This refers to the debate organised by NDTV on Boulevard Road Srinagar on 24th of August 2010.It seemed to be an attempt to dilute the issue of Kashmir and divert the attention of the international community from the core issue.  We Kashmiris have no problems if Kashmiri pandits, Jammuates and Ladakhis  are also made a part of it and asked to give their opinion about the same.But we take strong exception to the fact that the suffering of Kashmiris is appropriated with the sufferings of Kashmiris Pandits or Ladakhis.  No doubt that Kashmiri pandits went through terrible times but can our predicament be equated with them.  They are secure where ever they are and nobody kills them or harasses them or implicates them or gets them killed in fake encounters.The same holds true to the people of Ladakh who suffer because of bad weather conditions during winter but that suffering again cannot be attributed to Kashmir.So it is absolutely clear that their suffering is different from our suffering.What makes the suffering, pain, frustration, anguish and hopelessness of Kashmiris different from them is that AFPSA is applicable only in kashmir and not in Jammu and Ladakh and if at all it is applicable in J&K, no human rights violation takes place there, no rapes, no fake encounters take place there.  For them the security forces are the heroes and saviours but for us they are not.We cannot maintain that to resolve the long standing issue of kashmir, we have take into confidence the minorities across J&K, as it  does not seem to have any validity at all because these minorities never raise their voice against the atrocities committed on Kashmiris by Indian forces which is the main problem right  now.  
We have nothing against them, but our problem is fundamentally different from them. Let's not mix up the issues at this crucial moment.

Dr Tasleem Ahmad War
Assistant Professor
 Dept of Kashmir
University of Kashmir

Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
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