Kashmir: Unanswered Questions
By Nilofar Suhrawardy
21 July, 2010
Countercurrents.org
Questions have been raised as to why have innocent Kashmiri civilians in the Valley been denied their right to live and protest? The situation would have different if they were killed in genuine or even fake encounters. But this has not been case in the Valley, where more than a dozen innocent Kashmiris have fallen victim to state controlled guns in less than a month. True, Kashmir-issue is significant for India, but why isn’t the needed importance to lives of innocent Kashmiris, why?
Kashmir may remain a “complicated” issue for India and Pakistan for years, even decades. They may deliberately choose never to enter into an agreement on the controversial issue. Letting the controversial Line-of-Control (LoC) divide the India-occupied and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir serves diplomatic interests of both the countries. A solution to the issue, giving due consideration to demand for independence voiced by Kashmiris on both sides of LoC, seems equivalent to raking more diplomatic and political fire in the subcontinent. But even if the Kashmir-issue is viewed as a permanent irritant in Indo-Pak relations, why should Kashmiri civilians be used as pawns? Why should Kashmiris living in India-controlled state continue to suffer? Why?
Exactly a year ago, with violence in India-controlled Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) showing a significant decrease and also a fall in number of casualties compared to the preceding year, Home Minister P. Chidambaram pledged a gradual pullout of soldiers from the troubled state. It was viewed that Omar Abdullah who stepped in as state’s youngest Chief Minister last January was proving his mettle by taking J&K, gradually but definitely, towards normalcy. Today, tension prevails in Kashmir: - marked by curfew, curbs on state’s media, Army’s flag-march displaying military might and more than a dozen civilians falling victim to police firing within a month. Omar Abdullah has been accused of having failed to control the situation.
Tension continues to afflict the Valley and its residents. Of and on, curfew has been lifted only to be imposed again. While curbs on media have been lifted leading to newspapers resume publication after four days, peace still eludes the Valley. The ordinary people remain perturbed about being targeted by police-bullets. The case would have different had the same number or even more persons, labeled as militants been killed in encounters with police and soldiers. Give a thought, don’t Kashmiris have right to be enraged if those falling victims to state-controlled guns are ones visualizing a brighter future? It is not simply the case of 17-year old Tufail Ahmad Mattoo and other Kashmiri youth having been caught in skirmishes between police and protestors. Mattoo died on June 11 when while returning from a tuition class, he was hit on the head by a teargas shell fired by police on protestors. His death also partly dimmed hopes of other Kashmiris yearning to move towards higher education. Stepping out to study or to work does not guarantee return home of Kashmiris living in the Valley.
True, it would be erroneous to assume that death of Mattoo and other Kashmiri civilians has enraged their community to the point of turning to militancy with guns in their hand. It certainly has not. This is proved by their taking to streets by organizing protest marches and demonstrations. Don’t Kashmiris have this right? Not too long ago, opposition parties and left bloc held life in the entire country at stake by organizing a shut-down strike and demonstrations in protest against price hike. In several parts of the country, the protestors also attacked and damaged government property. The strike hit road, rail and even air traffic spelling loss of billions of rupees in a day’s time (June 5). To this day, there hasn’t been any report of a protestor having fallen victim to police firing on that day.
What does this mean when compared with atrocities that protestors in Kashmir have faced at hands of state-controlled police and Army? So much so that even Amnesty, an international human rights organization has been compelled to urge India to look into killing of civilians and avoid excessive use of force while dealing with demonstrators in Kashmir. Legally, the primary duty of police and Army is to ensure security for citizens in compliance with law and order system. Tragically, the reverse has taken place in Kashmir, where the police and soldiers have become too trigger-free while targeting civilians, particularly Muslims.
If situation in Kashmir is volatile and if Kashmiri media have strongly protested against their freedom being curbed, the answer is simple. Kashmiri civilians are not willing to let their lives and rights be held at mercy of state-controlled bullets. If a democratically elected government is in power today in J&K, it is because Kashmiris have played a vital role in turning towards ballot box. Till Army and police are not taken strictly to task for remaining oblivious of Kashmiris’ right to live and also protest, justice shall elude Kashmiris. Flag marches, imposition of curfew, and/or greater enforcement of soldiers are least likely to spell justice for Kashmiris suffering from abuse of these powers. Yes, Kashmir holds vital importance for the region. It is time greater importance was given to lives and rights of Kashmiris living here. Kashmiris are not going to let their voice be downed by bullets. They are being heard across the world through Internet but have yet to be given needed importance in their own territory. It is to be watched, whether state and center governments take appropriate actions, before it is too late. Kashmiris, without guns, have risen up in time. They have the right to do so as Indian Kashmiris. It is time, that this democratic truth, based on rights the Indian Kashmiris have been granted by the Constitution of India, is given due importance by military and police patrolling the streets there. No innocent person, including a Kashmiri, can be killed/hurt only because the state-controlled gun fires at him/her. Let not an Indian Kashmiris’ right to live be decided by bullets.
Nilofar Suhrawardy is a senior columnist, writer and freelance journalist, who has written (and writes) extensively for national as well as foreign papers. Author of the book: “Ayodhya Without Communal Stamp, In the Name Indian Secularism,” (2006). Specializations include: Nuclear Diplomacy and Communication Studies.
