Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
“Today we need you”
It has been sixty-three years since India occupied Kashmir. During all these sixty-three years they have never shown any kind of respect for Kashmir in general and its people in particular.
With the passage into the 21st century, borders are losing relevance in this world, and a new concept of global village is being discussed. Ironically Kashmir being physically part of this global village has virtually been erased- courtesy great efforts of India.
Since the last sixty-three years, they not only suffocated our voice and throttled our emotions, but also have drained our resources both in terms of human lives and as other natural resources. There is no single example in the last sixty-three years that India would have shown any sign of dismay or disappointment in what they are doing in Kashmir.
All these lines are being written for those who understand, who analyze into these facts, both practically as well as emotionally. A class of people who are educated enough to value a life and believe that every human being is born with right to live free. This is evidenced by the evolution of governance in human history, which is presently described as; by the people, for the people, of the people- courtesy democracy. But in our Kashmir it is by India, for India, of India – courtesy Indian might.
This is an occupation, which is relentlessly getting worse with every decade, the only thing, which is changing, is the way in which they disregard, discredit and demoralize our genuine emotional uprisings and demands. There is no hope, not even a shred of hope that Kashmir in particular and the world in general can expect that India will sensibly and mindfully respond to the needs and demands of kashmiris at any time, in the present or in the future. India is a heedless rogue in this world for a kashmiri, who is not only ignoring the genuine demands and the genuine agony of the Kashmiri people but is also ignoring every international body or community which find themselves also helpless in front of this arrogant country. And unfortunately India turning into a rewarding hub for future investment and growth, for this economic drawn present world is bringing silence to the lips of big nations. Let me clearly indicate to the people of Kashmir who can understand the tactics of India. We kashmiris have to bear this thought in mind that India is not going to respond to any International pressure or diplomacy as is very clear from the past sixty-three years. The only thing that will provoke a response now, is an indigenous uprising to curb their growing arrogance.
In the last six decades, and even before during cruel Maharaja rule there is no decade that passed without an uprising and without brutality and tyranny. Every decade we generate the momentum and we sacrifice limitlessly our time, lives, possessions and yet still succumbing to the brutality, tactics and cunning design of this insensitive regime. There is no doubt, that no dream can be fulfilled without sacrifice and that no goal can be achieved without nourishing it with efforts and passion. But if we, the present intellectual generation, cannot value this effort and sacrifice, we will be held responsible by the future generations who will go through this again and again. It is a moral responsibility of not only those people who have been labeled as leaders of our nation, or those who has been labeled as illiterate stone pelters, but it is an obligation upon every responsible and educated individual of Kashmir to respect and recognize this sacrifice for once and for all.
For that day we will definitely need you and without you we will not reach there. And one day you will definitely be part of this, but when that day comes really does matter. If you people who have the ability to listen, to read and to understand, listen to your hearts and read and understand your responsibilities, then you may start to value that day, be curious about that day and feel joyful about the coming of that day.
It is a day, which will decide, and a day, which will pay respect and regard to all those sacrifices laid by our nation of Kashmir. This is not possible just by dreaming, thinking, it will be possible by also doing and contributing what that day requires. It is not impossible, but it may seem so to the people who don’t feel responsible, to those who are cowardly, narrow minded, who are insensitive, who have limited knowledge of history and who are corrupt. But believe me, we will experience that day like other nations in the past. What matters is when that day comes. It will be a great day to be part of. It will bring relief to the whole of the nation and if this day comes early, it will be an achievement of the people of this present time to experience this day in their lifetime and put an end to the agony.
This day is the day when we will get relief and relieved from the tyranny of a tyrant. Who not only have eroded our emotions but also has corrupted our minds to believe that day may not be possible. It is not uncommon to hear in Kashmir that ‘That day is not possible’ this is a sign of corruption that this barbaric state has achieved in these six decades. Even though we have the resolve to fight back and resist again and again, what is lacking is that freedom from corruption.
There is nothing possible in the world without being imagined or cherished and there is no doubt that we have cherished and cradled this thought for generations. So what is this thing that is lagging in accomplishing this achievement of experiencing this beautiful day? Imagine you being a part of this salvation, salvation not of a person, not of a state but of generations. Imagine if this state had been saved in 1930s from our ex-tyrant, remember how many emotions we sacrificed, how many deaths, rapes, molestations we received, how much progress and prosperity we lost in our way while fighting this relentless occupant who has not only thwarted our emotions but corrupted to the level that we as a nation are not able to believe what we are able to do as a unit or as a state. We have been corrupted and perverted to the level that we are begging for things that are in our hands and that we can achieve with conscious approach.
