Via: "Naeem Mohaiemen"
I have a text in this anthology that has just been published.
Sound Unbound
Sampling Digital Music and Culture
Edited by Paul D. Miller aka Dj Spooky that Subliminal Kid
MIT Press, 2008
I wrote the essay, "Fear of a Muslim Planet", in early 2006. But due
to publisher schedules, the anthology from MIT Press in which it
appears came out this spring. In the meantime, various new names
emerged, including Lupe Fiasco, who was absent from my 2005-2006
research.
The text remains as is, except for the inclusion of Lupe right before
it went to press. As for the writing style, an earnest,
culture-as-tool permeates the conclusion, legacy of the mode of
thought I was in during 2002-2006 (everything was about war-on-terror
framed "struggle").
Sound Unbound
Sampling Digital Music and Culture
Edited by Paul D. Miller aka Dj Spooky that Subliminal Kid
MIT Press, 2008
Contributors include Pierre Boulez, Chuck D, Cory Doctorow, Brian Eno,
Jonathan Lethem, Moby, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Steve Reich, Saul Williams,
and more.
Download "Fear of a Muslim Planet" chapter
http://shobak.org/text/hiphop.shtml
Buy the book @ Amazon
http://tinyurl.com/63phj2
List of Contributors
http://tinyurl.com/5vbbth
Via: "Pawan Durani"
On 5/10/08, Rebellious Koshur rebelliouskoshur@yahoo.co.uk> wrot
<<<<<<<<<<People, who claim to be our friends as we don't need masters,
should support us in our endeavors. >>>>>>>>>>
Qalab ,
Has not Pakistan been a Master in your Azadi Movement so far ? Or Do you
deny that and deceive yourself as well ?
Also it is intereseting to read that at the starting you plead for Sonia's
support and later somehere in the middle you write "It is useless to
misinterpret things as people here know the truth about each and every
killing. There is no need for them to share it with you. Why should we trust
you?" .....
If at all you dont trust a person , then why do you seek his/her support .
But anyways , that has been the way Azadi has been . Opportunistic play by
worthless people.
Regards
Pawan Durani
> Sonia,
>
> The problem with "activists" like you is that you pick and choose the
> issues which concern you and not the people on ground. The issues which you
> have raised are least of the concern for Kashmiris. Our prime concern is not
> the wealth acquired by the pro-freedom politicians but it is freedom from
> ruthless India and Indians. People, who claim to be our friends as we don't
> need masters, should support us in our endeavors.
>
> The issue of accountability of our politicians is an internal matter of
> Kashmiris which we are proficient enough to deal with. We know who has done
> what; you need not bother yourself with our internal affairs. Being an
> Indian it is your responsibility to question the presence of Indian army in
> Kashmir ; the brutality of Indian soldiers; the criminal policies of Indian
> politicians. Demonstrate your principled stand vis-à-vis Indian policies on
> Kashmir . We the people of Kashmir will take account of the blunders of our
> politicians and militants. We know who killed whom and why. We know where
> from the money came, for what it was spent, and how much did the politicians
> use for themselves. We till now have and in future will do the needful. You
> please keep out of it, because this is not India . It is Kashmir . You, the
> Indian civil society activists, seem to be behaving in the same hegemonic
> attitude which the Indian statecraft has exhibited so far in Kashmir .
>
> It is ridiculous when you say Kashmiri society is "deeply divided". Is it
> not true for India ? Is it not true for Delhi ? Is it not true for the small
> locality where you live in Delhi ? Yes Kashmiris are divided and I see it as
> the democratic mindset of the people. The division which you are talking
> about is the difference of opinion which is present everywhere in the modern
> democratic world.
>
> You have asked a Junaid how many JKLF men were killed by army and how many
> by Hizbula Mujahideen. It is useless to misinterpret things as people here
> know the truth about each and every killing. There is no need for them to
> share it with you. Why should we trust you?
>
> For the purpose of clarity, I would like to quote the figures of a survey
> done by a Srinagar based organization, Coalition of Civil Society. According
> to their survey in Baramulla district, the total number of JKLF men who got
> killed in Baramulla only is 180. Out of the 180 JKLF men 115 have been
> killed by Indian armed forces. Hizbul Mujahideen has killed 8 JKLF members
> while as other militant organizations have killed 15 JKLF men. JKLF itself
> has killed 3 of there members. There are around 39 JKLF members who have
> been killed by "unidentified gunmen". People here in Kashmir understand who
> these unidentified gunmen are.
>
> What I could understand from your post was that you think JKLF has suffered
> more because of Hizbul Mujahideen compared to Indian army while as the truth
> according to the Baramulla survey of Coalition of Civil Society is that 87
> JKLF members have been martyred during the encounters with Indian army. 13
> have been killed in custody. Another 6 have been subjected to enforced
> disappearance from Baramulla district amongst the JKLF members.
>
> Why are you unnecessarily defaming JKLF cadres? I know you have great
> friendship with Yasin Malik but even he won't deny that India is his enemy
> and not Hizbul Mujahideen.
>
> Qalab Hussain
>
>
>
>
>
Via: "Naeem Mohaiemen"
Not quite a variation of desert polo, but close enough....
"Saudi policemen have been hunting down Bangladeshis"
"when our workers show their absolutely genuine papers to the police,
the latter commit the sheer outrage of tearing them up"
"Bangladeshis are reportedly the only people targeted by the Saudis,
with others remaining untouched"
"the bogey of Bangladeshis indulging in criminal activities in the kingdom"
DAILY STAR
Published On: 2008-05-10
Bangladeshi workers in distress
Govt must send high-powered team to Riyadh
http://thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=35752
Bangladeshis employed in Saudi Arabia are in dire straits. That is the
truth which comes out in the media. Over the past few months, Saudi
policemen have been hunting down Bangladeshis and sending them off to
deportation centres despite many of them possessing perfectly valid
papers. As a number of anguished Bangladeshis now in the kingdom have
made it clear, the Saudi police pay no heed to the fact that those
they go after are legally permitted to work in the country. In many
cases, when our workers show their absolutely genuine papers to the
police, the latter commit the sheer outrage of tearing them up and
hauling these hapless people off to the deportation centres as a step
towards sending them back to Bangladesh. Amidst such grossly
unacceptable behaviour, the workers are unable to collect their
belongings or call their employers.
There are at present an estimated 20,00,000 Bangladeshis employed in
Saudi Arabia. It is therefore easily understandable how significant a
contribution they make to Bangladesh's as well as the host country's
economy. Now if these people (and Bangladeshis are reportedly the only
people targeted by the Saudis, with others remaining untouched) turn,
for no good reason, into objects of inexplicable wrath in the kingdom,
it becomes necessary for the Bangladesh authorities to take up the
matter with Riyadh on an urgent basis. A couple of months ago, the
Saudi authorities raised the bogey of Bangladeshis indulging in
criminal activities in the kingdom. Now they offer no reason at all to
explain why they are specifically picking them out and dealing with
them in such outlandish manner. We understand that Bangladesh's
foreign affairs adviser has been seeking a visit to Riyadh for
sometime without the Saudis coming up with any response. Clearly, it
is an abnormal situation we have before us; and it must be tackled in
an appropriate manner.
The Foreign Office must get down to the job, through our embassy in
Riyadh, of ascertaining from the Saudis the reason for the harshness
they have adopted toward our workers. Additionally, a high-powered
team must be sent to Riyadh to discuss the entire gamut of issues
involved in the situation. At the same time, the Saudi embassy here
must be asked in no uncertain terms to explain why Bangladesh's
workers in the kingdom are being subjected to such degrading,
appalling behaviour. It is the job of our government to come to the
aid of our citizens in Saudi Arabia. It is also its responsibility to
find out the causes that may have led to such sudden Saudi activity
vis-à-vis Bangladeshi workers.
Via: "inder salim"
Dear All
I am expecting more hot exchanges on Junaid versus Sonia posts....
and why not... the stakes are large. ( every body is sailing his
her/his own boat ) and sometimes it is a question of life and death...
( by the way, i am listening Kashmiri music, so you can imagine what
state of mind i am in, and dear hot debator(s) you are free to
dismiss this reflection, if u find it less political, but i cant help
it, i think this too is political...)
1. Fortunately only words are used, so far.....
No one denies that some 'Words' can kill, but they can deceive us
too. Indeed, the killer words often give birth to a politics, but the
words which grow on that political tree are sometimes fruit like to
some and foliage like to some, with a strange unpridictablity of
killer words hitting us at will. But how things change, so quickly, i
am amazed.
2, Most of freedom struggles look like Modern Art, because they never
think it necessary to admit that we are modern because there is a
readymade ( past ) which we are using so carelessly. Just see the
guns, tanks, landmines and hand grandes ... all the things are coming
to us from modern technology. Modern Art, i must remind, here to
myself even, that even Picasso was finally consumed by corporates and
capitalsim. So, i am wondering if the modern ways of fighting ( for
any cause ) is unwittingly absorbed by the STATE. Oh, i am saying it
as if they dont know it. It is an open secret, that arms and amunition
is given to peoplpe for their just causes by those who are at the helm
ofthe capitalist world. It is all sad.
2(a) Opportunity for Kashmiri Pandits to celebrate becasue Justice
Sanjay Kishen Kaul rescued a genunine intellectual worry, here in
India by quashing some cases against MF Hussain. There are some
friends around in India, Pakistan and abroad who think Hussain sahib a
genius, far from that, i think at the best he is a good designer, for
making a boring wall look more interesting, so an interior decorator.
But dont forget his price tag, and who are investing in him: the
capitalist. and dont be surprised if you discover that Bajrang Dal was
financed by them to strat the trouble. That you know can push the
prices endlessly. Do you think something similar can happen in Modern
ways of freedom struggle in Kashmir or else where? As i said things
changes so fast.
3. We JohnLenon(s) are gone, but Maccartney of JKLF is still around,
and we wish him good many years of happy and spiritied life. I dont
remember when Yasin sabib said that he switched sides.... his line of
action is still the same, but he simply has moved from Modern art to
Post modern art, and there are supporters and critics to that, so
what. ( just remember Beetles song IMAGINE there is no country.. ) In
that case , i beleive i am a member of Safray Azadi. (The burining
issues of environment and other socially relevant ones are likely to
be added ) .
4. 'We know who killed whom and why'. I quote Qalab Hussain sahib, It
inspires me to write a poem , but who will sing it. It was possible if
we believe that the pain of a kashmiri can be talked about without
identies.. universally. But if we believe that amasing wealth and
infighting is a personal matter of kashmiris then how to face the
truth of, ethics and basic human rights. The problem is that even
when we see somebody slaying somebody, we can say this whom and why.
Kafka sahib taught us our incapacity to know. That is profound, but
please dont exlude that....
5. Kashmir has its own Nizamuddeens. We all know that Nizamuddeen
sahib never bothered to visit any sultan duing this stay in Delhi.
Sultans had to go his humble place for a deedar or darshan. No doubt
that he is a loved by millions around the world. He inspries us to
live simple loving life. He was daring because he was ahead of
modernity. He was earth and politcs without a split. He was our own
socretes as well. And because of him we have so many other saints, and
heros like Sarmad Sahib and finally Ghalb and then Dr. Iqbal as well.
So in Kashmir where from we need to being and what direction....
6. Imagine, if there is a demand for a Free Maharashtra....Raj Thakery
will be a new Bidrawale, or who knows a new Yasir Arafat after 100
yers. A new history of State opression will being which will give
brith of range of killer words and numberless victims. The State, we
know plays its games as it does in Kashmir or North east. People are
paid to be with State, either here or there. That is bread and butter
to millions... So what to do ? any alternative to gun culture? I can
think even that freedom fighter throws a bomb in public space, killing
women and children. There are other ways to acheving the same effect.
In my last posts i talked about CREATIVITY. Trurn to North and see
Tibetians first and then something else...
7. The master at worldy level is a snatcher rather than giver. The
skilled master askes for a thumb, if you learn the war games secretly.
You have no chance to go against the elites of this game.... and i
beleive most of us from humble back grounds. I dont have master, and
if i had to have one, I really cant stand one who has royal or rich
back ground, unless he deconstruts himself like Buddha or
Prophet.....And i So how to pay this worldy master if one achieves
the goals with his help. The great master allah, ishwar is content
with a inward simle even, but with this master across the boarder,
here or there, or in America is not content with that, He demand a
pound of flesh. I know Kashmiris are usually thin, and cant afford to
pay to vorocious punjabis ( without malice) even a gram of their
sacred flesh. So guard it, but how. Indians have already brutalized
that humble and sacred flesh, There is no harm in prostituion, if one
is conscious, but people can make a differnece between theatre and
real. So stad up.
My art practice are meant to blurr the line between theatre and real.
I am struggling myself with that. No big claims
with love
is
On Sat, May 10, 2008 at 12:56 PM, Junaid wrote:
>
> I am sorry for the jumbled up earlier message. My rediff account is giving
> me trouble. But here is the text of my reply to Sonia.
> ***********************
>
> Dear Sonia,
>
> All I am pointing toward is that I am circumspect when people tell me to
> take an "objective", "neutral", "dispassionate" look at Kashmir. I would
> rather doubt the state version of stories, than call what common people,
> with no immediate interests, tell me as just another "conjecture". I would
> question the power more than its victims.
>
> It is easy for the government to erase evidence, forge wrong cases,
> dissemble, fudge DNA's, and foist the charge of terrorism on a people's
> national liberation struggle. So many other states have done it. It was done
> to Indians too. It suits a government well to first communalise a movement
> to tell the world that Kashmir's struggle is all about Muslim
> terrorists ethnic-cleansing Hindus, and then say its all international
> Islamic terrorism, which is crushing the innocent Kashmiris themselves. (I
> hope you still remember how Indian government reported Al-Qaeda in Kashmir
> to Colin Powell, only a few days after 9/11).
>
> It is basically like this: What common people say is a "conjecture" till
> found otherwise, and what government says is a "fact" until proved
> otherwise. Now it is doubly difficult for people to convince the government
> of its own complicity. As late Faiz once said:
>
> Bane hain ahle hawas mudayi bhi munsif bhi
> Kise wakeel karen kis se munsafi chahen
>
> "our oppressor is the prosecutor and the judge himself
> who will plead our case, who will we go to for justice."
>
> Kashmiri seperatists have been hauled over fire in these forums a lot: their
> private wealths (if they have), Indian state protection (and, yet it seems,
> it is not enough when their "political masters" want to bump them of), their
> medical bills (it must run into zillions since it is mentioned here, but I
> have no idea how much it really is), it is like Godess Sita's agnipariksha.
> But I agree with you these seperatists must be questioned, since they are
> claiming to fight a struggle which is morally-based, and democratic. And
> probably they each need to spend dozen more years in jail. Geelani should go
> for twelve years again, Yasin must go for ten more years. Shabir Shah should
> spend another 21 years in jail. Azam Inquilabi should spend a few dozen more
> in prison. While the rest of them should continue to live their
> lives underground like they have been. And those who have been killed, they
> must be taken out of their graves, or nameless graves, and shot dead one
> more time. Then possibly their chastity will be proved. Meanwhile, those who
> are really making blood money by killing innocents, and labelling them
> terrorists, may not worry. The courts, CBI, Congress top leadeship, and
> special laws are in their favour. In fact, even those who are making a
> living out of Kashmir, 'experts' and 'interlocutors' and 'peace builders'
> and 'government pointmen' and 'NGOs' and 'media' shall have a field day,
> because according to what we are told they are 'resolving the conflict',
> 'healing wounds', 'working toward peace'.
>
> I would not question your assertion that Hizbul in its initial years of
> ascendancy sought to delegitimize and discredit JKLF. It was a common aim of
> Indian and Pakistani intel to restrict pro-independence movement. And yes
> Hizb did kill a number of KLF fighters. It is a fact which Kashmiris dont
> deny. However, it can never be used as a counter-argument to give a
> clean-chit to what Indian forces did. Indian govenrment turned all heat on
> JKLF because they wanted to kill the independentist thought. They watched as
> Hizb grew in power. Typically, it was like in Palestinian intifada of 1988
> when the rising Hamas was watched over by Israel, as PLO was decimated.
>
> Hizb was not some alien group. They were Kashmiris too. Many JKLF men joined
> Hizb in those years. JKLF in its beginning was not really clear in its
> programme (although its leaders might have been, but they did not control
> individual cadres). At the same time, JKLF had not much control over the
> movement itself; it was under no one's control, and if at all, it was under
> people's control. JKLF had different kinds of people, with different kinds
> of ideas in it. Some were independentist, some pro-Pakistan, some real
> fighters, some simple robbers, some helped people, some harmed them. A
> number of Hizb arguments to crush JKLF was that JKLF was not serious, and
> was fast aleinating the people. A number of such arguments, though, were not
> based on fact. But one Hizb analysis was right: JKLF, with
> its leadership fighting among themselves, and without Pakistan support, was
> not capable of sustaining a long term armed movement. These were
> calculations made by Pakistan and Hizb leadership, and as always I have no
> intention to defend them. Your question, however, about who killed more JKLF
> fighters is factually still wrong because Indian forces killed way many more
> than Hizbul. Its intended assertion, that it was Hizb attrocities toward
> JKLF that Ikhwanis became renegades, is again wrong.
>
> Ikhwanis. Even before them it was Muslim Mujahideen (MM) which broke ranks
> with Hizbul. Both Ikhwanis and Muslim Mujahideen were staunchly
> pro-Pakistan. Muslim Mujahideen broke ranks with HM due to rival claims on
> leadership. MM could not break away a large part of HM with it though. HM
> blamed MM leaders for hobnobbing with Indian agencies, a charge that was
> soon proved right. HM had no desire to see rivals emerge, even among
> pro-Pakistan groups. It wanted to be the biggest, and if possible the only
> group opertaing in Kashmir.
>
> Ikhwanis came from Students Liberation Front, and later rechristened
> themselves as Ikhwanul Muslimeen. For them it was a turf war with HM. The
> reasons may be plenty, but one cannot help but ask what Indian agencies
> were doing at that time. Did they engineer the split? Did they lure, arm and
> fund some militants to turn them against their own. It was not that they did
> not have a template ready. They had succesfully armed and used
> counter-insurgency militias in Punjab. MM and Ikhwan was a good bet for
> them, because by mid 1990s JKLF was out of the scene, and now it was time to
> deal with HM. Indian forces had not been able to achieve much success
> against the HM. Ikhwan and especially MM were groomed and unleashed on the
> Hizb upper ground. Soon, Jammat-i-Islami were targetted brutally. Families
> of HM cardres were either killed or harrassed, and their houses were
> destroyed.
>
> It proved effective for sometime, till HM hit back. Now, MM and Ikhwan
> leaders were getting kiled one after the other. Government which had in the
> initial years declined to own up the renegades, had to claim them as the
> latter were coming under fire. For a number of years of raising the
> counter-insurgent militias government would just say it was simple
> infighting.
>
> All these leaders you have mentioned, have had, in general, a pro-Pakistan
> or a pro-independence attitude through most of their careers. I am not
> saying who killed them, for I really don't know, nor has anyone claimed
> responsibility. Who will? You say their "political masters" had reason to
> kill them, I say their "politcal opponents" also had reasons to kill them.
>
> That is not, however, the point here. These cases cannot be used to strike a
> neutrality in the debate about Kashmir. There cannot be equal responsibility
> or culpability here. The conflict in Kashmir is an insurgency against a huge
> Indian state machinery, its vast armies, and umpteen intelligence
> organisations. How does one maintain neutrality in a "war" between Goliath
> and David? You are asking Kashmiris who are crushed under the weight of
> India to offer a Truth and Reconciliation? How can truth come out from
> under the weight of fibs, cover-ups, evidence-erasures, floors mopped of
> traces of blood, propaganda, dissimulations? What should Kashmiris
> 'reconcile' to? Ask the Zulus about the Truth and Reconciliation.
>
> Regards,
> Junaid
>
>
>
>
>
> , 10 May 2008 09:20:52 +0530
> From: "S. Jabbar"
> Subject: To: junaid ,
> Message-ID:
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> Dear Junaid,
>
>
> You ask why anyone else (besides the Indian intelligence agencies) would
> want to kill anti-India political figures? This is precisely the line of
> reasoning that a researcher in the US or UK ignorant of the ground in
> Kashmir would take. I'd expect a little more nuance from a researcher of
> conflict and that can only happen if one takes the trouble to do a little
> more work in the field.
>
> If you are a Kashmiri old enough to follow the careers of people like Moulvi
> Farooq, Qazi Nissar, Abdul Ghani Lone, Dr. Guru, Prof Wani, Ghulam Qadir
> Wani and many others you will realize that each was killed at the point when
> he tried to assert an independent line of thinking or advocated talks with
> India or did not quite bend to the will of his political masters in
> Pakistan.
>
> As I have said earlier in this forum no one in their right mind can defend
> what the Indian troops and intelligence agencies have done in Kashmir, but I
> think if one is to try and make some sense of what you have rightly
> described as a dirty war, one needs to first take a dispassionate view of
> what went down in the last two decades. This includes apportioning
> responsibility-- as far as it is possible-- for the political assassinations
> and the massacres.
>
> And why do you call the Ikhwanis 'my poor' favourite whipping boys? I had
> clearly said I held no brief for them. Did you not read my post carefully or
> do you still choose to read me selectively? The reason I pointed out their
> role of the fall guy was that they are the mere foot soldiers and not the
> generals that dictate the course of this war. If blame is to be pinned it
> finally must be the general who takes the rap.
