Stone Rage

RIYAZ AHMAD
What do stone-pelters stand for? Freedom struggle, a pent-up collective anger or a disguised form of recreational sport.For the first time in the past twenty years, a group of masked stone pelters last week held a press conference in the downtown city. They ridiculed Hurriyat for calling for only one day’s hartal on Tuesday over the death of the 13 year old Wamiq Farooq in police action and unilaterally resolved to extend it for several days. They matched their words with deeds. From Islamabad to Varmul, the entire Valley was taken over by the stone pelting mobs paralyzing the transport and throwing the entire life off-gear.This is what they had to say: “ No more Hurriyat leaders. We won’t listen to them. They are agents. It is our stone-pelting that has resurrected the movement. We will have our own hartal program and enforce it on our own”. The masked young men suddenly appeared from nowhere soon after the burial of Wamiq in Srinagar ’s Martyrs Graveyard.This was not an isolated incident. When on the following day Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led a procession through the downtown city, the youth in the gathering were not all that devoted to him. In fact, when Mirwaiz said that Hurriyat will chart a protest program over the ongoing atrocities, many in the audience were not impressed. “ So, Mirwaiz has yet to formulate a program. There is no need now. We know how to carry on the struggle without them (separatist leaders),” a few young men in the crowd were telling among themselves.And they were not alone. Across Srinagar and in the far-off Varmul and the 55 kilometre highway between the two places, mobs of stone-pelters took over, throwing Kashmir into turmoil. In Varmul, people spilled on to the roads in scattered groups which soon billowed into a frenzied mass of people, yelling, screaming and throwing stones. The town was all smoke and clamour as the police swung into action and fired tear gas shells into air.The situation was same in Srinagar and the rest of the Valley. Along the highways, the groups of 10-20 stone pelting youth at the strategic intersections blocked traffic. Protesters even attacked an Army convoy at Rawalpur area of the city. And over the entire more than 100 people, including several securitymen, were injured.The unfolding reality registered itself on the Hurriyat itself. With stone-pelters throwing down gauntlet and the fear of marginalization gripping them fast, a defensive Hurriyat decided to lead a march to the United Nations office in the city on Monday. He also said that Hurriyat was with the protesters and the youth throwing stones. This, he said, was a natural reaction to the atrocities of the forces.But for all of us, before we could understand it Kashmir has taken yet another turbulent lurch. In the past three years, the place has been witness to some of the biggest agitations in its history. In 2008, it was Amarnath land row which put the entire Valley on the edge. Srinagar woke up to multitude of nightly revolts, with loudspeakers booming with Azadi slogans, followed by the raucous rumble of the seething masses through the streets. It was for the first time in years that the protests spread across the countryside and even swept the otherwise insulated border areas.However, just when we concluded that an overwhelmingly participated assembly election in the following winter had turned the revolt on its head, Shopian followed. The rape and murder of the two women in this prosperous South Kashmir town unleashed fresh fury through the summer of 2009. And now we have the fresh tumult at hand over the deaths of two teenagers in police and paramilitary action. Things yet again seem to have gotten out of hand.What baffles one is the predictable pattern of these protests. The hordes of youth heaving through Kashmir’s streets, shouting slogans and throwing stones. This is Valley’s raw, new generation, bred in the Valley’s violent conflict but until Amarnath agitation indifferent to it. It is angry, rebellious and willing to take up not only the stones but also guns. Compared to them, nineties’ generation was innocent. They took to guns in a rush, little knowing what was in store for them. But the new generation is consciously into it and seems to be ready for the consequences.For them, the security posts along the streets are a domesticated presence and so invoke no fear. Their fuming groups tear down bunkers, jeer at police and paramilitary personnel and do a defying whirling dance when passing by the security camps. The stone-pelting has become an everyday phenomenon. It seems organized on an ambitious scale and aspires to become an all-encompassing Valley-wide reality. There is a high degree of synchronization in the way assaults are launched at various places in the city and some major towns. What is more, the juggernaut at times gets rolling without any apparent cause. A death in the process has a metastasizing effect with protests soon swirling the entire Valley right from Islamabad to Varmul.This has raised some troubling questions: whether what we are witnessing is prompted by the ongoing operation of the political conflict in the state, or that the situation has become a bit more complex. Without overlooking the fact of tragic deaths of our boys - which at times seems a result of the pure, inbuilt hatred in the security machinery against the protesters rather than a law and order urgency - there is a dire need, social as well as intellectual, to understand the growing incidence of stone-pelting in the Valley. That is, if it is certainly the authentic catharsis of the Valley’s pent-up sense of grievance, or an alternative form of struggle which has replaced gun.But this reading of the situation is severely challenged by the wayward nature of the protests that take the form of stone-pelting. More often than not, it becomes difficult to assign a credible cause to these type of protests. Stone-pelting seems to go on regardless, in many areas of the downtown city or in some major towns like Varmul, creating an impression of a sport being pursued for the thrill of it. And if the protesters continue to create such an impression among a growing number of people, which they certainly do, then there is something very seriously amiss. For there cannot be a greater disservice to the cause, which they otherwise claim confers legitimacy on their practice.Genuine protests, we know, understand the reason of their existence, generally follow a comprehensible pattern of their own and are geared toward an end. And if they don’t meet this criteria, then what we are witnessing on the streets of Kashmir may be actually a form of anarchy without us being necessarily conscious of the same.

