Kashmir Turmoil: Militarization, genocide, poll, curfew- all in one

by Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal

(December 17, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) The imperialist and colonial powers possess ample number of resources to silence the oppressed people under their custody. Today every big power is an imperialist or colonial power. India, though not a big power, yet remains one; it still has Kashmir under its brute control. The double-speaking India also always supported its extra terrorism in its neighborhoods, has yet to declare its terrorism in Sri Lanka illegal, but is keen make Kashmirs terrorists as well.

Already economically haunted, the Muslims have been facing tough situations around the world on account of the fabricated ‘terrorism’ reports by the global media abetted by the intelligence wings. The anti-Islamic agenda in conjunction with anti-Pakistan-cum-Kashmir goals has stood Hindu India in good stead and blame for all terrorism activities perpetuated by the state agencies and Hindu outfits have been cunningly placed on the defenseless Muslims in India and Kashmir as well the “cross-border-terrorists’ from Pakistan. India media over decades have created a terror image about Muslims around and pleaded with the UN and USA for the total “innocence of Hindustan” and had asked the world to treat the Muslims as potential terrorists.

Kashmir “dispute”, cunningly created by India, is indeed a humanitarian crisis which can be resolved through broader unity alone, but disunity could continue to add more frustrations and deaths in JK. UN stipulated that India should get a plebiscite in occupied Kashmir to help determine what the Kashmiris want. Unfortunately India is reining in on its promise of holding a plebiscite in Kashmir. India has increased human rights violations after the illegal transfer of State’s forest land to the controversial NRI Hindu god Amarnath shrine board and the subsequent mass uprising, many politicians expressed solidarity with Kashmiri people who were suffering against the Indian aggression.

Jammu Kashmir, under Indian terror occupation, has suffered enough already, Hostilities and conflict are nothing new to this picturesque valley which, in the midst of assembly elections, is seeing New Delhi talking about keeping its ‘options open’ on going to war with Pakistan. On the eve of Mumbai terrorism, India and Pakistan sat together, as usual, to discuss normalizing ties as well as express willingness to address the issue of Jammu and Kashmir through a dialogue process. In Kashmir food is scarce, the state’s economy, as always, is in despair, just as fresh snow descends upon the Valley The public mood in Kashmir following the Mumbai terrorism is bitter. Consequences of the deadly terror attack in Mumbai have been felt in Kashmir after all. Many suggest that it could even be a deliberate move by the either side to sabotage the peace process, so that Kashmir continues to suffer.

Till date, Indian government has not realized the necessity to call of the polls unleashed on suppressed nation in the name of democracy, but in effect only to legitimatize its military control over the region. Poll or no-poll Kashmiris have resolved to obtain sovereignty back from India. For the last six long decades Kashmir history is filled with Indian heavy militarization, curfews, both declared and undeclared, destruction and genocide and polls. India thought this way world would be satisfied with Indan occupation. Recent Mumbai terrorism once again disillusioned the Indian hopes for keeping Kashmir under terrorism plank and secure UNSC seat under "terrorism" fighters' category. That means Indian media supported by global anti-Islamic media could not justify its advancing “national interests”.

India has a nasty way of defending its democratic and secularist planks. The presence of eight lakh troops and additional 600 companies of security forces deployed in Kashmir makes the Indian elections in Jammu Kashmir were meaningless. The freedom leaders who have been advocating poll boycott had been jailed and their movement strictly restricted, which was highly undemocratic and unjustified. Chariman Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called for a general strike in Kashmir in wake of Prime minister. A complete strike observed on December 13 as a protest against the visit of Indian Prime Minister to the Kashmir valley. that prime minister's visit to Kashmir was amounting to rubbing salt on the wounds of people of Kashmir and people have every right to express their anger against his visit. He said that India was lost in the lust of power and that is why it has deprived people of Kashmir of their basic right. However, speaking at an election rally in Shangus in Anantnag district, in South Kashmir, Dr Singh said that India wants to resolve the Kashmir dispute peacefully, and added that bloodshed is not a solution to any problem. He as usual does not elaborate upon the meaning of resolution.

