What a mockery they have made of it. A cruel joke played with all Kashmiris in general and victims in particular, writes Zulfikar Majid.
Finally the report of one-man enquiry commission of Justice Muzzafar Jan (Retd) probing rape and murder of two girls of Shopian is out. It took the commission almost one and a half month to complete the probe. But after such a hectic exercise the questions regarding the death of two innocent girls remains unanswered. Instead of reaching the conclusion and identifying the culprits of the heinous crime, the Commission has tried to find scapegoats. Somewhere they have defamed the victims and somewhere they have questioned the character and background of the victims’ relatives. It seems that whole exercise is to save the culprits, Justice Jan has tried everything to create the confusion.
Isn’t it ridiculous to discuss caste of the two girls who were raped and then mercilessly killed? What is Justice Jan trying to prove by saying that victim Nelofar Jan and Roomi Jan (sister of other victims Asiya Jan) were frequently visiting their orchard where Nelofar might have developed some relation with someone else. Is visiting one’s orchard a crime? Assumptions and presumptions of the commission have not only hurt the sentiments of the victims’ relatives, but whole Kashmir is infuriated by such allegations.
To hide its incompetence, the investigating agency has leveled wild allegations against the victims and their families. It was a simple case of gang rape and murder and it didn’t need any mysterious method to establish it. What people of Shopian have been saying from day one, Jan Commission has come up with it after a hectic exercise spanned over a more period of more than one month? People said that it wasn’t a case of drowning, and active role of some police officials in the occurrence of crime can’t be ruled out.
The allegations against the brother of Nelofar, Syed Zeerak Shah, according to commission report, is that he slapped a doctor who was conducting post mortem and instigated the public to protest against the crime. What do you expect from a brother whose sister has been gang raped and then brutally murdered? No brother on this earth can remain cool and calm after such an outrageous assault on the modesty of his sister.
For slapping a doctor and protesting against the government, Justice Jan has recommended that sustained questioning/interrogation of Zeerak Shah be carried out so as “to work out the possibility of his involvement in the rape and murder of Nelofar and Asiya.” Similarly, about Asiya’s brother and Nelofar’s husband, Shakeel Ahmad Ahnager, the commission has recommended an in-depth investigation to “work out the possibility of his and his friends’ involvement in the crime.” His fault is that he has a Maruti car and maintains a good living standard. This is the height of things. At the least, this whole report is ridiculous and absurd. Does Justice Jan expect us to believe that a brother would get his sister raped? It can’t be thought of. Didn’t Justice Jan think twice before scripting such outrageous statements in his diary? The commission has trivialized the grave and serious issue. The way the commission has questioned the modesty of the victims is more outrageous than there rape.
The Jan Commission has also poked its nose in the working of media for which it had no mandate. It has recommended firm guidelines to ensure that the authenticity of the news be verified and only after proper satisfaction of the guidelines of the news, it be published. The local media by and large reported in a professional manner throughout these weeks and they don’t need any lessons on that from Justice Jan.
The tragedy and its initial handling had already put the credibility of the government at stake. Police refused to register an FIR against the rape and murder. It flared up the whole valley and relentless protests were held. Two people lost lives in the protests while dozens others were injured after which police finally registered the FIR. Initially the chief minister, Omar Abdullah, was mislead that it was a drowning case and he even stated it before the mediamen in a press conference on June 1. In the same press conference, Omar said that Commission has been setup to probe the incident and within a month it would come up with the facts. Where are the facts and who has been arrested? People had little hope with the commission as Justice Jan is known for his political proclivities to a particular political party.
When people were demanding probe by a sitting judge of a High Court, government excused itself that it was time consuming to seek permission from Supreme Court for such a probe. He had stated that facts would be before the people within a month. What happened to Omar’s promise?There are some questions, which need answers from both the commission and the government. Who destroys evidences after the occurrence of the crime? Even in a normal crime, police registers FIR without any delay. What is Justice Jan trying to establish when he says that it seems that the investigating agency i.e. SI, SHO, Dy SP and SP are unaware of the mandatory provisions of section 174 CRPC, Rule 580 of Police Manual, Rule 614 of Police Rules and 157 (b) CRPC. It seems Justice Jan has left no stone unturned to cover up the issue.
The way Justice Jan Commission has investigated the outrageous tragedy of rape and murder of two women in Shopian and has absolved the security agencies of suspicion, has trivialized the collective honor of the Kashmiri nation and the modesty of womenfolk in general.
The whole Kashmir was aghast over this very shameful and outrageous incident justifiably enraging the people. Had this tragedy struck elsewhere, the whole world would have rallied behind the victims, seeking punishment to culprits. Mukhtartan Mai’s case became a hot new across the globe because the incident had happened in Pakistan and not elsewhere.
Over the past two decades, number of commissions have been setup in Kashmir to probe the human rights violations. But a minuscule few had come up with the facts. It has dented the credibility of the institutions. Government should keep in mind that not less than Prime Minster of India has intervened in Shopian incident and assured that culprits would be brought to the book, irrespective of their position.
The case is already being monitored by the High Court and Special Investigation Team of Police is also probing it. It is high time that all the police officials whose names have figured in destruction of evidence be arrested and interrogated thoroughly. Prime Minister and Chief Minister should come up with a clear statement on the issue. And if local agencies aren’t able to crack the case, let it be handed over to premier investigating agency CBI, which have requisite expertise to investigate such cases. Jan Commission either lacked the competence to solve the case, or had ulterior motives.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Not as black as painted
Journalists are not ‘angels’ from heaven. You can’t ignore the good work they have done in harsh conditions and label them whatever you want, writes Zulfikar Majid.
“Sentiment doesn’t belong to any particular individual, group or banner, but it belongs to whole Kashmiri nation. It has no exclusive copyright.” These were the words of Kashmir’s prominent columnist, Aijaz-ul-Haq in a seminar tilted “Kashmir - A Way Forward” organized by Greater Kashmir Foundation. Well said Mr Haq. Kashmir needs realistic people like you who can show the way to the suffering nation.
