“It didn’t occur on the midnight of 25th of January, 1998. It wasn’t those odd 23 Kashmiri Pandits including 4 young children from Wandhama; a village on the outskirts of Srinagar who fell to the bullets”. This is what the state government of J&K wishes all the common people to believe.
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It surely may seem to be a strange occurrence but is a hard fact. The J&K Police has closed its investigations into one of the most cold-blooded massacres and that too in its 10th anniversary year.
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This is not the first massacre of its kind in the valley. In March 1998 alone, seven members of three Kashmiri Pandit families were gunned down in Sangrampora. It’s now almost day in and day out that we hear of such selective killings in the valley. The complete silence on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits is deafening. In the modern times, no community has suffered as much and yet got the least attention on their plight as the miniscule community of Kashmiri Pandits. Hindu Minority of the valley is not targeted just for media attention but it surely does convey more.
It surely may seem to be a strange occurrence but is a hard fact. The J&K Police has closed its investigations into one of the most cold-blooded massacres and that too in its 10th anniversary year.
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This is not the first massacre of its kind in the valley. In March 1998 alone, seven members of three Kashmiri Pandit families were gunned down in Sangrampora. It’s now almost day in and day out that we hear of such selective killings in the valley. The complete silence on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits is deafening. In the modern times, no community has suffered as much and yet got the least attention on their plight as the miniscule community of Kashmiri Pandits. Hindu Minority of the valley is not targeted just for media attention but it surely does convey more.
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The agencies even after a decade long silence have only ended up in failing to nab the people behind the gory scene in the Wandhama Village. Not only that, they now have closed the investigations and don’t think a CBI Probe to be a just decision.
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On the other hand, the Central Government is unaware about the investigations into this incident carried out by the state police, though it fortunately remembers its occurrence. This has been clearly mentioned in a reply to an RTI application moved into the Home Ministry by a rights activist.
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It again should not look strange as such has been the fate of the Kashmiri Pandits since last almost two decades. Already for the state and the central government Pandits don’t seem to exist anymore.
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On the other hand, the Central Government is unaware about the investigations into this incident carried out by the state police, though it fortunately remembers its occurrence. This has been clearly mentioned in a reply to an RTI application moved into the Home Ministry by a rights activist.
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It again should not look strange as such has been the fate of the Kashmiri Pandits since last almost two decades. Already for the state and the central government Pandits don’t seem to exist anymore.
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Government stands exposed
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Wandhama is one such incident which reveals the lack of coordination among the various agencies of security, administration and intelligence of state and sadly as well at the central level.
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On Januray 27th, 2008, the army disclosed that the group of militants responsible for the killings has been identified and it included almost 12 foreign mercenaries. A Defence Ministry statement a few days after this gruesome incident said, “The local militants operating with the group are known to have links with certain political leaders of that area and it is because of these political links that they have certain amount of confidence in carrying out suck acts”.
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Wandhama is one such incident which reveals the lack of coordination among the various agencies of security, administration and intelligence of state and sadly as well at the central level.
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On Januray 27th, 2008, the army disclosed that the group of militants responsible for the killings has been identified and it included almost 12 foreign mercenaries. A Defence Ministry statement a few days after this gruesome incident said, “The local militants operating with the group are known to have links with certain political leaders of that area and it is because of these political links that they have certain amount of confidence in carrying out suck acts”.
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The local Police on the other hand claimed that it had recovered a letter in which an unknown terrorist outfit “Intikaam-ul-Muslimoon” had claimed responsibility for the killings further warning a begginning of a tirade of killings.
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Do we need to wake the security apparatus to deal with investigations in a much sensitive and professional manner? It’s a cause of concern which needs to be addressed.
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It would be important here to mention a statement by the former ISI Chief Lt.-Gen. Hamid Gul the same year, he said “Our Country (Pakistan) spends almost 250 Crore’s annually on the “Kashmir Struggle”. The majority of the funds come from the Islamic Nations”. It as well remains no secret this day that a large sum keeps pouring in from the heroin smugglers from Pakistan and Afghanistan. A recent investigative report monitoring the Middle-East and South-East Asia Terrorism and Crime belt says 1 kg of Heroin gets you almost 30 AK 47 Rifles if not more.
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It leads us to think weather the Intelligence in India is delibrately silent under pressure or just lazy to act in order to keep things in charge.
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Do we need to wake the security apparatus to deal with investigations in a much sensitive and professional manner? It’s a cause of concern which needs to be addressed.
