Academics and Security Agencies

By Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain

Militarisation of civilian space has never sustained a system for long

In response to Kashmir Uprising of 2010 Indian Home Minister announced eight-point package. It included consideration for the revocation of some draconian laws like Armed Forces Special Powers Act and Disturbed Areas Act.

 The State Government immediately called a meeting of Unified Command in order to take decision relating to withdrawal of Disturbed Areas Act. The action of the state government depicted the malice within which State has plunged for several decades. Disturbed Areas Act is an Act of legislature. It is legislature which should have ultimate say relating to its continuation or withdrawal. Instead of deliberating on the issue in the legislature, the State thought it appropriate to sort out this issue within unified command, extra constitutional body powers of which are neither provided nor defined within basic law of the state. What this depicts is that there is a body over and above the legislature which is enjoying powers that were supposed to be exclusive domain of law makers.
The action of the state government was deplorable in another way also. The principles of natural justice demand that no one should be judge of his own cause. Disturbed Areas Act confers powers upon those who constitute the unified command. The ones who enjoy powers and immunities as a result of the legislation can’t be expected to remain unbiased while ascertaining the need for continuity or discontinuity of the law. What is true about unified command and legislature, same remains true about every other institution of the state. The institutions have abdicated their powers and the omnipresent security apparatus has occupied the space. The social welfare department has been replaced by Sadbhavana. The School education too is becoming the domain of security agencies. Sports activities are invariably organised by Law enforcing agencies. One needs to travel just two to three kilometres over highways to ascertain the traffic regulating role of Security forces. Migrant labourers often receive support of security personnel to settle their accounts with their employers. Even Bihari wives of Kashmiri men invoke the support of security pickets to harass their in-laws.
Recent episode pertaining to question papers is an extension of the same problem. Irrespective of the fact whether the contents of question papers did come within the mischief of law or not, the issue is which institution should have been the one to take cognizance of it at the first instance. And if that institution does not act, does it behove a different institution to plunge into the domain that is alien to it. What is manifested in the form of police taking cognizance of contents of question papers sue motto and those who were supposed to look into it remaining indifferent is reflective of a situation where institutions have been relegated to back seat and law and order enforcement agencies poke their nose into every sphere of civil life. And if the trend continues, tomorrow security agencies may have to establish paper-monitoring cell, media-monitoring cell. Security apparatus may have to create a Task Force to monitor the lessons that are imparted in classrooms, screening of the books that are provided within libraries. And in the era of revolution in the information technology an impossible task of censoring the materials which get depicted on various advanced sources of information.
There is nothing new in this trend; it remains a reincarnation of totalitarianism that was experienced within communist states during the cold war era. Regulation of the social and intellectual endeavour has been the mark of identity for totalitarian regimes throughout. Security apparatus overtakes every other institution in such regimentation. India too experienced this phenomenon during emergency days (1975-77). The family planning assignments were given to police instead of health officials. Police resorted to coercive sterilization of prisoners, college going students and those who travelled without railway tickets in order to fulfil the assigned quota. Even beggars didn’t escape fury of the sterilization campaign. It was indispensable consequence of involvement of police in family planning campaign. Induction of army and paramilitary forces in to the domain of civil administration is fraught with risk of much more vulgar ways of execution and in fact it is often experienced. Coercing people to free medical camps after a crackdown is just one instance of such eventuality. North Kashmir experienced a bizarre incident when a security agency made a VIP to flag of a bus of its own recruits instead of stone pelters for tour to India when later didn’t turn up.
Militarisation of civilian space has never sustained a system for long. Regimentation didn’t help in perpetuating the totalitarian regimes of East-Europe and Asia, nor did it benefit those who imposed emergency in India. On contrary institutional breakdown and regimentation has a potential of consuming those very regimes which use them for controlling the societies. In Kashmir, this attitude too can’t have any different results. Apart from tarnishing the image of the Indian state globally and perpetuating enhanced form of alienation that already exists nothing can be expected out of militarisation of civilian space. Abdication of powers by Civil Administration in favour of security agencies has already paralyzed the state apparatus and condition of statelessness remains a predominant phenomenon of Kashmir.  One was not surprised to find the arrest of Prof. Noor Muhammad attracting front page coverage in Washington Post. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has done a commendable job by securing release of the academician. This, however, does not suffice unless the choked space of the institutions is restored and the lessons of limits of power are imparted to those who have intruded in to the realm of civilian life.

