A Lawless Law in A Lawless Land

What does one do for revenge? Or for wanting something from someone against his will? Or for hating someone’s guts? Or wanting to ‘teach a lesson?’ Or for bullying someone at school? One can either act on them or just be content without doing anything. A lot of them appear vague reasons, meriting no response. (Some of these reasons are stronger than what our government uses to arrest people (it uses no reason) as you will read later on).

How does one act to fulfil these wishes, if one can not be merely content? A person may kidnap another to ‘teach him a lesson,’ or ‘demand money’ or  ‘ just kill him.’ This person then will be considered a kidnapper or a killer, as the case may be. A sane democratic government will hunt this person down and then put him on trial and then behind bars.

Q. But what if a state wants to do ‘all of the above’, and get away with it? What can the state do?

JacKal Police

As Srinagar burns protesting the killing of a 17 year old by the JacKal Police (formerly the JK Police); how far the government has reigned them in, is obvious from this picture:

A policeman carrying an AK rifle is stopped by his colleague from CHARGING AT A WOMAN who was raising anti-police slogans on seeing policemen committing ‘atrocities’ against the protesting youth in Chattabal area of Srinagar. Srinagar remained under siege and angry youth defied restrictions and clashed with police to protest against the killing of teenager Tufail Ahmad Matoo. At least 15 persons including eight policemen were injured in fresh clashes. (Courtesy of Rising Kashmir)

This picture is a testimony of the powers they have courtesy of the state government. If the government was really serious about the innocent deaths in the valley, we would see restrain from the JacKal Police, but that obviously is not the case. We rather hear ridiculous statements from the government. They really are losing grip of their senses.

From a previous post on the JacKal Police:

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has turned over the past decade and a half from an organization supporting the freedom struggle to a people more than happy to kill innocents and it will continue to grow evil. It has already graduated from beatings innocents to killing them, now they just need to expand their reach and increase the innocent death toll. Once India is confident that the police have been trained well to behave as colonial masters, as is the attitude of the army at present; it can reduce the presence of the army, flash a happy face to the world, confident and satisfied at the thought that the same role is being played by someone else. Lessons from the colonial masters, the British, has always inspired India: import officers who can act and behave as colonial masters, obtain the major chunk of the force from the local population and impose evil through them…more

And, the meaning of JacKal in the context of the JK Police:

Old World nocturnal canine mammal closely related to the dog; smaller than a wolf; sometimes hunts in a pack but usually singly or as a member of a pair.

Omar’s Kashmir

Does it look like this boy was murdered?

Click To Enlarge (Warning: Discretion Is Advised)

Or is it just another innocent’s killing?

If he was murdered, as the Indian press is obliged to report, the killer, whose description would defy Sherlock Holmes, must really have a great imagination and wickedness. He had an fool-proof plan: he waits and picks his target on a day of protests, follows him to a crowded playground, hits him on the head as soon as the police charges the crowd. He is able to do all this given even in the highly charged atmosphere. And no one sees him pick a heavy stone and hit him. It doesn’t just stop here: he is so concerned about this death, that he and a friend of his actually take this kid to a hospital and then disappear! The police is now looking for the youth who, out of humanity, took him to a hospital. But, humanity is a concept, the armed forces are not aware of. They just have to please their bosses, and in this case, Omar Abdullah – the murderer to take reigns of Kashmir, with his brother-in-law Sachin Pilot’s blessings nevertheless.

Lies!

Omar how long will you continue lying? Manmohan did promise you all out support, but this is not what you are supposed to be doing!

Just look at the clothes this little kid is wearing, the t-shirt speaks of innocence. Cry a tear for this little soul.

UPDATES:

When Tufail gifted his jacket to a needy boy.

Delhi’s Derelictions

Elsewhere in Srinagar, CRPF men go crazy, start beating people and smashing windows, as thousands defy curfew to bury young Tufail.

Then The World Would Mourn, Then It Would Forget

–Farhat Rukhsar–

A minute mourns and then forgets

My heart to my Kashmir indifferent seems

And while thou native were riddled with bullets

My long dead soul was chasing dreams

While blood oozed and they watched unconcerned

While thou were gasping for each labouring breath

While we joked in colleges in Mughal gardens sauntered

In Dalgate youth approached its untimely death

Riddled by Central Reserve Police Force

Then dropped a grenade in thy bag

This is the Heaven’s secret curse

An Angel given terrorists tag

How long on that pavement thy body bled?

How long resembling humans had their fun?

Thou went left dreams, parents half dead

Dark earth and sky, gone is their sun

Time has ceased what Happy New Year?

