cry from a kashmiri's heart.........

The problem with the Indian Administration has been the same right from the start of the Kashmir issue. India has never admitted to kashmir being a dispute in spite of as many as 19 resolutions passed by the UN and seen as a dispute by the international community as well. India has been rigid and obstinate in its approach to the Kashmir issue from the very beginning. India and Pakistan have talked a million times over Kashmir but have always failed to reach a conclusive solution to the issue mainly because of India's rigid policies on Kashmir. Kashmir has seen the worse in the last 19 years of bloodshed and turmoil. It is time India and Pakistan talk sincerely over Kashmir and end the bloody conflict responsible for as many as 100 thousand deaths in the valley.
The Indian Government is still keen on solving the problem under its constitutional framework which may never work as an everlasting solution. India must realise the concerns of common Kashmiris before overlooking the plebiscite, an option which may settle the dispute for good. The Indian government under pressure from right wing parties is too weak to actually even voice out a probable solution for Kashmir which may not be under its constitutional framework. But the fact is that if Kashmir has to live in peace at all, all the three parties concerned that is India, Pakistan and most importantly people of Kashmir will have to sit together and draft a solution. Kashmir is much in need of peace and normalcy after so much turmoil but it is dependent on the sincerity of India and Pakistan to work out that peace.
Any solution where common kashmiri's concern and views will not be considered can never bring everlasting peace to the valley. India has time and again tried the tired formula of corrupting the people's representives and worked out a compromise but have always failed to settle the problem for good, be it the 1948 agreement with Sheikh Abdullah or the 1953 agreement with Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad. Everlasting peace will only come when India realises and respects the opinion of the majority population...........Kashmir and Kashmiris both are craving for peace which they deserve fully.......with such a beautiful and serene background Guns do not match the scene in any way..........India and Pakistan come out of your egos and the so called territorial superiority and bring end to the violence in kashmir.....this is a cry from the heart of every kashmiri..............

The struggle erupts again.......contd

Through out the year 1990 kashmiris were targeted everywhere. No one was spared children, women and adults all were made to pay the price of rebellion against India. India known to the world as the biggest democracy broke all democratic procedures and violated all human rights in crushing the struggle in kashmir. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act was passed and a reign of terror was let loose on innocent Kashmiris. Who can forget the unprovoked firing on demonstartions or the mass rape of women in konun Poshpora and hundreds of other places. Residential and commercial complexes were set ablaze in srinagar, Sopore and elsewhere in the valley. Young innocents were killed everyday. People were detained and held in custody without trials. Young boys from all over the valley were interrogated in ways alien to human culture. A fear was created in the general population in the valley. The Nineties were the worst period of time for Kashmiris which will always be remembered by them as the most difficult and traumatic. As a result of the pain and sufferings many kashmiris migrated to Pakistani side of Kashmir and many others moved to other countries to escape the bullets in Kashmir. Indian and Pakistani relations became tense and on a few occasions war like conditions prevailed. The turn of the century welcomed the new millennium for the world but nothing much changed for the Kashmiris who were still under the Indian occupation. Though things did ease a little bit but custodial killings and disappearances became widespread. It is 2008 now, conditions in Kashmir today are a little better than what they were a decade earlier but the ground situation has not changed much.Kashmiris still wait their birth right.......their right of self determination.............

The struggle erupts again.....this time with arms

1989 was the year when kashmiri youth were fed up with the stagnation of kashmir issue. They had tried everything from peaceful protests to getting their representatives elected by polls but had failed in it. It was time to try something else and try they did. In late 1989 thousands of youth started crossing over to Azad Kashmir and start a limited war with Indian troops, this time with weapons in their hands. JKLF lead the kashmiri youth in this war for the freedom of Kashmir. In no time other anti India groups joined the JKLF and a number of freedom seeking groups emerged. The government led by NC did not expect any of this and could not handle the situation. The Indian Government appoints Jagmohan as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir and on january 19 1990, the then Governor Jagmohan took charge of affairs at Srinagar.The same day the NC government resigns. On the night of January 19 people started coming out in huge numbers from all over the valley to protest against the appointment of Jagmohan in kashmir. More than 200 people are killed the next day when Indian paramilitary troops open fire on a peaceful protest in the Gawkadal area of srinagar.Srinagar is put under Curfew and shoot at sight orders are given to troops for any violation. Thousands of people come out in streets inspite of the curfew. In the end of february an estimated half a million people come out in a protest and rally towards Chrar e sharif as a mark of support for the freedom struggle in kashmir. On March 1 an estimated 1.2 million Kashmiris come out on roads making it the biggest demonstartion in the history of Kashmir. Protests continue for the month of march. In the month of april 1990 kashmiris are put through a virtual house arrest when the governor imposes a 17 day curfew in srinagar. People are made to suffer in the holy month of Ramadhan by house to house searches almost through out the city. Atrocities on common Kashmiris becomes the order of the day........to be contd

brief history.......contd

The 1965 war ends in a cease fire and the Tashkent declaration is signed in 1966 asking the two countries to revert to pre 1965 position. The same year Amanullah Khan and Maqbool Bhat form the Jammu and Kashmir National liberation front. In 1968 Maqbool Bhat is arrested and sentenced to death, but manages to escape and flees to Azad Kashmir. 3 years later in 1971 an indian passenger plane en route from srinagar to delhi is hijacked and take to lahore. The plane is blown up after the passengers are disembarked. The same year India sends its troops to East Pakistan to help rebels in a popular uprising against Pakistan and Bangladesh is born. After the cease fire, Simla agreement is signed in 1972 which states that India and Pakistan would settle all pending issues through bilateral dialogue. In 1974 Mirza Afzal Beg on behalf of Abdullah signs the Kashmir accord with the government of India which reiterates Kashmir's special status inside Indian union. Maqbool Bhat is arrested in 1976 on his return from Azad Kashmir and Ammanulah Khan moves to UK. Jammu kashmir National Liberation Front becomes JKLF. Sporadic clashes take place between the Indian And Pakistani armies at siachen glacier in 1984. 3 years later in 1987 elections take place in kashmir. It is the birth year of Muslim United Front, an amalgam of different anti indian political parties. MUF challenged the puppet government of NC in the polls. Kashmiris young and old are seen throwing enthusiasm and support behind the MUF. The Indian Government is worried and NC is declared winner after massive rigging during polls. This has been the turning point in the history of Kashmir, from their peaceful struggle from 1947 to the elections in 1987. It was after these elections that a common kashmiri realised that his wishes and aspirations had no respect for the ruling NC and the Government of India. This was the year Kashmiri youth after feeling betrayed by the peaceful and constitutional means opted for armed struggle........to be contd

brief history.......contd

India had plans to take Kashmir from the beginning, how can one forget the last minute inclusion of Gurdaspur, a muslim majority district supposed to go to Pakistan, to the Indian union by the Radcliffe boundary commission. Following its designs for Kashmir, the Indian Government went against the UN resolutions and in 1951 carried out the first elections in kashmir. UN passed another resolution the same year to the effect that such elections could not substitute the plebiscite and reiterated that a free and fair plebiscite be held in Jammu and Kashmir. A year after elections Sheikh Abdullah defected from his position of endorsing the accession to India and insisted on the plebiscite in Kashmir. In 1953 India and Pakistan agreed on appointing a plebiscite administrator by the end of April 1954. But as I mentioned earlier India had other plans from the beginning and in August 1953 the Indian Government dismissed and detained Sheikh Abdullah. And yet again India appoints a puppet government this time headed by Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad who officially ratifies the accession to India, for which he was actually appointed. In 1956 the puppet state government adopts a constitution of the state and declares it to be an integral part of the India without any mandate from the Public. UN passed another resolution in 1957 stating such actions could not constitute a final disposition of Kashmir and reiterated a free and fair plebiscite be held. In 1964 the ailing Nehru probably realised his misdeeds released Abdullah from prison and sent him to Pakistan to solve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of kashmiris but unfortunately he passed away a month later and the talks got stalled. Sheikh Abdullah is again arrested in May 1965 after he arrives in India from Makkah. And in 1965 India and Pakistan go to their second war over Kashmir.......to be contd

kashmir problem......a brief history

Kashmir has been a bone of contention for both india and pakistan for over 6 decades now......1947 was the year the indian sub continent was partitioned and India got its independence and Pakistan was created......Pakistan, a country carved out of India for muslims in the sub continent....All muslim majority regions were to accede to pakistan and hindu dominated to India...It was here that kashmir's misfortune started.....By theory Kashmir should have gone to Pakistan as it was a muslim majority state, but it was ruled by a hindu (Dogra) king who did not want to accede to Pakistan but wanted it to be an independent state.....In August a stand still agreement is signed with Pakistan....Later that month the Maharaja sends his troops to the Poonch area of Kashmir strenthening his hold in this muslim majority district in Jammu division...The people of Poonch revolt and an uprising starts against the Maharaja....By october the uprising reaches Mirpur and Muzzafarabad and on october 24 Poonch rebels declared the parallel government of Azad(free) kashmir.....It was in this month that hundreds of pushtun tribesmen joined forces with the Poonch rebels and crossed over to Uri and Baramulla. Seeing the kingdom being lost the maharaja in a hurry to save his throne signs accession to India on conditions that kashmir will retain its autonomy....on 27th october India sent its troops and a war started....In 1948 India took the Kashmir issue to united nations which brokered a cease fire between India And Pakistan and the line of control was drawn....United nations passed many resolution on kashmir and declared a plebiscite be hold and people be given the right to choose between India and Pakistan.....India and Pakistan both agreed to the resolutions....Now it has been 60 years and we kashmiris still await the plebiscite and our right to self determination........................To be contd...