In Kashmir, hurling stones symbolises taking a shot at Azadi
Daanish Bin Nabi
Not much has changed, it seems, since the summer of 2010,
when young Kashmiri protesters took to the streets and hurled stones at army
soldiers. It was a unique protest, not just because a stone was used to express
anger and anguish but also the demographic profile of the protesters took
everyone by surprise, for they included young graduates, doctors and engineers
who were enraged at years of injustice and complete denial by Delhi.
The year 2016 marks six years since 2010; six years since
Kashmir witnessed a violent civil unrest. The protagonists of the latest
protests are once again young stone-pelters, braving bullets and deadly pellets
of the security forces. So far, more than 52 civilians have lost lives and over
3,700 have been injured, following the weekly protest calendars notified by
united Hurriyat leaders.
The Quint visited
areas that witnessed heavy stone pelting, like downtown Srinagar, Nowgam,
Batamaloo and Bemina in Srinagar city to talk to the young people and
understand why they risk their lives and what motivates them to do so.
Batamaloo: ‘Our Only Weapons are Stones’
After spending almost an hour trying to convince Amir Shah
(name changed) to talk, he agreed to an interview, only on the condition of
anonymity.
Amir says, “I only pelt stones because we want azadi from
India. That is our sole motive. We want to free ourselves from the clutches of
New Delhi.”
No one is funding us. We are an oppressed lot – day-in and
day-out, we get brutally assaulted by the CRPF and the police. That is why we
pelt stones. Neither Geelani, Mirwaiz nor Yasin Malik fund us. They should set
their house in order first, then we can talk to them. It is our (youth)
struggle, if they (Hurriyat) want, they can stay away from all that is
happening now.
Amir Shah (name changed), Batamaloo resident
Upon leaving, Amir shouts at us from a distance: “We do not
have any weapons. We are not terrorists. Our only weapons are stones. Stones
are this generation’s AK47.”
Bemina: ‘Pellets are Used on Animals, Not Humans’
Asif (name changed), 24, is a BCom final year student.
Wearing rugged jeans and a blue T-shirt, he is willing to talk but did not
agree to be photographed.
You know how our youth are being killed and maimed by
pellets on a daily basis now, for no fault of their own. The killing of
innocent Kashmiris is the sole motivation behind our stone pelting. New Delhi
has always deprived us of our rights. We should get back our rights at any
cost. Living with dignity is everyone’s fundamental right and Indian security
forces always trample on our fundamental rights. There is no dignity in
Kashmir. We are left with no option but to pelt stones.
Asif (name changed),
Bemina Resident
Asif breathes heavily while speaking, showing clear signs of
trauma or torture.
Pellets are used on animals and not on humans. In Kashmir,
pellets are used unabatedly. It clearly shows that Kashmiris are not humans and
not a part of India.
Asif
Nowgam: ‘Don’t Pelt Stones for Enjoyment’
Yasir (name changed) has been involved in stone-pelting
since the 2010 unrest and is not afraid of the consequences any more. He was
fired upon by the police at Natipora chowk in Srinagar. Two months later, he
was arrested from his home.
I do not pelt stones for enjoyment. It is because of sheer
harassment that we are pelting stones at them. When I was arrested in 2010,
Police demanded Rs 15,000 for my release and said if you don’t pay up you will
be booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA). It was harassment and nothing
else. They beat me at home and at the police station. They took payment on the
fourth day and released me on the fifth.
Yasir (name changed), Nowgam Resident
Downtown: ‘Won’t Stop Even if We Die’
Often referred to as the “Gaza Strip” of Jammu and Kashmir,
Srinagar’s downtown area remains one of the most volatile areas in Kashmir.
Bricks, broken windows, stones, and sticks are a common sight in this district.
Ishfaq Ahmed (name changed) is a 26-year-old post graduate
student with a Master’s in Technology Management (MTM) from Chandigarh
University.
Few days ago, my friends and I went to a nearby ground to
play cricket. When we reached the main square, CRPF and Special Task Force
(STF) troopers were beating passers by mercilessly. An elderly person was also
beaten. We tried to stop them but they started to beat us as well. Since that
evening, I along with my friends pelt stones on a daily basis now. Even if we die,
we won’t stop.
Ishfaq Ahmed (name
changed), Srinagar Resident
He was furious when I asked a few questions on whether the
protests were allegedly funded by an organisation/group or leaders.
“Why are you asking such irrelevant questions? We do not
pelt stones for money. We have never seen or met Geelani or Mirwaiz or Yasin
Malik. When we have never met them how can they fund us?” Ishfaq asks angrily.
Psychological
Insecurity
Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Margoob, Professor and Head, Postgraduate
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences Kashmir
(IMHANS-K), says: “2016 is exactly like 2010. There is a thought process that
is passed on from community to community or from one generation to the other,
this is what we call trans-generational transmission of trauma. And it has
happened in the case of Kashmir. Youth here feel threatened. Today is July
2016, but also remember what happened in July 1931 in Kashmir. From that July
till this July, Kashmiris have only seen death and destruction. These youth
know that they are confronting death by pelting stones, but they still do
knowing it is for survival.”