5 Kashmiris held on meeting detained youth at Kanpur

Srinagar, Feb 09: Five Kashmiris youth from Kreeri were arrested in Kanpur when they went to meet a Kashmiri held under detention in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. MLA Sangrama, Syed Basharat Bukhari Tuesday condemned the incident and urged Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to look into the matter and ensure that the Kashmiri youth are not harassed in different Indian states. The five youth from Tapper Kreeri who have been detained at Kanpur have been identified as Ghulam Hassan Parray son of Ghulam Qadir Manzoor Ahmad Parray son of Abdul Gani, Nazir Ahmad Parray son of Ghulam Rasool, Muhammad Akbar Dar son of Ali Muhammad and Bilal Ahmed Sheikh son of Sonaullah of Tapper Waripora.The five have been arrested at Kanpur and detained at Mool Gunj Police Station Kanpur.The five had gone to meet the prisoner Gulzar Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Muhammad who is detained at District Jail Kanpur. Bukhari, the senior leader of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and MLA Sangrama while condemning the incident said Union Home Minister must take note of the incident and intervene to ensure the release of the five innocent Kashmiri youth.He said that the Government of India should ensure that the Kashmiri youth working, studying or visiting different Indian states should not be harassed.Bukhari said many Kashmiris were being meted unfair treatment by the security agencies in different Indian states. “I urge the Union Home Minister, Mr P Chidambaram to ensure that the Kashmiris are not meted with such unfair treatment.”

KU students win national level debate

Srinagar, Feb 9: Two students of Kashmir University affiliated collages bagged first position at All-India Sir Syed Memorial Debate, 2010 in Aligarh, a varsity handout Tuesday said. “Naveed Tramboo of SSM College of Engineering and Uzma Falak of Degree College boys Baramullah , led by Shahid Ali Khan , Cultural Officer, University of Kashmir, participated in the All India Sir Syed Memorial Debate held at the Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, on February 7 and 8 wining the first prize,” it said. “Around 22 teams from the best universities of India, including the Jamia Hamdard and Indore University participated in the debate.”

Child labour widespread in Kashmir: Study

Srinagar, Feb 4: More than 50 percent children in Kashmir are directly or indirectly involved in one or other form of child labour and there are more than 2.50 lakh child workers in the age group of 6-16 years working in various fields of handicrafts sector, a latest study reveals. “About 47 percent of the total number of children work outside their homes regularly for earning and supporting their families. A dominant number of these work in different fields of the handicrafts sector,” the research “Life Conditions of Child Labourers in Jammu and Kashmir” carried by Valley’s noted sociologist, Dr Bashir Ahmad Dabla, reveals. However, it says that child labours working in handicrafts sector have come under the focus of academicians, planners, experts and administrators. “Several programmes and schemes have been initiated by the governmental and non-governmental organizations for their overall welfare,” it said. But the researcher has expressed deep concern over the plight of children who are being used as domestic help. “A significant number of children in the age groups of 6-11 and 11-above, mainly from rural areas, work in the house of businessmen, bureaucrats, politicians, technicians, neo-rich groups and middle class families in the cities and towns. The service conditions of these children are pathetic,” the research reveals. “In comparison to child labours in other sectors, children in this sector have remained ignored on the part of planners and experts. The plight of these unfortunate children continues without any notice by the society,” it added. The research revealed that there were no standards of wages for these child labours at the official or unofficial level. “Their wages are determined solely by the heads of the households according to their wishes and preferences. Fundamental rights of these children are robbed by the individuals and groups which claim to be their protectors.” On protection of child rights, Prof Dabla says, “Though some programmes and schemes regarding the eradication of child labour in the state were initiated in the recent past by the government, its impact has not been felt by the suffering children and their families. No fundamental change has occurred in the concerned economic sectors and sections of the society.” Prof Dabla says that last 20-years of conflict has worsened the situation. “The continuous political instability in the state has extreme negative impact on child labours. The impact of state sponsored child-welfare schemes have not proved beneficial to the deserving section of the population. It was also observed that no major or minor non-governmental effort was initiated in this area. The governmental failure was equally matched by the public apathy towards child labours,” he added. On formulation and enforcement of laws related to child labour, the study said, “Though laws were formulated, empirical reality clearly reveals that there has been very less degree of impact on child labours. The government effort lacked the realist perspective and long tem/short term planning.” On eradication of child labour and protection of child rights, Prof Dabla said that there was a need to make a comprehensive, multidimensional and development oriented study of child labours. “Also is there is need to make an objective assessment of the wage structure, nature of economic exploitation and impact of governmental programmes related to child labour,” he suggested. He also advocated for long-term policy formulation and intervention. “There is need to present ideas and suggestions for long-term policy formulation keeping in view the crucial existing problems of child labour in Kashmir, especially in the context of 20-years of conflict,” he added. Prof Dabla also advised to identify and elaborate the role of NGOs in the complex problem of child labour.

Change in weather pattern threaten Kashmir’s future

This year records 70 per cent deficit in rain/snowfall

Srinagar: As the dry spell continues in Kashmir Valley, records of past decade indicate sharp changes in weather patterns while owing to the less rain/snowfall this winter, experts predict acute water shortage, decrease in agriculture yield and electricity supply and rise in air-borne viral transmission in the coming days.Commenting on the change in weather pattern, Director Metrological Department, Sonam Lotus told Kashmir Images: “There is a clear unpredictability of the western disturbances passing over Kashmir with unusual distribution of rainfall in space and time, shifting patterns of precipitation and sustained deficit of snowfall.”Lotus revealed that rainfall/snowfall in the state as a whole (this winter) is deficit by nearly 70 per cent, adding, temperatures were increasing both in Kashmir and Jammu.“The rise in temperatures is leading to scanty snowfall in the plains in Kashmir and very little snowfall in the mountains. Accordingly, the water level in rivers and streams in Kashmir is decreasing,” he said.He further added that the water level in almost all the streams and rivers in Kashmir has decreased more than two-thirds during the last three decades. “Hundreds of springs have either dried up or are on the verge of drying up with groundwater level also adversely affected. Besides water bodies, the impact of climate change is leading to the fast melting and receding of glaciers,” Lotus said.Warning about the impact of global warming, Lotus said that floods and droughts would become common; air-born diseases more rampant and the yield of crops will decrease.The 40-day spell of Chillai-Kalan in valley which in past used to be the toughest winter season, this year ended without experiencing much snowfall and rainfall.“The snowfall that was received in this Chillai Kalan was very light that melted in just half an hour due to which not much snow was accumulated. It will surely have negative impact on water level and irrigation,” Lotus said.While giving details of weather patters in every January of the past decade, Sonam Lotus said that in January 2000, temperature was above normal while as in January 2001 it was below normal.January 2002 and January 2003 too recorded below normal temperature while as January 2004 and January 2005 recorded temperatures above normal. Though January 2006 also recorded temperature above normal, it is the only year in past decade which recorded huge rainfall (134.3mm).January 2007 also recorded temperature below normal while as January 2008 recorded it above normal and again January 2009 recorded temperature below normal and so did the January of 2010.Commenting on the data (See Box), Sonam Lotus told Kashmir Images: “The data indicates that there has been an appreciable increase (+2,-3) deg C in mean temperature of last decade from the climatological mean temperature of 1951-1980 which was 4.7 degree C.
Jan 2000 Jan 2001 Jan 2002 Jan 2003 Jan 2004 Jan 2005 Jan 2006 Jan 2007 Jan 2008 Jan 2009 Jan 2010Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall Max Min Rainfall
12.8 -06.3 69.7 15.7 -06.7 21.3 14.0 -05.6 35.5 15.10 -06.4 28.7 11.3 -02.2 79.2 11.5 -03.8 85.6 08.2 -06.6 134.3 14.1 –o6.1 8.1 10.1 -07.4 76.3 13.5 -03.2 36.5 15.8 -04.8 24.2
(Temperature in Celsius and rain in mm)