Unfortunately, over the years an environment of mistrust has been created here, where labelling others as traitors, agents, assignment holders and so on have become a routine. Initially, labelling was limited to militants and militancy itself, but now it has left almost no person and no profession untouched.
In a recent write up in Greater Kashmir, one of the prominent columnists of the Valley had left no stone unturned to demean journalists and journalism in Kashmir. Agreed Indian TV channels remain indifferent towards the sufferings of Kashmiris at the hands of troops. But that doesn’t give you authority to tarnish the image of whole community. I don’t agree with your viewpoint that journalists of the Valley have been coerced to submission. Then who are the people who have been reporting relentlessly for the past 20-years highlighting the atrocities committed by Indian troops on Kashmiris? Kashmiri nation should be proud of many journalists who despite pulls and pressures never compromised with ethics.
Nearly a dozen journalists have lost their lives while performing their professional duties in the last two decades of turmoil, while many more have been tortured, jailed and humiliated by the police and troops. Calling them incompetent, roadside vendors and motor mechanics is immaturity on part of the writer. Journalists put their lives at risk to give due coverage to the events when police and troops unleash reign of terror on people. Last hope in the hour of crisis for most of the people is to call journalists and narrate their sufferings to them. Recently when a women’s protest rally was being held in Lal Chowk, a police officer passed an indecent remark on them. A photojournalist who was covering the event couldn’t tolerate it and dared to ask the officer to mend his ways. He had to pay a price for it, as the policemen beat up him to pulp. There are hundreds of such examples where journalists have put their lives at risk while caring for the honor and dignity of their nation.
Agreed, journalists too might have committed mistakes at times, but they aren’t angels from heaven. They are humans and to err is human. You can’t ignore the good work they have done in harsh conditions. For God’s sake don’t doubt on the integrity of every Kashmiri. Everybody has an opinion. You may agree or disagree with others viewpoint, but that doesn’t give you authority to label everybody. Hartal is a tool of resistance, but it’s over use is a self-destruction.
The author in the recent GK Foundation seminar in his forceful speech quoted Mahtama Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement. The movement was to be nonviolent and to consist of the resignations of titles, the boycott of government educational institutions, the courts, government service, foreign goods, and elections and the eventual refusal to pay taxes. But somewhere we need to do self-introspection. When vice-president, Hamid Ansari was scheduled to attend Kashmir University’s convocation function on June 20, separatists had called for a complete strike. Whole Kashmir observed a strike that day, but there was overwhelming response to the convocation function in KU. Nobody dared to talk about Shopian rape and murder incident before the vice-president. Nobody raised a voice against the human rights violations. Hardly anybody boycotted the function.
Those who forcefully advocate for strikes were part and parcel of the function. Why didn’t author dare to write about such episodes? Isn’t their need to prepare the nation for Non-Cooperation movements, before calling for a strike? Whose role it is? Who should take the lead? If someone dares to talk about such things, you label him and try to shut his mouth.
He calls journalists as assignment holders of status quo, who according to him, resort to proxy writings to malign the resistance and genuine leadership through their write ups against stone pelting, hartals and every other mode of resistance. Another prominent writer in his recent write up ‘in defence of hartals’ had lashed out at those, who had dared to write against hartals and making veteran pro-freedom leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, in person a target of this issue. He had also quoted last year’s example when Coordination Committee headed by Geelani had given “breathing space” to the people from long spell of hartals which later on became topic of discussion. Why are we people so afraid of debating and discussing vital issues pertaining to the nation? Geelani is a symbol of resistance. Nobody abuses him or screams at him. But, if at times his policies or politics isn’t suited to the nation, everybody has a right to criticize him. I don’t understand why some intellectuals are behaving like intolerant people? Geelani is a matured and seasoned leader and he should take criticism in positive perspective.
You call people who are with National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Congress and other mainstream political parties as ‘traitors’. Then you don’t also like people like Sajjad Gani Lone who contested elections. Moderate separatists are also under you scanner. Gujjars, Bakerwals and Paharis have no stakes in freedom movement. Then same applies to nearly one-lakh families of policemen. More than 60 percent people who voted in last year’s Assembly elections, according to your logic, are also anti-movement. Then what remains left for whom you are seeking Azadi? Don’t divide Kashmiris in the name of party, region and allegiance to a particular ideology. Freedom movement is as dare to every Kashmiri as it is to you. One-lakh people who offered their lives for the cherished goal weren’t from a particular ideology. They belonged to every party, ideology and region.
“Sentiment doesn’t belong to any particular individual, group or banner, but it belongs to whole Kashmiri nation. It has no exclusive copyright.” These were the words of Kashmir’s prominent columnist, Aijaz-ul-Haq in a seminar tilted “Kashmir - A Way Forward” organized by Greater Kashmir Foundation. Well said Mr Haq. Kashmir needs realistic people like you who can show the way to the suffering nation.
Unfortunately, over the years an environment of mistrust has been created here, where labelling others as traitors, agents, assignment holders and so on have become a routine. Initially, labelling was limited to militants and militancy itself, but now it has left almost no person and no profession untouched.
In a recent write up in Greater Kashmir, one of the prominent columnists of the Valley had left no stone unturned to demean journalists and journalism in Kashmir. Agreed Indian TV channels remain indifferent towards the sufferings of Kashmiris at the hands of troops. But that doesn’t give you authority to tarnish the image of whole community. I don’t agree with your viewpoint that journalists of the Valley have been coerced to submission. Then who are the people who have been reporting relentlessly for the past 20-years highlighting the atrocities committed by Indian troops on Kashmiris? Kashmiri nation should be proud of many journalists who despite pulls and pressures never compromised with ethics.