Indian Terrorism Agenda

Indian occupation of Jammu Kashmir was not an instantaneous action, but, it seems, it was the result of a deep rooted conspiracy by Indo-UK leaders. But, after annexing Kashmir, India, as a leader Non-aligned (NAN) sought the sympathy and support of major powers to retain Jammu Kashmir as a part of India Union. During the Cold war India manipulated the ideologically charged Soviet Union to get weaponry and technology to keep Kashmir under its brute control. It is a fact, without the military support from Russia, for decades, of high precision weapons systems and nuclear facility, India would not have heavily militarized Kashmir and brutally murdered so many thousands of innocent Kashmiris. In fact it was Soviet Union that shielded Indian misadventures in Jammu Kashmir and spoke for it in the UN and UNSC without even bothering about the fate of defenseless Kashmiris under Indian terror occupation. But then USA, a close ally of Pakistan did not use enough diplomacy, as it did in many other instances, to make India see reason to quit Kashmir peacefully, though it supplied weapons to Pakistan, nuclearism inclusive. For both Russia and USA it has been business as usual in military equipment. Now with the advent of Israeli men-machines on Kashmir soil, Kashmiris have to guard against evil-designs of India so that they are stopped once for all. Certainly UK did play a nasty role in helping India capture Jammu Kashmir.

India wants to keep Kashmiris under duress and tension. Unmindful of the global criticism of Indian terror activities in Kashmir and unfettered by the popular unrest and uprising in Jammu Kashmir for freedom and removal of foreign terror forces from their lands, terrorist India, as usual relying on its militants- like-strategists, is gong ahead with its planned polls by using all means, mainly money and military. Taking the notes supplied by the military bosses, the hard-line Election Commissioner of India has very cleverly said poll could be held in Jammu Kashmir and only the weather could spoil the poll prospects. Whether or not he meant by weather the freedom movement it is indeed the issue for India. India thinks in the ensuing showdown only Kashmiri Muslims would be murders, and possibly also a couple of military personnel too. After all the India policy for Kashmir has been genocide oriented and elimination of voice of pretest form Kashmir and make every Kashmiri a pro-Indian like other Kashmiris now.

India conducts poll in JK under military security-cum-terror. Ulemas in Jammu Kashmir are planning to issue a fatwa (edict) against the State for imposing undeclared curfew to disallow Friday congregational prayers. Chairman of Jammu Kashmir Mutahid-e-Majlis Ulema (MMU), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that Ulemas here were planning to issue a fatwa against the State government to protest against the ‘religious repression’. Mirwaiz said that the issue was a long running problem in Jammu Kashmir and MMU, after holding consultations with renowned Islamic scholars at national and international level, would issue a fatwa. This is the sixth consecutive Friday when congregational prayers in Jamia Masjid Srinagar were not held due to imposition of undeclared curfews.

Governor of JK Has invented undeclared curfews to suppress the defenseless Kashmiris and to fool the world about Indian democracy credentials. The district headquarters of Islamabad, Pulwama, Baramulla, Sopore and other areas were also under the siege. There was a restricted public movement. The authorities had imposed undeclared curfew in Srinagar, Islamabad, Pulwama, Baramulla, Sopore and other district headquarters in wake of CC call. The CC had called for peaceful protests after Friday prayers. Police and CRPF had erected barricades at several places to avoid assemblage of people. Pantha Chowk that connects Srinagar with Pulwama, the South Kashmir district that is going for polls on Saturday was also closed for the entire day.

Mirwaiz, the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) and Co-Chairman of Jammu Kashmir Coordination Committee (CC) has been under house arrest for the past one month and was only allowed to address a gathering on Eid-ul-Azha at Jamia Masjid but was soon after placed under house arrest. Mirwaiz said, “Against the violation of fundamental right to religious practices in Jammu Kashmir, MMU will seek a broader view from world-known Islamic scholars and issue a fatwa after that.” MMU was formed in 2005 when Madrassas in Jammu Kashmir were banned. The motive of this organization was to guard Islam from irreligious elements. CRPF men desecrated the shrine of Dastegeer sahib (Sheikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani) at Lal Chowk during the recent mass uprising. In past Charar-e-Sharief shrine was transformed into a battleground and set ablaze in mid nineties. During Hazratbal siege Indian troops committed many sacrilegious acts and shot at unarmed protesters. Countless number of similar incidents has been witnessed in the past. In February 1992 Indian troops laid a siege on Hazratbal shrine. The siege was lifted after five days and the holed up armed gunmen inside were offered a safe passage. On May 10, 1994, Charar-e-Sharief shrine was set ablaze amid cordon by the army who offered a “safe passage” to Must Gul, an Afghan-trained militant.

Why India is still focused on Poll?