The ‘Boundaries’ and the ‘People’

The message that boundaries cannot divide the hearts is the most appropriate one

Rekha Chowdhary rekchowdhary@gmail.com

'Khushamdeed'(Welcome)! Mazhab Nahin Sikhata Aapas mein Bair Rakhna (Religion does not teach hostility between people)! Sarhaden Zamin Baant Sakti hain Par Dil Nahin (Borders can divide the land but not the hearts)! Dosti, Yeh Dil Mange More ! Love and Faith survive the Day! Aao Ham Dil Milayen (Let us bring the hearts closer)! Friendship keeps growing globally, everyone loves it! This is what the signboards say in Chakkan da Bagh, at the zero point in Poonch where on Monday people cross the Line of Control from Indian side of Kashmir to the Pakistan administered Kashmir and vice versa and on Tuesday and Wednesday trucks cross. The LoC, at this point becomes the LoF - 'Line of Friendship', the LoP - 'Line of Peace', and a new LoC - the 'Line of Commerce' - among the multiple new names given to this line during last few years. From Monday to Wednesday, at this point one can see the 'territoriality' of the Kashmir dispute getting dissolved and the people becoming visible. It is at this point that the hostilities between the two States seem to be totally unjustified, irrelevant and irrational. What seems to be rational is the message of love and friendship. Interestingly, this is the place where the ‘reality’ of humanity and human relations is officially asserted by the State and the ‘constructed’ divide is rejected. Whether that divide is created in the name of the religion or the nation – it is seen to be artificial. Most important of all, the ‘boundary’ is seen as artificial and unnatural. The message that boundaries cannot divide the hearts is the most appropriate message. If there is any doubt about that one can see the emotional scenes at the Zero point when people come from the Rawlakot side or when they leave. For one person who is coming or going, there are many more who are there to welcome or to see off. These are the divided families who are now part of two different nations. There is a story after story about the brothers and sisters having not met each other for as many as sixty years, about an aunt or uncle not seeing the young nephews and nieces, about a grandfather or grandmother not having got the opportunity to be close to their grandchildren.... These are the close relatives, the blood relations who have now become the citizens of two different nations - divided by boundary and distanced not merely by the miles between them but by mutual hostility of the two nations - India and Pakistan. Living just few miles apart, they would not be able to see each other, and if they did meet, they would have to take circuitous route facing all the difficulties and obstacles. Many died without meeting their close ones....Not only those who have their relatives but many more who have roots in their ancestral lands, want to cross the LoC. They see in the opening of the routes and the bus service between Uri and Muzafarabad and between Poonch and Rawlakot - a hope and for them the slogan - Sarhaden zameen baant sakti hain par dil nahin - is not a slogan but a reality! They are nostalgic about the places they have left behind and a mere mention of their ancestral place makes them emotional. Their emotions for these places persist even when they carry with them the memories of painful time of their displacement – not only the loss of the land but also the loss of their close ones; the bloodshed and the hatred that accompanied the partition of the State. For these people who have been living with the reality of the LoC for last six decades, the opening of the borders, since 2005, has been the most crucial development. They are the ones who can understand as to why the border needs to dissolved and why the boundaries need to crossed. For them, it is not difficult at tall to understand the concept of ‘irrelevance of borders’. The concept of ‘irrelevance of borders’ remains as the most innovative and the most practical response to the complex issues which underlie the protracted conflict in and over Jammu and Kashmir. It not only makes it possible for the people to meet across the LoC but also provides a way forward to the conflict resolution. It actually makes a paradigm shift to the understanding of conflict and conflict resolution process. The conflict has so far remained complex and intractable due to its location in ‘nationalistic’ paradigm which automatically creates non-negotiable and competitive claims. This paradigm also places premium on ‘territory’, ‘borders’, ‘boundary’ and ‘sovereignty’. ‘People’, in this paradigm are totally invisible and do not count at all. The concept of ‘irrelevance of borders’ without touching on these ‘sensitive’ issues like ‘territory’, ‘boundary’ and ‘sovereignty’ , shifts the conflict to a new paradigm in which people not only become visible but also take a central place in the conflict resolution process. Standing at the LoC and reading all these slogans officially posted by the State, actually makes one understand as to what is this model of conflict resolution. ‘Aao Ham Dil Milayen’! It is an appeal from the state to people – to come forward, to do what the state cannot do – to unite and do away with the hostilities. It is invoking ‘humanity’ as the most important value. It calls for friendship between people, communities and nations. ‘Dosti, Yeh Dil Mange More’!!

Kashmir’s wetlands shrinking fast

Srinagar, Feb 2: Kashmir’s four premier wetlands - attraction for migratory birds from across the globe - have witnessed 28 to 50 percent shrinkage over the years.The data provided by the Wetland Management wing of the wildlife department reveals maximum 50 percent shrinkage in Mirgund Wetland, which has reduced from four-kilometre area initially to mere two kilometres presently. It is seconded by the 38 percent area reduction in Shalbugh Wetland, 29 percent in Hokarsar Wetland and 28 percent in Haigam Wetland.The area under Hokarsar Wetland is down from 13.75 square kilometres to five square kilometres, Shalbugh is down from 16 sq kilometres to six to seven sq KMs, Haigam from 14 sq KMs to four to five sq KMs and Mirgund from four sq KMs to two sq KMs, Wetland wildlife Warden, Ghulam Muhammad Lone, told Greater Kashmir.Ironically, the department has no data about the other wetlands, which are being managed by it. These include Wullar, Narkara, and Satnam.“We are managing them for migratory birds but we have no data about the total area covered by them and the shrinkage in these,” Lone said, adding there was no data about Kranchu, Hetlam and Baednambal Wetlands as well.Pertinently, Lone revealed the central government has asked the state government to notify total area under wetlands in Kashmir. Lone said the wildlife department has received a letter from the Central Government for undertaking the project of notifying the wetland area, which might be taken up later this year.“Once we take up that project we will be able to know how much land is under wetlands in Kashmir,” Lone said.The warden, however, owes the shrinkage to silt, encroachment and the lack of funds for preservation. Lone said the Wetlands have witnessed excessive siltation from inflowing rivers, compounded by encroachments by the local residents.“In Hokarsar around 25 percent land area has been encroached upon and the rest of it has been consumed by the siltation, though there isn’t any fresh encroachment in the wetland now. The other three wetlands have also fallen prey to siltation,” he said, and expressed concern that if immediate steps were not taken the leftover wetlands might also be lost.Asked why the department didn’t work for the preservation of the siltation he said, “It is a massive project and we don’t have the funds for it. We are only provided a meagre amount for management of the wetlands but the project for prevention of siltation needs funding in crores.”The experts too blame the mismanagement of the government and lack of conservation measures for the shrinkage of the wetlands.“We have always been rich in wetlands but we are fast losing them to an unconcerned government and mismanagement. Anchar Lake is dying and the condition of the Nigeen Lake is such that we can’t even row a boat in it. It is because there aren’t experts managing these wetlands at the ground level and the result is shrinking wetlands,” noted Environmentalist, Dr Abdul Majeed Kak, told Greater Kashmir.