CRY FOR FREEDOM FROM PRISON!!!
1.
Indian and Pakistani rulers and
army have made the killing of Kashmiris, forcing them out of their homes,
putting them in prisons and subjecting them to atrocities as their basic policy
for last fifty years. Armies from both sides shell each other`s positions but
actually it is Kashmiris who become the victims. A year back Indian army fired
rockets on KAHOTA (POK). It killed civilian Kashmiris and destroyed a MOSQUE.
2. On 30 September Pakistani
army fired shells on KARGIL which killed Kashmiris. Gun and gunpowder have no
religion. Had it one the Pakistani shell would not have destroying CHACKIN
MOSQUE in Kargil. A year ago Indian shelling killed 17 persons on the other
side of the border plus destroying a mosque. This year Pakistani shelling
killed the exact number (which included three children) wounded 30 persons and
destroyed a mosque. The score is equal. Is it conspiracies in which both have
agreed to bring about genocide of Kashmiris? STOP MASSACRE OF KASHMIRIS!
3.
Gandhiji,
where are you? Please arise and stop Indian security forces from committing
atrocities against Kashmiris because you had repeatedly said, that kashmiris be
given justice. The conscience of Indian politicians, intellectuals and
humanist, dedicated to human values is silent on what oppression is being done
on Kashmiris. To defame you and to defame the spirit of India, Kashmiri women
are clean shaved.
Where are the inheritors of the land of Sita?
4.
Innocent Kashmiris ask questions from
the heirs of Gandhiji, Asoka and secularism as this: why is not the Major who
murdered Jaleel Andrabi handed over to justice? What defense strategy is there
in shelling village Aren in Bandipora and killing 11 innocent men, women and
children? What bravery is there in a Captian killing two girls’ students,
Masroora and Nasreena, in Chodora Pulwama ? Where was humanism when in Akingam,
Anantnag, four persons were gunned down in firing which included a school
teacher Mushtaq Ahmed Wani and his wife Fata Bano? The history tells us that whosever
used Army to destroy innocent public, was not spared by the army at the end of
the day. The bloodshed allowed in Kashmir today may result in bloodshed in
other towns and cities tomorrow in India against Indian people.
5.
For the last nine years I have been saying
that we cannot win freedom in Kashmir trough gun nor can we find the support of
World Community for our cause trough the use of gun. We do not need foreign
terrorists who have turned their own country into ruins or are doing that even today
(Afghanistan and Algaria) in Algeria, the throats of children and women are
slit. We Kashmiris also do not need Islam of your interpretation. Our Islam is
of brotherhood, of Sufism, of respect for one another. Those who provide guns
to be identified as terrorists, but as oppressed people asking for justice.
6.
I address those who label truth speaking
people as agents and perpetrators of Indian occupation, During these nine years
you have been compassing death of kashmiri youth and heaping of their corpses
like mushroom while continuing to build your palaces of your dreams. There was
a time when you were taking oath of allegiance to india in assemblies and we
were languishing in prisons. The you did call Maqbool Butt the matry as a
traitor and an agent. People with self aggrandizement, in order to protect
their salaries, donations and office establishments and privileges in foreign
countries, have covered the truth with thick veneer. I, on my part, am gifted
with courage loftier then the Himalayas in protecting the interested of my
helpless nation. I would impress upon you to use the network to find a mutual
solution to the real problem, to win the friendship of Indian masses and
through that friendship pressuries authorities, politations to stop oppression
of Kashmiris. I must warn you that as long as you accept the service of your
masters tell you to go on abusing Indian masses and project Kashmir as a
religious issue; you will go on exhausting your days in this meaningless
exercise. It should also be remembered that had not the American people risen
against the oppression of American troops in Vietnam, American would never have
quit that country.
We say that for last nine
years Kashmiris are sensitized by slogans of jehad etc. but despite that no country and no nation has come
forth to support them. We say that this drama of destruction should be closed
and the PATH OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE should be adopted. (There are some who are
loudly shouting ummah and on that slogan collect large funds and salaries. On
the core issue they just sit and talk and go away. What can they achieve when
the ‘Ummah’ of their imagination assembles under the banner of imperialists to
finish Iraq besides providing 62 billion dollars for the project of destruction) many well
wishers in foreign countries including no less a personality than retired Air
Marshall Noor Khan in Pakistan are advising Kashmiris do not want guns, but
‘intifada’.
I for one, am born from the womb
of violence. But if I stress upon rejecting the guns and violence, I do so only
for the perpetuation of my nation whose youth are languishing in jails and
whose people are passing days in exile.
There are also my
compatriots, the Kashmiri Pandits, who are dying trough exhaustion in refugee
camps. Seven Kashmiri pundits were killed in Sangrampora by the guest
militants, three Kashmiri Pandit teachers were gunned down by the same guest
militants, and eight member of Hindu community were killed from one family in
Sawari, Rajouri by the same guest militants.
In 1998, 23
Kashmiri Pandits including women and children in Ganderbal on January the 26
was gunned down in a barbaric way. We ask the question. Do you invite guest
militants to kill your own compatriot and there by prove that you’re a JEHAD’?