This is a question to every person at this time in Kashmir who is experiencing the brutality, whether they are at home, whether they doctors, businessmen, policemen or, bureaucrats, whether they are teachers, scholars, writers or a scientists. Whether they are in Kashmir or abroad. How can they justify their existence in this kind of barbarism? A young kid is being killed ruthlessly in the 21st century for protesting for their birthright, which even animals are enjoying in this century. It should shake the conscience of every Kashmiri intellectual, which debate short-term loses like education, state economy and development. They should ponder upon their real existence as a part of this nation before they shamefully start living under these so called normal conditions under India hegemony and will forget what has happen. How can they move forward? How can you live forward without those teenagers, that fresh blood from the last couple of generations? Why don’t you understand that this is an arrogant barbaric occupation that is not going to end unless you are not participating in the uprising otherwise it would be paramount to being part of the tyranny. If you cannot raise your voice at this juncture of life- you may end up in your graves, leaving behind your future generations under the same brutal occupation, If this is not the fact, go back in the history, which as I earlier mentioned could have changed our life and the lives of millions of others who are part of this humiliating persecution.
This is a simple thought for all the people I am addressing today, since the last so many years, even though everybody agrees that Kashmir had improved in terms of violence, India is still not ready to withdraw the ASFPA which would not be considered as a favor to kashmiris but a demand. Understand that this brutal country is not even considering us as normal human beings, how are we living? We are treated as dogs, to be caged, shackled, with inhumane designs. India as a state has never respected our intellect, they have always muzzled or muscled, one way or another and there are hundreds of examples of killing in order to silence the voices that sound a little louder than the common Kashmiri. Imagine if you people as a mass will voice the concern, this will be stronger than any external force, or form or community, whether national or international. And this is the real force that will achieve the dream of that day. The fact is that we need all kashmiris to realize that this day will only be possible by coming together and voicing clearly and coherently to this immoral country.
It is high time for all those people who have a heart to feel and mind to think, to come out of the corruption of Indian occupation, to come out from the shells of their imaginary success, to come out from their shackles of uncertainty and help the present and the future generations for once and for all. My appeal goes to all the kashmiris who enjoy offices and incentives by being intentionally or unintentionally associates of this brutal force. Their soil is soaked in blood, their brothers are grieving, their mothers are in shock, their friends are in pain and their houses are on fire, their neighbors are in agony an their own families are insecure. If you don’t want to repent after you have reached your graves, by leaving your generations behind in the same unending pain, this is the time to say to yourself, ‘We want this day, as soon as possible.’ Not only for yourself and your own family, but also for all those souls who are unborn who will pray for you even before they are born. Believe in the magnitude of your voice and believe in the difference you can make for these wailing and weeping mothers and bleeding and bruised children. Without you, this day is impossible.
We may have to wait for another generation, another decade, to wake ourselves to achieve this day, but the fact is, without you, this day is not possible. You are the voice, which can tear any boundary, which can shake any state, which can make everybody believe that Kashmir’s demand is genuine and possible.
And that Day will be AZADI.
With the passage into the 21st century, borders are losing relevance in this world, and a new concept of global village is being discussed. Ironically Kashmir being physically part of this global village has virtually been erased- courtesy great efforts of India.
Since the last sixty-three years, they not only suffocated our voice and throttled our emotions, but also have drained our resources both in terms of human lives and as other natural resources. There is no single example in the last sixty-three years that India would have shown any sign of dismay or disappointment in what they are doing in Kashmir.
All these lines are being written for those who understand, who analyze into these facts, both practically as well as emotionally. A class of people who are educated enough to value a life and believe that every human being is born with right to live free. This is evidenced by the evolution of governance in human history, which is presently described as; by the people, for the people, of the people- courtesy democracy. But in our Kashmir it is by India, for India, of India – courtesy Indian might.
This is an occupation, which is relentlessly getting worse with every decade, the only thing, which is changing, is the way in which they disregard, discredit and demoralize our genuine emotional uprisings and demands. There is no hope, not even a shred of hope that Kashmir in particular and the world in general can expect that India will sensibly and mindfully respond to the needs and demands of kashmiris at any time, in the present or in the future. India is a heedless rogue in this world for a kashmiri, who is not only ignoring the genuine demands and the genuine agony of the Kashmiri people but is also ignoring every international body or community which find themselves also helpless in front of this arrogant country. And unfortunately India turning into a rewarding hub for future investment and growth, for this economic drawn present world is bringing silence to the lips of big nations. Let me clearly indicate to the people of Kashmir who can understand the tactics of India. We kashmiris have to bear this thought in mind that India is not going to respond to any International pressure or diplomacy as is very clear from the past sixty-three years. The only thing that will provoke a response now, is an indigenous uprising to curb their growing arrogance.
