[Reader-list] Little Kashmiri boys arrested

[Rahul Asthana]

Taraprakash ,
Here is a recent article about "Azad" Kashmir in Dawn.

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/editorial/16-azad-kashmir-today-hs-05

Thanks
Rahul

--- On Fri, 2/19/10, Tara Prakash <taraprakash at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Tara Prakash <taraprakash at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Little Kashmiri boys arrested
> To: "Junaid" <justjunaid at gmail.com>
> Cc: "Sarai" <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Date: Friday, February 19, 2010, 12:22 AM
> Thanks Junaid. Point taken. People
> should have right to self determination.
> First scenario is that Kashmir becomes a sovereign state.
> What would you say 
> to those skeptics who are afraid, genuinely or otherwise,
> that a new country 
> where fundamentalism has enjoyed some welcoming
> constituency  in the past, 
> will become another safe haven for the destructive elements
> linked to Al 
> qaeda ideology to pursue their destructive agenda. Do you
> think people are 
> right to be skeptical that Kashmir as a free nation will
> become like Yeman, 
> or worse, Somalia?
> 
> My second query, again for my personal information, and it
> is about the 
> second scenario. I have heard people in the past that
> Pakistan is lesser 
> evil than India. How do they justify this and do you agree
> with them? This 
> is an international listbut when it comes to Kashmir, it
> appears that 
> Kashmir on the Pakistani side does not exist or that there
> is no military 
> presence. Are the people on Pakistani side free?
> 
> 
> Best
> TaraPrakash
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Junaid" <justjunaid at gmail.com>
> To: "Tara Prakash" <taraprakash at gmail.com>
> Cc: "S. Jabbar" <sonia.jabbar at gmail.com>;
> "Sarai" <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 11:57 AM
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Little Kashmiri boys arrested
> 
> 
> 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.˛
> >>>
> >>> _________________________________________
> >>>
> >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and
> the city.
> >>>
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> >>
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> >>>
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> >>
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> >>>
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> >>>
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> >>
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> >>
> >>
> >
> > ______________________
> >>
> >> ___________________
> >
> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the
> >>
> >> city.
> >
> > Critiques & Collaborations
> > To subscribe: send an email to
> >>
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> >>
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> > 
> 
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