“Holy War”.
After fighting for forty years,
Palestinians are looking for the path of peace. The people in Ireland can speak
on their issue. Why can`t we Kashmiri talk to Indians and Pakistanis? If the talk
begins then the phenomenon of funds parties, salaried politicians, and
privileged class business concerns come to an end. In the fame of the gun there
are secret funds but in civil disobedience there are not any. I address the
fund raising leaders and I address those who shed crocodile tears on the
sufferings of Kashmiris to do some introspection. I would suggest you to read a
letter of your own cohort namely General Musa’ published by Srinagar named
weekly Chattan in its volume 13 no 26 issue of 22- 28 September 1997 under the
heading Zindaan Ki Cheekh’. This letter is from the General of Hizbul
mujahideen whose father also was killed.
However long are you, servants of self
interest going to save your skins? My job is to put history in the scales of
truth. For this very truth, I have not met my blood relations for the last 27
years.
7.
The net should not, therefore be made to
exacerbate Indo- Pak enmity. Do not use this net as a Kashmiri fodder for the
guns of India and Pakistan. Do not use the net for abusing the nationalists and
Kashmiri patriots as the secret agencies do by hiding real names. Do not use
your means for spreading violence and the poison of hatred because you have not
seen your dear ones and your family member becoming the targets of violence so
far. We have seen and met all this and that is why we hate violence,
intimidation and oppression. Understand the disheartening picture of helpless
Kashmiris, fraud and treachery of leadership, antics of Hurriyat, destitution of
youth in prisons, painted by General Musa’ in his letter mentioned above ( word
by word translation given hereunder). This letter confirms the contents of my
article entitled How long business on the dead bodies of Kashmiri youth? Let us
join to approach Indian leadership and conscientious people of India to build
the basis of fraternity among the people in Kashmir and to release all the
Kashmiris now languishing in prisons. This needs to be done on the basis and
end to hatred, violence, bomb blasts etc. in the sub continent so that were
able to solve our problems for this purpose the masses of India , Pakistan and
J&K should come together.
The following is the text of General Musa`s letter:
Zindaan ki Cheekh”
“Respected Tahir Mohidin Sahib, Aslam Alakum. Hope you are fine.
What should I write; in fact how much should I write. What is there that is not
around me, sighs, helplessness, oppression, destitution, bottomless sea of
expectation, falling petals from half blossomed flowers in the prison garden,
urgencies, despairing, not because the travelers are worn out, but because
“until yesterday people strewed flowers in my path but the same people are
drawing their dagger.”
They may not necessarily carry laggers in their hands
tongue can be more than a dagger, pen
also replaces a dagger, silences too works for a dagger, lack of interest and
carelessness are also a dagger and alienation can be a dagger as well. Rhymes
of love and affection on the tongue but hatred and revulsion in mind is as good
as a dagger. And all these daggers are being drawn into the hearts of the
helpless nation, affected members, orphans, widows, handicapped and particularly
the imprisoned persons. Some appear in the shape of leaders of the caravan of
freedom (Hurriyat); some appear in the guise of own people and some came with
latest press note from the press galary. Oh how are those able to understand or
feel the mortification of the prisoners, its helplessness and its destitution
who sit in sofas and soft beds giving press conference and getting their
photographs printed in newspapers. This is not going to make any change in the
condition of such prisoners as are on the verge of taking their last breath.
Prisoners died within my sight, young men died, the
youth died by inches at the threshold of their life just because they needed
legal assistance. There was none in their hoe. They banked on Hurriyatis’ but
they were not their parents to give them affection; they were not their sisters
who would save their brothers even at the cost of their chastity; they were not
their friends so as to come to their help in their hour of suffering. Theirs
was a night`s bargain, giving a few morsals or a few currency notes and then
spend the night, enjoyed the cud of youth and walked away.
Trough you I approach a humanitarian soul to come
forward only for providing legal help to the imprisoned persons and dedicate
himself to the relief of agonized statues, gaping yearnings, mauled limbs and
handicapped and destitute prisoners. Let him not be a dead ”Leader” let him not
be associated with any organization, let him not be a member of Bar
Association, let him not be a press supreme’ let him not be infatuated with
temporary life. Of course, his house may have been burnt, his son killed, his
brother separated from him, his sister molested before his eyes, his property
plundered within his sight; he should be sincere, a Muslim and an embodiment of
pure humanism, neither a Hindi nor a Khurasani, nor Kashmiri nor Pakistani but
the well wisher of humanism and the sympathy of mankind running deep in his
blood. If you happen to find one of this description, kindly send him to the destitute,
the broken down, the disabled and demoralized of the caravan of prisoners. May
be their devastation stricken life finds a ray reinstatement; may be agonized
hearts find a flicker of joy; may be a few remaining breaths would redeem life.
Please convey this message to the rest of the well wishers.
“When
I sleep place your lips on these eyes of mine. You may come believe that the
heart beats under the eyelids as well.
Hope you are
fine, yours, General Musa (prisoner)
This article is published in my book "Kashmir: The unveiling of
truth", 1998