In the last six decades, and even before during cruel Maharaja rule there is no decade that passed without an uprising and without brutality and tyranny. Every decade we generate the momentum and we sacrifice limitlessly our time, lives, possessions and yet still succumbing to the brutality, tactics and cunning design of this insensitive regime. There is no doubt, that no dream can be fulfilled without sacrifice and that no goal can be achieved without nourishing it with efforts and passion. But if we, the present intellectual generation, cannot value this effort and sacrifice, we will be held responsible by the future generations who will go through this again and again. It is a moral responsibility of not only those people who have been labeled as leaders of our nation, or those who has been labeled as illiterate stone pelters, but it is an obligation upon every responsible and educated individual of Kashmir to respect and recognize this sacrifice for once and for all.
For that day we will definitely need you and without you we will not reach there. And one day you will definitely be part of this, but when that day comes really does matter. If you people who have the ability to listen, to read and to understand, listen to your hearts and read and understand your responsibilities, then you may start to value that day, be curious about that day and feel joyful about the coming of that day.
It is a day, which will decide, and a day, which will pay respect and regard to all those sacrifices laid by our nation of Kashmir. This is not possible just by dreaming, thinking, it will be possible by also doing and contributing what that day requires. It is not impossible, but it may seem so to the people who don’t feel responsible, to those who are cowardly, narrow minded, who are insensitive, who have limited knowledge of history and who are corrupt. But believe me, we will experience that day like other nations in the past. What matters is when that day comes. It will be a great day to be part of. It will bring relief to the whole of the nation and if this day comes early, it will be an achievement of the people of this present time to experience this day in their lifetime and put an end to the agony.
This day is the day when we will get relief and relieved from the tyranny of a tyrant. Who not only have eroded our emotions but also has corrupted our minds to believe that day may not be possible. It is not uncommon to hear in Kashmir that ‘That day is not possible’ this is a sign of corruption that this barbaric state has achieved in these six decades. Even though we have the resolve to fight back and resist again and again, what is lacking is that freedom from corruption.
There is nothing possible in the world without being imagined or cherished and there is no doubt that we have cherished and cradled this thought for generations. So what is this thing that is lagging in accomplishing this achievement of experiencing this beautiful day? Imagine you being a part of this salvation, salvation not of a person, not of a state but of generations. Imagine if this state had been saved in 1930s from our ex-tyrant, remember how many emotions we sacrificed, how many deaths, rapes, molestations we received, how much progress and prosperity we lost in our way while fighting this relentless occupant who has not only thwarted our emotions but corrupted to the level that we as a nation are not able to believe what we are able to do as a unit or as a state. We have been corrupted and perverted to the level that we are begging for things that are in our hands and that we can achieve with conscious approach.
This is a question to every person at this time in Kashmir who is experiencing the brutality, whether they are at home, whether they doctors, businessmen, policemen or, bureaucrats, whether they are teachers, scholars, writers or a scientists. Whether they are in Kashmir or abroad. How can they justify their existence in this kind of barbarism? A young kid is being killed ruthlessly in the 21st century for protesting for their birthright, which even animals are enjoying in this century. It should shake the conscience of every Kashmiri intellectual, which debate short-term loses like education, state economy and development. They should ponder upon their real existence as a part of this nation before they shamefully start living under these so called normal conditions under India hegemony and will forget what has happen. How can they move forward? How can you live forward without those teenagers, that fresh blood from the last couple of generations? Why don’t you understand that this is an arrogant barbaric occupation that is not going to end unless you are not participating in the uprising otherwise it would be paramount to being part of the tyranny. If you cannot raise your voice at this juncture of life- you may end up in your graves, leaving behind your future generations under the same brutal occupation, If this is not the fact, go back in the history, which as I earlier mentioned could have changed our life and the lives of millions of others who are part of this humiliating persecution.
This is a simple thought for all the people I am addressing today, since the last so many years, even though everybody agrees that Kashmir had improved in terms of violence, India is still not ready to withdraw the ASFPA which would not be considered as a favor to kashmiris but a demand. Understand that this brutal country is not even considering us as normal human beings, how are we living? We are treated as dogs, to be caged, shackled, with inhumane designs. India as a state has never respected our intellect, they have always muzzled or muscled, one way or another and there are hundreds of examples of killing in order to silence the voices that sound a little louder than the common Kashmiri. Imagine if you people as a mass will voice the concern, this will be stronger than any external force, or form or community, whether national or international. And this is the real force that will achieve the dream of that day. The fact is that we need all kashmiris to realize that this day will only be possible by coming together and voicing clearly and coherently to this immoral country.