Mirth has left the home in paradise

Home were empty eyes look for their dear

Home where walls still echo with painful cries

Home where mere pain Eid would bring

Home where sacrifice already has been done

Home where thy memories forever would cling

Home where celebrations for Eid would be none

But killing innocents has a reward of its own

One lakh rupees and promotion I fear

And in my time conditions have honed

And protesters get killed everywhere

Thou college student and so am I

Though thou shot dead, I am not – yet

Tomorrow they might then they will lie

Then the world would mourn then it would forget.

(In Memory of Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh, 22; Riddled With Bulets on 9th August 2006, click here to read the post)

(poem courtesty of greater kashmir)

Kashmir Government Not Powerful Enough To Name An Airport

Although there should have been no hesitation in naming it after the saint, as Sheikh ul Alam does not represent any radical political belief concerning the Kashmir politics; he being a character that belongs to an era when there was no India, no Pakistan and of course no Kashmir conflict, forms a benign symbol.

If this symbol of Kashmir’s national being is disallowed expression at a place which is supposed to be visited by people around the globe, it strengthens the suspicion that India is always scary of Kashmir emerging as an entity that has its own history and symbols of national being.

Difficult to reconcile that if PDP passed a resolution and sought clearance from the then Prime Minister, A B Vajpaye, why Airport Authority of India did not respond to it? If for such an ordinary and harmless thing it takes concerned authorities in India so long, in case they really are unaware of the whole matter, then how is Kashmir going to solve its bigger problems through an institutionalised mechanism that is in place in the shape of state administration! The reluctance of certain sections at Delhi as alluded to by some sources, smells of the traditional politics of Delhi to disallow any kind of expression to Kashmir’s collective self. It is here that the right wing Sangh Parivar and ‘secular’ Congress finds a reason to join hands.

Both NC and PDP talked of sub-nationalism in their political campaigns in the recently concluded Assembly elections, if they cannot get an Airport in their state named the way they want it, they better stop talking about bigger things like demilitarisation, cross LoC trade, autonomy, self rule etc. It only makes a laughing stock of them.

(etalaat editorial)

UN, We Are Not Indian

A message for the world, all Kashmiris already know this:

Rhetoric, notwithstanding.

Two more fall prey to the bullets of India’s Army, as India’s Prime Minsiter visits the occupied state of Kashmir.

 

Rail Mubarak, a new greeting in Kashmir, wonder whether we will soon have a railway public holiday!

And someone, somewhere was shown his rightful place.

Mere Rhetoric

The Prime Minister of India while speaking in Kashmir:

“We cannot change the borders, we can make them irrelevant,”

“We seek the normalization of our relations with Pakistan. A solution of all issues that cause estrangement, including Jammu and Kashmir, through dialogue and peaceful negotiations in an atmosphere free of violence.”

“There are real winds of change in the subcontinent today. Economics, technology and travel are altering older mindsets of suspicion, fear and hostility. It is undeniable that much has changed between India and Pakistan in past few years,” Dr Singh said.

“I feel sad that curfew had to be imposed on many occasions causing lot of problems to the people.”

“If any separatist group wants to meet us we are ready. I have already met them earlier. Kashmir is an integral part of India.”

“The recent incidents in the state show that there is some resentment towards the government among a section of the youth here on certain issues. It has always been our belief that even the most difficult issues can be resolved through dialogue. We started a series of round table conferences and government will welcome dialogue with all sections of people.” Rediff

Mere rhetoric!

 

The End Of Hurriyat

Indefinite curfew has been imposed in Kashmir today; this follows the imposition of section 144 yesterday. Yasin Malik has been arrested, while as Geelani was hospitalised. Authorities claim that UPSC roll number slips and Air Tickets will be considered as Curfew Passes, though such consideration was not shown the last time when even a pregnant women on way to the hospital was beaten ruthlessly by India’s Army. A local cable channel has again been banned.

The Hurriyat is failing the people, they have sold-out, and their acts (what made them believe that the government would not impose the curfew?) if seen in a critical manner would lead to one conclusion: that the Hurriyat is exhausting the spirit of the people so that the struggle falls back to its own slow pace, which comforts all but the common Kashmiri people. Last time when the rally was planned; people were hopeful, supportive and full of energy; today they are upset, dismayed and undermined in spirit. This October may not see the withdrawal of the Army from Kashmir; however it might see the end of Hurriyat and the emergence of a new leadership. The Hurriyat may have proved their importance to India and Pakistan, but they are definitely going to fall in front of the people. Emotional fools we may be, but idiots we are not.