Practicing a sort of vulture culture in relations to Muslims in India and Kashmir, India seeks to justify its illegal occupation of Kashmir and genocide of Kashmiris for decades. Until recently, state sponsored terrorism helped Indian leaders legalize their Kashmir occupation and the brutal killings. By enacting another terror scene in Mumbai, India continues to justify its actions in Kashmir by using state terrorism just enters to dislocate the peace efforts to free Kashmir from Indian occupation.

After independence and the annexation of Kashmir in 1947, India hates any dissident activities any where in India and Jammu Kashmir, because that would weaken its power and hegemonic status. Military determines the Indian domestic as well as foreign course. Kashmiris want the foreign rule to end in their country and Indian terror forces to leave peacefully for New Delhi, where they could control the anti-Muslim Hindu fanatic terrorists. India believes, along with military and police-cum-intelligence, money could do wonders and is somewhat liberal in money matters dealing with pro-India leaders in JK and is willing to give some cash if the freedom leaders also want, but India still expects these “nuisance people” and ‘”terrorists” must become Indians with Hindu mindset.

India occupying Jammu Kashmir by brutal force is keen to the get the endorsement of world bodies and the western powers that donate huge sums to India for its “democratic” credentials. But at this crucial stage of freedom struggle, India relies on the pro-India Kashmiri politicians who willingly play into the dirty hands of India. By doing so and now by participating in the elections for their personal benefits they are in fact playing with the aspirations, emotions and very lives of their own people. Geelani rightly remarked that by doing such acts they become enemies of Kashmir nation.

Once a new regime is put in place, the post-paid New Delhi strategists argue, that would control the Kashmiris and quell the freedom movement and India only has to pump in some cash regularly to keep the pro-India elements in good humors. The "Kashmir rulers would the use freedom leaders as bargain chip with New Delhi for more favors for their family and friends. Freedom leaders, cutting across their usual mutual bickering stance that encourages Indian state terrorism in Kashmir, have asked the people not to vote and rightly appealed the government employees not to do any poll-related services to foreign guys from India to justify their terror rule in Kashmir. In fact, except Congress none of the political outfits are willing partake in the Indian polls, but the fear that Indian would impose the Congress government on Kashmiris to resume its terror regime make other pro-India parties also jump into poll fray on the cash promises form New Delhi.

Occupied Kashmir was put under federal rule in July following the collapse of the so-called state government over a land row that triggered a revival of anti-India demonstrations that left 50 Muslims dead in the ensuing Indian forces’ action. Amid Muslim politicians calling for a boycott of the seven-stage polls, arguing elections strengthen India’s occupation on the region. Srinagar and other major towns were put under a curfew. Riot police beat back hundreds of anti-poll protesters in occupied Kashmir as the region voted in the second stage of elections with thousands of troops surrounding the polling stations. The latest stage of the vote comes amid heightened tensions, with two anti-election protesters shot dead by police on Saturday in the town of Baramulla. Sunday’s turnout was however less than what was in the first round of voting last week in which, according to Indian officials’ claim, more than 60 per cent of the electorate cast their ballot. Freedom leaders with a view to promoting positive gestures for quick freedom resolution of Kashmir, have for the first time in 20 years pledged non-violent elections, unlike the previous polls in 2002 when 850 people were killed in riots. Most of the victims were pro-India politicians and their supporters.

Since July scores of Muslims have been mercilessly killed in firing incidents during peaceful demonstrations. Anti-India sentiment is running deep in the valley, where most people favor independence from India or a merger with Pakistan. Anti-poll protests were also reported from every part of Jammu Kashmir. Some stranded passengers in Srinagar said: “What we have suffered all through these years, India has begun to suffer now. They think it was a fidayeen attack in the heart of India’s economic capital — the first ever. “When we get killed similarly, New Delhi doesn’t even bother. Now, you see how they have woken up and made a big hue and cry through media”.

Some parts of Ganderbal, one of the two segments in the valley where voting was held on Sunday also saw protests. Voters at a polling booth in Ganderbal town, 25km northeast of Srinagar, said they wanted an end to the violence. Ghulam Qadir, 54 said, “We will elect people who will not be cruel,” he said, as scores of young Kashmiris outside chanted slogans such as “no election, no selection; we want freedom.” In the Kurhama village, police used batons to disperse hundreds of protesters who were chanting pro-freedom slogans.