It is high time for all those people who have a heart to feel and mind to think, to come out of the corruption of Indian occupation, to come out from the shells of their imaginary success, to come out from their shackles of uncertainty and help the present and the future generations for once and for all. My appeal goes to all the kashmiris who enjoy offices and incentives by being intentionally or unintentionally associates of this brutal force. Their soil is soaked in blood, their brothers are grieving, their mothers are in shock, their friends are in pain and their houses are on fire, their neighbors are in agony an their own families are insecure. If you don’t want to repent after you have reached your graves, by leaving your generations behind in the same unending pain, this is the time to say to yourself, ‘We want this day, as soon as possible.’ Not only for yourself and your own family, but also for all those souls who are unborn who will pray for you even before they are born. Believe in the magnitude of your voice and believe in the difference you can make for these wailing and weeping mothers and bleeding and bruised children. Without you, this day is impossible.
We may have to wait for another generation, another decade, to wake ourselves to achieve this day, but the fact is, without you, this day is not possible. You are the voice, which can tear any boundary, which can shake any state, which can make everybody believe that Kashmir’s demand is genuine and possible.
And that Day will be AZADI.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Our dream...
You and me and all those we love
Will discover a new emotion
hidden deep in our heart but unknown
to understand flow of tears over our cheeks
to know those tears which feared to flow.
You and me and those we love
will discover a new emotion
deep hidden in our expressions
to know depth of grief among smiling faces
to find panacea for anger and worry.
You and me and all those we love
will find reasons to live and live hereafter
will find source of happiness and joy
to go around millions of faces
let us find such a cause , you and me
and put a smile over their weary faces
let it be you and me and happiness for everybody.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Disappointment
*
Let God decide fate of people
I being one among these
Material judges of world; short sighted, can see
But to peep deep through and through
One lacking quality.
*
My fate is right, not my words
My destiny is right, not my acts
To be free of miracles is to be practical
Even if art does flow, for unknown
That is worthless in this cocoon.
*
My lines are true to my heart
My words are borrowed from art
Healing my wounds by weaving
Few thoughts through my words
Bewildered, I let some of these to chase
Worldly appreciation, like an insane.
*
During deep slumber in a dreamy night
Disgust woke me up soon
Like if a deer turned lion
Lamenting over change
In my thinking, in my aim.
*
I take a deep breath and a sigh
For my art and its cry.
TARIQ
Friday, March 5, 2010
Tragedy:
we had a dream,
a beautiful one
we still have a dream ,
a beautiful one
we always were distracted
by one or the other
we still are in distraction
away from our dream
our dream of freedom,
our dream of salvation
was always torn in disguise
sometimes by friend ,
sometimes by enemy
thus led to misery
thus led to agony
if you have a dream
you need shape it
with your thoughts
with your belief
if you fail ,
you lose your dream
this is tragedy of my kashmir
Tariq
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Wake up leader
CRISIS BY DR. T M BHAT
John Maxwel (internationally respected leadership expert) says, “The first step to leadership is servant hood”
Nobody in this world has achieved anything haphazardly. Neither will we. Success, victory, triumph, accomplishment and achievement like words can only be expected when you follow certain universally accepted and proven rules, and fulfill some minimum requirements.
You work for a greater and unanimous goal and shun your personal skewed opinion, which, although may not be wrong, may not apply or may be unrealistic or impractical under the prevailing situation for the sacred cause and national feat. Due to the above fact, requirement of a leader and leadership comes to existence.
Every nation is composed of millions of people with millions of eyes and minds, and even though the goal of whole nation may be a common one, which universally are prosperity and freedom and every individual envisages with his mind, eyes and knowledge, his own ways to achieve it.
The duty to direct all these individuals, their thoughts, dreams and resources and to carve a consensus opinion and put them in one common direction has been entrusted upon leaders and leadership from time immemorial. Great success comes only when a leader understands his source of strength and success, which has undisputedly been the ocean of people who follow and believe in him. A leader cannot succeed without an emotional and deep level of bond with his people, and he cannot and should not declare himself as a leader until he has not acquired profound knowledge and understanding about his people at a superior level especially about their sensitivities. Excellence of leader and leadership are reckoned on the level of interaction and sharing with his people. Leaders should not forget that their opinion, even though is important but is not superior to the opinion of the whole nation. They should consider themselves like any other true patriot of a nation and should realized that what they have been entrusted with, is not their estate but a responsibility and whatever their individual approach or personal belief may be - its importance should not take precedence over national opinion and interest.
Divide and rule is a lesson even primary school children are well aware of, unfortunately it is over utilized in Kashmir at present, not due to an intelligent enemy but due to our own belligerence. These words despite serving as a mirror reflection for the people I am pertaining to in this article, regardless will sound repetition or redundant to most of the Kashmiri people. However, I write in the perspective of reiteration and desperation, but more honestly - in an effort to knock the doors again, behind which is an unattended and consciously or unconsciously denied aliment which likely may be distressing to people who are suffering from it and beyond any doubt is eroding the whole Kashmir nation.
It is not too late for us to peep in our minds and hearts and look for this disease of individuality, which is not only keeping us behind in acquiring a strategic position at international level, but is even causing unaccounted loss of emotions, efforts and even human life. Our leaders and leadership have to wake up from their deep slumber before it is too late to recover.
At the present time, in this changed world, ways to achieve similar goals as used in past have drastically changed, especially since the last decade. World order has changed; perception of things has changed; now the same thing that was good in the past has turned bad ironically.
Timely methodologies and meaningful innovations have to be applied and acceptable ways have to be adapted to revitalize our voice for legitimate demands. For these unprecedented requirements, to keep our voice in echoes will need lot of dedication and concentration, a great intellect and ample time to formulate appropriate strategies. This definitely demands integration, harmony among all people at helm of affairs and mental peace at individual level.
Who will knock your doors? And will you listen? Who will come to your houses to reconcile you? I believe the answer is – no one? People will find their leaders and leadership because they are the ones who create leaders, and give meaning to their existence. If you don’t shun your arrogance and indifference they will one day walk over you, history is witness to this fact. The regretful mention in history will not be your absence but the loss of priceless tears from dried old eyes, loss of fresh teen blood, it will be the waste of timeless effort and unmeasured resources, bearing of incredible trauma and agony, the unattended cries and the unknown and unappreciated sacrifices. History will hold you accountable for all this because of your heedless and reckless approach towards your responsibility.
Why should one who is observing from outside blame India for the inexorable carnage in Kashmir, if our leaders can’t feel the pain of it? Despite Indian persistent forceful and deceptive subjugation of deprived Kashmiris, our leaders and leadership is busy in fighting about their own occupation.
Realize and remember no leader or leadership in Kashmir is by choice, but by chance. Again they are not chosen ones, they are in there by chance and in spite of that reason people have faith in them and follow them, they respect and regard them as leaders. This puts more liability on their shoulders, to prove themselves as being rational, equitable, uncorrupted and devoted towards their duties and responsibilities. Yet in contrary, you find them active in their personal rivalry, petty, stupid and unnecessary “party” issues, which seem pathetic and clearly indicate that they have forgot their institution and their origin. They can hear similar echoes from every corner of Kashmir valley and across the globe. In every other family or college discussions, they can discover over and over again similar disappointments being expressed by all age groups. For how long will they live in denial? This denial may not be proving harmful to them, but certainly is hurting the nation in general and the sacred cause in particular grievously; indeed only an insensitive and blunt heart can disregard this.
The real spirit of leadership is that you have to have vision. Vision in leaders emerges from a dream of sacrifice for their people and it can be fortified by honesty, selflessness, discourse and deliberations with his brethren who entrust in him their future. Our leaders have an uphill task ahead of them, but if they put their nation first in their minds they will prevail, I have a firm belief.
This is a sincere appeal to our leaders and leadership, Kashmir and we Kashmiri people have suffered beyond measure, sadly unknown to the world. Our enemy is not only barbaric and inhuman but also shrewd and cunning, which should provoke us to be proactive in fighting the dangerous illusory designs with logical and universally acceptable inventive moves.
Believe it or not till we are not ‘one’ even Allah will not be ready to save us. As is clearly written in the glorious Quran.
"Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls). But when (once) Allah wills a people's punishment there can be no turning it back nor will they find besides Him any to protect." Q11: 13
I would like to conclude with few painful lines.
“They put our House on fire long time ago;
We started consoling each other long time ago
My brothers we are still burning
Please don’t stop consoling each other.
”http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=28_2_2010&ItemID=18&cat=17
John Maxwel (internationally respected leadership expert) says, “The first step to leadership is servant hood”
Nobody in this world has achieved anything haphazardly. Neither will we. Success, victory, triumph, accomplishment and achievement like words can only be expected when you follow certain universally accepted and proven rules, and fulfill some minimum requirements.
You work for a greater and unanimous goal and shun your personal skewed opinion, which, although may not be wrong, may not apply or may be unrealistic or impractical under the prevailing situation for the sacred cause and national feat. Due to the above fact, requirement of a leader and leadership comes to existence.
Every nation is composed of millions of people with millions of eyes and minds, and even though the goal of whole nation may be a common one, which universally are prosperity and freedom and every individual envisages with his mind, eyes and knowledge, his own ways to achieve it.
The duty to direct all these individuals, their thoughts, dreams and resources and to carve a consensus opinion and put them in one common direction has been entrusted upon leaders and leadership from time immemorial. Great success comes only when a leader understands his source of strength and success, which has undisputedly been the ocean of people who follow and believe in him. A leader cannot succeed without an emotional and deep level of bond with his people, and he cannot and should not declare himself as a leader until he has not acquired profound knowledge and understanding about his people at a superior level especially about their sensitivities. Excellence of leader and leadership are reckoned on the level of interaction and sharing with his people. Leaders should not forget that their opinion, even though is important but is not superior to the opinion of the whole nation. They should consider themselves like any other true patriot of a nation and should realized that what they have been entrusted with, is not their estate but a responsibility and whatever their individual approach or personal belief may be - its importance should not take precedence over national opinion and interest.
Divide and rule is a lesson even primary school children are well aware of, unfortunately it is over utilized in Kashmir at present, not due to an intelligent enemy but due to our own belligerence. These words despite serving as a mirror reflection for the people I am pertaining to in this article, regardless will sound repetition or redundant to most of the Kashmiri people. However, I write in the perspective of reiteration and desperation, but more honestly - in an effort to knock the doors again, behind which is an unattended and consciously or unconsciously denied aliment which likely may be distressing to people who are suffering from it and beyond any doubt is eroding the whole Kashmir nation.
It is not too late for us to peep in our minds and hearts and look for this disease of individuality, which is not only keeping us behind in acquiring a strategic position at international level, but is even causing unaccounted loss of emotions, efforts and even human life. Our leaders and leadership have to wake up from their deep slumber before it is too late to recover.
At the present time, in this changed world, ways to achieve similar goals as used in past have drastically changed, especially since the last decade. World order has changed; perception of things has changed; now the same thing that was good in the past has turned bad ironically.
Timely methodologies and meaningful innovations have to be applied and acceptable ways have to be adapted to revitalize our voice for legitimate demands. For these unprecedented requirements, to keep our voice in echoes will need lot of dedication and concentration, a great intellect and ample time to formulate appropriate strategies. This definitely demands integration, harmony among all people at helm of affairs and mental peace at individual level.
Who will knock your doors? And will you listen? Who will come to your houses to reconcile you? I believe the answer is – no one? People will find their leaders and leadership because they are the ones who create leaders, and give meaning to their existence. If you don’t shun your arrogance and indifference they will one day walk over you, history is witness to this fact. The regretful mention in history will not be your absence but the loss of priceless tears from dried old eyes, loss of fresh teen blood, it will be the waste of timeless effort and unmeasured resources, bearing of incredible trauma and agony, the unattended cries and the unknown and unappreciated sacrifices. History will hold you accountable for all this because of your heedless and reckless approach towards your responsibility.
Why should one who is observing from outside blame India for the inexorable carnage in Kashmir, if our leaders can’t feel the pain of it? Despite Indian persistent forceful and deceptive subjugation of deprived Kashmiris, our leaders and leadership is busy in fighting about their own occupation.
Realize and remember no leader or leadership in Kashmir is by choice, but by chance. Again they are not chosen ones, they are in there by chance and in spite of that reason people have faith in them and follow them, they respect and regard them as leaders. This puts more liability on their shoulders, to prove themselves as being rational, equitable, uncorrupted and devoted towards their duties and responsibilities. Yet in contrary, you find them active in their personal rivalry, petty, stupid and unnecessary “party” issues, which seem pathetic and clearly indicate that they have forgot their institution and their origin. They can hear similar echoes from every corner of Kashmir valley and across the globe. In every other family or college discussions, they can discover over and over again similar disappointments being expressed by all age groups. For how long will they live in denial? This denial may not be proving harmful to them, but certainly is hurting the nation in general and the sacred cause in particular grievously; indeed only an insensitive and blunt heart can disregard this.
The real spirit of leadership is that you have to have vision. Vision in leaders emerges from a dream of sacrifice for their people and it can be fortified by honesty, selflessness, discourse and deliberations with his brethren who entrust in him their future. Our leaders have an uphill task ahead of them, but if they put their nation first in their minds they will prevail, I have a firm belief.
This is a sincere appeal to our leaders and leadership, Kashmir and we Kashmiri people have suffered beyond measure, sadly unknown to the world. Our enemy is not only barbaric and inhuman but also shrewd and cunning, which should provoke us to be proactive in fighting the dangerous illusory designs with logical and universally acceptable inventive moves.
Believe it or not till we are not ‘one’ even Allah will not be ready to save us. As is clearly written in the glorious Quran.
"Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls). But when (once) Allah wills a people's punishment there can be no turning it back nor will they find besides Him any to protect." Q11: 13
I would like to conclude with few painful lines.
“They put our House on fire long time ago;
We started consoling each other long time ago
My brothers we are still burning
Please don’t stop consoling each other.
”http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=28_2_2010&ItemID=18&cat=17
Friday, February 26, 2010
Kashmir - the Forgotten Occupation.
