success--------------Permanent good can never be the outcome of untruth and violence” M.K.Gandhi

I could only pray what Moses’ people said. “In Allah do we put our trust. O Lord! do not make us a trial for those who practice oppression” (Surah Yunus Ayat 85).
The day Kashmir shall be gifted with an intellectual backer such as Marx not in terms of ideology but in terms of dedication and conviction (Eighteen years in a single library) and not like those who genuflect at the altar of every Washington conference and waste a lot of paper and ink in newspapers. When a common man’s leader such as Gandhi and Imam Khomeini will appear. It is true that we lack such people, so do the corresponding aggressor and the oppressor people who could dare to deliver. When a people’s narrative of submission to Lord, magnanimity of values and universal love for humanity, cherished by the ideals of Prophet Muhammad, Shah – e - Hamadan and Nund Reshi governs our lives. When Justice is done as peace is subordinate to Justice. That day Kashmir shall be liberated and that day our souls shall rest in peace. Laala Aarifa sums up our collective condition.

“ManZ BaaG Baz’Ras Kulfu Rus Waan GoaM. Tirath RuS PaaN GoaM Kus Maali Zaane”.

(Unlocked Gold shop have I become without the pilgrimage of enlightened Freedom. Everyone Looted and loots me. Who shall realize).

Feedback at [email protected] or visit http://idreesathar.blogspot.com.