Nearly a dozen journalists have lost their lives while performing their professional duties in the last two decades of turmoil, while many more have been tortured, jailed and humiliated by the police and troops. Calling them incompetent, roadside vendors and motor mechanics is immaturity on part of the writer. Journalists put their lives at risk to give due coverage to the events when police and troops unleash reign of terror on people. Last hope in the hour of crisis for most of the people is to call journalists and narrate their sufferings to them. Recently when a women’s protest rally was being held in Lal Chowk, a police officer passed an indecent remark on them. A photojournalist who was covering the event couldn’t tolerate it and dared to ask the officer to mend his ways. He had to pay a price for it, as the policemen beat up him to pulp. There are hundreds of such examples where journalists have put their lives at risk while caring for the honor and dignity of their nation.
Agreed, journalists too might have committed mistakes at times, but they aren’t angels from heaven. They are humans and to err is human. You can’t ignore the good work they have done in harsh conditions. For God’s sake don’t doubt on the integrity of every Kashmiri. Everybody has an opinion. You may agree or disagree with others viewpoint, but that doesn’t give you authority to label everybody. Hartal is a tool of resistance, but it’s over use is a self-destruction.
The author in the recent GK Foundation seminar in his forceful speech quoted Mahtama Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement. The movement was to be nonviolent and to consist of the resignations of titles, the boycott of government educational institutions, the courts, government service, foreign goods, and elections and the eventual refusal to pay taxes. But somewhere we need to do self-introspection. When vice-president, Hamid Ansari was scheduled to attend Kashmir University’s convocation function on June 20, separatists had called for a complete strike. Whole Kashmir observed a strike that day, but there was overwhelming response to the convocation function in KU. Nobody dared to talk about Shopian rape and murder incident before the vice-president. Nobody raised a voice against the human rights violations. Hardly anybody boycotted the function.
Those who forcefully advocate for strikes were part and parcel of the function. Why didn’t author dare to write about such episodes? Isn’t their need to prepare the nation for Non-Cooperation movements, before calling for a strike? Whose role it is? Who should take the lead? If someone dares to talk about such things, you label him and try to shut his mouth.
He calls journalists as assignment holders of status quo, who according to him, resort to proxy writings to malign the resistance and genuine leadership through their write ups against stone pelting, hartals and every other mode of resistance. Another prominent writer in his recent write up ‘in defence of hartals’ had lashed out at those, who had dared to write against hartals and making veteran pro-freedom leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, in person a target of this issue. He had also quoted last year’s example when Coordination Committee headed by Geelani had given “breathing space” to the people from long spell of hartals which later on became topic of discussion. Why are we people so afraid of debating and discussing vital issues pertaining to the nation? Geelani is a symbol of resistance. Nobody abuses him or screams at him. But, if at times his policies or politics isn’t suited to the nation, everybody has a right to criticize him. I don’t understand why some intellectuals are behaving like intolerant people? Geelani is a matured and seasoned leader and he should take criticism in positive perspective.
You call people who are with National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Congress and other mainstream political parties as ‘traitors’. Then you don’t also like people like Sajjad Gani Lone who contested elections. Moderate separatists are also under you scanner. Gujjars, Bakerwals and Paharis have no stakes in freedom movement. Then same applies to nearly one-lakh families of policemen. More than 60 percent people who voted in last year’s Assembly elections, according to your logic, are also anti-movement. Then what remains left for whom you are seeking Azadi? Don’t divide Kashmiris in the name of party, region and allegiance to a particular ideology. Freedom movement is as dare to every Kashmiri as it is to you. One-lakh people who offered their lives for the cherished goal weren’t from a particular ideology. They belonged to every party, ideology and region.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
KASHMIR – THE LAND OF HARTALS
Hartal yesterday, Hartal today, Hartal tomorrow
We are complicating the problem for ourselves. A weak nation goes weaker as there are no days to work in. It’s paramount duty of separatists to devise a new way to protest. This one has damaged a lot, comments Zulfikar Majid.
While the recent rape and murder of two innocent girls in Shopian (south Kashmir) has sent shock waves across the Valley and beyond, subsequent strikes called by separatists against the incident have multiplied the woes of the already suffering Kashmiris. The Shopian incident is so grave that no sane person can close his eyes. It happened with innocent Aasiya and Nelofar today, it can happen with anybody tomorrow. But can we save honor and dignity of our women by calling strikes? Or we need to do something beyond strikes. Is strike only weapon with us? Whom we are punishing by calling strikes on every small and big issue? Incidentally there is no evidence of strikes in Muslim history. Neither is there any significant correlation between strikes and successful liberation movements across the world. Striking work emerged mainly as a communist concept where the daily waged worker wants to inflict economic costs on the capitalist owners.
But whom we are punishing here and how does India get affected if we boycott economic activity and work. Indian state must be feeling elated when Kashmiri children do not go to school, the sick can’t go to doctor, the daily waged lose their daily wages. I don’t subscribe Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s theory that a nation which aspires for independence has to give some sacrifices like strikes. History is witness that no country or nation has achieved freedom by abstaining from the work. I ask Geelani Sahib what a person, who earns his livelihood on daily basis and has to feed his family, will do when you call strikes for weeks together. The families of street vendors and daily wagers might be starving during strike days. Is anybody bothered about those poor souls? How hapless patients feel when they aren’t able to visit a doctor.
Isn’t Geelani punishing the victims (read Kashmiris) who are already at the receiving end of Indian establishment? The unending era of strikes started right from 1990 when armed insurgency broke in Kashmir. From an arrest of a militant commander to the killing of civilians, everything was followed by days or at times weeks of strikes. This crippled the economy of Kashmir. Students of that generation were the worst sufferers as their studies got severely affected by the strikes. Separatists groups never gave rethink or debated the hartal strategy. Infact, at times different separatists groups to show their presence call unnecessary strikes.
Hundreds of days of work has been lost in the past two decades due to the strikes. If we could have achieved freedom by continuously abstaining from work for a year, still it wouldn’t have been a bad bargain. But I want to ask Geelani Sahib and other separatist leaders would India leave Kashmir, because of strikes.
No nation can achieve freedom when it is feeble and strikes makes Kashmiri nation even feebler. Our students had started to compete at national and international level from the past few years. Starting from last years Amarnath land row agitation till this time, there was complete or partial strike almost 50 percent of the days. Nations aspiring freedom have to be economically self-reliant. By calling unnecessary strikes our economic dependence on India increases every day. These illogical strike calls would scuttle any move by Kashmiris to achieve economic self-reliance. Not only on local issues, at times strikes are enforced on Kashmiris on death anniversary of any leader of Muslim world.
Nobody can deny that troops commit human rights violations in Kashmir. An alternative strategy needs to be evolved to protest and counter the HR violations. If we would provide conducive atmosphere to our students for studies, they would thrive at national and international level where they can project the plight of Kashmiris at bigger forums. This is the age of Internet and modern means of communications can be used to protest the HR violations.
When last year whole Kashmir was under siege and media was gagged, Kashmiri students outside the state used youtube to highlight the HR violations.Blackout in the night, pen down strikes in offices for an hour and other ways can be devised to protest against the atrocities committed by the troops. Students, lawyers, doctors wearing black badges during work is a better way to protest and can be sustained for long.Strikes have never been able to attract international attention towards Kashmir. How many times due to strikes international human rights organizations have taken cognizance of any HR violation and pressurized New Delhi to be cautious? Strikes remain localized to a few localities of Srinagar and other towns. They miserably fail to achieve their objective which is to internationalize HR violations in Kashmir.
If one tries to introspect what went wrong with last year’s uprising when lakhs of people were on streets demanding freedom, frequent strikes was one of the main reason for its failure. People were fatigued which was even acknowledged by Geelani Sahib himself when on October 6, 2008 strike call was taken back. Geelani that time agreed that children have to go to schools, farmers have to reap the harvest and marriages had to be solemnized. From November 2008 to March or April 2009, it seemed separatist leadership was in deep slumber. They were in shock and awe after massive participation of people in the Assembly elections immediately after massive uprising against Indian state. Massive participation of people in Assembly elections wasn’t vote in favour of India, but anger against wrong policies of separatists. Kashmiris are politically mature enough now and they can’t be fed with hollow slogans. Beware Geelani Sahib, calling a press conference and announcing strikes won’t be acceptable to the people for long now.
Leadership in Kashmir is in desperate need of strategy. Hartals, protests, sacrifices are means to an end. They cannot be an end in themselves. We need a mission statement, a clear demarcation of short term, medium term and long-term objectives. One hartal or two hartals in a year, is understandable. If we don’t allow our children to go to the schools, where will be the human resources to make it a great nation which we dream of? It is a self-inflicted wound, which desperately needs a re-think.
(Zulfikar Majid, a senior correspondent with Greater Kashmir, is a member of Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow Global network and can be mailed at zulfikarmajid@gmail.com)
We are complicating the problem for ourselves. A weak nation goes weaker as there are no days to work in. It’s paramount duty of separatists to devise a new way to protest. This one has damaged a lot, comments Zulfikar Majid.
While the recent rape and murder of two innocent girls in Shopian (south Kashmir) has sent shock waves across the Valley and beyond, subsequent strikes called by separatists against the incident have multiplied the woes of the already suffering Kashmiris. The Shopian incident is so grave that no sane person can close his eyes. It happened with innocent Aasiya and Nelofar today, it can happen with anybody tomorrow. But can we save honor and dignity of our women by calling strikes? Or we need to do something beyond strikes. Is strike only weapon with us? Whom we are punishing by calling strikes on every small and big issue? Incidentally there is no evidence of strikes in Muslim history. Neither is there any significant correlation between strikes and successful liberation movements across the world. Striking work emerged mainly as a communist concept where the daily waged worker wants to inflict economic costs on the capitalist owners.
But whom we are punishing here and how does India get affected if we boycott economic activity and work. Indian state must be feeling elated when Kashmiri children do not go to school, the sick can’t go to doctor, the daily waged lose their daily wages. I don’t subscribe Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s theory that a nation which aspires for independence has to give some sacrifices like strikes. History is witness that no country or nation has achieved freedom by abstaining from the work. I ask Geelani Sahib what a person, who earns his livelihood on daily basis and has to feed his family, will do when you call strikes for weeks together. The families of street vendors and daily wagers might be starving during strike days. Is anybody bothered about those poor souls? How hapless patients feel when they aren’t able to visit a doctor.
Isn’t Geelani punishing the victims (read Kashmiris) who are already at the receiving end of Indian establishment? The unending era of strikes started right from 1990 when armed insurgency broke in Kashmir. From an arrest of a militant commander to the killing of civilians, everything was followed by days or at times weeks of strikes. This crippled the economy of Kashmir. Students of that generation were the worst sufferers as their studies got severely affected by the strikes. Separatists groups never gave rethink or debated the hartal strategy. Infact, at times different separatists groups to show their presence call unnecessary strikes.
Hundreds of days of work has been lost in the past two decades due to the strikes. If we could have achieved freedom by continuously abstaining from work for a year, still it wouldn’t have been a bad bargain. But I want to ask Geelani Sahib and other separatist leaders would India leave Kashmir, because of strikes.
No nation can achieve freedom when it is feeble and strikes makes Kashmiri nation even feebler. Our students had started to compete at national and international level from the past few years. Starting from last years Amarnath land row agitation till this time, there was complete or partial strike almost 50 percent of the days. Nations aspiring freedom have to be economically self-reliant. By calling unnecessary strikes our economic dependence on India increases every day. These illogical strike calls would scuttle any move by Kashmiris to achieve economic self-reliance. Not only on local issues, at times strikes are enforced on Kashmiris on death anniversary of any leader of Muslim world.
Nobody can deny that troops commit human rights violations in Kashmir. An alternative strategy needs to be evolved to protest and counter the HR violations. If we would provide conducive atmosphere to our students for studies, they would thrive at national and international level where they can project the plight of Kashmiris at bigger forums. This is the age of Internet and modern means of communications can be used to protest the HR violations.
