Occupied Kashmir: India pays price for collective crime and guilt!

 -   Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal

Kashmir today is no more a paradise.  It is now a land of curfews, military shots, demonstrations, cross board terrorism cum trade, unrest. Kashmir is also now known as a land of secret grave yards controlled by Indian military.

India is the cause of the tragedy of Kashmir.

It is worthwhile to keep briefing the world about the pathetic and endangered existence of Kashmiris under Indian brutal occupational target. Kashmir is one of the most heavily policed and militarized places in the world, with estimates of Indian security forces in the region at well over 700,000 (the government of India refuses to release official numbers). It bears underlining that the population of Kashmir is approximately 5.5 million, which means that there is one security officer for every eight Kashmiris. Before the partition of India, the dominant politics of the movement for Kashmiri independence, led by Sheikh Abdullah, were a heady mix of socialism and nationalism, not political Islam as is often claimed by contemporary analysts. 

When the British left India after ruling India for several hundred years, the 565 prince states, which had maintained a degree of political autonomy through treaties with the British, were given the choice of acceding either to India or Pakistan or remaining independent. Maharaja Hari Singh, the then Hindu rule with Hindu mindset, quickly negotiated an accession to India in exchange for military support. But under the terms of the agreement, Kashmir was to be allowed a referendum to determine the will of the people on the question of accession. Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru, despite publicly proclaiming his support for the plebiscite ultimately reneged on his promise as he was scared that Kashmiris would either go to Pakistan or stay independent and never would join India.

Indian position has remained the same even today even after years of socio-politic engineering in Kashmir but now the former paradise on earth has become a spot of state terror and secret graveyards.  Kashmir has become a pawn in the cynical and deadly game between India and Pakistan. India uses Kashmir to claim that it is a democratic society but does so by rigging elections, importing pliable Hindu rulers, imprisoning elected leaders, and brutally oppressing the population

Kashmiris keep suffering the barbaric Indian crackdown. The last decade of Kashmir resistance has been characterized by secular, democratic opposition to the policies of the Indian state, a reality that goes against all of the mainstream propaganda that Kashmir is another front in the war on terror. The reason as to why Kashmir is so brutally repressed is because the Indian state is now governed by an ideology that requires the fiction of a massive security threat in order to justify exorbitant expenditures on its military and police forces. This fiction is propped up by an ideology that amalgamates Hindu chauvinism, neoliberalism, and authoritarian statecraft. The result has been the wholesale criminalization of even the mildest form of public protest.

Intolerance!

The conflict in Kashmir has potentially catastrophic consequences beyond the sufferings of the Kashmiri people. The Himalayan territory is a major bone of contention between India and neighbouring Pakistan, nuclear-armed foes who have already fought three wars for control of Kashmir, in 1947-48, 1965 and again in 1999. The 1947-48 war, fought while both armies were still under British generals, resulted in the partition of Kashmir. Hundreds of thousands of troops still face each other across the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing Kashmir. The on-off “peace talks” between the two countries were abruptly halted following the criminal 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai which killed 174 people and for which India blamed Pakistan.

Indian regime is fully aware of the fact that leaving Kashmir alone for self rule and soverign politics can lead to normalcy in India and region and prosperity of Kashmir as an independent nation as it existed till 1947 when India dramatically sent the millenary there to occupy under the pretext of denying the Pakistani Muslims to take over Kashmir.

Protests erupted in the summer of 2010 throughout Kashmir, the predominantly Muslim part of India - Jammu Kashmir and Kashmiris have always asserted their independence from India. Throngs of young men and women defiantly hurled stones at Indian occupation forces and set tires on fire to prevent armored vehicles from entering neighborhoods. Their chants were bold—“Go, India, go!”; “Azadi (independence) for Kashmir,” and “Quit Kashmir” -the last being a reference to the slogan of the Indian movement against British colonialism: Quit India.

India has further strengthened occupation forces in Kashmir with extra draconian laws to deal monstrously with Kashmiris. Since 1990, Kashmir has come under the purview of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which allows, among other things, any soldier or officer to fire upon any group of five or more people or anyone suspected of having a weapon, arrest anyone without a warrant, and conduct home invasions. It also gives military personnel full immunity from prosecution for their actions.

