[Reader-list] 55% - and ever onward!

Thu Nov 20 11:42:18 IST 2008

While the Srinagar papers, especially Greater Kashmir and Rising
Kashmir, are seen as partisan on the events of Kashmir, here are two
recent stories that help to confirm the complexities that Sonia has
rightly pointed out:

Best

Sanjay Kak

-----------------------------------------------------

Why Gurez could not march for freedom?
http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6921&Itemid=55
30,000 civilians live amidst 60,000 troops

Mir Tariq

Gurez (Bandipora), Sep 21: When entire Kashmir and parts of Jammu were
witnessing mass uprising, the population of 30,000 in Gurez – a
heavily fortified Northern region that borders LoC and remains cut off
for at least six months – did not witness any procession. Reason: the
locals say the presence of around 60 thousand troops deterred the
inhabitants to display their solidarity with their Kashmiri brethren.
"We cannot bring out freedom processions here in Gurez as we are
surrounded by Army from all sides," said Aijaz Ahmed a resident of
Gurez. "Few people tried to march towards Eidgah on August 22 when
they were informed about the situation in rest of Valley. They left
for Bandipora wherefrom they joined the freedom march."
Three brigades of army camp in Gurez which includes around 60,000 troops.
Since mass uprising against transfer of State land to the
controversial Amarnath shrine board, there have been no protests in
Gurez.
Ghulam Hassan Lone, an elderly person said: "It is hard to take out
freedom procession in Gurez as we are dominated by army."
Locals said that they have a grudge against pro-freedom leadership.
They said except late Abdul Gani Lone, no one among Hurriyat leaders
ever visited Gurez during the last two decades of armed rebellion.
Inhabited by tribal Dards who were sometimes called war-like people by
historians like Herodotus (4th century BC), Strabo (64 BC to AD 23)
and Pliny (AD 23 to AD 79), most residents of Gurez are still unaware
about the ongoing movement and protests throughout Kashmir valley in
which over 50 people were killed and hundreds sustained injuries since
August 11.
This is due to the absence of proper communication.
"We always remain unaware about daily incidents of the State due to
lack of communication. So we are unable to flow to our Kashmiri
brothers who are facing brutalities in the Valley," said a resident of
Dawer Gurez, Muhammad Saidullah Lone. "The only source of information
is Radio Kashmir Srinagar but we never rely on it as it always carries
biased news."
Besides lack of communication, the business relations with huge
surrounding army is also the cause that people in Gurez did not follow
the voice of Valley.
"Besides having business relations, mostly the population here in
Gurez is fed up of the surrounding army men," said Muhammad Subhan.
"People get essential commodities like rice, flour, kerosene oil,
petrol from the army. Even electricity is also supplied by army."
Many residents of Gurez have qualified as KAS and IAS officers as they
have Scheduled Tribe status.
Gurez is a beautiful valley situated at an altitude of about 8,000 ft
above sea level. The valley is rich with natural beauty, diverse fauna
and wildlife. Kishan Ganga River flows through the valley.
The road to Gurez Valley leads from north Kashmir's Bandipore district.

--------------------------------------------------

Proposed dam project is poll issue in Gurez
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=1_11_2008&ItemID=45&cat=1
Population 30000, soldiers 60000; boycott call won't have takers here