Geelani seeks Unity among Kashmiri leaders

Without genuine unity among the freedom leaders it is hard to achiev e their legitimate goal of freedom an arrogant India. Freedom leaders strive towards that now. Both Geelani and Mirwaiz have sought jointly indepndece and questioned Indian polls, “These are shame elections. How can you hold free and fair polls amid a curfew,” said Mirwaiz and called for pro-freedom protests. “India is holding these elections under occupation, detentions and crackdowns,” said the Mirwaiz, who has been under house arrest for 10 days. “Whatever the turnout, no election under these conditions can be a legitimate exercise.” Despite the protests, many voters lined up to cast their ballot, an election department statement claimed. In nearby Kangan Township, more than 100 people could be seen queuing to cast their ballots under the guard of Indian troops with machine-guns. However, people seek independence after the poll.

At long last, freedom leaders have realized the need to build up Kashmiri solidarity. Freedom struggle of Kashmiris is entering a very important, rather crucial moment now. After losing a lot of lives by not comprehending the Indian hidden agenda, freedom leaders have now recognized the importance of united struggle to regain the lost sovereignty and human dignity back from an arrogant India which employees terror methods to suppress the freedom sentiments of Kashmiris. Kashmiris have to be narrated about the hidden agenda of India in forcefully holding polls in JK against the will and wishes of people and to appease the military and Hindu militants' sentiments.

Upon his return from New Delhi, where he underwent medical treatment, the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Geelani has spread a word of unity among the various mainstream political streams in Jammu Kashmir. Seeking broader unity, Geelani shot a letter to mainstream politicians asking them to participate in freedom struggle of Kashmir and he did so “for the larger interest of Kashmiri people”. Geelani is not against polls per se. Once the ownership of Kashmiri land is restored to its rightful owners then political parties can happily contest elections because there would be no moral binding on them and it wound then be matter of domestic affairs. Political parties in Jammu Kashmir could contest the polls and the winners could form a government. But right now it is an occupied land as the ownership of Kashmiris has been usurped and Kashmiris are treated as slaves and now looked down upon by occupying Indians whose time seems to be coming to an end.

Time Pakistan reset its priorities

India tries all tricks, including state terrorism, to force the defenseless Kashmiris fall in line through state repression. All that now seems far behind with the swift political developments in New Delhi and Islamabad — and this Valley silently put its feet up, conceding to the harsh realities ahead. If PadmK comes under Indian military assault, for which New Delhi seems to have kept the ‘options open,’ then the valley would anyway bear the brunt of this new collision course. In other words, India is using threat rhetoric to retain Kashmir under brute custody.

It just so happens that whenever Pakistan reaches out to work on peace with India, something terrible happens. India will not attack Pakistan, at least in the near future. But there is a perceptible anxiety on the streets in the Kashmir Valley as India and Pakistan are embroiled in a fresh diplomatic spat post- Mumbai terror attacks. the valley, under Indian terror occupation, has suffered enough already, Hostilities and conflict are nothing new to this picturesque valley which, in the midst of assembly elections, is seeing New Delhi talking about keeping its ‘options open’ on going to war with Pakistan. On the eve of Mumbai terrorism, India and Pakistan sat together, as usual, to discuss normalizing ties as well as express willingness to address the issue of Jammu and Kashmir through a dialogue process.

The Malegaon blast case has totally tarnished the self importance image of Hindus and now they talk about" terrorism has no religion" from the earlier stand that Hindus are not terrorists only Muslims are so". Recent debates have exposed the facts of tyrannical state regimes engaged in terrorism activities. Pakistan, under cross border compulsions, got sucked into the Afghan trouble back in December 1979 when the Red Army and Soviet troops occupied that country. The US had dubbed that fight against Soviets as “Islamic jihad,” but in fact it was a war between two superpowers — Washington and Moscow. We often, obediently, offer our mercenary services to Western countries, but this one has, by now, gone on for an atrocious three decades. Pakistan’s US services have, by now, brought our country to ruin — and put a question mark on its very existence.

Indian media quickly come to know everything about Hindus in the world around and who occupies what position and who is harassed where, etc. But what atrocities Indians commit, in India and else, etc where not known to these innocent media magnets. If a Hindu dies any where Indian media high lights that as loss to Indian national interests, or if Hindu woman is raped the media literally weeps, but what the Indian terror forces do with Kashmiris in Kashmir, men, old, young and, women and children is not of any concern to Indian media, because intelligence controlling them ask them not to mention that at all. That is the Indian media logic. So obviously, what India does to Pakistanis by its interference in Pakistan or else where does not find any place in Indian media.