The few media outfits that did cover the protests began calling the movement the Kashmiri Intifada, drawing explicit comparison to the other longstanding occupation in Palestine. For fear of having international opinion turn against it, the Indian government quickly clamped down on all media coverage of the resistance in Kashmir and opened its playbook to its favorite page: the rock throwers in Kashmir were quickly dubbed Islamic terrorists.

India has been ruthless. Protests were met with shootings, lathi (baton) charges, the firing of tear gas, curfews, mass arrests, disappearances, and torture. The viciousness of the crackdown has its basis in the suspension of any legal oversight or consequence for the Indian security apparatus

 Is not India crossing all limits in Kashmir?

Like Israel, India also is damn sure that their crimes in Kashmir  can remain unpunished so long as USA and Russia continue to back it becoming a part of collective crimes. It is no surprise that United Jihad Council said that Indian atrocities in Kashmir have crossed all the limits. It said that the criminal silence of international community has encouraged India to unleash terror in Kashmir Valley.

As per a statement to news agency CNS, Syed Salahuddin, the UJC Chief while addressing a high level meeting said that they way Indian butchered 17 Kashmiris in Shopian and Anantnag and wounded hundreds of people by pellets and bullets amply proves that India has completely failed to suppress the freedom sentiments of people of Kashmir. Salahuddin expressed anguish over the silence of international community and said that people of Kashmir have right to question the role of international organizations. “Despite knowing the fact that the struggle of people of Kashmir is based on just international organizations doesn’t act against India. These organizations even know when India fails to kill a Kashmiri, it makes him disable whole life,” he said and paid glorious tributes to slain militants and civilians.   “Instead of reading the writing on the wall, India wants to strengthen its occupation in Jammu and Kashmir using all the military tactics,” he said.

Kashmir has been turned a land of massacres and south of Kashmir especially Shopian, Tral,  Pulwama,  Kulgam, Anantnag into killing fields drenched in the blood of its natives mostly young boys. Joint Resistance Leadership of Syed Ali Geelani , Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik said that the mayhem in Shopian in which 17 people were killed in one day is another gory episode of pain agony and torment that people of Kashmir are repeatedly subject to from time to time over the past thirty years by the military might of GOI that has left more than one lakh Kashmiris dead and hundreds of thousands maimed injured and blinded.

The scenes at the hospital are heart wrenching as the injured writhing in pain have horrific episodes of forces brutality to narrate. Houses have been blown up and razed to ground and even the owners have not been spared the bullet and killed. What is equally cruel and inhuman is that local resident Mushtaq Ahmed Thakur was used as a human shield by the Indian forces and was killed.  JRL said that the vengeful way that bullets and pellets were showered on protesting people left four people dead on spot while more than 50 sustained critical bullet injuries and are battling for life in hospitals. “More than 200 people have been hit by pellets many among them in their eyes which can lead to blindness as has been witnessed.”

JRL said that there is deep pain and anger among people as they witness killings of young boys who feel forced to take up arms as a means of resisting oppression and forcible control over their land. These young boys give up their studies and stake their future because of the lingering Kashmir dispute and the status quo over it  due to GOI arrogance and stubbornness not to resolve it, and the resulting oppression pushes these young boys to to take up arms to liberate their land. JRL said that the protest shut down over the mayhem in Shopian will

The entire Resistance and Hurriyat leadership will move towards Shopian to express solidarity with the people and offer condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones. Leadership will also address a public rally in Shopian. People have been asked to peacefully protest Shopian killings at their local mosques after Zuhr Prayers. The claims made by the agencies of the Ruling regime that leadership is now free to move stands completely exposed as within two days of it we were again put under arbitrary house arrest and Yasin Sahab detained in jail.

Authorities disallow Syed Ali  Geelani from offering funeral prayers for the slain youth in Hyderpora  as that would make Kashmiris embolden and India  vulnerable.  Hurriyat Conference led by Geelani had also called people to offer absentia funeral prayers of slain youth, but police authorities scuttled the move.

Soon as Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Geelani attempted to come out of his residence to offer funeral in absentia, he was stopped by police.  Hurriyat said that Geelani is not only a political personality, but a religious preacher as well and keeping him away from people’s political, religious and social issues is ample proof of this part of land being governed by “an autocratic, undemocratic and unjustified rule. It tantamount to interference in religious matters, Huriyat said saying authorities are suffering from arrogance and frustration.