>
> Of course some Ikhwani leaders have made a lot of money and it is all
> despicable blood money. But this is well known. Why is it that you are not
> as vocal about the blood money and the palatial homes of the separatists?
> What is their source of income, how have they grown so rich in the last
> twenty years, how do they fund their political activities, and how is it
> that the Indian state allows it? Not only that, the Indian state pays the
> medical bills for many separatist leaders who have been periodically
> hospitalized and provides security cover for them with J&K Police guarding
> their homes and offices.
>
> Why is that? Is this usual or unusual? Does the endless dragging on, the
> seeming intractableness of the situation have anything at all to do with
> this? Can you imagine the Sri Lankan state doing the same for Prabhakaran?
> For me these are far more interesting questions and if one tries to answer
> them honestly a far more complex picture develops than the simple one of the
> bad Ikhwani-- who, incidentally was good when he fought for Pakistan and
> became bad the moment he switched sides in 1994.
>
> And why did the Ikhwanis switch sides? Were they all congenital 'gaddars'
> and 'mukhbirs' or were there other compulsions? Of the many JKLF fighters
> who were wiped out in the early '90s how many fell to the bullets of the
> Indian army and how many to the Hizbul Mujahideen?
>
> I ask all these questions because it is vital that Kashmiris themselves, at
> least privately, begin to ask them. For all the talk of the Kashmiri's
> alienation from India, nobody speaks of the alienation within Kashmir.
> Kashmiri society is deeply divided between those who are labeled Indian
> agents and Pakistani agents, between those that everyone knows benefited
> from the war and the ordinary citizen, between the Jamaatis and the rest.
> This has been the most tragic fallout of the war-- this and the terrible
> silence that surrounds the killings and rapes by the militants. It may seem
> unthinkable but one day there will be peace in Kashmir. How will this
> society heal when there are these terrible divisions, fear, suspicion?
>
> Once South Africa won its independence it constituted the Truth &
> Reconciliation Commission. This was because the ANC leadership was mature
> enough to realize that though history belongs to the victors it would be
> disastrous for future generations if South Africa were to whitewash its past
> where terrible atrocities were committed on both sides. But truth was to
> come before reconciliations, and this was often a bitter and painful
> experience where family members had to confront the killers of their loved
> ones. I'm not sure whether the South African experience had a fairytale
> ending but it seems to me the right direction to take for societies to heal
> post-conflicts.
>
> Will this ever happen in Kashmir or indeed in South Asia? I have my doubts.
> We have a terrible knack of sweeping things under the carpet and pretending
> it never happened. All cataclysms have been dealt with, with tiresome
> familiarity, whether mass rapes by the Pakistan Army in Bangladesh (for
> which incidentally only women's organisations in Pakistan apologized) or the
> Indian state's involvement in 1984 anti-Sikh Pogrom or Gujarat or the NE or
> Kashmir.
>
> And where does one start the truth & reconciliation part between Kashmir and
> the rest of India when the government has blatantly shielded officers in the
> Indian Army despite being chargesheeted by institutions like the CBI? Where
> does truth & reconciliation begin between Muslims and Pandits when it is
> still widely believed that Jagmohan engineered the exodus? Or between
> families of the Ikhwan and the rest or families of the Jamaatis and the
> rest? It requires a certain honesty and moral courage to answer these
> questions squarely. I hope some day at least some of us will be able to
> rise to the occasion.
>
>
>
> And finally, please stop referring to me as Ms. Jabbar. My name is Sonia and
> I'd prefer it if you just used that.
>
> Best wishes,
> Sonia
>
> On 5/9/08 10:21 PM, "junaid" wrote:
>
> > Ms Jabbar,In a dirty war like Kashmir, where it is difficult to determine
> who
> > the real killers of these pro-independence Kashmiri leaders are, people
> would
> > naturally point the finger at the government. These leaders,
> > throughtout their lives, espoused the cause of
> > Kashmir's separation from India; and it should have been reason
> > enough for government agencies to get rid of them. Why would anyone else
> > have reason to kill all these anti-India figures? And these were not the
> only
> > ones, there are thousands more. And if people say government killed them,
> > then as always it falls upon the people's shoulders to prove the
> > government's complicity! And it is not easy. Kashmiris don't have the
> > kind of resources to resolve all these cases to convince you. (There
> > is no CIA, or Western support, or people coming to blow out Olympic
> torches on
> > Western streets). Cases like Pathribal killings, and G M
> > Padder's case, or even the sex abuse scandal, are only a few that
> > ever come out to blow the tightly-held lid off Indian government's
> > actions in Kashmir. Well even those cases don't seem to produce any
> > doubt in Indian people about what their goverment tells them to
> > believe. The role of government-sponsored renegade militias in
> > Kashmir, though not as bad as the actions of actual Indian troops, is
> > terrible. The untold miseries they inflicted upon their own people, under
> > the cover of Indian agencies, is not really well documented. I dont
> > expect any probe from the Indian government ever into it. But I am sure
> > if you actually listen to common people, instead of just
> > "visiting" as "experts", they will tell you. Public memory in Kashmir is
> > quite strong, and impervious to "healing touches" and "hearts and
> > minds". Well, though you have no reason to believe the Human Rights
> > Watch, I am still sending you a link which indicts your poor
> > "favourite whipping boys", who are now living in palatial houses next to
> army
> > camps.http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/kashmir/1996/Junaid ******
> > Partha,Akhila Raman is based in the US and this 2002
> > article is one that has beenput together from secondary sources. Her
> > allegations about Chittisinghporaand attributing the assassinations of
> > politicians like Dr. Guru, MirwaizFarooq and Abdul Ghani Lone to the
> renegades
> > is mere conjecture. Though Ihold no brief for them they are everybody's
> > favourite whipping boys. But thepicture is far more complex than the one
> > presented by this article.BestsoniaOn 5/9/08 2:58 PM, "Partha Dasgupta"
> > wrote:> Hi,Interesting article on 'renegade militants' being used by the
> > governments> onboth sides of the>
> > border.http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/11241Rgds,>
> _________________________________________
> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> Critiques & Collaborations
> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request@sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header.
> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
Via: "TaraPrakash"
I am sure it is a minority voice in J&K that desires freedom from "ruthless
India and Indians"
In fact there are certain "ruthless Indians" who want Kashmiris be given
right to self determination. There may be other "ruthless Indians" who want
all the Muslim Kashmiris to be exterminated.
The point is that when you try to impose a homogenous identity and a
singular ambition on the people, you might be committing the same crime as
Indian government and many other colonial powers did. Your voice is that of
a political elites who change the will of the masses sometime by brutal
"ruthless" means and sometimes by sheer eloquence.
What do Kashmiris want has not always remained unchanged. There was a time
when United States of America was looked at expectantly in Kashmir, now it
is not. We don't hear the US government calling Kashmir a disputed
territory. How can you say that the relations between Indians and Kashmiris
have not transformed or will not transform over the time?
However, I don't see any point of going on unless you define what you mean
by Kashmiris and Indians. Are the elected MLAs Kashmiris?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rebellious Koshur"
To: "S. Jabbar" ; "junaid"
;
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 2:52 AM
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Baggage of JKLF is too heavy to carry-by
Dr.Shabir
> Sonia,
>
> The problem with "activists" like you is that you pick and choose the
> issues which concern you and not the people on ground. The issues which
> you have raised are least of the concern for Kashmiris. Our prime concern
> is not the wealth acquired by the pro-freedom politicians but it is
> freedom from ruthless India and Indians. People, who claim to be our
> friends as we dont need masters, should support us in our endeavors.
