Kashmir protests
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Dawn, Pakistan
Wednesday, 03 Jun, 2009
RELATIVES claim the women were tortured, raped and killed after being abducted by Indian security forces. The authorities in Indian-held Kashmir, for their part, are withholding final judgment pending a judicial probe. For the time being, however, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah maintains that “the initial indication does not suggest either rape or murder” but rather death by drowning. The truth — if it is not covered up — is expected to be known within a month. But in the tinderbox that is occupied Kashmir, where souls have been brutalised for decades and passions run high, the verdict on the street is loud and clear. The bodies of the two women were found on Saturday in a shallow stream, which makes the ‘death by drowning argument’ unconvincing for most. India is seen as an occupying power by the majority of Kashmiris. Torture and wanton murder feature prominently in the track record of the forces enforcing New Delhi’s diktat in the region. For this reason, even relatively minor provocations by the security apparatus can trigger massive protests. And there is nothing minor about this latest incident. The alleged rape and murder of two women is a reprehensible crime no matter where it occurs. But when it happens in Kashmir, it is seen not only as a heinous crime but part and parcel of the reign of terror unleashed by occupiers. Quite understandably, horror and humiliation quickly lead to outrage in these circumstances, and it is not surprising that nearly 90 people have been injured in clashes with law-enforcement personnel since the incident came to light.
The Kashmiri struggle today bears little resemblance to the armed insurgency that was at its peak in the 1990s, when foreign militias were present in force in the valley. Cracking down hard on guerrilla fighters, many of them outsiders, is one thing and beating up protesters quite another. The freedom struggle now seen in Kashmir is a home-grown and largely peaceful movement. This is a sensible course to pursue for reports of militants trading fire with Indian forces do not win much support for the Kashmir cause internationally. Footage of civilian protesters facing the wrath of the police conveys the message far more effectively. So do pictures from Srinagar, a city that is often under virtual curfew and where fear stalks the streets in the form of the Indian forces. Times have changed and Delhi must see the need for negotiation and a gentler hand.
Source
Wednesday, 03 Jun, 2009
RELATIVES claim the women were tortured, raped and killed after being abducted by Indian security forces. The authorities in Indian-held Kashmir, for their part, are withholding final judgment pending a judicial probe. For the time being, however, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah maintains that “the initial indication does not suggest either rape or murder” but rather death by drowning. The truth — if it is not covered up — is expected to be known within a month. But in the tinderbox that is occupied Kashmir, where souls have been brutalised for decades and passions run high, the verdict on the street is loud and clear. The bodies of the two women were found on Saturday in a shallow stream, which makes the ‘death by drowning argument’ unconvincing for most. India is seen as an occupying power by the majority of Kashmiris. Torture and wanton murder feature prominently in the track record of the forces enforcing New Delhi’s diktat in the region. For this reason, even relatively minor provocations by the security apparatus can trigger massive protests. And there is nothing minor about this latest incident. The alleged rape and murder of two women is a reprehensible crime no matter where it occurs. But when it happens in Kashmir, it is seen not only as a heinous crime but part and parcel of the reign of terror unleashed by occupiers. Quite understandably, horror and humiliation quickly lead to outrage in these circumstances, and it is not surprising that nearly 90 people have been injured in clashes with law-enforcement personnel since the incident came to light.
The Kashmiri struggle today bears little resemblance to the armed insurgency that was at its peak in the 1990s, when foreign militias were present in force in the valley. Cracking down hard on guerrilla fighters, many of them outsiders, is one thing and beating up protesters quite another. The freedom struggle now seen in Kashmir is a home-grown and largely peaceful movement. This is a sensible course to pursue for reports of militants trading fire with Indian forces do not win much support for the Kashmir cause internationally. Footage of civilian protesters facing the wrath of the police conveys the message far more effectively. So do pictures from Srinagar, a city that is often under virtual curfew and where fear stalks the streets in the form of the Indian forces. Times have changed and Delhi must see the need for negotiation and a gentler hand.
Source
Labels: India, Indian State Terrorism, Indopak Relations, Kashmir, State Terrorism
posted @ 11:34 AM,
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