Published in Rising Kashmir dated 06 Jan 2011

US Torture And Wikileaks

DR. SHEIKH SHOWKAT HUSSAIN

Torture is one of the heinous crimes against humanity. It doesn’t only include physical torture but psychological one as well. Human Rights groups and political formations of Kashmir have always been complaining against rampant use of torture in Jammu and Kashmir by the state and its various instruments.

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It is forbidden under the provisions of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. There is a specific convention pertaining to it in the form of Convention Against Torture (1984). India is yet to become party to this convention despite recommendations by the National Human Rights Commission for its ratification. Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions prohibits its use in Non-International armed conflicts.

India is a party to Geneva Conventions. Protecting people against torture remains an obligation for Indian State under various instruments of international law. In United States, courts have declared protection against torture, a rule of customary international law thus, binding upon parties as well as non parties to various international instruments.
It is now confirmed through Wikileaks that torture is rampant in the state of J&K and is commonly used against civilians. The various forms of torture enumerated in the Wikileaks include use of rollers, electric shocks, sexual abuse, beating, suspension from ceiling, crushing of muscles and other forms of physical assault. The embassy cables leaked are based on information’s gathered by the International Committee of Red Cross through interviews of 1296 detainees. Of these 65% (852) reported ill treatment, 52.54% (681) complained about being subjected to torture. 38.42 %( 498) were given electric shocks, 29.38% (381) had being suspended from ceiling, 23.3% (302) subjected to sexual assault and 22.68% (294) had suffered from crushing of muscles during torture. All the cases interviewed were from jails.   Detention centres other than jails did not remain open to the delegations of Red Cross.
It is an acknowledged fact that most of the torture occurs in detention centres other than jails.  Thus the existence of torture in all its  forms and manifestations pursued in Kashmir is not wholly covered by the leaks. There are hundreds of other methods and forms of torture which have been and are consistently used in the state of J&K. There is a high incidence of rhabdomyolysis (a disease caused by torture) in Jammu and Kashmir. Occurrence of the disease in Kashmir even surpasses the numbers that were infested by it during the Second World War. Rape too has been used as a mode of torture in Kashmir indiscriminately. The incidents from Shopain to Kunanposhpora are just symbols of malaise that has overtaken Kashmiri population.
In most of my discourses on human rights, I often blame Kashmiri’s for not highlighting their victimisation and impress upon them sensitivity of the international community towards human rights abuses. The fact that US and other global powers remained aware of the abuses and did not act is a shock for everyone who has been working for human rights in Kashmir. Despite information from the most authentic, credible and neutral source ICRC, Americans failed to take any initiative against torture in Kashmir. Mere fact that US ambassador in Delhi communicated it to the State Department does not suffice to authenticate American credentials about Human Rights. Had such information emerged from any African, Latin American or Muslim country, Americans would have been in forefront for asking an international investigation, appointment of war-crime tribunal or imposition of sanctions against the country involved.
Indifference and no action on these reports depict what is commonly alleged in the Muslim World as double standards of American foreign policy. Since the victims of torture in Kashmir happen to be Muslims, therefore Americans didn’t find any need of pursuing this case despite the fact that most of those who suffered remain ordinary civilians as had rightly been pointed out by in the leaks. It was support of the Muslim world that enabled United States to sail through troubled waters of cold war era and gain victory over its rivals. Once Cold War was over US targeted Muslim countries one after another and remained indifferent towards sufferings of Muslim people.

Muslims are sought to be consoled by the eloquence and oratory of President Obama while US exploit every avenue of economic exploitation. American Foreign Policy has undergone a paradigm shift within past two decades. Concern for Human Rights, which used to be cornerstone of this foreign policy during cold war era, has been pushed aside by economic considerations. A state which serves American economic interests can perpetrate any sort of Human Rights abuses and war crimes, yet American administration will reward it with promises of support for a position in highest seats of power at international level. The states which are economically irrelevant can become targets of economic sanctions and isolation for a less degree of Human Rights abuses. What is true about Americans, same holds true about the governments in Delhi and Srinagar.
Torture was committed and is being committed by state agencies. Those in power can’t escape liability simply by blaming their predecessors and present opponents for torture. What is needed is a comprehensive probe into the allegations, identifying those involved and penalizing them. The job has to be assigned to some credible agency. Justice should not only be done, it should be seen to have been done. Local probes and investigations from New Delhi have lost all their credibility in the eyes of the victims. Same way, the remedies available at the level of judiciary as well as Human Rights Commissions have proved to be illusory for the victims simply because all this happened despite existence of these forums.  American rating and rating of those in power will only be ascertained by the actions which they take in response to the facts which have been established beyond doubt.

Demise of Interlocution

By taking sides, you have only abused this institution of Interlocution

VIEWPOINT BY DR. SHEIKH SHOWKAT HUSSAIN

Wherever there is a conflict, there are different ways to resolve it. It may be resolved through adjudication, mediation, and arbitration or through use of good offices of a third party. Interlocution is also one of the modes of peaceful resolution of disputes. It involves utilizing services of some neutral credible entities or individuals for building bridges between the disputing parties and hammering out a solution. Prerequisite for success of the process is neutrality and credibility of those who get involved in interlocution.  Despite negative impression about sincerity of the Indian state appointment of the interlocutors after last year’s agitation did generate a degree of hope. The reason for this was involvement of a new group of persons in it. They were not traditional Kashmir handlers rather new to this assignment. Traditionally Kashmir remained exclusive domain of Punjabis on both sides of border. They instead of addressing it transformed their preoccupation with Kashmir in to an avenue of organizing annual Punjabi Chopal with an aroma of Kashmiri cuisines for facilitation and justification of direct or indirect state hospitality.
 Basic flaw in the present phase of Interlocution however, remained involvement of an Indian Muslim in this business. Being the ones whose loyalties towards India are often questioned Muslim Indians tend to be more loyal than others. Having the burden of depicting their loyalty towards Indian state they cannot be expected to persuade the system to agree to a solution. Their involvement has been compounded by the fact that over the years Indian Muslims have been given the feeling that if Kashmir secedes it will have an adverse impact upon their position. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad could not escape this psyche when Nehru used him to negotiate with Sheikh Abdullah prior to Sheiks dismissal and detention in 1953.   Apprehensions proved right when we saw MM Ansari like a propagandist mentioning the heavy turnout in elections symbolizes abdication of a sentiment for azadi on the part of Kashmiris. World hardly digests this line of argumentation because it has seen almost hundred percent participation of people in elections within all regimented societies be they of Middle East or East Europe. Though other members of the commission didn’t subscribe to his views burden of proving loyalty made him to issue such a statement. 
 Whatever, traces of credibility remained with interlocution crashed completely after a recent TV discourse.   Radha Kumar, the moderate face of the interlocutor team claimed in a talk show on NDTV that those who want freedom in Kashmir are a minority whereas the majority of Kashmiris remains satisfied with status quo.  If she is true in her claim and sincerely believes in what she says, her team should have no hesitation in recommending self-determination as the mode of resolution of Kashmir dispute. With majority satisfied with status quo it is to the advantage of Indian state to demonstrate it before whole of the world.  All those who harp on Azadi will stand exposed and the Kashmir dispute will be settled for ever. She discredited the institution of interlocution for all times to come by claiming that most of those killed in Kashmir during past twenty years were killed by militants and not by Indian security agencies.  The second assertion on the part of the most moderate face of interlocution however, has exposed the worth of Indian postures of seeking solution to Kashmir through interlocution. Presuming that militants act with same degree of impunity as Indian forces do yet it is impossible that the number of abuses committed by them will be more or even at par with those  committed by the state forces who exceed them by several hundred thousand times in numbers. Number of militants in Kashmir according to Indian estimates does not exceed five hundred whereas number of Indian military personnel according to conservative estimates remains more than five hundred thousand. Militants depend on local population for support and logistics where as Indian security agencies suspect every Kashmiri to be a militant unless proved otherwise.  For Mr Dilip Padgoankar the only problem in Kashmir remains feeling of domination of valley within Ladakh & Jammu. 
 It is obvious from the language used by interlocutors that like every other mode of dispute resolution Indian state has used interlocution in Kashmir as a means of deceit and deception. At times it has also been used as a device of gaining time or diverting attention of the international community from the real issues involved. Interlocution in context of Kashmir is an old trait used again and again not as means of the dispute resolution but to deny its existence. Present phase of interlocution too remains infested with all these problems. In 2010 when Kashmir was fully mobilized and focus of attention for the international community it was resorted to with a view to impress upon the world that India is serious in its efforts of resolution of the long standing dispute. People expected that the interlocutors to depict a degree of neutrality. No one denies them right to have their views but everyone has a right to ask as to why those who are supposed to mediate express themselves in favor of a party to the dispute. Such statements have vindicated the stand of those who discarded this process from inception and refused to get engaged with interlocutors.

