[Reader-list] Little Kashmiri boys arrested

[Junaid]

Hi Tara,

I agree with Sonia that the Kashmir "dispute" involves a number of
parties and peoples. I believe as time has passed we have let
ourselves believe that the issue is so "complicated" as to paralyze
our thinking, vaguely hoping that one day the issue will settle by
itself. These are man-made problems and need human and humane
solutions. Also we should not let state "interests" determine the fate
of a people. These issues can't be left to fester perpetually. Even if
we go back to early 50s there were plans to hold regional referendums
(Dixon plan etc), which, with all their problems, sounded like more
hopeful ways out of the imbroglio than our present "muddlings."

Personally, I believe the best way would be for both India and
Pakistan to relinquish claims over those peoples (and their lands) who
don't want to be under their sovereignty. These countries need to let
Kashmiris (and those who also don't want to be part of either country)
be. For the process to start India and Pakistan need to create
conditions in which people can freely and without fear discuss,
negotiate, argue, oppose and come to a mutually agreeable solution.
When I say mutually, I mean different constituencies within 1947
Kashmir. We must believe in the creative powers of people to solve
issues what seem to be "complicated." Second step would be to initiate
a democratic process, perhaps under the auspices of international
observers to hold elections to choose representatives of the people
who can give shape to a new constitution, new institutions, and
negotiate permanent agreements with India and Pakistan. The whole
thing can be conducted under international guarantees to secure the
the process and its outcome.

Southasia desperately needs a new direction. And, sincere efforts on
the Kashmir question can be a very important beginning and aspect of
this shift. Southasians need to understand southasia is not made up of
states, but of peoples and their intersecting histories and
aspirations. We cannot let ourselves be seduced by the illusions and
the desires that the state's "super"-power has generated in us.

