For the last two months Kashmir witnessed one of the furious clashes in recent years. The tension raised between the locals and the security forces has led to the loss of several lives and loss of property worth millions. The situation in Kashmir now is one which needs immediate attention and a permanent solution. The Atmosphere of the valley has been in a disturbed condition after the Omar Abdullah government took over the power. Many protests and demonstrations were held in different parts of the valley in response to fake encounters and killings, like the Shopian case. These incidents has led the state to an explosive stage, which has been triggered in this June, with the death of a school boy, Tufail Mattoo, hit by a teargas shell in Srinagar. This teargas shell was shot in order to suppress a rally organized to protest against the fake encounter at Machhil in April, this year, which killed 3 youths. After the death of Tufail, the current mass upsurge reached its peak level, with continuing violence and many killed in firing by security forces. The violence continued and spread all over and the number of people killed in firing and in police custody increased. For the last two months more than fifty youths were killed in the violence lead to destruction of mass property, government vehicles and offices. As the entire area is under curfew, the shops remained closed; people are suffering without the availability of food and other necessities. Schools, Colleges, Offices, Business centers all remain closed in the valley. This time the violence had spread almost entirely, from cities to towns to villages and is seen the active participation of women, children and youth, who are battling with the police with stones, neglecting the wide torture and response with guns.
The situation in Kashmir has become to such a disturbing situation because of the failure of state and central governments to win faith in the people. The government hasn’t learned any lessons from the uncontrolled activities of the armed forces across the country, and especially in the states of Kashmir and Manipur, were the deadly ASFPA exist. This act is actually a ‘license to kill’. The failure of the government to control this killings, has lead the situation worse. The responsible officers of the incidents are free from law despite the clear evidences against them. And there is no sign of warning or not at all a condemning word from the authorities in these incidents. This silence has now leaded to the breaking silence by the public in Kashmir. If any action has been taken in the Machhil case, the current upsurge would not have happened. But the gentlemen were busy with Commonwealth games. In a country were a question is raised in the parliament, when a cricketer is not selected to the national team, notorious killing of its citizens by its own forces are not at all discussed. And the Indian armed forces, whether it is paramilitary, civil police or the military, is (in) famous for its notorious, unfriendly behavior, from the colonial period itself.
The violence is in a mass scale, without any leadership, so the usual method of arresting the leaders will not work. Since the time limit for a political solution is almost over, now the step taken by the government is to push more troops, or the army itself to suppress the violence. How long the violence can be suppressed with boots and guns. More troops means more killing and more violence. The usual policies are difficult to work this time.
Here the immediate package is the involvement of the Prime minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh in Kashmir. The people protesting can only be calmed by winning their faith over the government. PM should listen to the grievances of Kashmiris .He should admit the mistakes and apologize in the death of innocent people and try to provide justice to the people of Kashmir. This will be the last chance, if the centre fails this time, we cannot predict the result of the next explosion from the valley. Surely it will be uncontrollable.
The situation in Kashmir has become to such a disturbing situation because of the failure of state and central governments to win faith in the people. The government hasn’t learned any lessons from the uncontrolled activities of the armed forces across the country, and especially in the states of Kashmir and Manipur, were the deadly ASFPA exist. This act is actually a ‘license to kill’. The failure of the government to control this killings, has lead the situation worse. The responsible officers of the incidents are free from law despite the clear evidences against them. And there is no sign of warning or not at all a condemning word from the authorities in these incidents. This silence has now leaded to the breaking silence by the public in Kashmir. If any action has been taken in the Machhil case, the current upsurge would not have happened. But the gentlemen were busy with Commonwealth games. In a country were a question is raised in the parliament, when a cricketer is not selected to the national team, notorious killing of its citizens by its own forces are not at all discussed. And the Indian armed forces, whether it is paramilitary, civil police or the military, is (in) famous for its notorious, unfriendly behavior, from the colonial period itself.
The violence is in a mass scale, without any leadership, so the usual method of arresting the leaders will not work. Since the time limit for a political solution is almost over, now the step taken by the government is to push more troops, or the army itself to suppress the violence. How long the violence can be suppressed with boots and guns. More troops means more killing and more violence. The usual policies are difficult to work this time.
Here the immediate package is the involvement of the Prime minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh in Kashmir. The people protesting can only be calmed by winning their faith over the government. PM should listen to the grievances of Kashmiris .He should admit the mistakes and apologize in the death of innocent people and try to provide justice to the people of Kashmir. This will be the last chance, if the centre fails this time, we cannot predict the result of the next explosion from the valley. Surely it will be uncontrollable.