A young girl is sitting in front of me, ironing the white shalwar kameez that is her uniform, ready for school the next day. We have been chatting about the usual stuff - clothes, movies, school... I ask her about the halats and how it affects her - halat meaning the situation. No more needs to be said: she knows I am talking about.
what has repeatedly been termed The Kashmir Issue. "So many girls have been raped in Kashmir and so many of them are known to me," she said. "One girl was interrogated and raped in front of her begging father-in-law." She sees the tears in my eyes, folds the kameez she has just finished ironing and picks up the shalwar. "This is what happens all the time - our lives are built around deaths, rapes, murders. For two days we go to college and then for the next four days it's closed because of a curfew or something going on."
This is not a joke to them, there is no childlike joy in being given a day off school. She feels it is impossible to gain freedom now - "when the gun comes in somewhere, it does not easily disappear. Look how beautiful Kashmir was, now it is hell. It was heaven, now it is hell."
Who is this young girl that is telling me this so calmly - with no trace of naive emotion - with the air of someone who has gone beyond that and has pent up all tears as being useless? This is Feroza - my cousin, dear to me as my own sister.
"You just have to tighten your stomach muscles like this - each time, before they hit you," he says laughingly. "That iron rod will leave a lot more bruises if it comes down on a soft stomach," continues the smiling young man trying to wave away the fear in my eyes and the pain I feel for him, for he is my mum's brother, my uncle, interrogated and tortured by the Indian army.
You don't really want me to go on in this way do you? I don't intend this to be a sob story about how my family and me "back home" in Kashmir have suffered. I could just make it a quick list - a great grandfather burnt alive in his own home, a whole family made homeless by their home being burnt down, a cousin blinded by a bullet while attempting to rescue the forementioned grandfather from that fire, my grandparents along with babies and children in the family, made to sit outside in the snow for hours while the house was searched, windows smashed, personal belongings strewn. The mismatched frosted glass on the front doors is the only indication left of the brutal looting of our home.
My family are not unique in this special treatment by the Indian army, which occupies and has been occupying the valley of Kashmir for the last six decades. There is not a single family in the whole of occupied Kashmir that has not been touched by the terror.
>So does this explain why I become so passionate when people here at university with me don't even realise what is going on? "I'm originally from Kashmir" I say. "Kashmir? Where's that?" Or a slightly, I hesitate to say, better response is: "Kashmir? Like cashmere wool?"
India, who has occupied the Valley of Kashmir by force, still revels in its title of most democratic nation, with no fear of reproach from the world at large. Islamic terrorism is a word so ready at everyone's lips, but what about the extremist Hindu views of the BJP which openly wants to eradicate the Muslims of Kashmir. While America wants to liberate the people of Iraq from an oppressive régime, they ignore the cries of the people of Kashmir, who have been under the oppressive régime of their own government for the last 60 years.
In the democratic city of Delhi, one is free to do as one wants. This is a very difficult idea to describe because all of us living here in Britain take this so much for granted. The flight from Delhi to Srinagar is 45 minutes. Both are cities of a country that calls itself democratic, yet the difference in the mere atmosphere of each is staggering. Once you enter Srinagar airport it is stifling. Immediately the security checks are tripled. On emerging, in all the city and its surrounding towns and villages, one cannot walk more than a few metres without passing the imposing and threatening figure of a military man fully armed. Kashmir has the highest concentration of armed military per square mile in the whole world. Military convoys rumble past the traffic - which has to stop and allow them to pass in much the same way as we have to stop for ambulances or fire engines in the UK -only, in Kashmir there is the risk of being killed in open fire if you do not.
There was never a time when I did not feel watched on the streets. On one of my early visits to the Valley, I witnessed the dead bodies of two young men being taken away. Both covered in pure white sheets, each had one bright red bloodstain. It did not seem real. Where were the cameras I thought? Surely they were shooting for a film. The image - such a cliché in the Bollywood movies, is nothing but haunting in reality. At night I was sometimes kept awake by the firing. "Peye eman trath" curses my aunt in Kashmiri and turns in her sleep.
I take these sights and sounds back to England with me like extra baggage, which although it weighs nothing on the scales at the airport, puts a weight on my shoulders that breaks my heart.
It is truly depressing to see a people not free in their own land. A people brutally imposed upon by others. My grandmother recently came to visit us here in Britain. It was the first time she had ever ventured outside of Kashmir and it seems fitting to end with the words of a woman who had the chance to see human beings living without fear for the first time in her life - only when she left her homeland. "Oh Allah!" she would say out loud, "oh Allah! let that day come when my Kashmir too will attain the freedom you have bestowed on these people". (Sumaya)
* * * * *
Published on 10/29/04
http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/3115/21551018/0/con0_rec
what has repeatedly been termed The Kashmir Issue. "So many girls have been raped in Kashmir and so many of them are known to me," she said. "One girl was interrogated and raped in front of her begging father-in-law." She sees the tears in my eyes, folds the kameez she has just finished ironing and picks up the shalwar. "This is what happens all the time - our lives are built around deaths, rapes, murders. For two days we go to college and then for the next four days it's closed because of a curfew or something going on."