Junaid



On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 9:40 AM, Tara Prakash <taraprakash at gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks Sonia. So the issue is more muddled than we make it out to be.
> It will be helpful to hear Junaid's view on this. I am waiting.
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "S. Jabbar" <sonia.jabbar at gmail.com>
> To: "TaraPrakash" <taraprakash at gmail.com>; "Junaid" <justjunaid at gmail.com>
> Cc: "Sarai" <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 2:14 AM
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Little Kashmiri boys arrested
>
>
> The dispute involves  the state of Jammu & Kashmir as it existed in 1947 and
> included Kashmiris, people of Jammu & Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch & Doda, Ladakh,
> Mirpur & Muzaffarabad, Gilgit & Baltistan.  If you talk about solutions then
> you really ought to be talking about the aspirations of all these people and
> not simply 'which Kashmiris.'
>
>
>> From: TaraPrakash <taraprakash at gmail.com>
>> Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:08:09 -0500
>> To: Junaid <justjunaid at gmail.com>
>> Cc: <reader-list at sarai.net>
>> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Little Kashmiri boys arrested
>>
>> Thanks for these solutions Junaid. Not that I will be able to solve this
>> old
>>
> problem.
> Just for the record, the intent of the second question "Which
>>
>> Kashmiris" was
>
> not mischief. If you think there is a single Kashmiri
>>
>> nationality, or
>
> unified Kashmiri voice, either you are self deluding, or just
>>
>> canceling the
>
> noise.
> JKLF used to be a significant voice in J&K before the
>>
>> brutal Mujahaddins, in
>
> their ecstasy of having defeated USSR in Afghanistan,
>>
>> moved to J&K. From
>
> then on local Kashmiris had the taste of Taliban in their
>>
>> homes. Every
>
> dissent was mercilessly crushed. Professors were murdered. Women
>>
>> were told
>
> to stay at homes and if they dared come out, acid on their faces
>>
>> was their
>
> fate. Hindus were massacred, on some ocasions Sikhs were massacred
>>
>> and if
>
> that was not enough, peace loving Budhists were killed for being
>>
>> vocal.
>
> Coming back to question which Kashmiris and JKLF. Aren't they
>>
>> Kashmiris? But
>
> they are banned in Pakistan occupied, so-called Azad Kashmir.
>>
>> Aren't they
>
> Kashmiris? why do you have to single out Indian government? Are
>>
>> Kashmiris in
>
> POK free?
> Those who are part of National conference or PDP,
>>
>> aren't they Kashmiris?
>
> Aren't they different from Mujahiddins? So the
>>
>> question still remains which
>
> Kashmiris?
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From:
>>
>> "Junaid" <justjunaid at gmail.com>
>
> To: "Tara Prakash" <taraprakash at gmail.com>
> Cc:
>>
>> <reader-list at sarai.net>
>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 11:35 PM
> Subject: Re:
>>
>> [Reader-list] Little Kashmiri boys arrested
>
>
> Dear Tara,
>
> I quote you: "But
>>
>> isn't it time to move to specifics. What solution?
>
> Which Kashmiris?" End.
>
> I
>>
>> absolutely agree that it is time to move to specifics. But your two
>
> follow-up
>>
>> questions, asked perhaps in good spirit, aren't the ones
>
> that will lead us to
>>
>> specifics. If anything they will further push us
>
> into a metaphysics of denial.
>>
>> I assume you know enough about Kashmir
>
> and are aware that there is no shortage
>>
>> of solutions. Indian
>
> government isn't even acknowledging that Kashmir is a
>>
>> political issue,
>
> and they have convinced its citizens that the only issue that
>>
>> remains
>
> is the elimination of "terrorism" i.e. people's resistance. The
>>
>> "right
>
> solutions" emerge in a democratic process of engagement in a free
>>
>> and
>
> fair environment. As you called them, the "chosen" representatives
>>
>> for
>
> Kashmiris, it is clear, have no legitimacy in Kashmir, which has made
> it
>>
>> clear again that a democracy stripped of its substance cannot be
>
> forced down
>>
>> the throats of people to gloss over the crisis of state's
>
> legitimacy and
>>
>> authority. (I somehow believe that UN, if India allows
>
> that is, can go to
>>
>> "each Kashmiri" to figure out how to solve the
>
> problem). The first step would
>>
>> be to give Kashmiris the "ownership" of
>
> their problem, that is allow them to
>>
>> find the right solution with a
>
> guarantee that it will be accepted.
>
> The second
>>
>> question is a little mischievous--"Which Kashmiris!" Can we
>
> really keep
>>
>> telling a suffering people that they don't exist? By
>
> asking this question, are
>>
>> you suggesting that there are no Kashmiris?
>
> If you believe that "the people"
>>
>> have to elect their representatives,
>
> how can you in the same breath deny the
>>
>> existence of those same
>
> people?
>
> I guess the first "concrete suggestions"
>>
>> would be the dismantling of
>
> the draconian military and police apparatus from
>>
>> Kashmir: i.e. 1.
>
> remove the incredibly large and intensive build up of
>>
>> military and
>
> police forces from Kashmir; 2. remove draconian laws like AFSPA
>>
>> and
>
> Disturbed Areas Act etc, which give immunity to security agencies
> involved
>>
>> in HR abuses; 3. Release political prisoners from jails; 4.