Referring to the statement of Police DG, wherein he has said that Geelani is now free, Huriyat said that their rhetoric for freedom of speech proved hoax as political and religious leaders are continuously caged and political space denied. Syed Ali Geelani blamed the Indian authorities, their henchmen in state, police and other government forces for these brutal killings. Calling as unfortunate the killing of civilians in Shopian shootout Geelani added that these forces are resorting to their terror policies to carry their unauthorized rule.

Geelani paid tributes to slain youth in Shopian shootout and said that those who lay their lives for a sacred cause, are alive with their Lord and receive sustenance from Him.’’  Blaming Indian authorities for their arrogance and stubborn attitude , Syed Ali Geelani said, we are not being allowed to mourn even our slain youngsters and while denouncing authorities for laying curbs on condolences meeting in memory of slain youth,   Geelani justified the resentment shown by youth in Kashmir and said our youth were taking up arms “to put an end to slavery and this barbarity”.

It is not just a passion however a growing resentment among youth and it is the outcome of unresolved Kashmir issue , unending curbs on political activities, stubborn attitude and has created political uncertainty in the state. Our youth are quite disheartened as peaceful activities are denied,” Geelani asserted and added that “the insensitivity and unconcern of authorities in New Delhi is the sole reason for this unabated bloodshed. Youth have no option but to resent this age-old slavery and take arms to defend their rights.

Lamenting at pro-Indian politicians for prevailing political uncertainty and bloodshed in state, Geelani said that they are playing with the sentiments of people and acting as henchmen for New Delhi in state. Syed Ali Geelani strongly condemned the use of brute and disproportionate force against peaceful and unarmed civilians and said that opening fire on unarmed people shows the height of state terrorism. “India has declared war against civilians in the state, saying nowhere on earth brute force is used against unarmed civilians,” said Geelani in a statement.

Commenting over the unfortunate death of Mushtaq Ahmad Thoker, Geelani condemned forces for their inhuman and barbaric approach, saying making humans as shield is inhuman and barbarous act. It tantamount to war crime, saying it is not a first incident, instead Indian forces as a routine are making human souls as shields, saying they are virtually engaged in genocide in state.

Jammu Kashmir is highly militarized zone, said Geelani and in presence of forces camps in every nook and corner people feel insecure and are reeling under continuous threat. These camps are source of nuisance and badly affected the lives of citizens living in these localities, said he, saying the lives, honour, dignity of civilians is at stake.  “This is an inhuman and unjustified act and it vindicates our claim that forces are involved in war crimes and are patronized and encouraged by Indian leadership,” Geelani said and added that it sends a clear message to the people that “they can go to any extent without any apprehension of accountability”.

Syed Ali Geelani has repeatedly appealed to human rights organisations, the International War Tribunal and Amnesty International to take cognizance of the incident and fulfill their responsibilities in saving precious lives in Jammu Kashmir.

Trader bodies express anguish over Kashmir killings

Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF), held a protest demonstration at commercial hub Lal Chowk in Srinagar against the “killing spree” in Kashmir.   Scores of traders assembled near historic clock tower in Lal Chowk and held a demonstration against the killings of four civilians in Shopian on Sunday. They demanded the government to take cognizance of the situation prevalent here and stop killings forthwith.

Later, the traders tried to take out a march towards United Nations headquarters at Sonwar here. However, huge posse of government forces already deployed near Polo view prevented them from marching ahead. Many traders were also detained by forces   Meanwhile, other traders bodies including Kashmir Traders Federation and Kashmir Economic Alliance strongly condemned the killing of militants and civilians.  Chief Spokesperson Kashmir Traders Federation, Ajaz Shahdhar said that it is a preplanned genocide. “These killings are condemnable and an indication, how people in Kashmir can be butchered anytime without any mercy,” he said.  Co-Chairperson Kashmir Economic Alliance Farooq Ahmed Dar while expressing grief over these killings said that hearts of every Kashmiri are bleeding as our youth are being continuously killed on one pretext or the other.”

India’s Zionist murders in Kashmir

Of late, New Delhi prefers the Zionist terror techniques in dealing with Kashmiris. 

Clearly, colonialist India and Zionist criminal Israel pursue a joint strategy in Kashmir being occupied and targeted by blood thirsty Hindutva forces in state uniform for Muslim blood. Even as Israel kills the besieged Palestinians, India which is corrupt and produces institutionalized frauds, also resorts to murders in occupied Kashmir as its prerogatives- both of these pork-beef eaters target Muslims.