This is not a joke to them, there is no childlike joy in being given a day off school. She feels it is impossible to gain freedom now - "when the gun comes in somewhere, it does not easily disappear. Look how beautiful Kashmir was, now it is hell. It was heaven, now it is hell."
Who is this young girl that is telling me this so calmly - with no trace of naive emotion - with the air of someone who has gone beyond that and has pent up all tears as being useless? This is Feroza - my cousin, dear to me as my own sister.
"You just have to tighten your stomach muscles like this - each time, before they hit you," he says laughingly. "That iron rod will leave a lot more bruises if it comes down on a soft stomach," continues the smiling young man trying to wave away the fear in my eyes and the pain I feel for him, for he is my mum's brother, my uncle, interrogated and tortured by the Indian army.
You don't really want me to go on in this way do you? I don't intend this to be a sob story about how my family and me "back home" in Kashmir have suffered. I could just make it a quick list - a great grandfather burnt alive in his own home, a whole family made homeless by their home being burnt down, a cousin blinded by a bullet while attempting to rescue the forementioned grandfather from that fire, my grandparents along with babies and children in the family, made to sit outside in the snow for hours while the house was searched, windows smashed, personal belongings strewn. The mismatched frosted glass on the front doors is the only indication left of the brutal looting of our home.
My family are not unique in this special treatment by the Indian army, which occupies and has been occupying the valley of Kashmir for the last six decades. There is not a single family in the whole of occupied Kashmir that has not been touched by the terror.
>So does this explain why I become so passionate when people here at university with me don't even realise what is going on? "I'm originally from Kashmir" I say. "Kashmir? Where's that?" Or a slightly, I hesitate to say, better response is: "Kashmir? Like cashmere wool?"
India, who has occupied the Valley of Kashmir by force, still revels in its title of most democratic nation, with no fear of reproach from the world at large. Islamic terrorism is a word so ready at everyone's lips, but what about the extremist Hindu views of the BJP which openly wants to eradicate the Muslims of Kashmir. While America wants to liberate the people of Iraq from an oppressive régime, they ignore the cries of the people of Kashmir, who have been under the oppressive régime of their own government for the last 60 years.
In the democratic city of Delhi, one is free to do as one wants. This is a very difficult idea to describe because all of us living here in Britain take this so much for granted. The flight from Delhi to Srinagar is 45 minutes. Both are cities of a country that calls itself democratic, yet the difference in the mere atmosphere of each is staggering. Once you enter Srinagar airport it is stifling. Immediately the security checks are tripled. On emerging, in all the city and its surrounding towns and villages, one cannot walk more than a few metres without passing the imposing and threatening figure of a military man fully armed. Kashmir has the highest concentration of armed military per square mile in the whole world. Military convoys rumble past the traffic - which has to stop and allow them to pass in much the same way as we have to stop for ambulances or fire engines in the UK -only, in Kashmir there is the risk of being killed in open fire if you do not.
There was never a time when I did not feel watched on the streets. On one of my early visits to the Valley, I witnessed the dead bodies of two young men being taken away. Both covered in pure white sheets, each had one bright red bloodstain. It did not seem real. Where were the cameras I thought? Surely they were shooting for a film. The image - such a cliché in the Bollywood movies, is nothing but haunting in reality. At night I was sometimes kept awake by the firing. "Peye eman trath" curses my aunt in Kashmiri and turns in her sleep.
I take these sights and sounds back to England with me like extra baggage, which although it weighs nothing on the scales at the airport, puts a weight on my shoulders that breaks my heart.
It is truly depressing to see a people not free in their own land. A people brutally imposed upon by others. My grandmother recently came to visit us here in Britain. It was the first time she had ever ventured outside of Kashmir and it seems fitting to end with the words of a woman who had the chance to see human beings living without fear for the first time in her life - only when she left her homeland. "Oh Allah!" she would say out loud, "oh Allah! let that day come when my Kashmir too will attain the freedom you have bestowed on these people". (Sumaya)
* * * * *
Published on 10/29/04
http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/3115/21551018/0/con0_rec
Reminder: For My Brothers
They put my house on fire long time ago,
Consoling are we each other since long time ago
we are still burning my brothers
Don't stop consoling each other.
They sold our house cheap long time ago;
a painful irony in human history long time ago;
don't sell cheap again my brothers;
don't stop consoling each other.
Darkness ; in darkness they kept us since long time ago;
oblivious they kept us, from world since long time ago;
don't fall in darkness again my brothers;
Don't stop consoling each others.
They are on mission, to slay us since long time ago;
we have been giving sacrifice since long time ago.
Don't let your blood go wast my brothers.
Don't stop consoling each other.
(Tariq)
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