>
> The issue of accountability of our politicians is an internal matter of
> Kashmiris which we are proficient enough to deal with. We know who has
> done what; you need not bother yourself with our internal affairs. Being
> an Indian it is your responsibility to question the presence of Indian
> army in Kashmir ; the brutality of Indian soldiers; the criminal policies
> of Indian politicians. Demonstrate your principled stand vis-à-vis Indian
> policies on Kashmir . We the people of Kashmir will take account of the
> blunders of our politicians and militants. We know who killed whom and
> why. We know where from the money came, for what it was spent, and how
> much did the politicians use for themselves. We till now have and in
> future will do the needful. You please keep out of it, because this is not
> India . It is Kashmir . You, the Indian civil society activists, seem to
> be behaving in the same hegemonic attitude which the Indian statecraft has
> exhibited so far in Kashmir .
>
> It is ridiculous when you say Kashmiri society is deeply divided. Is it
> not true for India ? Is it not true for Delhi ? Is it not true for the
> small locality where you live in Delhi ? Yes Kashmiris are divided and I
> see it as the democratic mindset of the people. The division which you are
> talking about is the difference of opinion which is present everywhere in
> the modern democratic world.
>
> You have asked a Junaid how many JKLF men were killed by army and how
> many by Hizbula Mujahideen. It is useless to misinterpret things as people
> here know the truth about each and every killing. There is no need for
> them to share it with you. Why should we trust you?
>
> For the purpose of clarity, I would like to quote the figures of a survey
> done by a Srinagar based organization, Coalition of Civil Society.
> According to their survey in Baramulla district, the total number of JKLF
> men who got killed in Baramulla only is 180. Out of the 180 JKLF men 115
> have been killed by Indian armed forces. Hizbul Mujahideen has killed 8
> JKLF members while as other militant organizations have killed 15 JKLF
> men. JKLF itself has killed 3 of there members. There are around 39 JKLF
> members who have been killed by unidentified gunmen. People here in
> Kashmir understand who these unidentified gunmen are.
>
> What I could understand from your post was that you think JKLF has
> suffered more because of Hizbul Mujahideen compared to Indian army while
> as the truth according to the Baramulla survey of Coalition of Civil
> Society is that 87 JKLF members have been martyred during the encounters
> with Indian army. 13 have been killed in custody. Another 6 have been
> subjected to enforced disappearance from Baramulla district amongst the
> JKLF members.
>
> Why are you unnecessarily defaming JKLF cadres? I know you have great
> friendship with Yasin Malik but even he wont deny that India is his enemy
> and not Hizbul Mujahideen.
>
> Qalab Hussain
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Sent from Yahoo! Mail.
> A Smarter Email.
> _________________________________________
> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> Critiques & Collaborations
> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request@sarai.net with
> subscribe in the subject header.
> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
Via: Nicholas Ruiz III
Kritikos V.5 March-April-2008
The Impossible Thought of Lingchi in Georges
Bataille's The Tears of Eros...(d.jorgensen)
http://intertheory.org/jorgensen.htm
Dr. Nicholas Ruiz III
Associate Professor
Department of Humanities, Cultural and Studio Arts
Daytona Beach College
PO Box 2811
Daytona Beach, FL 32120-2811
Editor, Kritikos
http://intertheory.org
Via: "TaraPrakash"
An end to Husain's travails
By quashing the proceedings in three cases against M.F. Husain, the Delhi High Court has sent a strong message against cultural bigotry and moral vigilantism.
The order provides a measure of welcome relief for India's most celebrated painter, who has suffered terribly at the hands of rank communalists and a criminal
justice system that failed to factor in the utter ludicrousness of his so-called offence. Mr. Husain has been living in self-imposed exile in Dubai since
2006, thanks to a vicious and orchestrated campaign by right-wing groups, which charged him with offending religious sentiments through paintings that
insulted Bharat Mata (Mother India) and Hindu gods and goddesses. The 92-year-old artist was threatened, his Cuffe Parade residence in Mumbai was ransacked,
and exhibitions of his paintings were vandalised. As if this weren't enough, the harassment spilled over into the legal sphere with lower courts taking
cognisance of what were clearly frivolous complaints, resulting in a chain of events -- a proclamation declaring the painter an 'absconder' and an order
to attach his Cuffe Parade residence, not to speak of the many non-bailable warrants.
In observing that frivolous and vexatious complaints that affect the freedom of an individual should be scrutinised strictly at the magisterial level, the
Delhi High Court was echoing the Supreme Court which, in a series of judgments, has cautioned lower courts from taking cognisance of them reflexively.
In its 192nd report, the Law Commission recommended the enactment of a law to prevent the filing of such litigations (civil and criminal); the Commission
framed a model Act by drawing upon laws in force in countries such as Britain, Australia, and Canada that deal very firmly with vexatious litigants. Orders
such as the one passed by the Delhi High Court are a good precedent and will act as a check on lower courts, which -- instead of upholding freedom of expression
-- have tended to be extremely accommodating of frivolous complaints. A recent case that made international headlines related to Richard Gere; the Supreme
Court had to step in to quash the arrest warrant issued against the famous Hollywood actor for pecking Indian actress Shilpa Shetty on the cheek at a public
function in New Delhi. Four more cases, which were registered in different parts of the country and transferred to a lower court in Delhi, survive against
Mr. Husain. They are in different stages of the legal process but are similar inasmuch as they relate to the same tired and hollow controversy over the
obscenity of his paintings. They would hopefully meet the same legal fate -- a firm and forthright quashing.
Via: "Naeem Mohaiemen"
This is totally oldie, but goodie...
My favorite bit is "Bengalis are the most non-violent violent people
around. When an accident happens they will shout and scream and curse
and abuse, but the last time someone actually hit someone was in
1979."
Author has obviously not been in Bangladesh in last 30 years. :-)
-- Naeem
A is for Office. This is where the average Kolkattan goes and
spends a day hard(ly) at work. If he is in the Government he will
arrive at 10, wipe his forehead till 11, have a tea break at 12, throw
around a few files at 12.30, break for lunch at 1, smoke an unfiltered
cigarette at 2, break for tea at 3, sleep sitting down at 4 and go
home at 5. It's a hard life!
B is for Bhision ('Vision' for the uninitiated). For some reason
most of the Bengalis don't have good bhision. In fact in Kolkata most
people are wearing spectacles all the time. The effects of this show
in the city.
C is for Chappell. This is the Bengali word for the Devil, for
the worst form of evil. In the night mothers put their kids to sleep
saying 'go to bed, or Chappel will come and take you away.'
D is for Debashish. By an ancient law every fourth Bengali Child
has to be named Debashish. So you have a Debashish everywhere and
tying to get creative they are also called Deb, Debu, Deba with
variations like Debnath and Deboprotim thrown in.
E is for Eeesh. This is a very common Bengali exclamation made
famous by Aishwarya Rai in the movie Devdas. It is estimated that on
an average a Bengali uses eeesh 10,089 times every year. (That's
counting eeesh and other eeesh-ish words).
