Our Insha Malik Couldn’t Become Malala Yousfzai

insha-malik

The pellets fired by the so called security forces on the 15 year old Insha has not only left her physically crippled but unveiled the masque of state brutality and its systematic saga of oppression. To keep its geographical lust kicking violence in the valley has always been used as a last resort to quell the popular sentiment even at the cost of death and destruction. Insha Malik’s tragic story defines all that Kashmir has witnessed since decades of violence due to its fragile political history marred by the broken promises. The current intifada is yet another defiance of people against the macabre of deceit and treachery by those who legalized this saga of oppression. The current uprising may set the agenda for a new aggressive and robust political discourse in Kashmir after the mainstream folks touched a new low by justifying the brutalities. The disproportionate use of so called non lethal pellet guns which so far claimed the eyesight of hundreds of people will be written in the history of Kashmir as the cruelest onslaught on the besieged people same as the Nazi’s did to Jews in the concentration camps. Insha too suffered the grave eye injuries in the pellet attack and most probably might not see again but it will definitely serve as a reminder for people in the valley to open their eyes and read the writing on the wall that reads don’t sacrifice your heart to a wife you no longer love. Her rest of life is certainly going to be dark and dependent but her tragedy will remain a perpetual scar on the face of humanity and a big question mark on the role of international human rights organizations. Whose silence this time was the most sickening and staggering of all? After losing vision doctors now fear she might lose sanity too because of the severe infection in her head. Insha unlike Malala Yousafzai represents the untold heartwrenching story of all those victims from a place which is reeling under siege and the world continues to forget because it didn’t serve their interests as the latter does.

Insha was not on the road neither there was any protests going on in her village but as usual she turned to be yet another fly to the wanton forces after they unleashed hell of pellets on the hapless people. According to her relatives, Insha was in the first floor of her house when forces fired pellets inside their house. “She screamed and fell unconscious and within no time her face was swollen,” recalled one of her relatives. Insha hails from Sedow village of south Kashmir’s Shopian where in the 2009 the tragedy of twin rape and murder of Aasiya and Neelofar took place which latter snowballed into a massive public uprising. The culprits of that shame still roam free, the probe ordered by the state government humiliated the victims and the dream of justice remain a dream for them.

The untold somber story of Insha couldn’t hit the headlines because of the complete media blackout by the defenders of democracy to squeeze the information flow so that the world should not come to know about their war crimes in Kashmir. The clampdown on the media and all modes of communication resulted that her story didn’t reach to the corridors of world powers. Where just few years back a teenage girl from the Pakistan’s swat valley became the focus of attention and world darling. There was too much overwhelming condemnation outpouring across the world that it finally bagged her noble prize. Today world calls her the noble laureate Malala Yousafzai, who defied all odds to seek education during the Taliban rule in the swat valley of Pakistan. After shot in the head by Taliban fighters who objected to her campaign to improve girls’ education. She was flown to U.K for the best medical treatment. There the western media subsequently portrayed her sole spokeswoman for the plight of female children living in the conflict zones.

On the other hand the unfortunate Insha couldn’t get proper treatment till the doctors in Srinagar alarmed that she might lose her vision any time. She was then flown to All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi for further treatment where even the crocodile tears were shed to wash off their heinous crimes. Insha had big dreams like Malala, her mother say she wanted to become a doctor and were studying hard, “She used to say she will have no time to play next year when she would be in Class 10th”. But the predators of peace darkened and shattered her all dreams. She of late finally hit the headlines of world media but the double standard of world community and the human rights groups look her through the prism of vested interest.

The major section of international media is still reluctant to broadcast Insha’s story unlike of Malala when they ran nonstop coverage till they achieve their covet objectives. This double standard of international media and the United Nations mandated to redress the grievances of oppressed people again stand fully exposed. Mere statements of sympathy and the formality of condemnations can’t scare the aggressor. If it would have happen in a Muslim country then the axe of economical sanctions and militarily assault might have fallen upon them. But unfortunately they forget those subjugated, oppressed and alienated Muslims continuously reeling under the tyrant non Muslim occupants since decades.

Insha’s misery couldn’t find any voice in the west unlike Malala whose biggest supporter Gordon Brown did everything to make sure to get maximum political mileage out of her story. May be Insha didn’t write any diary which can be broadcast nor her father was running any NGO affiliated with any international organization. The pellet injury has pushed her into the deep realms of despondency and darkness where she has to live the remaining life in misery and pain.
This insensitive and coldhearted response from the world was expected as the new strategic alliances in the region is coming up where the major powers like US, Russia, UK, China, Germany and France are signing treaty after treaty and ignoring the long standing issue of Kashmir? Their continues silence over the grave human rights violation in Kashmir shows the biased and polarized attitude where human beings are pushed to live without the human rights. If Malala’s misery can brought tears in the eyes of torch bearers of human rights and the world leaders. Then why they don’t utter a word of solidarity and share grief when another school going young girl from Kashmir fell to the pellets fired by the Taliban in Khaki.

The way state is swelling the intensity of brutalities after every passing day but it looks they are proving counterproductive as they continue to shake the collective conscious of people. Historically the mind of oppressed has always been the most potent weapon of oppressor but in this current intifada the fetters seems to have broken down. The resolve of people is incorporated with the belief, determination, steadfastness and power to end this decade’s long era of darkness no matter either the world community speaks or keeps silence.

They way protests, candlelight vigils, special prayers were held in the schools, mosques and streets for her speedy recovery across the world which should be done at every such barbaric incident whether its Malala or Insha. Due to the social media blackout, her place of birth, geo-politics in the region, the intellectual occupation and the constant criminal silence on the part of world community our Insha couldn’t become another Malala Yousafzai.

Mir Liyaqat Nazir is born and brought up in Kashmir, he is currently pursuing his PhD on the topic “Sense of loss in the Poetry of Agha Shahid Ali and Mahmoud Darwish: A Comparative Study” at the S.P. Pune University. He frequently writes on the ongoing culture of conflict in various daily and weekly news papers based in Kashmir, like Greater Kashmir, Kashmir Life, Kashmir Monitor, Rising Kashmir, Twocircles.net, intellectual Post and also blogs at the mlnazirblogspot.com

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