[Reader-list] "We were mute spectators"-Omar Abdullah

[rashneek kher]

Partha,

How much unsettled are you by Omar's comments is reflected in the two
sentences you have written.
Havent there been many posts from different newspapers/magazines on the
various issues.Why did that not irk you I wonder.

Best Regards

Rashneek

On 5/16/08, Partha Dasgupta <parthaekka at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I think that the bare bones text of the message is far better than the
> Times
> Now report.
>
> Also, don't see the point of this post when the main text of the statement
> was in the list earlier by Nitesh.
>
> Rgds, Partha
> .........................................
>
> On Fri, May 16, 2008 at 2:04 PM, Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Reality Unfolding :-)
> >
> > Sarai members, what say ?
> >
> >
> > On 5/16/08, rashneek kher <rashneek at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > *A Times Now Report by Mir Fareed
> > > *Two decades after the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley,
> > National
> > > conference President Omar Abdullah has spoken up, saying that Muslims
> > > including him shouldn't have been mute spectators during the exodus.
> > >
> > > "It is a fact that the majority of us - and I include myself in it -
> the
> > > majority of us Kashmiris remained mute spectators when the Kashmiri
> > Pandits
> > > left. And even though now we may want to talk about their return, at
> that
> > > time perhaps we did not do as much as should have been done," said Omar
> > on
> > > Thursday (May 15).
> > >
> > > While the timing of his statement is questionable, what cannot be
> > > discounted
> > > is the fact that this is the first time a mainstream Kashmiri
> politician
> > > has
> > > spoken so strongly about the plight of  Kashmiri Pandits.
> > >
> > > Whether it's Rajya Sabha ticket that Omar is eyeing or a sudden prick
> of
> > > consience, the feeling of being refugees in their own country is not a
> > one
> > > that the Pandits are likely to forget soon.
> > >
> > > At the height of militancy in Jammu & Kashmir in 1990, propaganda from
> > > Pakistan laced with the militancy of the Jammu & Kashmir Liberation
> front
> > > forced lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits out the valley leaving thousands
> > homeless,
> > > and forcing them into exile.
> > >
> > > In his statement, which first appeared on his blog, Omar Abdullah even
> > > chatises himself for not speaking up on the genocide, lamenting the
> fact
> > > that none of them stood up and had the courage to say the atrocities
> must
> > > stop.
> > >
> > > "It's so easy to say that we"ll lay down our lives to bring Kashmiri
> > > Pandits
> > > back to the valley and I appreciate the sentiment. Pity that sentiment
> > was
> > > missing when our mosques were being used to drive these people out.
> None
> > of
> > > us said this is wrong and the Kashmiri Pandits had every right to
> > continue
> > > living in the valley. We were mute spectators either mute in agreement
> or
> > > mute in abject fear, but mute none the less," he writes.
> > >
> > > While this is the first time a mainstream Kashmiri politician has
> spoken
> > so
> > > strongly on the plight of these Kashmiri Pandits, Omar's sentiments
> will
> > > not
> > > make the Kashmiri Pandits forget the feeling of being refugees in their
> > own
> > > country, just yet.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Rashneek Kher
> > > http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com
> > > _________________________________________
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> >
>
>
>
> --
> Partha Dasgupta
> +919811047132
> _________________________________________
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-- 
Rashneek Kher
http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com