Written by: Dr. Dushka H. Saiyid
Posted on: September 05, 2019 | | 中文
The government of India struck on August 5, annexing Kashmir to the Indian Union, and in doing so broke international law since Kashmir is recognized as disputed territory by the UN. It also violated its own Constitution as Article 370 and 35A had granted Kashmir a special status in it. It has taken a leaf out of Israel’s playbook in the Palestinian territories, as now Indians will be able to buy property in Kashmir and change the demographics of this Muslim majority area under Indian control.
The Indian government fearful of the ferocious reaction carried out a complete lockdown of Kashmir, cutting off all communications with the outside world. Kashmiri leaders of all political shades have been placed under detention, and over four thousand people, mainly young males, picked up and thrown in jails and tortured without any charges. Their families, to date, have no idea as to where they are, and in what condition, and whether they are dead or alive. This action is in the tradition of sieges of medieval times, denying the people their basic necessities, with the objective of breaking their spirit.
Two decades after the American forces arrived in Afghanistan, they are desperately looking for ways to extricate themselves from the longest war they have fought. As the Vietnamese showed, all the napalm in the world, could not keep them in bondage. India is already facing 17 different insurgencies in its northeast. Burhan Wani, martyred in 2016, was a local hero. Adil Dar, who carried out the suicide bombing in Pulwama, hailed from that area. The more sensible Indians are worried that after Modi’s use of brute military force in Kashmir, India will lose support even of those Kashmiris who were willing to work within the Indian Union.
Will Modi, his BJP and RSS cohorts, ably assisted by the corporate and industrial India, manage to kill the desire for Azadi in the Kashmiri people? They have resisted Indian occupation since 1947, and the continued lockdown speaks volumes about the mood of the people.
As Pakistan celebrates its Defence Day, it has to be wary of Indian designs on the Line of Control (LOC). The ease with which Modi government carried out the pogrom in Gujrat, has continued to sanction mob lynching of Muslims in the rest of India, and now militarily occupied Kashmir, while the international community is a silent bystander, might give it a false sense of confidence, especially as the Indian media plays the role of the chorus girls.
It would be worth reminding our sabre rattling Modi government, that India is no Israel, and Pakistan is no Egypt! We salute the brave and resilient Kashmiris!
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