AN OPEN LETTER TO INDIAN,
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER SALMAN KHURSHID BY DR.ABDUL MAJID SIRAJ:
POSTED BY HABIB YOUSAFZAI, KASHMIR DIASPORA ALLIANCE
Dear Sir,
It is the first time ever rape
victims of Kunan Pushpora had an admission of penitence from a leader of your
stature and the nation of Kashmir is moved.
This related to the incident in 1991 that shook all India and abroad and
a large protest demonstration to the parliament was led by Mufti
Baha-ud-din ex Chief justice of
Kashmir. While people were waiting for
justice to be served on perpetrators, there were a series of repeated gang
rapes, massacres, target killings, fake encounters and enforced disappearances
filling unmarked graves. The figures
are alarming and are all on official record.
The Japanese apologized to Chinese for the gang rape and massacres in
Nanking in occupation a century back, but the wounds had healed when the city
was restored.
Sir, you mentioned Nelson Mandela
and his forgiveness through Truth and reconciliation Commission that was set up
by him as President of South Africa free from apartheid. A million families in Kashmir have suffered
bereavement: How many could we make amends with? At what point could we say to them that no
more punishments will be inflicting on you?
It is commendable that you made a
parallel with a war like situation in Kashmir in which ordinary people were
marauded and killed. People are at the
receiving end because they can be cajoled, manipulated, agitated and stirred to
face harsh treatment to serve vested interests.
Sir, you are right in saying that
Indian army did not come to Kashmir on their own. People in Kashmir received them with open
arms in 1947 and accommodated all ranks of officers in their own homes. They were here to liberate people from
outside incursions like any benevolent Chapter 7 operation in this
category. At some stage later on the
same forces changed their role and people had little choice but suffer. The fact AFSPA has been debated is simply to
mitigate that suffering. In defending
protection of forces that are guarding borders however they may not use AFSPA
out there. Their own laws from military
manual are robust.
Sir, you have made a reference to
some formalities in regard to a solution.
People simply aspire for clarity in their relationship with Indian Union
in the face of the enormity of imperatives and harsh laws that govern
them. The fact that India cannot
understand problems facing the people and not even to know who to have talks
with, then a simple impartial referendum must be held to make their choices and
concerns clear. The absolute confusion
expressed must be cleared as you rightly say and it is ultimately the people
who have to assemble their thoughts and make concrete proposals. There are some basics people have not
reconciled with that will come up in their deliberations like their historical
tile and status in 1947 and fragmentation of their home that parted Pakistan
Administered Kashmir and Aksai Chin. A
debate on all treaties and agreements that have impacted their foreign policy
relationship is felt as organic substantive issues that will bring clarity on
their demands and problems. The total
damages suffered by people summed up so far will be so colossal that they will
stand well apart from Telangana or Uttrakhand in comparison. Local governance is difficult. All laws introduced to streamline
administration become peremptory because there is no love lost between the
governing structures and the governed.
The result is chaos, corruption and retrogression in development. Time is not on their side, and a simple
comparison with another former princely state Hyderabad is a stunning
revelation. The progress,
infrastructure, skyline and level of lifestyle profiles in Kashmir are no
match. Notwithstanding Kashmir was a
richer state in 1947.
Sir compassionate understanding
and the helping attitude of all recent dignitaries visiting Kashmir brings a
new hope for the growing generation and it will be a universal panacea if
serious deliberations were initiated at highest levels with people groups and
not be swayed by some make belief political parties who have no interest in a
resolution and have very little realistic support in public. Bilateralism negotiations held in Delhi,
Karachi, Agra, Bhutan, Lahore and many other places surfaced more diatribe and
differences than common ground for a solution of Kashmir. That may be on more reason why an aura of
confusion confounds relationships in Kashmir and there is despondency that an
end is not in sight. A humble plea
from the youth born in this conflict is to please give them a future.
Dr Abdul Majid Siraj majidsirajuk@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment