[Reader-list] What a sincere Kashmiri feels - without any artifice

[rashneek kher]

And sadly no discussion on this...that says it all

On Sat, Jul 31, 2010 at 3:56 PM, Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com>wrote:

> The article being shared is not excellently well written. Perhaps because
> the writer was not trying to come across as a "thoughtful–and informed"
> commentator. No artifice in it. No design. No propaganda. No pandering to
> politics.
>
> It is a sincere Kashmiri voice, appealing for sanity, appealing for
> deliverance.
>
> Kshmendra
>
>
> "Shutdowns - To what end?"
>
> (WE PROTESTED WHENEVER IT DEMANDED, BUT WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW? WRITES DR.
> RUMANA MAKHDOOMI)
>
> A teenager lost his life, we felt sad, another succumbed to his wounds, we
> lost our sleep – three more were mercilessly murdered, our hearts bled. One
> death may be a mistake, two a blunder and three at a time including that of
> a nine year old is a massacre.  We reacted.  We took to streets,
> demonstrated our anger, displayed our disgust and protested everywhere – on
> the streets, on the social networking sites, in schools and colleges – in
> Delhi and Pune.
>
> Our protests went loud, but our masters in Delhi and Srinagar were unmoved,
> the killings continued, the sufferings persisted and sermons to discipline
> us were issued from Centre and State – nothing great happened, the spiral
> became a circle and continued to gulp us viciously.
>
> We are told we live in a democratic set up – so, protest should come
> naturally to us.  No reminders are needed for us to protest, we protest as
> and when the situation demands.  They come about spontaneously, the
> methodology may be crude, but the anger is genuine.  We settle after an
> outburst or a series of outbursts and try living a life – though miserably!
> Life we have to live, the uncertainty makes it more challenging, the threat
> makes it more practical.  But our lives are not our own, we are gagged by
> curfews and chained by “Hartals”. Though curfew is the official torture and
> is a tool to break our spirits, render us helpless, disable our potential
> and kill our intellect, hunger and poverty being the add on burdens that
> fall on us as a consequence.  If curfew is doing all this to us, do we need
> another demon to swallow us?
>
> We protested and we were punished.  But why are we interested to punish
> ourselves more?  Why do we add the mite of “HARTAL” to our already flea
> bitten bodies?  No shops, no offices, no vehicles on the roads, no schools
> and no colleges.  If hospitals limp through this turmoil – shut them too.  A
> roadside vendor – should sleep at home, a hawker should take some rest –
> little do we realize that hunger causes insomnia – sleep is for those whose
> earnings are fat, anxious minds with large families and meager earnings
> hardly sleep!  Our children do not go to schools – most of them have fun
> with TV and computer. How long do we deprive them of their education?  As
> Muslims should we have any confusion about the importance of education?  Do
> we need to remind ourselves that Prophet’s journey into Prophethood started
> with ‘Iqra’.  Young college going minds too are gathering dust – why do we
> stun their intellectual development?  And
>  about the poor miserable people who earn during the day for a two square
> meal – I did not see any help from any corner reaching them.  What have we
> thought about them?
>
> Makers of our time tables – have not discussed their short term and long
> term plans with the people.  Have they put any demands before the people in
> power?  How long will the shutdown remain?  Will it continue till the
> killers of teenagers are brought to book, will it continue till human rights
> violations are stopped, will it continue till AFSPA is revoked or will it
> continue till ‘Kashmir issue’ is resolved?  It is the time to ask, will a
> shutdown alter things for us?  We would go ahead with it if it were to solve
> a sixty year complex issue like Kashmir, practically speaking that hardly
> seems to be on the cards.  So, why a shutdown?
>
> If we endorse or enforce ‘‘Hartal’’ to impress the governments in J&K and
> Delhi – then we are foolishly mistaken.  As a national newspaper columnist
> puts it, our masters ‘live in Delhi and reside in Kashmir’.  People at the
> helm are comfortable in Pahalgam and Gulmarg, some are busy buying villas in
> Dubai.  For whom are we shutting down?  For whom are we making our people
> starve and suffer?  We shutdown and paralyze ourselves in homes.  Does
> anybody take a notice, is anybody moved?
>
> When “Hartals” become a norm and “Curfews” a routine – what sets in is
> stagnation, leading to putrification ultimately breeding worms of poverty
> and misery which engulf us all over. When a small child, slightly bigger
> than my own stops me, argues with me and asks me why I should go to a
> hospital – I am rendered speechless.  What do I tell him, how do I explain
> my work to him – what do I do?  Does this child know why he wants a
> “Hartal”?
>
> It is true, when a young life is lost every day and authorities are
> unapologetic – darkness overshadows us, anger conquers the senses, routine
> seems a burden and shutdown a solace. Our tales of misery will make rocks
> weep!  Protest in such a situation is the only tool in our hands. But can’t
> we alter our strategy? If shutdown is the remedy, can’t a day’s shut down
> every week do? If we need to protest   every day can’t one hour a day
> suffice?  Why do we actually need a continuous shutdown to display our
> anger?
>
> I have affection for that “angry young man” displaying his anger on the
> streets of Downtown.  He is the one who will go an extra mile to help you,
> he is the one who will leave his seat for you in the bus.  Smart looks,
> anger in eyes and compassion in heart – let us respect his blood.  If our
> own children are glued to our own chests, why is his blood cheap?  If a
> protest is needed, let a leader lead it!  That will at least ensure
> discipline and prevent loss of life! What about the poets and intellectuals,
> where are they?
>
> Today, I gather courage to protest – against the continuous imprisonment I
> am in – the curfew shuts me on one day and “Hartal” imprisons me the other
> day. I may not be able to stop authorities from imposing the curfew, it is
> beyond me…But, I need freedom – freedom to move about, freedom to work,
> freedom to earn and my children need freedom to learn.  We are not animals
> but quality human beings, educated and intelligent and our only fault is
> that we live in a disputed territory.  Set us free – O you at the helm!
>
> (Feedback at rumanahamid at rediffmail.com)
>
>
> http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2010/Jul/29/shutdowns-to-what-end--16.asp
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Rashneek Kher
http://www.kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com
http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com