Published in Greater Kashmir dated 13 Aug 2011

Lessons from Turkish experience

The experience of Turkey has lessons for Kashmir

DR. SHEIKH SHOWKAT HUSSAIN

Ottoman Empire remained a problem for the West for five hundred centuries. It controlled all the trade routes connecting Europe with India, China and far East. With crusades going on trade between Europe and the east either remained at the mercy of Ottomans or blocked. It was this blockade of trade routes that the made the West desperate for sea routes towards the east. This disadvantage was transformed into an advantage through creation of huge naval fleets that finally facilitated discovery of Australia as well as America. Despite being portrayed as Sick Man of Europe, Ottoman Empire continued to be perceived as threat and rival. It was seat of Khilafat the potential rallying point of Muslims thus the West did not miss any opportunity to harm it. 
After failing to achieve anything through crusades, they resorted to ideological warfare. Emergence of nationalism which had played a role in fragmenting Europe into small nation states was used as a tool for dismemberment of Ottoman Empire. Through Sharif of Mecca and Lawrence of Arabia, dose of Arab nationalism was administered to Muslims of Middle East. They rebelled against Ottoman authority and provided a pretext to the western powers to dismantle the Empire. In reaction to Arab nationalism, Turks too got infested by Turkish Nationalism. The nationalism found its extreme manifestation in the ideology of Kamal Attaturk who proceeded to the extent of eradicating everything Arabic from Turkish culture and state craft. Turkey abandoned Shariah as law of the land in favor of secular laws imported from the Europe. Even recitation of Azaan in Arabic language was forbidden. 
Muslim cultural traits too were abdicated and substituted by European ones. The process of secularization of Turkey was pursued vigorously with the hope and expectation that it will be treated as equal with Europeans. Despite ninety years of quest to seek parity with Europe Turkey failed to get full membership of European Union.  Turkish masses who were already skeptical about Europeanization started to support the groups who were in favor of pan Islamism rather than Turkish Nationalism. Islamists started to get increased share in the voting and finally, managed to wield the real power. New government started to look east. 
Deya ranj butoon nay Khuda yaad aaya.
In this process Turkey started to rediscover its roots. Enhanced trade and Political links with Muslim world inflated its fortunes both in economic and political terms. Turkey Started to reassert itself as a leader of Muslim world. The government which was among the first to recognize Israel dispatched freedom Flotilla towards Gaza. Turkey assumed a patronizing role for Arab spring and the revolutions that it triggered. For years Turkey aspired for to be equal to Europeans but it could not achieve the parity with Europeans in spite of submitting to their agenda in every aspect of life. 
The experience of Turkey has lessons for Kashmir. For past three decades we have been using a lot of our energies and man power to mobilize the US, UK &Europe in favor of Kashmir cause. Apart from using Kashmir as a trump card for fulfillment of their strategic and economic interests, western countries did not do anything substantial for resolution of Kashmiri dispute.  Instead it used Kashmir as a bargaining chip to pursue its foreign policy agenda. A recent instance of such an attitude can been seen in the humiliating treatment to which Mr. Ghulam Nabi Fai was subjected by the US administration. He was detained while US Secretary of State was in New Delhi. Timing of the action indicates that the initiative was aimed at appeasing the hosts.   What Kashmir experienced from West is not anyway different from the experience of other liberation struggles. Dozens of times Americans used their Veto power in favor of racist regime of South Africa. They always came to the rescue of Israel whenever world body tried to take any steps in favor of oppressed Palestinians. Same continues to be its attitude even now. The two state formula and acknowledgement of statehood of Palestine has received a lot of lip service from highest officials of the US administration. When Palestinians are aspiring to get enrolled as full member of UN, American administration irrespective of its pretentions is determined to block the enrollment of Palestine through use of Veto. French and British too follow the suit and oppose any attempt of Palestinians to get their homeland recognized as a state by the UN. In this scenario, is it not an opportune time for Kashmiris to look towards alternative and more credible avenues of support? Instead of investing human and material resource for mobilization of opinion within west why do not we invest our resources for same job within other centers of power and the Islamic world?  The results of this strategy are likely to remain more positive towards us as has been the experience of Turkey.  
Freedom struggles in various parts of the world have succeeded, despite opposition of Americans and its allies solely because of the support from Islamic and the third world countries. We too can reorient and reconsider our strategy and succeed in the same way. Democratization of the Arab world and increasing importance of Turkey provides us an avenue for reorienting our strategy. The growing proximity of India with Israel has already exposed the myth of pro-Arab and Pro-Muslim credentials of Indian State. Indians have annoyed Iranians by succumbing to American pressure on India-Pak-Iran gas pipeline. Dismantling of Babri Masjid and recurring communal riots have already unmasked the secular portrayal of India. Let us emulate the Turkish experience. Instead of looking towards the West let us revert back to our roots look  for the alternative  avenues of support.