Tomorrow may decide a lot of things for Kashmir, I just hope tomorrow does not see the end of more innocent lives. Hurriyat, against my better judgement, may prevail and win their battle, and we the people, will have to continue fighting ourbattle.

Earlier Posts on the land row, the gagging of the people and the spirit of Kashmiris:

Was It Just A Few Hectares Of Land? – I

Yes, I Am A Daemon, But Kashmir Scares Me

No Photoshop This!

Kashmir Strikes Back

Section 144 Imposed In Kashmir

Section 144 has been imposed in Kashmir effective 5th October 2008, in view of the upcoming Massive Protest March planned for the 6th of October. Last time a massive curfew was imposed in the Valley to prevent a similar rally. The protests had started way back in the month of June against an order effecting the transfer of land in Kashmir to a Hindu Shrine Board. This time it appears that either the government and the separatists have come to an understanding or the government is quite confident of handling the situation better than it did the last time. It is pertinent to mention here that the Indian Armed Forces occupied the vale of Kashmir illegally in the October of 1947 by flying troops to the Srinagar Air Field, that one act was to change the destiny of Kashmir. Will this October Rally herald a new beginning for Kashmir?

 

Forgetting Heroes

This is just one of the ills that ail our civil struggle. Absence of self-introspection has plagued our society tremendously, we tend to forget our own sacrifices way too easily, detrimental to our own cause.

Asiya Andrabi’s words are almost always to get media attention. If she were as honest in demanding succour for those martyred and injured as her words claimed to be, she (or her organisation, since she is in Jail right now; on a different note: Kashmir suffers from a lack of Organisations, there are only individuals (read leaders lacking even the basic sense of leadership)) would have fought for their rights in a similar manner she fought for the closure of liquor shops in Kashmir. Geelani definitely has taken a leaf from this news item:

Seven-year-old Bisma looks shabby in ragged clothes. There are no chances of her getting a new pair on Eid. The father who used to get her dresses every Eid is no more. He was killed by Hindu fanatics during the economic blockade of the Valley in August.

According to Jigri the president of Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) president Prof Bhim Singh paid for the admission of the children in a private educational institution.

“No body else has come to the rescue of the children,” she said.

Greater Kashmir

I Shot Him Because His Name Incensed Me

From a reader’s words

…I was reminded of a conversation with a major in the Indian army whom I met at a friend’s place in Delhi, recounting how he killed a Kashmiri driver during a routine check because he was incensed at the driver’s Muslim name and how this was listed as yet another “encounter” death. That was about eight or nine years ago at the height of the BJP’s rule at the center. Gruesome as it was listening to his slow- motion account of that “encounter”, what struck me at that time was that the man felt no shame or remorse. Instead there was a sense of bravado. That was the first such “encounter” he had had and remembered it as one would remember a first love.

This major went on to join the elite Black Cat commando force set up to counter terrorism.

Read the complete post here

Innocents are killed, killers are rewarded, this is the story of life in Kashmir!

• We need a kill , operations have dried up, the shocking story of India’s army in Kashmir.
• A young student was shot point blank , instead of an investigation, the killers were rewarded.
• Does a 19 year old deserve to be tortured, burned and then killed ? India’s Army thinks he does.

Was It Just A Few Hectares Of Land? – I

The city of Srinagar abounded with sparkling lakes, today just one survives, the rest having died unnoticed and silently. This one lake, the oft-quoted and oft-photographed, Dal Lake has withstood the onslaught of man’s greed and nature’s fury for centuries. This lake perhaps is the symbolic representation of a Kashmiri – one who has survived decades, nay centuries, of onslaught by foreign rulers, and continues to sparkle, like the lake, hiding its scars far within. Kashmir would see an era of Peace only when the seat of power was held by one of its own. Never have foreign rulers been able to control it for good and nothing has ever dampened the spirit of the people of this humble valley. A Vale surrounded by such tall mountains that it should never have been discovered by ‘the others’ to begin with. Invaders of all religions, colours, hues, wishes and desires have trampled this humble valley but never could they escape from the fire that burns within the heart of every Kashmiri, the desire to be free. Having lived under subjugation and enslavement, the Kashmiri body may have been enslaved, not the Kashmiri soul!

The year 1947 saw such turn of events, that Kashmir, instead of seeing a breather after an excruciating survival under the Dogras saw it being occupied by a country it did not know. A country it never had any ‘unconditional’ economic, social, political, cultural or religious ties with, any that it might have had were forced. The country was India and 61 years have passed without the slightest ebb in the hatred for the state of India in the hearts of Kashmiris.

Non-violent protest never seen in the past; art of subjugation learned from Israel by India; and a silent international community are the hallmarks of Kashmir since last three months. Was it a simply a case of the few hectares of land that were transferred or the blocking of the National Highway that has given birth to such staunch resentment in Kashmiri hearts? Are they willing to die of starvation rather than come on the table just because of these two issues? Even the rampant un-employment in the state never led to such massive civil disobedience. What is it then exactly? Is Freedom the uncomplicated and simple answer to this complicated and intricate problem that has been dragging on even before the states of India and Pakistan were created?

Freedom does suffice as an answer for a Kashmiri. A Kashmiri who is not well read may not be able to explain further this Freedom to a non-Kashmiri; a learned Kashmiri may elaborate to a non-Kashmiri as to what exactly this ‘Freedom’ means, but still the definition would be elusive. It has a thousand contours and colours, rather Oppression in Kashmir has a thousand contours and colours and the only way to even out those contours and the only antidote to this oppression, as all Kashmiris see it, is Freedom.

To think that it was just the Land Transfer or the Economic Blockade is naïve thinking, it would be murderous for India and the people of India to think of these two abstract reasons as the only and main cause of all the effect we have been seeing in Kashmir.

From a previous post on this blog 1521 For 1, written February 0f 2008:

For those who want to know, this is a clear indication that the fight in Kashmir is not just with the 460 odd always on run militants but something greater. What is that greater? That greater is the burning desire in every Kashmiri for Freedom. The never dying desire to breath the crisp fresh air of Freedom; Freedom from slavery, subjugation, torture and oppression or perhaps just the freedom from having to carry an Identity Card for moving outside our homes in our land or still just perhaps the freedom to know that every morning won’t bring the news of deaths by bombs and bullets. Increasing number of tourists visiting Kashmir or decreasing number of militants is not an indicator of peace, as the Government is trying to portray. Kashmir is a volcano about to burst, like it did in 1989.

And Kashmir did burst the summer of 2008.

The Killings Continue

Kashmir -Friday, the 12th of September, 2008

The emotions, the rage, the strength and the helplessness of Kashmir.

Stats:

2 Killed.

25 Hit By Bullets.

150 Injured.

2 Million Protesting.

Perpetrator:

India.

Zardari’s Good News May Be No News At All

Zardari, in his first press conference after being sworn in as President of Pakistan said:

“Insha Allah, we will have some good news” on Kashmir

and

he said [that] the PPP government will consult all political forces in Pakistan, both inside and outside Parliament, to forge some kind of a strategy to resolve the Kashmir issue.

This will be taken to the Kashmir Committee in Parliament, Zardari said, adding the work done through back-channel diplomacy will also be part of this. Indian Express

Definitely nothing is in the pipeline right now, one should really not expect anything huge (at most the good news may be opening of trade route) before (or even after) the Indian elections (and not certainly from this man, read later on why). His second statement makes it obvious that work (of whatever sort) has to be started and is not yet done on the Kashmir issue. As he says, PPP will consult parties, forge a strategy which will be taken to the Kashmir Committee. And one should also not forget that as fate has it for Kashmir, no news which has been delivered by external forces has been good for Kashmir since the last 61 years. The only good news Kashmiris should expect and look forward to is the news we, the Kashmiris create and deliver. As the present non-violent movement evolves, Kashmir may see a bright new day, not so soon maybe, but not too far either.

The separatists in Kashmir have welcomed the dialogue process cautiously and they should not pin too many hopes on it either, Kashmiris have been time and again packed under words and abbreviations, be it the CBMs, the Healing Touch, the Formulas and now Good News!

Geelani:

“We won’t accept any decision which is thrust on Kashmiris. Solution has to come according to the aspirations of the people of J&K
Greater Kashmir

Yasin Malik:

“In the eyes of people of Kashmir, dialogue institution has lost its sanctity, because for the last 62 years dialogue process couldn’t yield any results. To restore the sanctity, this dialogue process must be time bound and transparent,” Greater Kashmir

Mirwaiz:

“As Kashmiris we have always welcomed Indo-Pak dialogue, but unfortunately Kashmiris were never allowed to be part of it. We welcome Zardari Sahib’s statement, but till Kashmiris aren’t part of it, it won’t deliver.” Greater Kashmir

Hafiz Saeed of Jamaat ud Dawa (formerly LeT) has claimed that Zardari’s policy will be no different than Musharraf and warned Zardari of trouble if the policies are not changed.

…warned that if the president-elect Asif Ali Zardari and his government did not change the policies of the former president, Pervez Musharraf, then Pakistan would be in great trouble.

Hafiz Saeed claimed that Zardari’s policy would only strengthen Musharraf’s policies. Greater Kashmir

Musharraf actually had no policy on Kashmir, he just put a gag on the Jihadi organisations operating from Pakistan and that worried the top-bosses of these organisations, since liberation of Kashmir from India and merger with Pakistan appears to be their only goal. A goal a majority of Kashmiris are not comfortable with. Over 75% of Kashmiris want complete independence from India and Pakistan. Changing One master for Another is not really what the Kashmiris are demanding. The viability of independence as an option has been discussed elsewhere by Kashmir Bloggers and is not the topic of discussion in this post. Still, those who talk about Kashmir being a land-locked country, we do all know that no country in the world exists in isolation and Kashmir had survived fine without India till 1947, so no worries on that front. It should also be noted that the UN Resolution of Self Determination did include the option of Complete Independence but it was dropped after extensive lobbying by the then Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Sir Zafarullah Khan

The indulgence of the Jihadi organisations in any form at this point of time will be counter-productive for Kashmir. Kashmir has risen without any leader(s) asking them to and the protests will continue to evolve in a non-violent manner. Any act by the Jihadi organisations to lead or include guns will cause irrecoverable harm to Kashmir. Even Indian politicians are unable to peg this uprising on Pakistan, ISI or the Jihadi Organizations and they are looking for a chance to do so and Hafiz Saeed might give them just that.

And about Zardari, one should not expect much from Zardari, who is disliked in Pakistan apparently more than Musharraf was, here is a review of what Pakistani Bloggers think about this man:

General Zardari As President

We are so lucky that we are ruled by drunk bearucrats, corrupt army generals and offcial dacoits!

Pakistan Zindabad!!

Adnan’s Crazy Blogging World

So We Get A New President

Allah save t[h]e country now … I wonder how many months it’ll take to have the whole country sold .. you think it can be done in Days?

Islamabad Metblog

Welcome To Mr. Zardari’s Pakistan

Benazir actually gave Pakistan as her last dowry gift to her widower. But I don’t think even she would have ever thought that Mr. Zardari would one day become “President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan”. In fact when I voted for PPP in last election, I never thought that PPP will make such a mockery of the mandate given by people of Pakistan.

Lahore Metblog

Rebirth Of Kashmir

The Rebirth Of Kashmir is a beautiful post by David Lepeska, an American journalist who has done a stint of reporting in Kashmir.

This post of his captures and does justice to the emotions of Kashmiris apart from being a decent analytical view on the present situation in Kashmir -and he is honest to Kashmir, since having stayed and interacted with the people of Kashmir he knows the ground reality – unlike the desktop Indian journalists who, often never having visted Kashmir, write what they feel and think, not what the truth is.

The police and Indian army troops, armed to the teeth and out in force earlier in the day, have melted away. How do you attack someone laughing and dancing joyously as he denounces you and your country?

Yes, many protesters are vehemently denouncing their oppressor, India, and celebrating Pakistan and Islamist militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. But these are less acts of allegiance, more expressions of Kashmiri unity, as separatist and Muslim.

So while Kashmir remained beautiful the shadows of the past and a lingering threat darkened the days.

No longer. The floodgates have opened and Kashmiris are releasing two decades of pain, anger, fear, frustration and loss – the pent-up emotions of the conflict generation. It is not a revolution as much as an evolution. We are witnessing the rebirth of Kashmir. For now, the insurgency is over, giving way to a broad-based non-violent movement for azadi.

And for my money, this is how freedom arrives. Not from the barrel in a gun. Not with a knock at your door in the dead of night. But from a seething, jeering, bopping mass of one.

All Over The Place

David Lepeska had also written about Kashmiri Bloggers for The Kashmir Observer. His blog has some other interesting posts and pictures on Kashmir also.

I Will Not Quit…

…since I am just a humble henchman of India, a hypocrite, a chameleon and in unholy matrimony with India.

Omar Abdullah’s lie:

I WILL QUIT IF unbridled force IS UNLEASHED ON MY INNOCENT PEOPLE!

Source

This still isn’t unbridled force for Omar Abdullah, but wait, he wasn’t speaking anything he means, he never does.

Is This NOT Unbridled Force?

Killer Roaming Free – Henchman Of India, No Different Than Abdullah

Shot In The Neck By Indian Forces

Tear Gas And Kill

Is This NOT Unbridled Force?

Youth Shot In Nowhatta, Srinagar POINT BLANK.

Ready To Fire, Finger On Trigger

Beaten For Daring To Buy Food!

Woman SHOT POINT BLANK By CRPF Troopers!

Stop Me If You Can!

No Unbridled Force All This!