UMER MAQBOOL DAR

Bandipora, Oct 31: Gurez has been in election mode ever since it
became a separate assembly constituency in 1995. It is heavily
militarised. There are two soldiers for every civilian (60000 soldiers
for a population of 30000.) It remains cut off from the Valley during
winter months, and even during summers the people have little contact
with the rest of the state, and hence its politics. The widespread
poll boycott sentiment therefore won't affect the polls much.
 National Conference which won the seat in 2002 is pitched against
Congress which has been actively cultivating a vote bank here. The NC
has fielded Nazir Gurezi against Congress's Faqir Muhammad Khan.
 The voter turnout is expected to be high like previous elections. In
1996 it was 76.14 percent and 76.50 percent in 2002. In 1996 elections
Faqir Muhammed Khan trounced his rival Muhammad Anwar of NC, but in
2002 NC bounced back and Nazir Gurezi defeated Fariq Khan by a narrow
margin of 1250 votes.
 In 1987 People's Conference candidate and now PDP leader Nizammuddin
Bhat's hopes of a maiden poll victory were shattered when Gurez turned
the balance against him. This time the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
has mandated Nazir Ahmed Bhat for the polls.
 Congress roped in Faqir Khan in 2002 elections, and since then the
party has been eyeing the seat with former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi
Azad frequenting this beautiful valley, like other border areas of
Uri, Karnah, as it has found no takers in the Valley.
 A fortnight ago when Prime Minister flagged off the train, top
Congress leaders Saifuddin Soz and Ghulam Nabi Azad launched Rs 5.50
crore solar electrification projects for 27 villages to woo voters.
 In the past elections the issues for polls were civic amenities and
construction of bunkers as shelters during shelling between Indian and
Pakistani troops. This time a proposed internationally funded
hydroelectric project and its effects on the living of the Gurez and
Dard tribes would be the burning issue.
 People believe the dam project would displace hundreds of families
and badly affect the fragile environment of Gurez Valley.
Environmentalists fear a reservoir that would be part of the project
would submerge 25 villages, high altitude habitats for shepherds, and
eight camping sites.
 Other issues likely to dominate the polls are lack of road
connectivity, poor health and education infrastructure.
 This area remains disconnected from the Valley as road leading from
Bandipora gets closed due to snowfall for six months, and during this
period helicopter service is the only mode of transportation.
 Hundreds of students are studying under open sky, as there are no
school buildings. The residents have been demanding a college for
long.
  The Valley has enormous potential for tourism and adventure sports,
and in pre-47 era several types of medicinal plants were exported to
China and other countries from here.

--------------------------

On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 9:49 AM, S. Jabbar <sonia.jabbar at gmail.com> wrote:
> Gurez is one of those areas in Kashmir that defies conventional thinking on
> Kashmir that assumes a Muslim majority area is disgruntled & has
> links/sympathies with pro-independence or pro-Pakistani factions of the
> separatist movement.
>
> I've been there twice and found it extremely interesting.  Though part of
> Bandipora district it is cut off from it and the rest of the Valley because
> its only link, the Razdan Pass is snow-bound for 7-8 months of the year.  It
> has a tiny population of Shina-speaking tribals who are not ethnically
> Kashmiri. In fact, like Gujjars, these tribals have been historically
> discriminated against by Kashmiris. Many of these tribals, though Muslim,
> fled from the invading Pakistani troops in 1947 and settled in areas like
> Gurez & Tilel.
>
> Like many other areas along the LoC, Gurez has had a large military presence
> since 1947.  While we are free to imagine the pressures of living under a
> troop-civilian ratio of 4:1, it's also important to acknowledge that the
> relationship with the army is a complex one as it is the only source of
> livelihood and succor in this very remote region.
>
>
>> From: Sanjay Kak <kaksanjay at gmail.com>
>> Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:17:42 +0530
>> To: Sarai Reader List <reader-list at sarai.net>
>> Subject: [Reader-list] 55% - and ever onward!
>>
>> The news about the enthusiasm for voting in the J&K polls is getting
> better
>> every day: although voting for Phase 1 closed at 5pm on Dec 17,
> the
>> voter-turnout for Phase 1 has moved from 54% that day, to 64% the
> next
>> morning... Today's Times of India says it's 69%.
> At this rate, who knows,
>> those EVMs may throw up some real surprises
> by close of polling in the
>> state.
>
> Meanwhile, I wonder if others have noticed the tremendous boost
>> that
> the presence of soldiers can give to democracy in remote areas. Gurez
> in
>> north Kashmir reported 73.59% in the first phase (admittedly down
> from the 76%
>> in the 2002 elections). It has a population of 30,000 and
> a registered voter
>> base of 15,000. It also has, for strategic reasons,
> 60,000 soldiers of the
>> Indian Army permanently stationed there. That's
> what - 4 soldiers per
>> voter?
>
> Could that be a solution to perk up the low voter turnout in
>> Delhi
> (40%) that Shashidhar had drawn our attention to?
> I wonder if the
>> Election Commission manuals have anything on that?
>
> Best
>
> Sanjay
>> Kak
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