Indian occupied Kashmir observed a shutdown against the killing of 13 militants and 4 civilians for the 2nd consecutive day last week. These killings have sent shock waves and led to massive anger among the population. Reports said that shops and business establishments remained shut while transport also remained off the roads. The authorities apprehending large scale protests had put restrictions at numerous places across Kashmir. Internet services continued to remain suspended on second straight day. Commercial establishments and offices also remained closed, while government had ordered closure of all educational institutions. All examinations scheduled on Monday were also postponed by all three universities including Kashmir University, Islamic University and Central University. Public transport was off the roads.

The call for shutdown was forwarded by Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.   Geelani, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Mirwaiz were placed under house arrest while Malik was arrested from his home and shifted to Kothibagh police station.

To thwart possible protests, authorities enforced restrictions in Srinagar particularly in downtown areas. Barricades were put in place to curb civilian movement. Forces personnel were also seen in areas enforcing restrictions. A vital road link leading to Kashmir’s tertiary care hospital SKIMS was kept open and scattered private vehicles were seen plying on it.

India upset that Kashmiris have resorted to stone pelting in retaliation of military terror attacks. Indian military wants the Kashmiri demonstrators to take weapons to attack them so that the military could put down ruthlessly. Stone-pelting incidents were reported from some parts of Srinagar city including Qamarwari, Maloora and Parimpora. Minor stone-pelting incident was reported from uptown Rambagh area. Youth also hurled stones on deployed forces at Batamaloo Srinagar.

Reports said that protesters who were protesting against the killings had blocked the road. Police fired tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters while youth pelted stones on the deployed forces. Witnesses said that a Sub-Inspector and two protesters were injured in the clashes.   Authorities imposed severe restrictions in all the four districts of South Kashmir including Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag.

Amid strict restrictions, clashes erupted at Gol Chowk Shopian. Youth pelted stones on deployed forces while in retaliation, government forces fired pellets and tear smoke shells to disperse them. Eyewitnesses and reports said that three youth suffered pellet injuries who were hospitalized.

In Shopian, Doctors and paramedical staff held a protest against the alleged indiscriminate firing by the forces inside the premises of sub-district hospital Shopian.  The doctors said that forces fired several rounds at the casualty block and the blood bank inside the hospital following a heated argument with a doctor who asked them to let them do their duty of treating the people injured in Sunday’s clashes.

The doctors and para-medics presented a memorandum to the DC over the last night firing incident. Before meeting the DC, the doctors and the paramedical staff held a sit-in outside the hospital. The doctors conveyed to DC that forces resorted to unprovoked firing inside the hospital premises.

Reports from Pulwama said that agitated protesters attacked CRPF Bunker of 183 Battalion with stones. The troopers and police personnel lobbed sound shells to disperse the protesters who were protesting against the militant and civilian killings.  Clashes erupted at Namlabal Cross KP road, Harnag and Seer Hamdan in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Reports said that at least four youth suffered pellet injuries in Seer Hamdan during massive clashes. Large number of youth protested against the civilian and militant killings.

Funeral prayers in absentia were offered for slain 13 militants and 4 civilians in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district. Reports said that a large number of people participated in the funeral prayers.

Reports from Kulgam said that undeclared curfew and restrictions remained in vogue while large number of people participated in the last rites of slain civilian Mehrajuddin Mir at Okey Kulgam. Back to Back funeral prayers were offered for two slain militants at Paddarpora Shopian. They were buried amid pro-freedom slogans.    Minor clashes were reported from Baagh, main chowk Bandipora and Kalossa.

A complete shutdown was also observed in several areas of Ramban district in Jammu region against the killing of seventeen persons, including four civilians, in Shopian district of south Kashmir killings. Reports said the highway town of Banihal, Khari, Tethar and Chareel in Ramban district observed complete shutdown. All the business establishments and shops remained shut.