Published in Greater Kashmir dated 25 Sept 2011

Debating AFSPA

History makes it clear that there is nothing new about the controversies pertaining to Armed Forces Special Powers Act

Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain

Unlike previous summers, 2011 remained relatively calm and peaceful. The summer, however, remained associated with two important controversies pertaining to Kashmir situation. Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution asking centre to grant amnesty to killers of Rajiv Gandhi. It put J&K legislatures in an embarrassing situation. Despite having much more powers than Tamil Nadu Assembly, the state legislature could not muster courage to pass a similar resolution about parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

The state legislature lost whatever credibility it had for being indifferent to the plight of Afzal Guru. National Conference and PDP were accused of sabotaging the Assembly proceedings in order to avoid a discussion on a resolution relating to Afzal Guru. While they were trying to get respite from public fury on this issue, the controversy related to discovery of mass graves in vicinity of LoC cropped up. State Human Rights Commission endorsed presence of mass graves. The families of thousands of people who have gone missing during past two decades suspect that their loved ones have been buried within these graves after being killed in fake encounters and portrayed as militants ex-filtrating or infiltrating across LoC. The controversy pertaining to mass graves not only invoked attention of Indian electronic and print media but also got highlighted in the international media and European Parliament well. The central and the state government felt embarrassed and were looking for an avenue of diverting attention from these issues. Armed Forces Special Powers Act and the controversy relating to its revocation provided such an avenue.

The Act authorizes any officer of the armed forces not below the rank of JCO to target any one to the extent of causing death whom he suspects to be doing anything against law and order or carrying weapons or things that are capable of being used as weapons. Officer of the said rank can even blast any premises that are used or are likely to be used as a training camp or a hideout by an armed gang or an absconder wanted for any offence. The only thing that the officer concerned is required to do prior to such an act is to give a warning as he may consider necessary. The security forces are also authorised to enter within private premises without a warrant for search or for recovery of any person or property or explosive believed to be unlawfully kept over there. They also have powers to stop search and seize vehicles suspected of being used for carrying explosives or any person who is suspected of being associated with or likely to commit an offence. A member of armed forces accused of abuse of these powers he can only invoke legal proceedings with the prior permission of Indian government.

The Act is clearly against the international treaties on human rights to which Indian State is a party. Covenant on Civil and Political Rights does allow derogation during emergencies. The derogation, however, is not allowed in context of right to life, protection against torture, freedom of religion etc. The emergency has to be formal and derogating party has to communicate reasons, time span and the rights derogated to other parties.