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It would be important here to mention a statement by the former ISI Chief Lt.-Gen. Hamid Gul the same year, he said “Our Country (Pakistan) spends almost 250 Crore’s annually on the “Kashmir Struggle”. The majority of the funds come from the Islamic Nations”. It as well remains no secret this day that a large sum keeps pouring in from the heroin smugglers from Pakistan and Afghanistan. A recent investigative report monitoring the Middle-East and South-East Asia Terrorism and Crime belt says 1 kg of Heroin gets you almost 30 AK 47 Rifles if not more.
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It leads us to think weather the Intelligence in India is delibrately silent under pressure or just lazy to act in order to keep things in charge.
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With elections round the corner in the valley political parties and even the present governmnet are turning shelves to accommodate Pandits whereever possible and even cry of normalcy and return to the valley. One wonders at these times; weather it is the same government, the same politicians and the same people who change colours in different situations. A 1600 Crore Package for Pandits and a mini township at Jagti has been now been planned by the Union Governmnet for the Pandit Community. But, is it a solution in real terms ? Even before, the ruling PDP came with the idea of colonies for Pandits in some secluded corners of the valley. One needs to understand the situation on ground and then construct a plan for the community of Pandits. Governments have changed in the past two decades but a solution is awaited by Pandits languishing in camps, suffocated in the valley under terror or who are living as Internally Displaced People elsewhere.
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Wandhama thus again reminds us of the tragic fate that looms over this unfortunate community. The Governmnet at the state and the central level and as well the Human Rights bodies at national and international level have remained totally silent on this act of ethnic cleansing. Amnesty International did demand a probe into the carnage, but the Government refused by its mere silence and Amnesty didn’t find it logical to follow on with the demand.
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It would be interesting to see how things shape up in the valley and what the fate has in store for the Kashmiri Pandits. Its time India changes its worn-out policies especially in regard to Kashmir and Terrorism; or else the disintegration phase has begun.
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Wandhama thus again reminds us of the tragic fate that looms over this unfortunate community. The Governmnet at the state and the central level and as well the Human Rights bodies at national and international level have remained totally silent on this act of ethnic cleansing. Amnesty International did demand a probe into the carnage, but the Government refused by its mere silence and Amnesty didn’t find it logical to follow on with the demand.
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It would be interesting to see how things shape up in the valley and what the fate has in store for the Kashmiri Pandits. Its time India changes its worn-out policies especially in regard to Kashmir and Terrorism; or else the disintegration phase has begun.
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Another Catastrophe
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Mohd. Yasin Malik, one of the key initiators of terrorism in the valley in 1989 has recently yet again warned India of a Catastrophe in Kashmir; if his wishes were not addressed.
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Talking to media-persons on his visit to Pakistan, Malik said, “If our wishes were not addressed immediately; it would engulf the Kashmir region in another Catastrophe”. Interestingly, Yasin Malik said this while meeting the Chief of Jamait-e-Islami in Pakistan. He further said; “This meeting was their first step”.
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Observers feel the situation has again turned tense and a violent phase may begin yet again; whose tremors are being felt already. It’s now upto key player India to act. It needs to read in-between the statement and strategies.
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It’s altogether a cruel irony. Only future would help us solve the unanswered complex theories revolving around Kashmir, Terrorism and Kashmiri Pandits.
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The Political and Intellectual marketplace here in India is truly in a superficial phase in the present day. While it does sympathies and has concern for a minority which numbers several million; it mischievously remains silent on the misery of the other who numbers just a few lakhs.
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Mohd. Yasin Malik, one of the key initiators of terrorism in the valley in 1989 has recently yet again warned India of a Catastrophe in Kashmir; if his wishes were not addressed.
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Talking to media-persons on his visit to Pakistan, Malik said, “If our wishes were not addressed immediately; it would engulf the Kashmir region in another Catastrophe”. Interestingly, Yasin Malik said this while meeting the Chief of Jamait-e-Islami in Pakistan. He further said; “This meeting was their first step”.
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Observers feel the situation has again turned tense and a violent phase may begin yet again; whose tremors are being felt already. It’s now upto key player India to act. It needs to read in-between the statement and strategies.
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It’s altogether a cruel irony. Only future would help us solve the unanswered complex theories revolving around Kashmir, Terrorism and Kashmiri Pandits.
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The Political and Intellectual marketplace here in India is truly in a superficial phase in the present day. While it does sympathies and has concern for a minority which numbers several million; it mischievously remains silent on the misery of the other who numbers just a few lakhs.
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There maybe a need to wake them from this highly dangerous position which might yield its threatening results much later. One needs to jostle their inner consciousness and sanity needs to rule.
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Also Visit - www.kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/