F is for Feesh. These are creatures that swim in rivers and seas
and are a favourite food of the Bengalis. Despite the fact that a fish
market has such strong smells, with one sniff a Bengali knows if a
fish is all right. If not he will say 'eeesh what feeesh is theesh!'
G is for Good name. Every Bengali boy will have a good name like
Debashish or Deboprotim and a pet name like Shontuda, Chonti, and
Dinku. While every Bengali Girl will be Paromita or Protima as well as
Shampa, Champa and Tuki. Basically your nickname is there to kiil your
good name.
H is for Harmonium. The Bengali equivalent of a rock guitar. Take
four Bengalis and a Harmonium and you have the successors to The
Bheatles!
I is for lleesh. This is a feeesh with 10,000 bones which would
kill any ordinary person, but which the Bengalis eat with releeesh!
J is for Jhola. No self-respecting Bengali is complete without
his Jhola. It is a shapeless cloth bag where he keeps all his
belongings and he fits an amazing number of things in. Even as you
read this there are 2 million jholas bobbling around Kolkata- and they
all look exactly the same!
K is for Kee Kando. It used to be the favourite Bengali
exclamation till eeesh took over because of Aishwarya Rai (now Kee
Kando's agent is trying to hire Bipasha Basu).
L is for Lungi. People in Kolkata manage to play football and
cricket wearing it. Now there is talk of a lungi expedition to Mt.
Everest.
M is for Minibus. These are dangerous half buses whose antics
would effortlessly frighten the living daylights out of Formula 1 race
drivers.
N is for Nangtoe. This is the Bengali word for Naked. It is the
most interesting naked word in any language!
O is for Oil. The Bengalis believe that a touch of mustard oil
will cure anything from cold (oil in the nose), to earache (oil in the
ear), to cough (oil on the throat) to piles (oil you know where!)
P is for Phootball. This is always a phavourite phassion of the
Kolkattan. Every Bengali is born an expert in this game. The two
biggest clubs there are Mohunbagan and East Bengal and when they play
the city comes to a stop.
Q is for Queen. This really has nothing to do with the Bengalis
or Kolkata, but it's the only Q word I could think of at this moment.
There's also Quilt but they never use them in Kolkata.
R is for Rabi Thakur. Many years ago Rabindranath got the Nobel
Prize. This allows everyone in Kolkata to frame their acceptance
speeches and walk with their head held high and look down at Delhi and
Mumbai!
S is for Sardarjee whom Bengalis are very envious of because he
is born with a semi-monkey cap on.
T is for Trams. Hundred years later there are still trams in
Kolkata. Of course if you are in a hurry it's faster to walk.
U is for Ambrela. When a Bengali baby is born they are handed one.
V is for Violence. Bengalis are the most non-violent violent
people around. When an accident happens they will shout and scream and
curse and abuse, but the last time someone actually hit someone was in
1979.
W is for Water. For three months o f the year the city is
underwater and every year for the last 200 years the authorities are
taken by surprise by this!
X is for X mas. It's very big in Kolkata, with Park Street fully lit up.
Y is for Yastarday. Which is always better than today for a Bengali.
Z is for Jeebra, Joo, Jip and Jylophone.
_________________________________________
Via: "Partha Dasgupta"
Hi,
1. I was referring to the government(s) using illegal means in terms of
released militants to solve 'problems' and the fact that the police
and the
armed forces have gone ahead and used illegal methods in any case.
2. Am cynical enough to believe that wars will never stop while human
beings
are around - that is the nature of the beast called man. The more
'civilised' we
get, the more brutal and uncompromising we become. Sure, we may change
the name to 'skirmishes' or 'strategic battles' or something else, but
conflicts
will remain and will continue to be solved by force instead of words.
And do remember that words can also kill - students driven to suicide
by
parental pressure and newly weds killing themselves due to taunts over
not having a son or enough dowry.
Would you also try to define anger and frustration as illegal?
Rgds, Partha
............................................
On Sat, May 10, 2008 at 10:51 AM, S. Jabbar wrote:
> Partha,
>
> You speak of what can be achieved under law in a conflict and seem at least
> to suggest the possibility of clean wars. For centuries philosophers have
> argued for the idea of 'Just Wars,' in the mistaken belief that if somehow
> the war is just the burden of responsibility for the ravages of war would be
> less.
>
> When philosophers and historians judge wars the event is usually divided
> into jus ad bellum, the justness of the reason for fighting, and jus in
> bello, or the means used in fighting the war. If the conditions of jus ad
> bello exist, as for example the decision of Britain or the US to enter the
> Second World War then jus in bello...well, we can turn a blind eye for a
> bit. That is why the carpet bombing of German cities or Hiroshima, though
> universally agreed upon as terrible has escaped censure. There are countless
> such examples, Kashmir included. The Indian public largely believes in the
> moral high ground of the jus ad bellum (proxy war in our atoot ang) as does
> Pakistan (unfinished business of Partition where India reneged on an
> agreement) and this justifies the means.
>
> The only way to get around this conundrum, it seems to me, and to thwart
> the vast multi-trillion dollar military-industrial complex that supplies
> guns and bombs and lethal weapons that kill and maim and cause untold misery
> around the world is to start a movement to declare ALL wars illegal— just or
> unjust, forget it, can it, put it in the deepfreeze and come to the
> negotiating table because that is where you will end up anyway, war or no
> war.
>
> Best
> sj
>
>
>
> On 5/9/08 7:23 PM, "Partha Dasgupta" wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> Rather than the events used in the article, was referring to the 'renegade
> terrorists' in terms of the government(s) using released militants as 'hired
> guns' to do what can not be achieved under law. (Though, we have seen enough
> of armed forces and police taking steps that are supposedly illegal and
> acting as goons)
>
> Sure, it is supposition on my part, but I find it hard to believe that the
> militancy in J&K could have reached such a virulent level with out some
> support from the establishment, or sections of it, for what ever purpose it
> may be - whether to oppose or to suppress.
>
> Rgds, Partha
> .......................................................
>
> On Fri, May 9, 2008 at 6:35 PM, S. Jabbar wrote:
>
> Partha,
> Akhila Raman is based in the US and this 2002 article is one that has been
> put together from secondary sources. Her allegations about Chittisinghpora
> and attributing the assassinations of politicians like Dr. Guru, Mirwaiz
> Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone to the renegades is mere conjecture. Though I
> hold no brief for them they are everybody's favourite whipping boys. But
> the
> picture is far more complex than the one presented by this article.
> Best
> sonia
>
>
> On 5/9/08 2:58 PM, "Partha Dasgupta" wrote:
>
> > Hi,
>
> Interesting article on 'renegade militants' being used by the governments
> > on
> both sides of the
> > border.
>
> http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/11241
>
> Rgds,
> > Partha
> ................
>
> On Fri, May 9, 2008 at 1:56 PM, Aditya Raj Kaul
> >
> wrote:
>
> > Agencies at work on both sides maybe. My
> > friend; there is a lot beyond
> > ideologies here. Politics in its worst form;
> > is played to make things
> > remain
> > in status quo. God Bless this street dirt
> > Yasin Malik; who is being used
> > today; who knows what will happen tomrw with
> > him... May he have the same
> > fate; what he did to thousands of
> > people...!!!
> >
> > Regards
> >
> >
> > On 5/9/08, Partha Dasgupta
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I thought that the ideology
> > of the JKLF was (and is) 'a united and
> > > independent Kashmir'.