When last year whole Kashmir was under siege and media was gagged, Kashmiri students outside the state used youtube to highlight the HR violations.Blackout in the night, pen down strikes in offices for an hour and other ways can be devised to protest against the atrocities committed by the troops. Students, lawyers, doctors wearing black badges during work is a better way to protest and can be sustained for long.Strikes have never been able to attract international attention towards Kashmir. How many times due to strikes international human rights organizations have taken cognizance of any HR violation and pressurized New Delhi to be cautious? Strikes remain localized to a few localities of Srinagar and other towns. They miserably fail to achieve their objective which is to internationalize HR violations in Kashmir.
If one tries to introspect what went wrong with last year’s uprising when lakhs of people were on streets demanding freedom, frequent strikes was one of the main reason for its failure. People were fatigued which was even acknowledged by Geelani Sahib himself when on October 6, 2008 strike call was taken back. Geelani that time agreed that children have to go to schools, farmers have to reap the harvest and marriages had to be solemnized. From November 2008 to March or April 2009, it seemed separatist leadership was in deep slumber. They were in shock and awe after massive participation of people in the Assembly elections immediately after massive uprising against Indian state. Massive participation of people in Assembly elections wasn’t vote in favour of India, but anger against wrong policies of separatists. Kashmiris are politically mature enough now and they can’t be fed with hollow slogans. Beware Geelani Sahib, calling a press conference and announcing strikes won’t be acceptable to the people for long now.
Leadership in Kashmir is in desperate need of strategy. Hartals, protests, sacrifices are means to an end. They cannot be an end in themselves. We need a mission statement, a clear demarcation of short term, medium term and long-term objectives. One hartal or two hartals in a year, is understandable. If we don’t allow our children to go to the schools, where will be the human resources to make it a great nation which we dream of? It is a self-inflicted wound, which desperately needs a re-think.
(Zulfikar Majid, a senior correspondent with Greater Kashmir, is a member of Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow Global network and can be mailed at zulfikarmajid@gmail.com)
Friday, May 1, 2009
Muslims targeted. Responsible who?
Has West been the soul exploiter. Are Muslims themselves responsible for the mess they are in. Did situation worsen for them catching them unawares. To this effect, reasons are many, writes Zulfikar Majid
What went wrong for the world to become such a difficult place for a Muslim to live. On introspection, it becomes very hard to find one factor entirely and absolutely responsible. Many people believe and argue that it is the Muslim world in general and the Muslim leadership in particular that has failed itself, yet they agree that the non-Muslim world did not fulfill its responsibilities either. The only major concern rather grievance of the Muslim world of the pre-cold-war times was the Palestinian conflict. The cause and the grievance was genuine which is corroborated by the fact that majority of the non-Muslim world shared the Muslim concerns with regard to Palestine. The concerns remain, although a huge support base for the cause has been lost owing to the changing world scenario where economic, military and diplomatic interests find preference over humanity and justice.
During the cold war the world was divided and polarized. The world powers were more interested in exploiting the conflicts like Palestine for their own benefits rather than solving them on the grounds of justice and humanity. America made use of the so called Mujahideen in Afghanistan to defeat the Soviet Union with the help and active support of Pakistani military and intelligence which played a pivotal role in the Taliban uprising. Before leaving the Afghans alone, the United States had the moral obligation to see to the matter that the mess of warlords was cleared and the country was set in order.
While the Afghan war was still on, it gave vent to a dormant Kashmir dispute which had already forced Hindu majority India and Muslim majority Pakistan to go to war, at least twice after their independence from the British in 1947. Kashmiris demanded right to self determination as envisaged in the UN resolutions on Kashmir which was out -rightly rejected by India. The mass uprising took a violent turn when Kashmiri youth took to arms against the Indian state in 1989. Fighting has left tens of thousands dead and raised fears that the stubborn conflict could escalate into a full-scale nuclear war. Both countries tested nuclear devices in 1998 which was the peak time of a resistance movement started by Kashmiris in late eighties.
Around one hundred thousand people have lost lives in this conflict, about one million rendered homeless, thousands of houses destroyed and thousands of men and women disabled physically or mentally. Once again the world leaders disappointed the Muslim world by giving a deaf ear to the Kashmiri people. The torture and violations of human rights inflicted on the Kashmiri Muslims generated sympathies for them all around the Muslim world, which resulted in diversion of many warriors just relieved from the Afghan war to join Kashmiris in their struggle. The appearance of the hard core warriors and fidayeen (suicide bombers) from the non-local outfits gave it a more extremist outlook.
In 2002, armies of both the nuclear powers (India and Pakistan) stared each other eye-ball to eye-ball on the borders of Kashmir after attack by some terrorists on Indian Parliament in New Delhi. Both countries mobilized more than million troops on the border and it raised fears of a nuclear catastrophe. But after mobilizing troops, both the countries realized that war was no option and a peace process started between the two before it broke down in November 2008 after ten heavily armed terrorists attacked financial capital of India Mumbai killing atleast 200 civilians. India accused Pakistani hand in the attack while the later denies it. War hysteria is on in both the countries right now.
Kashmir is the root cause of problem between India and Pakistan and has a potential to become a nuclear tussle if the conflict remains unresolved. By this time there were three burning issues for the Muslim and the non-Muslim worlds to tackle and solve; undoubtedly the Muslim world has always looked towards the West to solve its issues. The lack of unity among the Muslim nations and Muslims as a whole is evident from the war and differences between Afghan factions, the Palestinian parties and the different separatist forces in Kashmir. Apart from this the world powers have shown reluctance and sluggishness in addressing the genuine concerns of the Muslim world while being capable of doing so by sacrificing some petty national, political and diplomatic interests.
Of late new US president Barrack Hussein Obama’s statement that he would appoint a special envoy for Kashmir has rekindled hopes among Kashmiris. Kashmir conflict is giving an excuse to the extremist organizations in Pakistan and even Afghanistan to exploit the situation. One has to agree that in the short term the world had to launch a concerted effort against terrorism which it did in the form of so called War on Terror although in an exaggerated manner. But in the longer term the world powers also had the responsibility to look into the root cause of the extremist and militant outbursts, and try to eliminate them as far as possible. On the contrary a generalization was done and just struggles for freedom and human rights were termed as terrorist and extremist movements which only exacerbated the situation.
Terrorist and extremist forces need favorable conditions and moral support among their societies to thrive and flourish just as much as fish need water to survive. The world powers ensured that they keep getting this support and these favorable conditions by intimidating Muslim world for reasons that were either too insignificant or unknown. The invasion on Iraq, insults of Abu Ghraib, inhuman treatment at Guantanamo bay, silent spectatorship of Palestinian siege, ruthless bombing of Afghanistan, arm twisting of Iran and Pakistan were the realities that made the Muslim world trust the theories and notions of the extremists who at least appeared to be fighting for their concerns and shared their faith.
Slow but sure, the Muslim world lost faith in US and Europe casting serious doubts on the intentions of the world powers. It is a common notion among Muslims that the West is after the Muslim nations as it wants to control the oil reserves that they possess. They feel that the West has made excuses like war on terror and weapons of mass destruction to further its interests of controlling oil reserves or capturing strategically important locations. Many people draw parallels between the nuclear aspirations of Iran and North Korea and the difference in reactions by the US towards the two countries. Abetting Israel in mass killing of helpless Palestinians, Signing MoUs with Israel while it was still busy committing war crimes in Gaza are the realities out of which young Muslims of today draw their conclusions.
The challenge for the United States, Britain and other world powers is to win over the hearts of Muslims across the globe and exhibit that they really believe in peaceful co-existence with the Arab and the Muslim world. They need to assure the Muslim world that their genuine concerns will be resolved in a fair and neutral way. Finding the root cause of the extremist and terrorist activities/movements and giving much of their attention to address them will be the real challenge before the world powers. Whether? When? And how the West does so, will surely determine the future of this planet.
(Zulfikar Majid, a senior correspondent with Greater Kashmir is member of Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow Global Network and can be mailed at zulfikarmajid@gmail.com)
What went wrong for the world to become such a difficult place for a Muslim to live. On introspection, it becomes very hard to find one factor entirely and absolutely responsible. Many people believe and argue that it is the Muslim world in general and the Muslim leadership in particular that has failed itself, yet they agree that the non-Muslim world did not fulfill its responsibilities either. The only major concern rather grievance of the Muslim world of the pre-cold-war times was the Palestinian conflict. The cause and the grievance was genuine which is corroborated by the fact that majority of the non-Muslim world shared the Muslim concerns with regard to Palestine. The concerns remain, although a huge support base for the cause has been lost owing to the changing world scenario where economic, military and diplomatic interests find preference over humanity and justice.
During the cold war the world was divided and polarized. The world powers were more interested in exploiting the conflicts like Palestine for their own benefits rather than solving them on the grounds of justice and humanity. America made use of the so called Mujahideen in Afghanistan to defeat the Soviet Union with the help and active support of Pakistani military and intelligence which played a pivotal role in the Taliban uprising. Before leaving the Afghans alone, the United States had the moral obligation to see to the matter that the mess of warlords was cleared and the country was set in order.
While the Afghan war was still on, it gave vent to a dormant Kashmir dispute which had already forced Hindu majority India and Muslim majority Pakistan to go to war, at least twice after their independence from the British in 1947. Kashmiris demanded right to self determination as envisaged in the UN resolutions on Kashmir which was out -rightly rejected by India. The mass uprising took a violent turn when Kashmiri youth took to arms against the Indian state in 1989. Fighting has left tens of thousands dead and raised fears that the stubborn conflict could escalate into a full-scale nuclear war. Both countries tested nuclear devices in 1998 which was the peak time of a resistance movement started by Kashmiris in late eighties.
Around one hundred thousand people have lost lives in this conflict, about one million rendered homeless, thousands of houses destroyed and thousands of men and women disabled physically or mentally. Once again the world leaders disappointed the Muslim world by giving a deaf ear to the Kashmiri people. The torture and violations of human rights inflicted on the Kashmiri Muslims generated sympathies for them all around the Muslim world, which resulted in diversion of many warriors just relieved from the Afghan war to join Kashmiris in their struggle. The appearance of the hard core warriors and fidayeen (suicide bombers) from the non-local outfits gave it a more extremist outlook.
In 2002, armies of both the nuclear powers (India and Pakistan) stared each other eye-ball to eye-ball on the borders of Kashmir after attack by some terrorists on Indian Parliament in New Delhi. Both countries mobilized more than million troops on the border and it raised fears of a nuclear catastrophe. But after mobilizing troops, both the countries realized that war was no option and a peace process started between the two before it broke down in November 2008 after ten heavily armed terrorists attacked financial capital of India Mumbai killing atleast 200 civilians. India accused Pakistani hand in the attack while the later denies it. War hysteria is on in both the countries right now.
Kashmir is the root cause of problem between India and Pakistan and has a potential to become a nuclear tussle if the conflict remains unresolved. By this time there were three burning issues for the Muslim and the non-Muslim worlds to tackle and solve; undoubtedly the Muslim world has always looked towards the West to solve its issues. The lack of unity among the Muslim nations and Muslims as a whole is evident from the war and differences between Afghan factions, the Palestinian parties and the different separatist forces in Kashmir. Apart from this the world powers have shown reluctance and sluggishness in addressing the genuine concerns of the Muslim world while being capable of doing so by sacrificing some petty national, political and diplomatic interests.
Of late new US president Barrack Hussein Obama’s statement that he would appoint a special envoy for Kashmir has rekindled hopes among Kashmiris. Kashmir conflict is giving an excuse to the extremist organizations in Pakistan and even Afghanistan to exploit the situation. One has to agree that in the short term the world had to launch a concerted effort against terrorism which it did in the form of so called War on Terror although in an exaggerated manner. But in the longer term the world powers also had the responsibility to look into the root cause of the extremist and militant outbursts, and try to eliminate them as far as possible. On the contrary a generalization was done and just struggles for freedom and human rights were termed as terrorist and extremist movements which only exacerbated the situation.
