[Reader-list] FW: Attacks on Minorities in Kashmir Valley

[Pawan Durani]

Hi Partha,
I havent discussed the rest. My only question for Murtaza is his basis of
these two quotes of him :-

1. Only 209 Kashmiri Hindus were killed by terrorists in Kashmir
2. 150000 Kashmiri Muslims got killed

Pawan

On Sat, Aug 30, 2008 at 3:26 PM, Partha Dasgupta <parthaekka at gmail.com>wrote:

> Pawan,
>
> You probably missed the deliberately vague phrasing:
>
> 1.  "Pandit groups, mainly believed to be working for IB" where the belief
> could be
>       held by any one for any reason - whereas some 'believed' to be a
> 'terrorist' is
>       inviolate.
>
> 2.   "sided with rabid-anti-Kashmiri forces including various Pandit
> groups, who are allegedly
>       being spreading rumours and propaganda against Kashmiris"
>
> Do note the operative phrases 'mainly believed' in the first sentence and
> 'allegedly' in the second so that a mass opinion is used as a fact in a
> debate while asking for facts!!
>
> Was also a bit surprised by the phrase "has sided with rabid-anti-Kashmiri
> forces including various Pandit groups" - does this mean that now the
> 'Pandit groups' are no longer Kashmiris?
>
> As for blaming Kashmiri Muslims - let's all look at something clearly :
> Just as all Sun's are stars but all stars are not Sun's - some militants in
> Kashmir are Muslims, and no one is calling (at least, I'm not) all Muslims
> terrorists. That's as incorrect as saying all Hindu's are VHP members
> (again, at least, I'm not).
>
> Rgds, Partha
> ..................................
>
> On Sat, Aug 30, 2008 at 3:05 PM, Pawan Durani <pawan.durani at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Murtaza,
>> For you to be taken seriously, would you kindly share what are your basis
>> of
>> the figures you have mentioned.
>>
>> Primarily when you quote
>>
>> 1. Only 209 Kashmiri Hindus were killed by terrorists in Kashmir
>> 2. 150000 Kashmiri Muslims got killed
>>
>> If you share this, we can move ahead in the debate , else it seems like
>> those justifications when Kashmiri Hindus were selectively killed and then
>> labelled as "IB" agents and that included 2 year old child as well.
>>
>>
>>
>> Pawan Durani
>>
>> On Sat, Aug 30, 2008 at 2:24 PM, Kashmir Affairs <kashaffairs at yahoo.co.uk
>> >wrote:
>>
>> > Sonia,
>> > I would like to take this opportunity to expressly condemn Vijay Sazwal
>> for
>> > yet again playing mischif against Kashmiri Muslims. In his 'appreciating
>> > guise' on Kashmiri Civil Society, he is carrying on his propaganda
>> against
>> > Muslims and cooking up stories about imaginery harrassement. Pandit
>> groups,
>> > mainly believed to be working for IB, have been doing this for more than
>> two
>> > decades now.
>> > If Vijay is telling the truth, which i don't believe, he must mention
>> the
>> > incidents rather than spreading false stories. As much i appreciate
>> personal
>> > contact with him i have had with with for few years now, I have to
>> condemn
>> > him for his mischief and spreading lies against the Kashmiri Muslims
>> > majority at the behest of I don't know who. By doing it once again, he
>> has
>> > sided with rabid-anti-Kashmiri forces including various Pandit groups,
>> who
>> > are allegedly being spreading rumours and propaganda against Kashmiris.
>> A
>> > personal friend, Prof. Rattan Lal Hangloo, is on record about Vijay
>> Sazwal
>> > launching a campaign against Prof. Hangloo for not blaming Kashmiri
>> Muslims
>> > and Islam for the current trouble in Kashmir. Moreover, Vijay has been
>> part
>> > of propaganda brigade that has been spreading lies about Kashmiri
>> Muslims
>> > and talking about so-called Holocaust of Pandits when only 209 Pandits
>> died
>> > in the crisis as compared to 150,000 Muslims majority of them by the
>> >  Indian army and paramilitary forces.
>> >
>> > I don't see any appreciation in Vijay's letter. It is all venomous
>> > propganda against the Muslims.
>> > best,
>> > Murtaza
>> >
>> > --- On Sat, 30/8/08, S. Jabbar <sonia.jabbar at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > From: S. Jabbar <sonia.jabbar at gmail.com>
>> > Subject: [Reader-list] FW: Attacks on Minorities in Kashmir Valley
>> > To: "Sarai" <reader-list at sarai.net>
>> > Date: Saturday, 30 August, 2008, 7:56 AM
>> >
>> > A note of appreciation from a Pandit organisation for the appeal sent
>> out
>> > by
>> > Khurram and others.
>> >
>> >
>> > ------ Forwarded Message
>> > From: "Dr. Vijay Sazawal" <sazawal at gmail.com>
>> > Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:41:58 -0400
>> > To: <vks at kashmirforum.org>
>> > Subject: Attacks on Minorities in Kashmir Valley
>> >
>> > Dear Friend,
>> >
>> > I am sending this note to just a few friends in the valley to let them
>> know
>> > that the minority community currently residing in the valley - which is
>> > down
>> > to a few thousand now - greatly appreciates the following gesture by the
>> > civil society in Kashmir (see attached story in the Kashmir Observer).
>> >
>> > I have spoken to valley based Kashmiri Pandits almost on a daily basis.
>> > Even
>> > though the local media did not highlight the fears of the minority
>> > community
>> > earlier, the reality is that last week they had a very rough time. There
>> > were numerous incidents in Pulwama, Anantnag, and Srinagar and Baramulla
>> > where Pandit homes or persons were surrounded by a few ruffians and
>> > subjected to oral threats ranging from, "Are you still here - when are
>> you
>> > going away to Jammu," to "time has come to burn your place and we
>> > will not
>> > let you or your family escape."
>> >
>> > Again, I want to make it clear that I hold no one among you or any
>> leader
>> > among the majority community responsible for it. But the reality is that
>> it
>> > did happen and it is to the credit of a few Pandit leaders who calmed
>> the
>> > community down. I will appreciate if journalists would mention in their
>> > columns that harming or even mildly threatening Pandits is not helpful
>> to
>> > their cause whatever that may be.
>> >
>> > Thank you for your help in this matter. If anyone needs further details,
>> I
>> > will be glad to provide the same.
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> >
>> > Vijay Sazawal
>> > www.KashmirForum.org <http://www.KashmirForum.org>
>> > Washington, DC
>> >
>> >
>> > Kashmir Civil Society Calls For Ceasefire
>> > Srinagar, Aug 29- Kashmir civil society has expressed concern over
>> reports
>> > in New Delhi based media about possible attacks¹ on minorities in
>> Kashmir
>> > and have urged upon the governments and the militant leadership to
>> > implement
>> > a comprehensive ceasefire in the wake of present peaceful people¹s
>> movement
>> > to realise the right of self-determination.
>> > They have also urged the community and religious leaders, political
>> > parties,
>> > militant leadership and government to ensure the utmost respect and
>> > tolerance for the minorities.
>> > ²We 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 Kashmir², a signed statement by several prominent citizens
>> > and
>> > groups said today.
>> > ³Since 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 people¹s 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
>> > Albright¹s book titled ³Mighty and the Almighty² has clearly accused
>> Hindu
>> > fanatics of massacring innocent Sikhs at Chittisingpora², the statement
>> > said.
>> > The statement is signed besides others by  Grand Mufti, Mufti Mohammad
>> > Bashiruddin, Mirwaiz Riyaz Hamdani of Shah Hamdan Mosque, Agha Syed
>> Hassan
>> > Mosavi of Anjumane Sharie Shiayan, Islamic Study Circle, Jammu Kashmir
>> > Coalition of Civil Society, Chamber of Commerce and Industries Kashmir,
>> > Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owner¹s Federation, Valley Citizens
>> Council,
>> > Chairman Kashmir Traders Federation and Noor Ahmed Bilal ­ President
>> > Kashmir
>> > University Teachers Association. ³In 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 Kashmir², it said.
>> > ³In 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 people¹s movement of
>> Kashmir.
>> > In the wake of present peaceful people¹s 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 Council¹s 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 people¹s
>> > movement.²
>> > The statement further urged the government of India to halt the brutal
>> use
>> > of force against the people and respect the people¹s right to assembly
>> and
>> > freedom of expression both in Kashmir and Jammu terming the arrests and
>> the
>> > killings unacceptable.
>> > ³We 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 correct², the statement
>> said.
>> > ³In 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 people¹s rights², the statement added.
>> > ³We 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 emancipation².
>> > Others who have signed the statement include prominent physician, Dr.
>> Altaf
>> > Hussain, columnist Arjimand Hussain Talib, academics Dr Hameeda Bano,
>> Prof
>> > Shaikh Showkat Hussain, Dr Noor Ahmed Baba and poet Zareef Ahmed Zareef.
>> >
>> >
>> > ------ End of Forwarded Message
>> >
>> > _________________________________________
>> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
>> > Critiques & Collaborations
>> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
>> > subscribe in
>> > the subject header.
>> > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
>> > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > _________________________________________
>> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
>> > Critiques & Collaborations
>> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
>> > subscribe in the subject header.
>> > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
>> > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
>> _________________________________________
>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
>> Critiques & Collaborations
>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
>> subscribe in the subject header.
>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
>> List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Partha Dasgupta
> +919811047132
>