Former Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed alarm over more and more local youths joining militant ranks and has blamed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for the new trend which, he said, has emerged after killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani two years ago. “Of the 12 confirmed dead, I understand 11 are local Kashmiris & (and) the identity of the 12th is being ascertained, not one so far is a foreign terrorist. Is no one in a position of power in Delhi alarmed by this because I certainly am!” Omar said in a series of tweets. In yet another tweet, Omar wrote: “So while all this was unfolding the chief minister didn’t see (it) fit to cut short her Delhi trip. What was so important to have kept her there?” he asked. Omar said most of the militants killed yesterday had joined the militancy after killing of Burhan Wani in an encounter with the security forces in July 2016. “Creations of the post-Burhan Wani rage, most of the militants killed yesterday were new recruits,” he added. The conflict in Kashmir has potentially catastrophic consequences beyond the sufferings of the Kashmiri people. The Himalayan territory is a major bone of contention between India and neighbouring Pakistan, nuclear-armed foes who have already fought three wars for control of Kashmir, in 1947-48, 1965 and again in 1999. The 1947-48 war, fought while both armies were still under British generals, resulted in the partition of Kashmir. Hundreds of thousands of troops still face each other across the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing Kashmir. The on-off “peace talks” between the two countries were abruptly halted following the criminal 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai which killed 174 people and for which India blamed Pakistan.

The conflict in Kashmir has potentially catastrophic consequences beyond the sufferings of the Kashmiri people. The Himalayan territory is a major bone of contention between India and neighbouring Pakistan, nuclear-armed foes who have already fought three wars for control of Kashmir, in 1947-48, 1965 and again in 1999. The 1947-48 war, fought while both armies were still under British generals, resulted in the partition of Kashmir. Hundreds of thousands of troops still face each other across the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing Kashmir. The on-off “peace talks” between the two countries were abruptly halted following the criminal 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai which killed 174 people and for which India blamed Pakistan.

The conflict in Kashmir has potentially catastrophic consequences beyond the sufferings of the Kashmiri people. The Himalayan territory is a major bone of contention between India and neighbouring Pakistan, nuclear-armed foes who have already fought three wars for control of Kashmir, in 1947-48, 1965 and again in 1999. The 1947-48 war, fought while both armies were still under British generals, resulted in the partition of Kashmir. Hundreds of thousands of troops still face each other across the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing Kashmir. The on-off “peace talks” between the two countries were abruptly halted following the criminal 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai which killed 174 people and for which India blamed Pakistan.

The conflict in Kashmir has potentially catastrophic consequences beyond the sufferings of the Kashmiri people. The Himalayan territory is a major bone of contention between India and neighbouring Pakistan, nuclear-armed foes who have already fought three wars for control of Kashmir, in 1947-48, 1965 and again in 1999. The 1947-48 war, fought while both armies were still under British generals, resulted in the partition of Kashmir. Hundreds of thousands of troops still face each other across the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing Kashmir. The on-off “peace talks” between the two countries were abruptly halted following the criminal 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai which killed 174 people and for which India blamed Pakistan.

Repression and resistance in occupied Kashmir

Even after years of struggle for independence, much of Kashmir remains under the control of the Indian government. That is indeed the strength India, occupation forces and its media rods. In fact his aspect makes Indian regime feel greatness.

True, Indian military forcefully occupying Jammu Kashmir have killed mover 100,000  innocent Kashmiris, mostly Muslims, driven many from their homes to escape brutality and oppression  of Indian  state criminals in Kashmir,  but Indians suffer mental agony  because of continued  terror menace.

In recent months the Indian state has stepped up its murderous repression of the majority Muslim population in the Kashmir Valley.  More than 60 people have been killed in the latest shootings and hundreds injured, many of them teenagers.

Moreover, more and more Indians are convinced that their military and regime are responsible for the terrorism in India and the region by targeting Kashmirs who in turn get equipped and retaliate.

Blood for blood!

Still India, like its strategic partner Israel, is happy to kill Muslims cable of killing the remaining Kashmiris with Zionist terror goods.

Though Indian media report that more and more Kashmiri Muslims are being “tracked” for fake encounters and many more killed to appease the fanatic Hindus in Indian mainland.

The latest round of killings is but the continuation of decades of repression of the Kashmiri people’s struggle against national oppression. Since 1990, when around 100 unarmed demonstrators were shot dead by Indian troops on Gawakadal Bridge in the summer capital Srinagar, as many as 80,000 have been killed. The Indian military maintains an occupying force of nearly 700,000 troops and paramilitaries there, enforcing a brutal regime of curfews, arbitrary arrests, executions, rape and torture.

Education as best as can is the right of every Kashmiri. Thousands more young men and women in Kashmir have seen their dreams of an international education or career die young for want of passports. Like its strategic partner Israel, India also has used passports as a weapon to discipline and punish Kashmiri dissidents who have sought to challenge India's control over Kashmir.

Any Kashmiri nationalist who had been engaged in non-violent activism to realize the idea of an independent Kashmir, has been denied a passport by the Indian government, thereby inhibiting his right to free movement.   The impossibilities and the lack of freedom that the Indian military occupation of Kashmir had imposed on Kashmiris make every Kashmiri feel suffocated  in their nation. Kashmiri families and relatives are denied the right to travel beyond the borders of "Incredible India”.

International law, as per Article 12 of the "International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights", guarantees an individual the right to free travel. India, with an increasing global clout, has grossly violated its international treaty obligations. The denial of travel documents has adversely affected all the spheres of civil society with consequences on education, trade, religion, employment and human rights.

The Indian state's widespread use of repressive measures to silence and criminalize political dissent dates back to 1947, when pro-Pakistan parties such as the Muslim Conference, the Kisan Mazdoor Conference, the Kashmir Socialist Party and the Kashmir Democratic Union clamored for Kashmir's accession to Pakistan.

From 1948 to 1953, the National Conference government in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which was led by Sheikh Abdullah and backed by India's federal government, either arrested or exiled the leadership of pro-Pakistan parties. Ironically, Sheikh Abdullah, the first prime minister of Kashmir, was arbitrarily removed from power and imprisoned on August 9, 1953, after he indicated to US diplomat Loy Henderson his desire to see Kashmir as an independent country. In the years between 1953 and 1974, India hoisted client regimes in Kashmir, which stifled political dissent and promoted a relentless campaign of state terror.

In 1975, the former prime minister of Kashmir, Sheikh Abdullah, signed the "Kashmir Accord". This compromise with the then Indian prime minister, Indira Gandhi, established the resignation of Abdullah's support for the plebiscite movement in Kashmir in return for the Indian government's promise of restoring nominal autonomy to Kashmir within the Indian Union

To repress this new wave of political dissent, the Jammu and Kashmir government promulgated the draconian Public Safety Act in 1978. The act allowed the authorities to carry out "preventive detention" of peaceful dissenters on vague grounds of being a threat to law and order. Dissidents such as Syed Ali Shah Geelani of Jamaat-e-Islami, People's League leaders including Farooq Rehmani, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Sheikh Abdul Aziz and many others were repeatedly booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Maintenance of Internal Security Act - which replaced the Preventive Detention Act in 1971 - and the Public Safety Act on charges of "preaching sedition and challenging the state's accession to India".

Observation

Both India and Pakistan are beholden to the imperialist powers, today chiefly the USA. The antagonism between the two countries, as well as the attendant communal and ethnic divisions, is the legacy of a deliberate policy of divide-and-rule practiced by the British imperialists as colonial overlords of the subcontinent.

Kashmir is strategically placed on India’s borders not only with Pakistan and Afghanistan, but also with China, which controls Aksai Chin, a territory that India claims as part of Kashmir. The Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh is also disputed by India and China who fought a war in 1962. Today the rivalry between the two countries is acute.

Kashmir epitomizes the seething complex of national and communal conflicts that extend from Afghanistan to Pakistan and India. The brutal repression in Kashmir, the only majority Muslim state in India, gives the lie to New Delhi’s claims that it is a “secular” democracy. The Indian state was founded on naked Hindu chauvinism and brutal oppression of minorities has been the rule under the “secular” Congress party, as well as the avowedly chauvinist BJP. Today India’s much vaunted economic progress has brought fabulous wealth to a tiny elite while the vast majority of workers and peasants are mired in abject poverty. Age-old caste oppression remains pervasive while women are the slaves of slaves throughout the subcontinent.

For Pakistan, Kashmir represents its pretence to stand for “one nation” of all Muslims. Pakistan’s rulers can ill afford to support independence for Kashmir, which would pose the same question for the minorities within its own borders, including Baluchis, Pathans and Sindhis, who chafe under Punjabi domination. But Pakistan itself is an artificial state — Pathans are divided between Pakistan and Afghanistan; Baluchis between Iran and Pakistan and today such ethnic divisions are once again being exacerbated by the US and British imperialist occupation of Afghanistan.