> > >
> > > If
> > so, how does an Indian or a Pakistani side come into it?
> > >
> > > Irrespective
> > of all this, the fact remains is that it is highly unlikely
> > > that India or
> > Pakistan will give up their respective portions under any
> > > circumstances.
> >
> > >
> > > Rgds, Partha
> > > ....................................
> > >
> > > On Fri,
> > May 9, 2008 at 1:18 PM, rashneek kher
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > Qalab Bhai,
> > > >
> > > > Why blame poor Shabir Chaudhaury?Yasin Malik himself
> > has switched to
> > > Indian
> > > > side.
> > > > I am not claiming anything....
> >
> > > >
> > > > Rashneek
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 5/9/08, Rebellious Koshur
> > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Rashneek,
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > It is unfortunate that after Dr. Shabir Chudhry has switched the side
> > >
> > to
> > > > > the Indian camp, his ideas make sense to you. He was very much
> > >
> > defending
> > > > > each and every action of Yasin Malik for years, why didn't
> > you quote
> > > him
> > > > > then. You would claim that he is repentant but
> > people in Kashmir
> > > believe
> > > > he
> > > > > is denigrated.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > Qalab Hussain
> > > > >
> > > > > *rashneek kher * wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > > > and this one isn't based on my data.......
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > By Dr Shabir Choudhry
> > > > >
> > > > > London, May 8 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir
> > Liberation Front (JKLF) is a
> > > > sacred
> > > > > name for some, as they
> > sacrificed their lives and everything else
> > they
> > > > > valued in name of
> > liberating the state.
> > > > >
> > > > > They did that to promote the name of
> > JKLF believing that they were
> > > doing
> > > > > this for a good cause and for
> > the betterment of their divided and
> > > > oppressed
> > > > > nation.
> > > > >
> >
> > > > > But there are many who disagree with this. They believe that the
> JKLF
> >
> > > has
> > > > > brought them trouble, destruction and misery, and is root cause
> > of
> > > > problems
> > > > > of the people of Jammu and Kashmir since 1988.
> > > >
> > >
> > > > > I am among those who, despite the baggage JKLF is carrying,
> > proudly
> > > > claimed
> > > > > to be member of this party, and furthermore
> > claimed to be among those
> > > who
> > > > > helped to form this party in Britain
> > in 1977. Like thousands of
> > others
> > > I
> > > > > have also suffered for this
> > party and have done everything possible
> > to
> > > > > promote true ideology of
> > the JKLF.
> > > > >
> > > > > Despite our sincere efforts to reunite the party and
> > sacrifices, fact
> > > > > however remains that the JKLF is divided in to
> > different factions;
> > and
> > > > > allegation is and which is widely believed
> > and true to large extent
> > > that
> > > > > top
> > > > > leaders of some groups
> > have compromised JKLF ideology and are
> > advancing
> > > > > agenda of secret
> > agencies of our occupiers.
> > > > >
> > > > > These JKLF leaders are accused of
> > tuning and maligning their ideology
> > > to
> > > > > suit national interest of
> > Pakistan, and have practically signed away
> > > > their
> > > > > independence to
> > advance cause of united and independent Kashmir.
> > Their
> > > > > strategy was
> > not to unite and liberate divided state of Jammu and
> > > Kashmir
> > > > > but
> > to advance such policies, which suited Pakistani agencies, aim of
> > > >
> > which
> > > > > was not independence of J and K, but to keep India bleeding
> > and
> > > engaged.
> > > > >
> > > > > That policy worked as planned India not only
> > bled but also has been
> > > > engaged
> > > > > since 1989, but in return we
> > Kashmiris have also bled and got
> > trampled
> > > > and
> > > > > oppressed. For
> > this policy people of Jammu and Kashmir had to pay
> > > through
> > > > > their
> > noses, but this struggle has made new millionaires in Jammu and
> > > > >
> > Kashmir.
> > > > >
> > > > > In this struggle which started in name of
> > independence and
> > spearheaded
> > > by
> > > > > The JKLF with money and guns
> > provided to them by Pakistani agencies
> > > > > resulted
> > > > > in fiasco. It
> > tore apart fabrics of the Kashmiri society and started
> > an
> > > > era
> > > > >
> > of intimidation, oppression and gun culture.
> > > > >
> > > > > All sides
> > targeted people of Jammu and Kashmir: They faced wrath of
> > > > Indian
> > > > >
> > Army and security
> > > > > services,
> > > > > they were trained and victimised
> > by Pakistani secret agencies and
> > worse
> > > > of
> > > > > all they were killed
> > and intimidated by militants as well.
> > > > >
> > > > > In this struggle we have
> > lost a generation. Thousands of people are
> > > still
> > > > > unaccounted for.
> > Thousands of people are still languishing in jails.
> > It
> > > > is
> > > > >
> > regrettable that we lost so many sons of soil. It is also regrettable
> > > >
> > that
> > > > > instead of bringing hope and new dreams to people of Jammu and
> >
> > Kashmir,
> > > > the
> > > > > APHC leadership and the JKLF have brought
> > disappointment, misery and
> > > > > destruction. And tragedy is that we are not
> > any closer to
> > independence.
> > > > >
> > > > > My colleagues and I realised in
> > 1991/2 that things were not in
> > control
> > > of
> > > > > JKLF Chairman,
> > Amanullah Khan, and that he was only pretending to be
> > in
> > > > > charge. We
> > challenged him and asked him to reveal who was calling
> > shots
> > > > in
> > > >
> > > name of Kashmiri struggle; and who was communalising our struggle.
> > > > >
> >
> > > > > The JKLF claimed to work for a liberal and democratic society but
> its
> >
> > > > > chairman believed in kind of democracy promoted by General Pervez
> > > >
> > Musharaf
> > > > > of Pakistan. Like Musharaf he was a dictator to the core and
> > did not
> > > > allow
> > > > > free discussion or accountability and result was
> > many splits in the
> > > JKLF.
> > > > >
> > > > > Like General Musharaf, in
> > frustration Amanullah Khan also took extra
> > > > > constitutional act and
> > dissolved most effective and powerful JKLF
> > Zone
> > > in
> > > > > Britain,
> > which led to parting of from the JKLF then onwards.
> > > > >
> > > > > We
> > continued our struggle to correct ills of the JKLF and bring
> > > > >
> > accountability and transparency within the JKLF ranks. We wanted the
> > > >
> > party
> > > > > to reflect true ideology of the JKLF, and represent all people
> > of the
> > > > state
> > > > > and not only Muslims. While this struggle was going
> > on we saw release
> > > of
> > > > > Yasin Malik from prison and hoped that he
> > would be better than
> > > Amanullah
> > > > > Khan.
> > > > >
> > > > > We are all
> > entitled to have dreams and hopes; it is the job of these
> > > > > leaders
> > >
> > > > to ensure that these dreams do not become reality. If Amanullah Khan
> >
> > is
> > > > > like
> > > > > Musharaf then surely Yasin Malik is like General Yayya
> > Khan. Both
> > > > believed
> > > > > in their own brand of democracy and human
> > rights, both dislike
> > > > > accountability and democracy within the party, in
> > fact, both dont
> > like
> > > > > party
> > > > > to flourish or expand.