AFSPA, on one side, exceeds beyond the limits of derogation by authorising deprivation of life, liberty, privacy and shelter. On the other side, it also takes away the rights to judicial remedies. The Act has been subject of controversies for a long time. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh acknowledged on August 15, 2005 in his speech from Red Fort that several aspects of the Act are against notions of basic human rights. He promised an amendment to this Act. Nothing of the sort has been done for past six years. Naga people’s movement of human rights challenged this Act in 1998. The Supreme Court of India which is supposed to be protector of human rights upheld its validity. The history makes it clear that there is nothing new about the controversies pertaining to Armed Forces Special Powers Act. The chief minister, however, revived these to divert the attention of world community from the issue of mass graves and his failure in facilitating legislative assembly in favour of Afzal Guru.

Strange aspect of the discourse relating to AFSPA, however, remains the modus operandi pursued by the state in the name of process of revocation of the Act. Instead of deliberating it in the representative assembly of the state, the discourse of the Act was initiated in the unified command.

Unified command is an extra constitutional body comprising of commanders of the very forces who enjoy immunity under this Act. Such an action on the part of the state makes it obvious that rule of law and the supremacy of the legislature in the state of Jammu and Kashmir remains the myth. The legislature is simply a camouflage to extra constitutional body which is operating in the name of unified command. By making the unified command to deliberate on revocation of APSPA the state also exposed the fact that the system in J&K does not have any regard for basic principles of natural justice. Cardinal principle of natural justice is that no one can judge of his own cause. The state by making Unified Command to deliberate on the issue makes those very security formation judge of a legislation of which itself is its main beneficiary. Latest move by the state to induct the provisions of Armed forces Special Powers Act within criminal procedure code sounds beginning of a process that will make security agencies immune from any legal action for all times to come. Such an initiative presupposes a permanent role of Army in civil administration. The security agencies otherwise choke the civilian space in J&K by getting involved in activities which are supposed within the domain of civil administration. They interfere with education, they get involved in sports activities, and they remain engaged in civic activities in the name of operation sadbhawna about which even the interlocutors have expressed their reservations.

For years Indian state has been portraying its army as the one which is disciplined and immune to any political influences. Continuous involvement of army in Kashmir seems to have reversed this orientation of Indian army. Its involvement in discourses related to revocation of Armed forces Special Powers Act conveys that Indian Army after tasting civilian powers has started to get addicted to these. The addiction may change priorities of army in context of its national politics as well.

Published in Rising Kashmir dated 16 Dec 2011

Kashmir speaks to Aligarh

The breeze that originates from Aligarh has potential of shaping the destiny of nations Kashmir can’t be an exception to this phenomenon

Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain
I congratulate AMU administration for opening study centres beyond Aligarh. Previously we had claim of being the only Muslim University now so many Muslim institutions including universities are coming up across India. Expansion of AMU is indispensible for assertion of the claim of being the Muslim University and not one among these institutions. I thank you for launching an entrance test centre at Srinagar, Kashmir.

