[Reader-list] Kashmir Appeals

[Shuddhabrata Sengupta]

Dear Pawan,

I find it utterly sad and deplorable that in response to the most  
serious appeal by a coalition of individuals and civil society groups  
for the protection of minorities in the Kashmir valley forwarded to  
this list by Khurram Parvez, you (Pawan) have only this to say.  
Surely this list deserves better, even from you.

Rather than respect their concern and be reciprocal, all you can do  
is search for a glib and quick volley to shore up your precious and  
frankly, pathetic, anti-muslim credentials. You cry yourself hoarse  
that no Kashmiri Muslim of significance has ever done anything that  
is positive for Kashmiri Pandits, and the moment someone makes a  
sincere effort, you show your cynical fangs.

For once, please try and have some respect for the fact that the  
persons concerned are putting themselves on the line by appealing for  
peace and demanding that no violence be done to minorities in  
Kashmir. Had you stayed on in Kashmir, this would have meant an  
appeal for your safety and security. I hope you have the humanity  
left in you to understand that.

Such an appeal can not endear those who are its signatories to those  
Islamists who actually want minorities in Kashmir attacked at this  
critical juncture. Anyone who wants Kashmiri minorities (Pandits and  
Sikhs) attacked at this point of time will be playing into the hands  
of the Indian state's vice like grip on Kashmir by contributing to  
the creation of a fear pyschosis, and must be identified and isolated  
by all segments of Kashmiri society as a de-facto agent of the  
occupation of the Kashmir valley.

I had so far refrained from commenting on the newspaper report  
forwarded recently about the apprehensions expressed by R&AW that  
minorities are under threat in the valley. Given that the United  
Jihad Council (the most significant 'Militant' grouping) has declared  
that it will not take to arms at this juncture, any threat to the  
minorities in the valley will need to be 'manufactured', as it has  
been done on several occasions in the past. It in fact needs to be  
manufactured in order to lay the ground for the justification of  
massive use of state force to bring the situation under control. The  
state finds its hands tied by the fact that it is facing an un-armed  
and democratic resistance. it is precisely at times like this that  
'terror' needs to be manufactured, when it is in fact not there.

The Intelligence agencies and their shadowy clients in Kashmir (who  
play all sides with equal ease, seguing smoothly from insurgent to  
counter-insurgent) will no doubt be at work to instil fear in the  
minds of those Pandit and Sikh families who remain in the Kashmir  
valley. I hope that the Pandits and Sikhs who remain in the valley  
see through these designs and trust their neighbours more than they  
do these rumour mongers.

This statement that Khurram has forwarded is Kashmiri civil society's  
timely effort to counter the spin-doctoring and rumour mongering that  
has already begun, just as it had begun in the bitter winter of 1989.  
In the coming days, we are sure to see more threats, more fear, more  
spin, and possibly some attempts at instigating what can be exhibited  
as 'terrorism'. The difference is, this time, the people of Kashmir  
seem better prepared, and seem to be giving all indication that they  
are in a position to be able to give enough notice to indicate where  
exactly these threats and rumours actually emanate from.

Let me tell you exactly what was 'mysterious' about the killings of  
minorities in Kashmir. What was mysterious was the fact that in many  
(though not all) instances, especially after the initial days of the  
troubled times of 1989,  the killers remained at large, and were  
known to be at large, not because they were 'militants', but because  
it is quite likely that they were 'counter-insurgents' - the dreaded  
'Ikhwanis' - renegades and other shadowy outfits and individuals (who  
whether for ideological or for simply mercenary reasons) performed  
massacres and other shadowy operations of the 'dirty war' in Kashmir,  
whenever called upon to do so at the instance of their masters in the  
Indian intelligence and military establishments. I have no doubt that  
they participated in the massacres of Pandits, just as much as I have  
no doubt at all about the fact that several amongst them participated  
in far bigger massacres and targetted killings of Kashmiri Muslims.  
They were the shadowy face of state terror, and their role has been  
well documented by now, despite the best efforts of the 'deep state'.  
Their existence was especially brought into relief by the unravelling  
of the aftermath of the Chattisinghpura massacre which is explicitly  
mentioned in this appeal.

if you really, sincerely want to punish those who were guilty of many  
of the killings of Pandits that took place, what you would be  
demanding would be thorough-going forensic investigations and fact  
finding reports, that would be carried out by independent  
professional agencies and forensic anthropologiests, without fear or  
favour. If any such killings occur in the near future (and I  
sincerely hope that they dont) then an immediate international demand  
should be made for UN intervention and independent forensic  
investigation, because we cannot any longer trust the bona-fide  
motivations of the Indian state at least in this regard, any longer.

Incidentally, the actions of such teams of professional forensic  
anthropologists have helped clarify issues to do with other such  
instances of 'engineered' massacres, in other situations of conflict  
-  in Latin America, Central Africa, Bosnia, Sri Lanka and East Timor.

regards,

Shuddha



On 29-Aug-08, at 1:58 PM, Pawan Durani wrote:

> Khurram,
> What was "mysterious" about killing of minorities in Kashmir. Do  
> you deny
> that it was an Islamic onslaught and selective killing.
>
> Or do you believe that in 20 years the memories would have been  
> erased?
>
> Pawan
>
> On Fri, Aug 29, 2008 at 1:38 PM, Khurram Parvez  
> <khurramparvez at yahoo.com>wrote:
>
>> APPEAL
>> We the conscientious people of Jammu and Kashmir believe and  
>> uphold that
>> the human life and its dignity are sacrosanct and in this regard  
>> we feel
>> deeply concerned and aggrieved over the news story carried by  
>> sections of
>> Indian media on 28th August 2008, in which it is reported that the  
>> Indian
>> Intelligence agency has expressed fears about the possible attacks on
>> minorities in Kashmir.
>> Since 1989 there have been some massacres of minority communities  
>> under
>> mysterious circumstances, which created an atmosphere of fear and  
>> mistrust
>> amongst the communities. It is surprising that every time these  
>> killings
>> take place, the people's movement of Kashmir is at a critical  
>> phase. The
>> killings of Kashmiri Pandits in early 1990s or the massacre of 36  
>> Sikhs at
>> Chittisingpora in 2000 (during the visit of US President Bill  
>> Clinton) or
>> killings of innocent Hindus at Kulhand and other places creates an  
>> aura of
>> mystery around all these cold blooded killings. Investigations  
>> ordered by
>> government to probe these killings have always been inconclusive.  
>> Bill
>> Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States in his foreword  
>> to Madeline
>> Albright's book titled "Mighty and the Almighty" has clearly  
>> accused Hindu
>> fanatics of massacring innocent Sikhs at Chittisingpora.
>> In the present scenario where the non-violent mass uprising for the
>> attainment of right to self-determination of people of Jammu and  
>> Kashmir is
>> resonating not just in India but also in the International media and
>> institutions, the reported threat to minority communities whether  
>> Hindus or
>> Sikhs is a serious concern for the civil society of Kashmir.
>> In view of the above mentioned concern, we urge upon the community  
>> leaders,
>> religious leaders, political parties, militant leadership and  
>> government to
>> ensure the utmost respect and tolerance for the minorities and  
>> refrain from
>> any such act which makes the lives of minorities uncomfortable. The
>> minorities should not be treated as the cannon fodder to carry out  
>> the
>> agenda of vested interests in sabotaging the people's movement of  
>> Kashmir.
>> In the wake of present peaceful people's movement to realise the  
>> right of
>> self-determination, the only democratic process for peace making,  
>> we urge
>> upon the governments and the militant leadership to implement a
>> comprehensive ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir. We the people of  
>> Jammu and
>> Kashmir while welcoming the United Jihad Council's recently announced
>> statement, in which they promised to halt their activities within  
>> civilian
>> areas, request them to broaden the scope of their statement into a
>> comprehensive ceasefire covering the entire Indian administered  
>> Jammu and
>> Kashmir. This would also mean their respect and primacy to the  
>> people's
>> movement.
>> We urge the government of India to halt the brutal use of force  
>> against the
>> people and respect the people's right to assembly and freedom of  
>> expression
>> both in Kashmir and Jammu. The arrests and the killings of anyone are
>> unacceptable.
>> We consider this as the testing time for all of us as humans. We  
>> certainly
>> have been victimised but the challenge for the conscientious  
>> people is
>> always to be humane besides being politically correct.
>> In the present situation where the political leadership has been  
>> arrested,
>> communications blocked, curfew imposed, there is every likelihood  
>> that
>> situation may descend into chaos. It is therefore we urge  
>> international
>> community to take cognizance of the situation where in the whole  
>> population
>> of Kashmir is being pushed towards the wall. For international  
>> institutions
>> it is the time to intervene for preventing the catastrophe and for  
>> the
>> restoration of people's rights.
>> We take this opportunity to assure our Hindu and Sikh brethren who  
>> form the
>> inseparable part of our cultural and political mosaic that they  
>> will find
>> their Muslim brethren besides always. Whatever be the  
>> circumstances we have
>> lived and suffered together and would continue to strive together  
>> for our
>> political emancipation.
>> We also urge the community leaders, civil society actors,  
>> political parties
>> of Jammu province to strive for the safety and security of Muslims  
>> and other
>> minorities residing in Jammu.
>> Signed by:
>> Moulana Mufti Mohammad Bashiruddin Ahmed (Mufti Azam JK State and  
>> Incharge
>> of religious affairs of Jammu and Kashmir),
>> Mirwaiz Molvi Riyaz Ahmed Hamdani,
>> Islamic Study Circle,
>> Aga Syed Hassan Al Moosvi – President - Anjuman Sharie Shiyaan,
>> Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society,
>> Chamber of Commerce and Industries Kashmir,
>> Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owner's Federation,
>> Valley Citizens Council,
>> Jan Mohammad Koul, Chairman Kashmir Traders Federation,
>> Noor Ahmed Bilal – President Kashmir University Teachers Association,
>> Naagar Nagar Coordination Committee,
>> Kashmir Thinker's Guild,
>> Dr. Altaf Hussain,
>> Arjimand Hussain Talib (Columnist),
>> Dr. Mubarik Ahmed (Social Activist),
>> Anwar Ashai (Social Activist),
>> Zareef Ahmed Zareef (Poet)
>> Adv. A. R. Hanjoora (Social Activist),
>> Hameeda Bano (Faculty of English, University of Kashmir),
>> Shaikh Showkat Hussain (Faculty of Law, University of Kashmir),
>> Noor Ahmed Baba (Dean Social Sciences, University of Kashmir),
>> Mohammad Azeem Tuman (House Boat Owners Association),
>> Himayat Trust,
>> JK People's Development Trust,
>> Ehsaas – A Developmental Organisation,
>> Mushtaaque Ali Ahmed Khan (Theatre Activist and Film Maker)
>> Senior Citizens Forum
>> Kashmir Urdu Academy
>> Jammu and Kashmir Cultural Society
>> Syed us Sadaat Trust, Islamabad, Kashmir
>> Hudood ullah Research Centre
>> Eco Concern, Islamabad, Kashmir
>>
>>
>>
>>
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Shuddhabrata Sengupta
The Sarai Programme at CSDS
Raqs Media Collective
shuddha at sarai.net
www.sarai.net
www.raqsmediacollective.net