States must also provide justice and equality

While speaking to a seminar organised in Palais Des Nations in Geneva by International Institute for Peace, Dr Shabir Choudhry said:

Whereas I agree violence and terrorism is evil and must be opposed and condemned, but we also need to look at reasons why people resort to violence. Sometimes when people have exhausted all peaceful and political means to achieve their legitimate rights then some feel violence is the only way to get their voice heard.

I am not condoning or supporting terrorism as that leads to misery, loss of human life and destruction; and very often leads to more violence. Conflicts and disputes should be resolved through a process of dialogue, but when all avenues of peaceful means are closed to them; and people are unfairly treated and pushed against wall, it is expected that some will lose patience and resort to violence.

Violence and terrorism is bad, whether it is individual terrorism, group terrorism or state terrorism; but people will say state terrorism is worst as it is generally the main cause of grievances and has capacity to cause more destruction under the cover of law and order and fighting terrorism. Then situation comes when a man killing people and destroying homes and villages from safety of his jet fighter or helicopter gun ship is called a brave soldier; and person who is defending his basic human rights, his family and his home is labelled as a terrorist.

Every human society has problems and it is not possible to resolve problems of society with use of gun; and this message needs to be understood by the states and groups who have grievances and want to resolve political matters with use of violence. Violence should not be used to advance a political agenda by groups; and governments and their agencies should not deny people of their fundamental rights.

Using his right of reply Dr Shabir Choudhry said, I have lived in England for past 43 years and I have not seen any mosque used as a base to commit terrorism. It is totally wrong assumption. Mosques are places of worship and peace. They are used for praying, teaching religion and spreading peace and harmony not hatred and violence. It is however possible that a terrorist could be using that mosque for praying, but it must not be construed that the mosques has any role in terrorism or its promotion.

He further said I have not condoned terrorism, if anything I have been campaigning against terrorism for many years. Some people say it is wrong to kill civilians but it is appropriate to target army personnel to advance legitimate rights, as they represent a state against which people have grievances.

I do not even support violence against what are called ‘legitimate targets’ like army men and police men, as they also have families, children and parents. Terrorism must not be condoned under any context, but at the same time states must also adopt reasonable and acceptable attitude and treat all citizens equally. They must provide justice and protect fundamental rights of all citizens. When states or some of their organs become a source of inequality, injustice and oppression, people resort to terrorism.

We people of Jammu and Kashmir fought for our right of self determination by using peaceful methods and after 40 long years of peaceful struggle some of them got frustrated and resorted to violence. I know what destruction and misery this policy of using violence to advance the Kashmiri cause has brought to my countrymen. Despite loss of tens of thousands lives, destruction and misery our goal of independence is not in sight yet – we are not any nearer to our destination; if anything we are more divided and further from our goal of independence.

Those powers which are fighting terrorism by using jet fighters and justify it under collateral damage really need to rethink of their strategy as they are creating more people ready to take them on. We have seen the trauma of old men, women and children who were uprooted from their homes in millions in name of fighting terrorists and Talibans in Pakistan. The way their homes were destroyed and the way they were humiliated it will surely lead to more violence and more people will be ready to take up the cause of fighting the oppressors; or take revenge for loss of their love ones. End

Dr. Shabir Choudhry, Director Institute Kashmir Affairs

Tel: 0044 77909 42471                     Email: drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com

My blog: www.drshabirchoudhry.blogspot.com/

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Dr Shabir Choudhry
"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." -- George Orwell.