>
> Allow Kashmiris to
>>
>> peacefully express their dissent (remove
>
> restrictions on free speech and
>>
>> assembly of people); 5. Dismantle the
>
> stranglehold that the security agencies
>>
>> have over the everyday life of
>
> people through technics of surveillance and
>>
>> proliferation of threats.
>
> Once these steps are taken, we can move to the next
>>
>> ones. At least it
>
> will show that the Indian government is sincere in its
>>
>> efforts to
>
> solve the problem, and is not simply bidding time, hoping to
>>
>> tire
>
> people out.
>
> Junaid
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 16, 2010 at 8:07 PM, Tara Prakash
>>
>> <taraprakash at gmail.com> wrote:
>> "Kashmir is a political issue that needs to
>> be solved, with the full
>> involvement of Kashmiris."
>> Agreed. But isn't it
>> time to move to specifics. What solution? Which
>> Kashmiris? A democratic
>> exercise requires people to elect their
>> representatives who can talk on
>> their behalf. But those who are chosen,
>> are
>> found to be going "to any
>> extent to please their masters in Delhi"
>> I don't think the Indian govt or UN
>> can talk to every Kashmiri on this
>> earth
>> for the resolution of the
>> problem.
>> It will help people like me if there are some concrete suggestions
>> towards
>> resolution of the issue. One way of garnering support is to educate
>>
>> people,
>> so that they can start suggesting their leaders and build a
>> climate
>> towards
>> resolution of the issue.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Junaid" <justjunaid at gmail.com>
>> To: <reader-list at sarai.net>; "Junaid"
>> <justjunaid at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 5:57 PM
>> Subject:
>> [Reader-list] Little Kashmiri boys arrested
>>
>>
>>> Dozens of young boys have
>>
>> been arrested across Kashmir under draconian
>>>
>>> laws over the last few weeks.
>>
>> The charges that have been filed against
>>>
>>> them range from "waging war
>>
>> against the state" to defiling "state
>>>
>>> honor". In recent months Indian
>>
>> military and police commanders have
>>>
>>> described protests in Kashmir as
>>
>> "agitational terrorism" and
>>>
>>> "non-violent terrorism" in order to justify
>>
>> violent clampdown on
>>>
>>> protests by Kashmiris. In the same period around 8
>>
>> people, mostly
>>>
>>> teenagers, have been either shot to death or fatally injured
>>
>> by
>>>
>>> indiscriminate use of tear-gas shells. Over the last two years the
>>>
>> number of dead in shootings is more than a hundred. Meanwhile
>>>
>>> thousands of
>>
>> people have been injured. Many of them will be left with
>>>
>>> permanent physical
>>
>> disabilities. The police authorities have banned
>>>
>>> any peaceful assembly of
>>
>> people. Many places in downtown Srinagar and
>>>
>>> other towns have reported
>>
>> police brutalities. Even the villages are
>>>
>>> not being spared. Only yesterday,
>>
>> mourning villagers were attacked by
>>>
>>> CRPF troopers in Redwani in South
>>
>> Kashmir. Dozens of them were injured
>>>
>>> by CRPF's indiscriminate firing. Most
>>
>> of the injuries were inflicted
>>>
>>> above the waist showing an intention to
>>
>> kill.
>>>
>>> India's dirty war in Kashmir has been going on for many years now,
>>
>> but
>>>
>>> in the last two years it has acquired a particularly cruel
>>
>> dimension.
>>>
>>> The systematic nature of brutal tactics is meant to discipline
>>
>> and
>>>
>>> demoralize Kashmir's struggling masses. At the same time, the Indian
>>>
>> state has kept up the rhetoric of confidence building measures to
>>>
>>> deceive
>>
>> its own citizens. In this light, the move to allow Kashmiris
>>>
>>> in Azad
>>
>> Kashmir to return home is nothing new. This surrender policy
>>>
>>> has been there
>>
>> for many years, but is ceremonially dusted and brought
>>>
>>> back every few years
>>
>> to earn brownie points.
>>>
>>> National Conference government which has proved
>>
>> its inability to
>>>
>>> function without authorization from New Delhi, and can't
>>
>> even remove
>>>
>>> an erring official without Delhi's explicit approval, has
>>
>> sought to
>>>
>>> play it safe: i.e. to stay in power they will go to any extent
>>
>> to
>>>
>>> please their masters. In photo-ops Omar Abdullah is seen begging for
>>>
>> leniency from Chidamabaram, but at home he has reinvigorated the cruel
>>>
>> police apparatus his father put into place in mid-1990's. CRPF and
>>>
>>> Kashmir
>>
>> police has increased their level of savagery in recent months,
>>>
>>> perhaps in a
>>
>> bid to show that they can handle Kashmir without Indian
>>>
>>> army's help.
>>>
>>>
>> Indian media has mostly blacked-out the grim news from Kashmir (apart
>>>
>>> from
>>
>> the few and far in between stories, like the ones below). It is
>>>
>>> time, the
>>
>> conscientious and rational Indian citizens form a solidarity
>>>
>>> with
>>
>> Kashmiris, disseminate widely the stories about Indian state's
>>>
>>> inhuman
>>
>> tactics in Kashmir, and build pressure on their government to
>>>
>>> stop human
>>
>> rights violations in Kashmir. And to accept the fact that
>>>
>>> Kashmir is a
>>
>> political issue that needs to be solved, with the full
>>>
>>> involvement of
>>
>> Kashmiris.
>>>
>>> _____________________