> > > > >
> >
> > > > > Both want to liberate the Valley or at least disrupt normal life
> >
> > there,
> > > > > especially around election time with the help of Pakistani
> > agencies;
> > > and
> > > > > both want to be Chairman for life and strongly
> > oppose dissent.
> > > > >
> > > > > Yasin Malik went in prison as a militant with
> > a gun in his hand and
> > > came
> > > > > out
> > > > > as a polished leader
> > preaching peace and non-violence, as if he was
> > not
> > > > in
> > > > > a
> > > >
> > > prison but on some academic course dealing with violence and media
> > > > >
> > management.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > We hoped that the party will benefit from
> > his experience and will
> > help
> > > to
> > > > > bring some positive changes to
> > the JKLF and will help to resolve the
> > > > > Kashmir
> > > > > dispute
> > according to the expressed wishes of the people.
> > > > >
> > > > > We tried and
> > tried hard, but were not completely successful in our
> > > > > endeavours to
> > unite different groups of the JKLF and make it vibrant
> > > and
> > > > >
> > democratic force. However, our efforts helped to educate people and
> > > they
> >
> > > > > started asking questions from these two for being life chairman.
> > > >
> > >
> > > > > My colleagues, especially Abbas Butt and Zubair Ansari, strongly
> > >
> > > advocated
> > > > > formation of a new party, as in their opinion it was waste
> > of time
> > > trying
> > > > > to
> > > > > correct ills of the JKLF. In their view
> > it was impossible task when
> > > Yasin
> > > > > Malik and Amanullah Khan have
> > emerged as big figures of the JKLF
> > groups
> > > > and
> > > > > when their sole
> > aim is to maintain the status quo.
> > > > >
> > > > > I was not in favour of
> > abandoning the JKLF, as I had emotional ties
> > > with
> > > > > the
> > > > >
> > party. Like many others, I have also given my youth and enormous time
> > > to
> >
> > > > > promote cause of the party, its aims and objectives are in my blood
> -
> >
> > > it
> > > > is
> > > > > a product of our struggle. If I had given same amount of
> > time, effort
> > > and
> > > > > dedication and used my talent to promote cause of
> > another party then
> > I
> > > > > could
> > > > > have been in Parliament long time
> > ago, but that was not my objective.
> > > > >
> > > > > In our JKLF we respected
> > dissent and views of all colleagues. Even
> > > though
> > > > > majority agreed
> > with the idea of a new party, no decision was taken
> > in
> > > > its
> > > > >
> > favour because I disagreed and my colleagues respected that. Our
> > > >
> > commitment
> > > > > to each other was that we would remain together and work
> > together.
> > > > >
> > > > > We had close contacts with senior leaders of both
> > Yasin Malik and
> > > > Amanullah
> > > > > Khan led JKLF. Like us they were also
> > worried about the situation in
> > > the
> > > > > party, and what was being done
> > in the name of JKLF, but they didnt
> > have
> > > > > control over it and they
> > lacked courage and political will to
> > challenge
> > > > > them.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > Last year some of them assured us that if we form another party they
> > >
> > will
> > > > > side with us, but they cannot support us if we continue with the
> > name
> > > of
> > > > > the
> > > > > JKLF. I was still fighting my corner against
> > formation of a new
> > party.
> > > My
> > > > > view was that JKLF is not private
> > party or estate of Amanullah Khan
> > or
> > > > > Yasin
> > > > > Malik, and by us
> > abandoning the party we are giving them a free hand.
> > > > >
> > > > > But all
> > this changed last month when I met some Kashmiris from the
> > > > Valley.
> > > >
> > > They spoke against practices of the JKLF cadres in name of the
> > >
> > struggle,
> > > > > especially what they did in early years of the struggle to
> > Muslims
> > and
> > > > non
> > > > > Muslims alike.
> > > > >
> > > > > If army commit
> > human rights abuse they do it under the cover of
> > > imposing
> > > > >
> > government writ. They kill, intimidate, torture and imprison people;
> > > and
> >
> > > > in
> > > > > some cases rape women, but if the same is practised by the
> > so-called
> > > > > freedom
> > > > > fighters then what is the difference between
> > them?
> > > > >
> > > > > This is a separate topic, which needs special attention
> > and cannot be
> > > > dealt
> > > > > here. I was told that many Muslims and
> > especially non Muslims hated
> > the
> > > > > JKLF, as it is viewed as a
> > mercenary organisation advancing agenda of
> > > > > Pakistani secret agencies.
> > Muslim from the Valley said, The baggage
> > of
> > > > the
> > > > > JKLF is too
> > heavy for you to carry and make any notable progress.
> > > > >
> > > > > I am, at
> > last, persuaded that it is time to say goodbye to the JKLF,
> > > > which
> > > >
> > > abandoned its ideology, communalised Kashmiri politics and advanced
> > > > >
> > non-Kashmiri agenda. Baggage and stigma of the JKLF is of course too
> > > >
> > heavy
> > > > > to carry.
> > > > >
> > > > > If some JKLF members still think they
> > can make positive contribution
> > to
> > > > the
> > > > > cause of unification and
> > independence of the State when leaders like
> > > > > Amanullah Khan and Yasin
> > Malik are heading these JKLF groups then
> > good
> > > > luck
> > > > > to them;
> > however if they feel time has come to say good bye to it and
> > > > make
> > > >
> > > a
> > > > > new start then they are welcome. (ANI)
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/baggage-of-jklf-is-too-heavy_10
> > 046414.html
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Rashneek Kher
> > > > >
> > http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com
> > > > >
> > _________________________________________
> > > > > reader-list: an open
> > discussion list on media and the city.
> > > > > Critiques & Collaborations
> > >
> > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request@sarai.net with
> > > > >
> > subscribe in the subject header.
> > > > > To unsubscribe:
> > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> > > > > List archive:
> >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > ------------------------------
> > > > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail<<br /> > > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mailuk/taglines/isp/control/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt
> > =52418/*http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html
> > > > >.
> > > > >
> > > > > A
> > Smarter Email.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Rashneek Kher
> > > >
> > http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com
> > > >
> > _________________________________________
> > > > reader-list: an open
> > discussion list on media and the city.
> > > > Critiques & Collaborations
> > > >
> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request@sarai.net with
> > > >
> > subscribe in the subject header.
> > > > To unsubscribe:
> > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> > > > List archive:
> > <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > Partha Dasgupta
> > > +919811047132
> > >
> > _________________________________________
> > > reader-list: an open discussion
> > list on media and the city.
> > > Critiques & Collaborations
> > > To subscribe:
> > send an email to reader-list-request@sarai.net with
> > > subscribe in the
> > subject header.
> > > To unsubscribe:
> > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> > > List archive:
> > <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
> >
> > _________________________________________
> > reader-list: an open discussion
> > list on media and the city.
> > Critiques & Collaborations
> > To subscribe: send
> > an email to reader-list-request@sarai.net with
> > subscribe in the subject
> > header.
> > To unsubscribe:
> > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> > List archive:
> > <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Partha
> > Dasgupta
> +919811047132
> _________________________________________
> reader-list:
> > an open discussion list on media and the city.
> Critiques & Collaborations
> To
> > subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request@sarai.net with subscribe
> in
> > the subject header.
> To unsubscribe:
> > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> List archive:
> > <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
>
>
>
>
>
>