 Aligarh is a city of knowledge and today’s seminar is an attempt for understanding Kashmir problem in this context.
It is often conveyed to you that rise of fundamentalism is reason for separatism in Kashmir on contrary it is a fact that it was Ram Chandra Kak the Prime Minster of Maharaja Hari Singh who opposed accession of Kashmir to India .Kak was dragged handcuffed from his place of detention to Sadder Court Srinagar soon after Indian State assumed control of Kashmir. Same way Prem Nath Bazaz suffered exile and imprisonment for opposing the accession. They say Kashmiris are separatists how can we be separatists when their chief minister questions relationship of state with India on floor of the State Assembly by stating we have acceded not merged and Indian Constitution portrays the state as the one whose final disposition is yet to take place (Article 253). In law marriage is pre- requisite for separation among spouses. Where there is no marriage (merger) there can’t be divorce. No doubt instrument of accession signed by the Maharaja of Kashmir was same as signed by other states that acceded to India. Response to it however, was completely different. Lord Mountbatten in his response made it conditional to ratification of people. It was Pandit Nehru who took this issue to UN and UN endorsed that the issue be resolved in accordance with wishes of Kashmiri people. We are told that requirement of peoples’ endorsement of accession has been achieved through the Constituent Assembly of the state. How the assembly with 73 out 75 members elected un-contested can represent people of the state especially in a situation when both Nehru and UN contested validity of such an endorsement. It is an established fact that most of the elections in the state were bungled and manipulated (Bipin Chandra, India After Independence, Viking 1999, Page 323).
Indian state is not serious about Kashmir. When there is trouble in Kashmir, Indian government makes a lot of promises which are never kept. Nehru promised plebiscite; Narshima Rao offered anything short of azadi with sky as its limit. National Conference responded with an autonomy report while Peoples Democratic Party submitted a draft of self rule. Both these formulations were rejected despite being proposals of pro-India parties. When General Musharraf proposed four point formulae Indian government remained indifferent and refused to get engaged with a military dictator. Now we have a democratic government in Pakistan Indian government says negotiations with Musharraf was a better option. This is tactics of buying time pursued with an objective of getting Kashmiri exhausted.
In Kashmir harassment and killing are the order of the day. Last summer 120 innocent boys were killed. A case of rape of three generations of women by members of security agencies has been recorded in Shopian court. The victims included daughter, mother and grandmother. Muslims population of Jammu is showing a decline. From 39% in 1941 census it is now less than 10%. Our cultural identity too is at stake. Urdu which was made official language of the state by Maharaja Gulab Singh is sought to be driven out through manipulations in census. The language which dominates mass media is becoming extinct in official records. Census depicts 50% decline in Urdu speaking population whereas 2200% increase in Hindi speakers. This is far from realities result of manipulation of figures and enumeration of nomad Gujjars as Hindi speakers.
Kashmiris are determined to change this situation. Our goal is parity of status which every nation irrespective of its size enjoys at international level. You see it when president of two hundred thousand Maldivian populations enjoys same protocol as is given to Indian president who represents more than one billion people. On contrary UP chief minister seldom gets appointment in Delhi despite representing one hundred and eighty million people. We don’t want you (Muslim Indians) to get involved in our political struggle. But you can’t and should not remain indifferent to human rights situation of Kashmir. We want your support in this domain exclusively. It is your moral responsibility. Monika Gandhi’s consistent assertions relating to safety of dogs of Kashmir makes us feel that Indians are more worried about non-humans of Kashmir than humans. We need your support in reversing these priorities. We know you (Muslim Indians) too are struggling for equality and identity. Your right to life, liberty, equality and identity is provided in your constitution. You are entitled to these rights as humans and citizens of India. These rights are not granted to you in lieu of hostage status of Kashmir. Given this fact all views expressed about safety of Indian minorities in the eventuality of separation of Kashmir sound absurd. We support your struggle for equality and identity. I, personally feel that this struggle has failed to make any headway on account of absence of political agenda with Muslim Indians. You have been on defensive bereft of any positive political agenda. This deficit of Indian Muslim politics needs to be addressed. Aligarh Muslim University Students Union (AMUSU) can trigger a discourse in this direction. You need to take queue from dalits. Twenty years back no one was ready to take risk of contesting elections as a candidate of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Today it is ruling the state of UP.
Previous decade has been a period of turbulence for Muslims. They were sought to be targeted in the name of war on terror both within India and internationally. Revolution in the field of information technology and oil boom of the Middle East has fizzled out the agenda of cultural proselytisation and economic deprivation against Muslims of India. Those who targeted Muslims stand exposed now. Futility of this exercise has dawned to the world. A positive atmosphere of reconciliation with Muslims is emerging. Formulation of a positive political agenda at this juncture can help you to avail the benefits of this atmosphere.
Towards the end I wish to convey the Kashmiri students Aligarh Muslim University to dedicate their energies in contributing to Kashmir cause in field of academics. In spite some nice attempts in the area of fiction there exists a huge deficit in the field of serious research. Fiction can’t be substitute for facts. Projection of facts demands dedicated research and Aligarh Muslim University provides an excellent atmosphere for it. Avail this atmosphere to the best of your abilities. The breeze that originates from Aligarh has potential of shaping the destiny of nations Kashmir can’t be an exception to this phenomenon. After all it happens to be land of maternal ancestors of SIR SYED AHMAD KHAN.
Note: This is the speech delivered Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain on 15th March 2011 in a seminar organised by Aligarh Muslim University Students Union in Kennedy Hall Auditorium of AMU on Kashmir.