Terrorist and extremist forces need favorable conditions and moral support among their societies to thrive and flourish just as much as fish need water to survive. The world powers ensured that they keep getting this support and these favorable conditions by intimidating Muslim world for reasons that were either too insignificant or unknown. The invasion on Iraq, insults of Abu Ghraib, inhuman treatment at Guantanamo bay, silent spectatorship of Palestinian siege, ruthless bombing of Afghanistan, arm twisting of Iran and Pakistan were the realities that made the Muslim world trust the theories and notions of the extremists who at least appeared to be fighting for their concerns and shared their faith.
Slow but sure, the Muslim world lost faith in US and Europe casting serious doubts on the intentions of the world powers. It is a common notion among Muslims that the West is after the Muslim nations as it wants to control the oil reserves that they possess. They feel that the West has made excuses like war on terror and weapons of mass destruction to further its interests of controlling oil reserves or capturing strategically important locations. Many people draw parallels between the nuclear aspirations of Iran and North Korea and the difference in reactions by the US towards the two countries. Abetting Israel in mass killing of helpless Palestinians, Signing MoUs with Israel while it was still busy committing war crimes in Gaza are the realities out of which young Muslims of today draw their conclusions.
The challenge for the United States, Britain and other world powers is to win over the hearts of Muslims across the globe and exhibit that they really believe in peaceful co-existence with the Arab and the Muslim world. They need to assure the Muslim world that their genuine concerns will be resolved in a fair and neutral way. Finding the root cause of the extremist and terrorist activities/movements and giving much of their attention to address them will be the real challenge before the world powers. Whether? When? And how the West does so, will surely determine the future of this planet.
(Zulfikar Majid, a senior correspondent with Greater Kashmir is member of Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow Global Network and can be mailed at zulfikarmajid@gmail.com)
Friday, March 6, 2009
Does the West Have a Role?
Understanding Kashmir
By ZULFIKAR MAJID
Srinagar, Kashmir:
The resolution of the Kashmir issue will help eradicate religious extremism in Pakistan. Militant elements in the region will find little reason to blame the West for negative interference once the issue of Kashmir is resolved. There is rise of Taliban in Afghanistan and the rise of Muslim extremism in Pakistan. Pakistan along with Americans is presently fighting resurgent Talibans in its area bordering Afghanistan. But the Kashmir dispute, which dates back to 1947 partition of the Indian sub-continent into India and Pakistan, continues to be the biggest hurdle in peace in the region. The lingering Kashmir dispute allows the extremist elements to incite passions among the masses and get recruits for the global Jihad.
It seems the West understands it. The British Foreign Secretary David Miliband wrote in the Guardian after his recent visit to south Asia: “On my visit to south Asia, I am arguing that the best antidote to the terrorist threat in the long term is cooperation. Although I understand the current difficulties, resolution of the dispute over Kashmir would help deny extremists in the region one of their main calls to arms, and allow Pakistani authorities to focus more effectively on tackling the threat on their western border.” The comment, angering the Government of India that considers Kashmir as its integral part, is valid in so far as Kashmir continues to be the hot spot in South Asia and a potential source for the nuclear confrontation.
The Kashmir problem began in 1947 with the partition of the British India that led to formation of two sovereign countries India and Pakistan.
Pakistan immediately claimed the right over Muslim-dominated Jammu and Kashmir state, in accordance with the principles of the two-nation theory, which stated Muslim majority areas should become part of new dominion called Pakistan.
The first war between India and Pakistan over Kashmir started in 1947 with Pakistan gaining control over 1/3rd of Kashmir that is called Pakistan administered Kashmir. Pakistanis call it Azad (independent) Kashmir. The major portion remained under India and is called Jammu and Kashmir. The war ended only after the UN intervention and the UN resolutions that called for withdrawal of troops from both the Kashmirs and the holding of plebiscite.
However, India refuses to hold the plebiscite, saying the bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan have made the Kashmir a bilateral issue and any third party including the UN has no role.
But still the issue of Kashmir consistently threatens peace in South Asia by straining relations between the two nuclear neighbors, India and Pakistan, and giving rise to increasing militancy and religious extremism amongst the local population. Three wars and ongoing conflict between both the countries has led extremist groups to use religion to garner support amongst Pakistanis and Muslim Kashmiris for their cause.
The anti-India armed insurgency backed by mass uprising erupted in Jammu and Kashmir or in Indian controlled Kashmir in 1989 and since then it has consumed some 100,000 people. The human rights activists say that there are some 10,000 persons who were subjected to enforced disappeared by the Indian security forces for the past 20 years.
The insurgents in early 90s sought support from the religious elements in Pakistan who support Kashmir jihad and describe it as unfinished agenda of the partition. While as in India the Hindu organizations like RSS consider Kashmir a part of Hindu civilization and oppose its secession.
Situation changed for better with the governments of India and Pakistan starting a bus–service between the divided Kashmirs in 2005. Former President of Pakistan Parvez Musharraf advocated demilitarization of Kashmir, a proposal which had several takers in Kashmir-both separatist and mainstreams. Demilitarization was considered to be the prologue to solution of Kashmir problem which would not only bring a much needed political reprieve to the people of Kashmir but will also help in social and economic reconstruction of Kashmir. As the same discourse had picked up in the sub-continent, the November 26 terror attacks in Mumbai changed the scenario with India blaming Pakistani elements for the attacks and Pakistan denying the same.
With the Mumbai attacks, Kashmir has again proved to be the only major obstacle in normalization of relations between India and Pakistan as it serves as an inspiration to some militant quarters across the region. General perception is that if this issue is resolved, it will rule out any possibility of a nuclear confrontation between the two neighbors besides denying extremist elements a call for arms. Further, the solution of Kashmir problem will open new possibilities of reduction in burgeoning defense expenditure of India and Pakistan, which will help in poverty alleviation in the region.