The key to ending the national oppression of the Kashmiri people, as well as the myriad sufferings wrought by capitalism, is the fight for socialist revolution throughout the subcontinent and the establishment of a socialist federation of South Asia. For that it is necessary to forge Leninist-Trotskyist parties which would seek to mobilize the powerful proletariat of India and Pakistan at the head of all the oppressed to sweep away the capitalist system. Indian and Pakistani workers in the Diaspora in Britain, the US, Canada and elsewhere form a human bridge to the working class in the imperialist centres where socialist revolution can lay the basis for a socialist future for mankind.

Human rights abuses in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir state are an ongoing issue. The abuses range from mass killings, enforced disappearances, torture, rape and sexual abuse to political repression and suppression of freedom of speech. The Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Personnel (BSF) and various separatist militant groups have been accused and held accountable for committing severe human rights abuses against Kashmiri civilians.

Crimes by militants are said to be incomparable with the larger scale abuse by Indian state forces. Some rights groups say close to 100,000 people have died since 1989 while the official figures from Indian sources state the estimates of number of civilians killed due to the insurgency in the range of 16,725  to 47,000 civilians, in which 3,642 civilians were killed by security forces. The Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society organisation states that there have been over 70,000 killings, 8000 plus forced disappearances, mass torture and sexual violence, the majority committed by Indian armed forces, and that these cases have had zero prosecution in civilian courts. India accuses the Pakistan Army for abusing human rights in Jammu and Kashmir by violating the ceasefire and continuing to kill Kashmiri civilians, a claim which is totally rejected by Pakistan who blames Indian army for the violation of LoC. . Diplomatic cables obtained by Wikileaks revealed that the ICRC had briefed US officials in Delhi in 2005 about the use of torture from 2002–2004 by security forces against hundreds of detainees suspected of being connected to or having information about militants.

United Nations has expressed serious concerns over large number of killings by Indian security forces. Human Rights groups have also accused the Indian security forces of using child soldiers, although the Indian government denies this allegation. Torture, widely used by Indian security sources, whose severity is described as beyond comprehension by Amnesty International, has been responsible for the huge number of deaths in custody.  Amnesty International accused security forces of exploiting the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) that enables them to "hold prisoners without trial". The group argues that the law, which allows security to detain individuals for as many as two years "without presenting charges, violating prisoners’ human rights". The Army sources maintain that "any move to revoke AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir would be detrimental to the security of the Valley and would provide a boost to the terrorists

Most Indians feel sorry for the state of affairs in Kashmir where Indian forces keep attacking and killing Kashmiris. They seek peaceful resolution so that they also live like humans with dignity; They may not say it in words. India has to take the call and resolve the Kashmir flash. The issue should be resolved amicably so that Kashmir becomes a friend of India. One Kashmiri problem is off Indian agenda Indian leaders will have the time and mind to think seriously about the future peace course for India.

The unfortunate reality in Kashmir is that it is extremely similar to Palestine, where the indigenous population lacks the necessary social force to repel the violence of Zionist occupation forces. But just as the Palestinians have allies in the surrounding states, the Kashmiris have allies in both Pakistan and India who have no interest in occupation, in fact whose lives would immediately be improved if both Pakistan and India were to stop spending Himalayan sums on security personnel and instead spend money on eradicating poverty. The Indian and Pakistani working classes have common enemies—their own states—and the end to the occupation in Kashmir will only be the result of their unified struggle.

Pakistan should rejuvenate its diplomatic strategy with regard to Kashmir while the political leadership of Kashmir be united and foil the evil designs of the enemy.

The military approach of Indian regime to deal with the Kashmir dispute is consuming even the next generations which is a matter of grave concern for all of Kashmiris and Indians. India should by now have fully realized that force and might not deter people from pursuing their just cause even at the cost of their lives. New Delhi therefore will have to engage with the dispute and give people their basic right to self determination.

With its terror strategy, India has made India a bad place to live with dignity except for the rich corporate lords and wealthy politicians. Kashmir problem cross border state terrorism has made the region unsafe.  

India should realize all its diplomatic tricks and terror strategy have failed and Kashmiris are more determined to have their beloved sovereignty than ever in the history of Kashmir which is dotted with foreign occupations.

The sooner it is done the better it is for India, Pakistan, Kashmir and the whole region.