Geelani – portrait of a life

Vular Kinaray – A Review

WITHOUT SOME NEEDLESS DETAILS WHICH AUTHOR SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED TO GO IN, THE DOCUMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE POWERFUL, MORE INTIMATE AND MORE EFFECTIVE, WRITES DR. SHEIKH SHOWKAT HUSSAIN

The tradition of writing autobiographies is old. In previous epochs with few means of entertainment and information they remained popular substitute to poetic epics. Babar wrote his autobiography and it remains an important source of history of that era. Jahangir too wrote one and it again serves as a source of medieval history.
In recent past we have seen Sheikh Abdulla writing his biography when he became politically irrlevant and the autobiography provided an excuse for that irrlevance . Ayoub Khan resorted to writing of “Friends not Masters”.. In immediate past we witnessed General Musharraf writing his “In the line of fire”. Despite these apologies the three could not escape the wrath of public either prior to or after their death.
Latest in this series remains “Wular Kinare” of Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Minute personal details and engagements of Geelani with Jama’at activity have made it lengthy and a cumbersome read. Despite this, its first edition was completely sold out within a week. Those who were keen to read it included whole of Civil and Military elites of every shade of opinion. The way book has been received is not surely the merit of the book rather that of the personality who has authored it.
I had a privilege of going through the book while it was in early stages of its preparation. The author wanted me to go through it and suggest any changes that may be needed. I was too small a person to resort to any major transformation of the script. I however, did suggest trimming down of the manuscript by deleting unnecessary personal details and narration of Geelani Sahab’s preoccupations with Jama’at work. Geelani sahab did agree to looking at the script, however, as mentioned by him in the preface receptiveness to this suggestion got dwarfed in front of the praise that his writings received from those who are in his proximity.
The book continues to be over burdened with minute personal details, repetition of discourses (Roudad of Jamma’at programs). Both these aspects already remain covered in some of his previous writtings. Where as some new revelations do exist within the script but personally, I would have liked Geelani Sahab to devote more of his time in devising strategies and formulating plans relating to present and future. He remains the rallying point and a ray of hope for a beleaguered nation that is consistently exposed to shocks of ever changing cycles of expectations and depressions. It is unfortunate that documentation of people’s miseries remains last priority of pro-freedom leadership, where as personal incidents pre-occupy their attention. When we plead Kashmir cause, we are asked to furnish details of our dead, tortured, detained, disappeared, violated, and not the information as to from whom Geelani sahib purchased poplars for construction of his house. This documentation to the delight of our tormentors is neither pursued nor facilitated by our leadership. Revolutionaries do not remain bothered and pre-occupied with past. They remain pre-occupied with coping up ordeals of present and engaged in shaping destiny of future of their nations.
Autobiographies do become a source of inspiration for new generations but it is ultimately the achievements and resilience of a leader that make him indispensable for future. History judges everyone not on the basis of his autobiography but on the basis of his ultimate contributions and steadfastness. Geelani Sahab has an impeccable past; he does not need to elaborate on it. Kashmir has already acknowledged it. What matters however, remains his capacity to influence the future. Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah too received support and admiration during his lifetime. What made him a villain after his demise was the web within which his nation found itself and accredited it to his account. Options for Geelani sahab remain the same that is to get swayed by the present euphoria and be condemned by future generations or be oblivious to past and present, orient the resistance so that Kashmir is able to get out of the subjugation within which it feels itself trapped.
Success for leaders is not assessed by their practical achievements but by the steadfastness and their capacity of remaining focussed during ups and downs of struggle. It is precisely this quality of Omar Mukhtar that made him a hero whereas huge achievements in terms of Land reforms, provision of medical facilities and erection of domes couldn’t rescue Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah. Given the fact that Geelani sahab has already compiled a plethora of information about himself let the job of ascertaining his real worth be left to contemporary chroniclers. Let Geelani Sahab give priority to articulation of a future; The future for which generations have perished, the future that has remained and remains our dream, the future that awaits us.

Published in Greater Kashmir dated 31 July 2011