Kashmiri have escaped the onslaught of the Indian forces on Mumbai terrorism, notwithstanding the media hype to pull them into the issue as the cause. Indian media have generated news to keep the emotionally struck Indian and global masses in good humors. India blames Pakistan for that. The Indian radars on Arabian Sea can monitor activity of any vassal leaving far beyond Karachi - as far as Gawadar. Mumbai coastline is intensely monitored twenty four hours by high tech helicopters, hovercrafts, speed boats and vassals equipped with latest surveillance electronic gadgets .Every boat and ship entering Indian coastline is scanned. Even a small fishing boat crossing littoral waters is intercepted in minutes. From Deccan Mujahidin the intelligence controlled media quickly switched to Pakistan as a safe space to point an accusing finger. India said enemy came form Karachi for terrorism in India though on Indian Ocean enemy could come from any direction and far from the South Asia region. It is mind boggling that how these could invisible eleven could came from Karachi to Mumbai after crossing 21 Indian radars in a journey of 50 hours.

India says its interrogation of the surviving terrorist indicates that all 10 men come from the Pakistani port of Karachi, and at least one, if not all 10, were Pakistani nationals. People can’t have a healthy society that tolerates in any way its own sons going into a modern city, anywhere, and just murdering everyone in sight — including some 40 other Muslims — in a suicide-murder operation, without even bothering to leave a note. Because the act was their note and destroying just to destroy was their goal. Pakistani media did every thing possible to isolate the “terrorists’, condemn and denounce publicly and repeatedly the murderers — and not amplify, ignore, glorify, justify or “explain” their activities. The Pakistani government, which is extremely weak to begin with, has been taking this mass murder very seriously, and, for now, no official connection between the terrorists and Pakistan or elements of the Pakistani security services has been uncovered. USA has removed the doubts on Pakistan.

It is high time Islamabad sat back and reviewed its policies, both domestic and foreign, especially its relations with global terrorist USA and the regional terror India. Pakistan should tell India point blank to come out with a blue-print for Kashmir independence now. Enough is enough and is really enough and is disastrously enough.

Post-script

The UN resolutions support the view that Kashmir dispute and assembly elections are two separate things and holding elections will have no impact on Kashmir issue. But if understood in the backdrop of Indian foreign policy objectives then it is evident how elections are reined against Kashmiris with view to claiming legitimacy over Kashmir genocide. Having, in the first place, helped a greedy fraud India to terrorize and kill Kashmiris in thousands and hide their dead bodies in secrete graveyards, the world powers, like UK, Russia, USA should, along with UN and UNSC, now must come together to drive the Indian terror forces from the Kashmiri lands and ensure Kashmiris' sovereignty, safety and security. At this juncture the need is to liberate the JK nation from outsiders than elections within status quo.

Terrorism, in the name Taj Mumbai Nov26, has again entered to dislocate the peace efforts to free Kashmir from Indian occupation. It just so happens that whenever Pakistan reaches out to work on peace with India, something terrible happens. India will not attack Pakistan, at least in the near future. But there is a perceptible anxiety on the streets in the Kashmir Valley as India and Pakistan are embroiled in a fresh diplomatic spat post- Mumbai terror attacks.

India is now fully aware of Kashmiris resolution to be free from Indian occupation and become a sovereign nation all over again. After starting off with high-pitch claims about ‘up-to-date’ polling arrangements the governor’s administration appears to have fallen asleep just after the first phase of elections. It seems terrorism ploy has been played out to its maximum capacity. Without obtaining the desired result of any terrorism action, Indian state agencies go mad now. The polling staff, mostly drawn from the education department, is suffering worst arrangements with the employees accusing Raj Bhawan of apathy and callousness. Vohraji, is it not enough is enough already and why don’t you concede independence to Kashmiris?

State terrorism in Kashmir is being practiced as the key policy of mother-India, which ultimately means only military power and genocide of Muslims in Kashmir. The role of military in Indian state rule is not unknown and its advice on Kashmir is final world for Indian government. Moreover, Indian government decides every thing for Kashmir and Kashmiris have no role except in executing the orders from New Delhi . Hence, murders of over a lakh Kashmiri Muslims and torture of Kashmiris in Indian jails. Delhi decides every thing for Jammu Kashmir and directs its affairs according to its shims through its gents appointed there. Delhi also appoints personnel in civil and police services and not Kashmir legislative assembly. So what is the point in having an Indian poll in Kashmir at all? Why does India want to keel the defenseless Kashmiris on one pretext or the other? - Sri Lanka Guardian