Dr.Allama Iqbal once said, “An Eagle never falls due to fatigue of flying. If you have the will, then there is no danger of fall!” It seems our young leaders have probably missed this famous couplet of the revolutionary poet of the sub-continent who always upheld the freedom and dignity of a human being. There have been a number of comments recently in the media about the changing stances of some of the leaders of Kashmir’s “Freedom Movement”. These give an impression that some of the leaders are suffering from the fatigue of a long struggle and are looking for midway solutions. On the other hand, the changing stances could also be due to lack of convictions and loss of faith in their own capability to achieve the high goals, which they have set before the people. Kashmir’s greatest misfortune has been that our leaders have always aimed to enjoy the fruits of their struggle in their own lifetime. Although there is a lot of lip service for sacrificing our today for the tomorrow of the future generations, yet ultimately we end up doing something for our own today! The concept of selfless service does not seem to exist in the psyche of our leaders. However, it does seem to exist in the poor and down trodden masses that have undergone tremendous hardships and have sacrificed everything for the national cause. These days most of our leaders seem to be fully engaged in preparing and projecting road maps, options, and “achievable” solutions. While some are talking about the “Achievable Nationhood”, others are taking us back to previous times varying from Sheikh Abdullah’s 1947 to Yousuf Shah Chak’s 1586. Still others are carving out a Little America (USK) for us! The more the options put before the people, the more they get confused. An average person understands something which is simple and straight. It would be much more honest to guide people through a straight and simple path outlining the ultimate goal in the easy to understand language without verbosity and confusing alternatives. According to news reports, one of the road maps issued recently “seeks to carve out an economically independent sub-entity with a dash of sovereignty”. The document is supposed to have taken a multidisciplinary academic approach ranging from History, Psychology, Politics, International Law, Conflict Resolution, Diplomacy, and Economics. The resolution of the conflict is rooted in the circumstances of 1989 rather than in 1947 or earlier. If the problem has to be solved permanently, then one has to look beyond the known bench marks and delve deeper into the history. The troubled psyche of Kashmiris does not carry only the hurts it has got from 1989 onwards but some wounds are deeper pertaining to earlier episodes. Lot of effort has gone in for producing the document in the romantic meadows of Gulmarg. In any case, it is better to have a tangible document about a certain goal with a methodology to reach it instead of abstract slogans about “Azadi” or a place of “Honour and Dignity”. However, one does not set goals by achievable standards but by the justice and fairness of one’s claim. If the projected goal is based on the genuineness of one’s basic and inalienable rights then it can be reached no matter how long and difficult the struggle. India started its war of Independence which was termed by the British “Mutiny”, in 1857. It got freedom only after 100 years in 1947. It is only when a person is not sure about the righteousness of the basic goal that doubts creep in en route and the fatigue sets in. The foremost task should be to define the goal in the most precise and simple terms. It is not dependant on what can be achieved but on what must be achieved to satisfy the aspirations of the people. Apart from this particular road map there are already some more documents in circulation or under preparation about “Self Rule”, and “Autonomy”. In addition, there are also a number of other “Vision Documents”, and “Out of Box” solutions being proposed and debated in several intellectual circles and think tanks. Each and every proposal or formula is based on compromise. It is given out that keeping in view the prevailing circumstances in the sub-continent various contenders have to shift from the stated rigid positions to achieve peace. There are no two opinions that the stated rigid positions have to be given up by the two contenders of the land but the main contender that is the people of Kashmir who are struggling for their basic rights do not have to give up their oft repeated stated position. They should neither be expected nor forced to give up their struggle for the basic rights which have been acknowledged to them by the entire world. Any settlement or peace achieved by compromising on the basic rights can never be ever lasting. As has happened in the past, every new generation challenges it and accuses their predecessors of a sell out. Unless we address the very basic issue and resolve the question of the basic rights of the people, we will continue to go in a vicious circle. People have been living on the hope of realising the ultimate goal, the hope held out by the very same leaders who are now pleading for stopping midway for only the achievable goals. Hundreds of thousands of people have sacrificed their lives for reaching the goal of total emancipation and freedom. Redeeming of the freedom and sovereignty lost centuries back. Even some had willed that the final victorious liberators should visit their graves and announce that the goal of freedom has been attained whenever it happens! The true freedom fighters do not trade in the blood of martyrs. If one is fatigued and tired, it is better for him to leave the movement at that point and let others move forward to attempt to reach the goal instead of compromising the entire effort. One can debate the methodology, the path forward, giving up of violence which often corrupts the end, and following the route of dialogue, but one must not compromise on the ultimate goal. One does not need to go to war and indulge in violence to realise the goal. The most important thing is to have an unflinching faith in one’s beliefs and one’s cause. Dr. Iqbal in another couplet says, “The slavery cannot be rid by stratagems and swords. If one has the strength of faith, the chains break up on their own”. Here one is reminded of a short story which we had in our school text books. The story goes something like a wolf coming down from the woods into the city in search of food. It meets a pet dog who relates to wolf the wonderful time it is having. It gets choicest food and a luxurious place to sleep inside the house. It asks the wolf to join for enjoying all these luxuries. The wolf agrees but asks the pet dog to explain the circular mark round its neck. The dog says it is nothing but the mark of a collar which the owner puts round its neck. The wolf rushes back to woods saying that it would prefer to starve in the freedom of the woods than have a collar round its neck. Thus one feels that the “Unachievable” part in most of the “Vision Documents” and “Road Maps” is the permanent removal of the collar in the wolf and dog story! Unless it is removed, Kashmir’s tragedy will continue perennially.