>>> Stone-pelting an act of war: J-K
>>
>> gov;
>>>
>>> Riyaz Wani
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Stone-pelting-an-act-of-war--J-K-govt/580232
>>
>>>
>>> The Jammu-Kashmir government has decided to arrest stone-pelters for
>>>
>> Owaging war against the stateą, a crime punishable with death or life
>>>
>>> in
>>
>> jail.
>>>
>>> The state has already slapped the Public Safety Act against
>>
>> eight
>>>
>>> stone-pelters, all between 15 and 18 years old, over the past week
>>>
>> while 16 youths from downtown Srinagar are being tried under section
>>>
>>> 121 of
>>
>> CrPC (waging war against the state). Sources in the state Home
>>>
>>> Department
>>
>> told The Indian Express that the government was ready with
>>>
>>> PSAs against ł20
>>
>> more such youths˛.
>>>
>>> The 16 youths were produced before a Srinagar Court
>>
>> on Monday. Police
>>>
>>> sought their remand for eight days, which was soon
>>
>> granted by Judge
>>>
>>> Masarat Jabeen.The boys, the investigating officer told
>>
>> the court,
>>>
>>> were directly involved in pelting stones at police and
>>
>> security
>>>
>>> forces.
>>>
>>> However, counsel for the accused Rafique Joo said
>>
>> the youths were held
>>>
>>> in random raids across the city and were not involved
>>
>> in
>>>
>>> stone-pelting. He opposed booking of youth under Section 121 of
>>
>> CrPC.
>>>
>>> J&K first started booking stone-pelters under the Public Safety
>>
>> Act
>>>
>>> during the 2008 Amarnath land row agitation. The first person to be
>>>
>> booked was Nayeem Ahmad of Rainawari, Srinagar. Though he was released
>>>
>> shortly after, Ahmad was again picked up in June last year during
>>>
>>> protests
>>
>> over the death of two women in Shopian.
>>>
>>> IGP, Kashmir, Farooq Ahmad said
>>
>> he was not in a position to give łthe
>>>
>>> exact number of youths˛ booked under
>>
>> PSA or Section 121 of CrPC. łI am
>>>
>>> out of station and donąt have the exact
>>
>> number,˛ Ahmad told The Indian
>>>
>>> Express.
>>> Police say waging war against
>>
>> country, judge not impressed
>>>
>>> _____________
>>> Police say waging war
>>
>> against country, judge not impressed
>>>
>>> Peerzada Ashiq
>>>
>> peer.mushtaq at hindustantimes.com
>>>
>>> Srinagar: Who is Zahoor Ahmad? shouted
>>
>> Masrat Jabeen, sitting on a
>>>
>>> raised platform in 14X14 room with three rows
>>
>> of chairs. łYes madam.
>>>
>>> Present madam˛, replied a boy standing among 16
>>
>> jostled youth with red
>>>
>>> cheeks and red hands because of cold.
>>>
>>> This is
>>
>> no classroom but a court hearing of 16 boys arrested on Sunday
>>>
>>> in downtown
>>
>> Srinagar for allegedly pelting stones at policemen. The
>>>
>>> police presented
>>
>> them before the court on Monday for extending their
>>>
>>> police remand. But
>>
>> after hearing the two sides, judge Jabeen sent the
>>>
>>> boys to judicial remand
>>
>> for 15 days.
>>>
>>> łHow did you know all the names of the arrested youth in
>>
>> advance?˛
>>>
>>> judge Jabeen asked the investigation officer of the police.
>>
>> łThrough
>>>
>>> reliable sources,˛ replied the investigation officer.
>>>
>>> łHow
>>
>> is it possible? I donąt know anyone of these boys. Who are these
>>>
>>> reliable
>>
>> sources?˛ asked judge Jabeen. To which the investigation
>>>
>>> officer, looking
>>
>> at the floor, said: łThey are active stone throwers,
>>>
>>> and involved for the
>>
>> last five years.˛
>>>
>>> There was sudden commotion in the court room, when
>>
>> Zahid, one of the
>>>
>>> accused, interjected saying, łThis is for the first time
>>
>> we are in the
>>>
>>> lock up,˛ adding he was just 16 year old and a school-goer,
>>
>> who was on
>>>
>>> the bike when the police arrested him.
>>>
>>> The boy, wearing a
>>
>> pair of jeans and jacket, started crying and are
>>>
>>> joined by others in the
>>
>> room, with the lawyer, Muhammad Rafiq Joo,
>>>
>>> requesting them to wipe tears
>>
>> and be mum. łDonąt worry justice will be
>>>
>>> done,˛ said Joo adding since Chief
>>
>> Minister Omar Abdullah told the
>>>
>>> media we are launching a crackdown against
>>
>> stone-pelters, the police
>>>
>>> are picking up anyone who comes in the way.
>>>
>>>
>> The boys --- in the age group of 15 to 22 and brought to the court in
>>>
>>> heavy
>>
>> chains --- are facing the charges like the waging war against
>>>
>>> the state and
>>
>> insulting the national honour. The punishment includes
>>>
>>> life imprisonment.
>>
>> The boys have been arrested from downtown Srinagar
>>>
>>> and were presented
>>
>> before the court by the Nowhatta Police Station.
>>>
>>> Lawyer Joo contested
>>
>> that the police cannot impose the waging a war
>>>
>>> against the nation unless a
>>
>> magistrate has done an investigation in a
>>>
>>> case and the police cannot do it
>>
>> on their own.
>>>
>>> While the weeping boys in chains left the court room in a
>>
>> row, their
>>>
>>> relatives shake their hands. The boys keep pleading their
>>
>> innocence:
>>>
>>> łWe were not involved. They let go who do stone pelting and
>>
>> arrested
>>>
>>> us,˛ they said.
>>>
>>> While a policeman shouted back: łThey have
>>
>> snatched our peace.˛
>>>
>>> _________________________________________
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>>
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