The worst period in Kashmir’s history when the native blood was supposed to be the cheapest commodity is considered to be the Sikh rule. The word Sikhashai is still used in local parlance to describe extreme tyranny. In that period, if a Sikh would kill a Kashmiri, he would be fined twenty five rupees. Out of this fine sixteen rupees would go to the next of kin if Hindu, and four rupees, if Muslim. The rest would be deposited in the state treasury. In contrast, if a Sikh was killed by a Kashmiri, he would be hanged! It is said that when Sikhs came to Kashmir, the population of the valley was about eight lakhs and when they left, it was only two lakhs. Rest were either dead or had migrated from the valley. However, the Sikhs had the decency of openly acknowledging the killings and taking legal action for these even if the justice meted out was totally lopsided. In contrast, during last couple of decades over a hundred thousand Kashmiris have been killed. The most tragic aspect of these killings is that a large number of these are not acknowledged at all. People have not only vanished without any trace but continue to do so even now. It is only accidentally that the truth comes out. There are mass graves of unknown people in all parts of the valley especially near the borders. These are supposed to be foreign militants killed in “encounters”. With the discovery of innocents being killed in fake encounters, all the killings of so called foreign militants buried all over the valley have become very questionable. Even the Chief Minister recently acknowledged that the killing of three innocent boys in a fake encounter by the army in Nadihal has cast a shadow over all such encounters. Earlier on the killing of a 70 year old man in Kupwara he had asserted that the Kashmiri blood is not cheap. Merely asserting that the Kashmiri blood is not cheap does not redress the stark reality of the same being spilled all over Kashmir without any rhyme or reason! The bitter truth is that the native blood is rather the cheapest thing in Kashmir right now. It is true that the Kashmiri blood has been spilt in history for centuries, right from the day the Mughals annexed the province to their empire. However, the question is not why it is being spilled but who are the people that have made it so cheap to be spilled by any one at his sweet will? It has not become suddenly cheap but has been made so by the actions of certain people who claim to be our well wishers. They are both from within the Kashmiri society and from outside. Recently, our leaders from various sections of the society have been blaming each other for having created the conditions resulting in the mayhem going on in Kashmir. Others have been blaming the outside forces for having gone berserk.

No doubt the outside forces are responsible for a lot of mayhem in Kashmir. No conflict in human history has been neat and clean. Every situation of conflict has collateral damage involving innocent civilians. This damage is generally unintentional and cannot be altogether ruled out. However, Kashmir has been a witness to intentional brutalisation and that too for material considerations. The brutalisation has been on both the sides. The random killing of innocent civilians seems to have become a past time for some people constitutionally charged with their protection. It is like a tiger turning a man eater after having tasted the human blood! Soldiers fighting a war directly or by proxy after sometime become insensitive to violence, blood letting, and a host of other brutal acts. In every conflict zone there are numerous stories of torture and brutality by soldiers. Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and a number of other spots in the past and Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza in the recent times. One can understand the excesses being committed on both sides by the combatants but targeting totally innocent civilians is the worst war crime! Army and Paramilitary has been in Kashmir for a long time. However, before the present turmoil there were very rare instances of excesses. It is only during last two decades that things have gone totally out of control. There are two main causes of this rampant harassment by the security forces. First is the unbridled power conferred on them by the Armed Forces Special Forces Act (AFSPA) and the other is their proliferation deep inside the civilian areas. These special powers and their immunity from legal action render them totally unaccountable. It is said that the power corrupts and the absolute power corrupts absolutely. In spite of investigation and charge sheeting by the India’s premier investigating agency (recently under cloud in Kashmir due to Shopian episode), most of the culprits of Human Rights violations are going scot free. While one is questioning the behaviour of the security forces, it should not be forgotten that it is Kashmiris who have been collaborating in these heinous crimes. This shows how deep the material and moral corruption has seeped in to the vitals of our society in last two decades.

While we must demand the revocation of draconian laws and demilitarisation of civilian areas, at the same time we have to look within to reform our deviant society. Unless we are honest with our own selves, the outsiders will not take us seriously. The recent visit of the Prime Minister was a disaster. In view of the recent severe violations of human rights there was every possibility of the draconian central legislation Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) being at least promised to be reviewed or revoked. It was also expected that the demilitarisation of the civilian areas would be reviewed. However, nothing of the sort happened. For a change, the Prime Minister did not repeat his zero tolerance declaration. He was very cool and cautious in his comments on the situation in Kashmir. He seems to have been convinced by the concerned authorities that there is a terrorist behind every bush in Kashmir and zero tolerance is not possible! He only extended assurances to the people to ensure respect for Human Rights. He appeared like a “humbled” person not interested in taking cudgels with the all pervading powerful security establishment. They had the last laugh! Unfortunately these people are doing more harm than good to the overall national interest. One fails to understand why they do not visualise the adverse impact of these excessive measures. With the increasing popular demand for revocation of draconian legislations like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the Disturbed Areas Act, the attitude of the authorities responsible for these seems to harden more and more. They find one or the other excuse to ensure continuation of these undemocratic and anti-people laws. Even the Human Rights Watch has now demanded the revocation of the notorious central legislation AFSPA. Same is the case with the excessive militarization of the civilian areas. An impression is being created that Kashmir can stay with India only through the use of unaccountable massive force. According to these more loyal than the king experts, if AFSPA is revoked and civilian areas are demilitarised, it will be difficult to hold Kashmir. No power in history has been able to hold people against their will for long! Given genuine relief from day to day security related hassles and harassment; the people would appreciate the move and not rebel against it. But taking such momentous decisions needs political will which unfortunately is lacking among the present generation of leaders. Moreover, one has to bridge the trust deficit between India and Pakistan for such momentous decisions. It seems till the mistrust between the two neighbours is not removed and we are able to get strong willed political leaders prepared to take some revolutionary steps in the interests of peace, the Kashmiris are destined to suffer!