If the West intervenes in Kashmir and helps in finding a lasting solution to Kashmir problem, it will be seen as a groundbreaking goodwill gesture to the Muslims of the world, which will open new possibilities of dialogue between the West and the Muslim world. It will help Muslims shed off the impression that the West is indifferent to their sufferings across the globe. The separatists or secessionists including some prominent religious leaders argue that the Western intervention is imperative as the bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan has failed to deliver any substantial result. Despite being Muslims, Kashmiris don’t perceive the West as their enemies. The United Nations Militarily Observers Group office in Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir that oversees peace agreement brokered by the UN in 1947 between India and Pakistan and symbolizes the West in Kashmir is thronged by people who submit detailed memoranda seeking the UN and the US intervention in the dispute.
(Zulfikar Majid is a journalist covering low intensity Kashmir conflict for the last six years and can be emailed at zulfikarmajid@gmail.com)
By ZULFIKAR MAJID
Srinagar, Kashmir:
The resolution of the Kashmir issue will help eradicate religious extremism in Pakistan. Militant elements in the region will find little reason to blame the West for negative interference once the issue of Kashmir is resolved. There is rise of Taliban in Afghanistan and the rise of Muslim extremism in Pakistan. Pakistan along with Americans is presently fighting resurgent Talibans in its area bordering Afghanistan. But the Kashmir dispute, which dates back to 1947 partition of the Indian sub-continent into India and Pakistan, continues to be the biggest hurdle in peace in the region. The lingering Kashmir dispute allows the extremist elements to incite passions among the masses and get recruits for the global Jihad.
It seems the West understands it. The British Foreign Secretary David Miliband wrote in the Guardian after his recent visit to south Asia: “On my visit to south Asia, I am arguing that the best antidote to the terrorist threat in the long term is cooperation. Although I understand the current difficulties, resolution of the dispute over Kashmir would help deny extremists in the region one of their main calls to arms, and allow Pakistani authorities to focus more effectively on tackling the threat on their western border.” The comment, angering the Government of India that considers Kashmir as its integral part, is valid in so far as Kashmir continues to be the hot spot in South Asia and a potential source for the nuclear confrontation.
The Kashmir problem began in 1947 with the partition of the British India that led to formation of two sovereign countries India and Pakistan.
Pakistan immediately claimed the right over Muslim-dominated Jammu and Kashmir state, in accordance with the principles of the two-nation theory, which stated Muslim majority areas should become part of new dominion called Pakistan.
The first war between India and Pakistan over Kashmir started in 1947 with Pakistan gaining control over 1/3rd of Kashmir that is called Pakistan administered Kashmir. Pakistanis call it Azad (independent) Kashmir. The major portion remained under India and is called Jammu and Kashmir. The war ended only after the UN intervention and the UN resolutions that called for withdrawal of troops from both the Kashmirs and the holding of plebiscite.
However, India refuses to hold the plebiscite, saying the bilateral agreements between India and Pakistan have made the Kashmir a bilateral issue and any third party including the UN has no role.
But still the issue of Kashmir consistently threatens peace in South Asia by straining relations between the two nuclear neighbors, India and Pakistan, and giving rise to increasing militancy and religious extremism amongst the local population. Three wars and ongoing conflict between both the countries has led extremist groups to use religion to garner support amongst Pakistanis and Muslim Kashmiris for their cause.
The anti-India armed insurgency backed by mass uprising erupted in Jammu and Kashmir or in Indian controlled Kashmir in 1989 and since then it has consumed some 100,000 people. The human rights activists say that there are some 10,000 persons who were subjected to enforced disappeared by the Indian security forces for the past 20 years.
The insurgents in early 90s sought support from the religious elements in Pakistan who support Kashmir jihad and describe it as unfinished agenda of the partition. While as in India the Hindu organizations like RSS consider Kashmir a part of Hindu civilization and oppose its secession.
Situation changed for better with the governments of India and Pakistan starting a bus–service between the divided Kashmirs in 2005. Former President of Pakistan Parvez Musharraf advocated demilitarization of Kashmir, a proposal which had several takers in Kashmir-both separatist and mainstreams. Demilitarization was considered to be the prologue to solution of Kashmir problem which would not only bring a much needed political reprieve to the people of Kashmir but will also help in social and economic reconstruction of Kashmir. As the same discourse had picked up in the sub-continent, the November 26 terror attacks in Mumbai changed the scenario with India blaming Pakistani elements for the attacks and Pakistan denying the same.
With the Mumbai attacks, Kashmir has again proved to be the only major obstacle in normalization of relations between India and Pakistan as it serves as an inspiration to some militant quarters across the region. General perception is that if this issue is resolved, it will rule out any possibility of a nuclear confrontation between the two neighbors besides denying extremist elements a call for arms. Further, the solution of Kashmir problem will open new possibilities of reduction in burgeoning defense expenditure of India and Pakistan, which will help in poverty alleviation in the region.
If the West intervenes in Kashmir and helps in finding a lasting solution to Kashmir problem, it will be seen as a groundbreaking goodwill gesture to the Muslims of the world, which will open new possibilities of dialogue between the West and the Muslim world. It will help Muslims shed off the impression that the West is indifferent to their sufferings across the globe. The separatists or secessionists including some prominent religious leaders argue that the Western intervention is imperative as the bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan has failed to deliver any substantial result. Despite being Muslims, Kashmiris don’t perceive the West as their enemies. The United Nations Militarily Observers Group office in Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir that oversees peace agreement brokered by the UN in 1947 between India and Pakistan and symbolizes the West in Kashmir is thronged by people who submit detailed memoranda seeking the UN and the US intervention in the dispute.
(Zulfikar Majid is a journalist covering low intensity Kashmir conflict for the last six years and can be emailed at zulfikarmajid@gmail.com)
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