Thinking, I gazed at the desert which at the first sight looks beautiful, however when you keep on looking then you start to feel and imagine the extreme weather conditions, poisonous insects and ugly looking animals if any, surrounding it and you wonder how difficult it would be out there! The dead silence and the ugly looking birds in this desert reminded me of the streets of Kashmir as I recalled how they looked during the turmoil days when we have the curfews while the armored vehicles siege the streets. This made me realize that the pain I am feeling is not physical but emotional connected to the trauma people in my motherland are facing right now.
Every day we wish to hear solacing news from Kashmir but all we hear is bad news of death wrapped with the cries of mothers crying helplessly for their loved one, who just lost his life to something which he doesn’t even know of. It makes you feel guilty of not being able to do anything as your destiny has made you a distant spectator of the things happening in Kashmir. But then, you think who isn’t a spectator in Kashmir. All we are able to do is talk, shout and write but all in vain as no one is listening. Had anyone been listening, all they have to do is just read what people say in your news paper; the solutions, suggestions, debates, criticisms and experiments which they whole heartedly share on this platform. Sometimes one wonders why some of these people are not in the government instead. Perhaps if we would be able to consolidate all of that and then refine it; we might be able to find some solutions.

The internet is full of photos and videos of what is happening in Kashmir which pierce through your heart while you imagine the pain and suffering the person might be going through.

It also suggests that people in Kashmir are patient and their patience is the only strength and support they have in these troubled times. We cannot deny the fact that apart from the miseries Kashmiri people are experiencing one such misery in the basket of miseries is the elected government. This is a powerful lobby of sycophants and opportunists. They have no idea of governance whatsoever but have learnt and mastered the art of being in power and enjoy “their” own peaceful life.

As the situation worsens by every passing day, the government  should have had a look at “THE CHAOS THEORY” chaos is interpreted as disorder, turbulence, confusion, turmoil etc. which is mostly applied in the field of mathematics, physics, economics, philosophy and politics. However in our context the chaos theory suggests that the randomness in disorder in fact has order, which the present government fails to understand that by stopping people from protesting and keeping them indoors will not make any difference, the random disorder will appear somewhere else and during this time you will assume that you were able to install peace. In fact it is the time difference between the disorders which you consider peace, the “CHAOS” still exists. It exists in the minds of the people, which cannot be controlled by any force. I agree with Mr. Zafar A. Shah’s article in which he conveyed that ideologies cannot be forced upon, and the beauty of democracy is to coexist. Does the current situation not go beyond ideological frontiers, is it not the frustration and anger of youth and people who in despair take to streets due to the indifferences shown by the government towards addressing the overall governance, unemployment, providing clean system, which some unworthy and corrupt officials have made a business. In addition to these another dimension which is political in character also exists which has to be addressed on priority. The minds of the people have to be calmed rather than just trying to calm the situation.

Unfortunately, our leaders and politicians have no plan to deal with the situation. The opposition starts campaigning and comparing their governance and forgets its failures. The pro freedom parties feel that these events can take us back in time to the 1990’s and the State Government carries on the responsibility of living life kingsize.

It is time we realize that why people are out on the streets? It is not because someone calls for it, it is not because of any person’s popularity, it is not because of some ideology but it is because of the helplessness and distress, anger and frustration against the constant force and pressure they are pushed in, it is because innocent people are being killed without any one taking note of it, it is because the basic rights are being denied, it is because, there is no one to address the grievances. It is because of all these collective catalysts ignite a fire within the people and drives them to the streets, shout in anger and destroy what comes in between them and the peace they are looking for. This is the only way left for them of showing that “Enough is enough” we cannot take anymore!

Problems are the part and parcel of any government. However one needs to create a platform to address the situation and handle the public sentiment so that it does not lead to further distress and disaster, but the current government has failed to do so. Instead they blame agencies for the acts and events and try to escape from the moral responsibility they carry for the position they chair. The current government should realize that bringing in Army will not solve the problem. It might help keeping people indoors forcibly. But it will instill an impression of force in the minds of people and will further alienate them. Does this government not question their own selves about why they need to bring in Army? Does the angry protestor on the street seem a mob to the government who will be controlled by the army? Do they not understand that the protestor’s grievances need be addressed? Perhaps do they not know that Armies are called in by oppressors and dictators? Genuine democracies don't rely on army.  Let people breathe easier.

(Maajid Hayat is Administration Manager Odasco Al Kuwait Electrical & Contracting co. State of Kuwait)

Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST