A NEW WAVE OF FRIGHT AND TERROR IN KASHMIR

ALI SUKHANVER

 Neither USA, the commander of the universal war against terror, nor the most challenging so-called Muslim extremists   could stop the notorious priest Terry Jones from burning the Holy Quran; it is something very strange; Terry Jones seems the most powerful  because he simply ignored all threats and admonitions by saying ‘ My foot’ to all. If Al-Qaeda and Taliban were really as powerful as portrayed by the western media, they would have till now slaughtered the notorious priest Terry Jones; the culprit behind the burning of the Holy Quran on 9/11 this year. The silence of these so-called Muslim extremist groups over the burning of the Holy Quran is not only surprising but also somewhat suspicious. Their silence questions their existence. In the story beginning from the insulting caricatures of the Holy Prophet and surely proceeding forward after this heinous episode of the burning of the Holy Quran , we find no where the so-called extremists; no reaction ; no revenge; all very astonishing. If they were there, they would have certainly proved their existence.

Religion is ever considered the most sensitive issue for every individual throughout the world. Even those who are non-practicing with reference to their religion are very much concerned about the holiness and sacredness of the religious philosophy they follow. Such people not only get irritated but also get agitated when their religion is ridiculed or disgraced. Surprisingly the situation seems absolutely different in case of the Muslim extremists. Selman Rushdie, Tasleema Nasreen, Seppo Letho and now Terry Jones; none of these culprits could be taken to task by the Muslim extremists. The scenario depicts the helplessness of the Muslims throughout the world. Every day, there is a new tale of insult and disgrace brought to the Muslims but their reaction is simply limited to slogans and resolutions. From Iraq to Palestine and from Afghanistan to the Indian Occupied Kashmir, the Muslims are being slaughtered cruelly and heartlessly. The situation in the Indian Occupied Kashmir is no doubt the worst of all. According to the facts collected by the Kashmir Media Service just in the month of August,2010  the total number of killings of Kashmiries in Indian army custody was 72 ,   including 37 men, 4 women and 31children. More than 1505 got seriously injured at the hands of Indian security forces. Usually the cases of rape are not reported to the police or the media but even then more than 20 of such cases succeeded in getting the attention of the media. The international community is all time doing nothing but adopting the policy of ‘see and wait’.

At present the innocent Kashmiries are passing through the ever-worst phase of their life but the International community has done nothing so far for them. The scenic paradise of the Indian Occupied Kashmir is once again blazing with flames of fright and terror. Countless innocent Kashmiries have yet been injured and so many deprived of their lives. Schools, markets, offices, mosques and even the small mud-houses are presenting  picture of a wasteland. Continuous curfew, non-stop strikes and much more; the situation is so much grave that this year most of the Kashmiries could not offer their prayers on Eid day. As reported by different news sources this new wave of agitation started as a protest against the burning of the Holy Quran in USA. The Indian security forces tried to curb the protest by use of violent force which added fuel to fire. The protest against the US government turned into the protest against the Government of India. The Indian forces deputed there started behaving so nonsensically in response to the protest against the burning of the Holy Quran that the Indian Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh had to ask the security forces to use humane methods to deal with the demonstrators. Some analysts say that from the day first, protest against Terry Jones was an extension of the anti-India feelings. Most of the Kashmiries are of the opinion that India could not have sustained its illegal, immoral and unethical occupation on Kashmir without US support and favour. They think that USA and India are two sides of the same face thinking with the same brain. The USA never ranks the Indian atrocities in Kashmir as human rights violations.

Human rights violations in form of disappearances, torture, rape and molestation of Muslim women have become a routine matter in the Indian held Kashmir. The central government of India is using all fair and foul tools against the helpless people of Kashmir. Apparently they are free but actually they are leading a life worse than slaves. Some of the analysts have started calling the valley of Kashmir ‘an open prison’. Instead of listening to the agonizing cries of the wretched Kashmiries, the Indian government seems more efficient in crushing their voices so that they may not attract the attention of the international world. It has banned not only the major Pakistani TV channels and newspapers  in the valley but also blocked Short Messaging Services. A few weeks back various internet search engines like Google and Skype were also warned to be careful with reference to the services they provide to the users. In short the government of India is desperately trying to raise a wall between the Occupied Kashmir and the rest of the world.

 The freedom movement in Indian occupied Kashmir is no doubt an indigenous one; with the passage of time it is gaining a new momentum and urgency. The Kashmiris are unanimous in their demand for self-determination. They need nothing   from the world around but a moral support; the same which is being provided to them by the people of Pakistan. Kashmir is not a no-man’s land. The people of Kashmir have their own culture, own traditions and their own philosophy of life; they are a nation. They can never be kept under the yoke of slavery forever. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, they will succeed in regaining their lost liberty and snatched identity. Still there is time for the government of India to understand the demands and desires of the Kashmiri nation and act sympathetically.

The writer is a Pakistan based bilingual analyst on defence and strategic affairs.