I don’t usually discuss Kashmir. I’ve always known there were problems, but one can’t focus on everything. The recent spate of riots made me sit up and take notice though. So what I’ve understood so far is this:
There are people in Kashmir who want Azadi, or Freedom. So I have to ask, freedom from what? I did some research and found Kashmir has an elected government. The voter turn out was 61% – a very high number compared to other states. Kashmiris are clearly making use of their right to vote. So they’re not protesting against oppression – or at least no more than any other Indian state can complain :D
You call this a peaceful protest?
Are they demanding freedom of religion? From what I understand, there are no restrictions placed on that aspect of their lives. Are they being censored? On the contrary, it’s because of the media that I know about it and many videos are coming through. The Internet is uncensored and lots of people have made their own clips which they uploaded to Youtube. So it can’t be that.
They have the freedom to travel to any part of the country they want, settle down there and work. They can marry whomever they please, be bound by the same liberal laws that govern the rest of India…so what on earth are they asking for?
Yes – Kashmir is militarized, and for good reason. Our neighbors are hardly the most peace loving and trustworthy in the world. There’s no choice on that score. Kashmir’s geographic position necessitates the presence of armed forces.
The New York Times had a video of protesters throwing stones all over the place. This video was made by the agitators themselves and is supposed to show how they’re fighting without weapons. Bollocks. Throwing stones is damned dangerous and one can see the hapless security personnel barely defending themselves and acting with great restraint. The video made by the protesters harms their own cause.
Indeed most of the comments on the NYTimes article said that the protesters had no business being violent. If they put the same energy into forming their own party, and if they claim to represent the will of the people, they shouldn’t have any problem getting themselves elected and taking charge. Why aren’t they doing that instead of wasting huge amounts of time? What do they want?
You can’t expect the government to sit quietly when mobs are rampaging all over the place. Even if we agree in the abstract that they want “Freedom” from India, let them do it the same way we got ours. Peaceful protests, civil disobedience and the like. Not by throwing stones. Why do I get the feeling Gandhi would not approve? And what it mean to be free? In tangible terms?
I may be missing something out here. Perhaps I’m being ignorant and judgmental. In which case, I gladly take the opportunity to learn. Someone please tell me – what do the separatists in Kashmir want?
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