During nearly two decades of violent Kashmir conflict, I have covered fierce gun battles, between Indian soldiers and Muslim militants, suicide bombings, rebel attacks, massacres, protests, mayhem, violent elections and disasters.
But the question that always comes to mind is “what is the hardest to shoot?’
I always remember protests or riots, clashes between stone throwing protesters and gun-toting Indian troops. Stress levels quickly rise as me and my text colleague, Sheikh Mushtaq, realize that our assignment will not be easy whenever we go out, mostly on Fridays, the day when Muslims offer congregational weekly prayers, which turn into weekly protests against Indian rule in Kashmir.
There is literally no place to hide and shooting is nearly impossible when angry protesters take to the streets and rocks rain down; Indian troops retaliate with tear gas shells, rubber bullets and many times with live ammunition. Most of the time we, with protective gear and camera equipment strapped to our shoulders in backpacks, are stuck in the narrow streets of downtown Srinagar as impatient crowds and ruthless troops battle for hours.
Blood is always spilled in the streets of Kashmir where tens of thousands of people have been killed in two decades of an anti-India insurgency.
It was a pleasant and beautiful day in Srinagar, a city of over one million ringed by snow-capped Himalayan mountains, but tear gas brings bittersweet tears to my eyes and rocks sometime make me bleed. I clutch my camera, adjust the focus and aperture and keep on shooting masked rioters and police replying with slingshots, teargas shells and bullets. A rock came towards me, I ducked but it hit another cameraman. He was bleeding lying beside me. On many occasions, I had to drop my camera and take care of injured reporters and photojournalists. Several times even I was not lucky.
Years back I was hit by a tear gas shell and then enveloped by a cloud of dust and tear gas smoke. As the tear gas shell exploded between my legs and tore my calf muscle badly. Mushtaq from a distance was looking at me helplessly as the rattle of gun fire followed screams and cries for help. I was bleeding and fell unconscious. After hours I found myself in a hospital and later spent months in bed missing the thrill of photography.
When Kashmir last year faced some of the biggest anti-India protests in nearly 20 years, photojournalists faced the wrath of security forces and angry protesters. Many of us were beaten up by riot police and demonstrators, protesting Indian rule in the disputed region. They break our cameras and sometimes beat us with batons and gun butts.
It is painful and disturbing but when I see people writhing in blood and dying with bullet wounds, my pain disappears and I feel guilty when police do not allow us to photograph the tragedy. I feel disappointed when they stop us after ambulances and hospitals are attacked.
People often ask “what is the most difficult to shoot in a conflict zone?” I always say “protests or rioting.”
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I agree that the Kashmiris have faced the suffocation and suppression of militery governance for decades now. No militery regime can allow a healthy and properous enviroment. When a group of men get the power to dictate without questioning, they are bound to misuse their power at some level.
Yes, Kashmir should be free of troops. Yes the Kashmiris should live free lives. My only concern is… if the Indian troops are withdrawn … then what? Will the Kashmiris be left alone by Pakistan? Pakistan is strugling to survive under the conflict between the Taliban and its unstable government. Do you think Kashmir will be better off with Pakistan using Kashmiri soil as a home for the Taliban? Will the Kashmiris be better off if their children are taken away by the Taliban to be trained as terrorists?
Kashmir is very close to my heart for personal reasons. What is happening today, brings tears to my eyes makes me want to scream with frustration. I just want Kashmir and its people to be happy and peaceful. But I do not think the Indian troops are the cause of the desease that Kashmir suffers from today. The Indian troops are a symptom. We need to fight the casue not the symptom. Artheritis does not get cured by pain killers.
- Posted by ShilpiWithout taking any sides I would say that your photographs speak volumes. Keep them coming, but take care of your self.
- Posted by Joe ZachsIts sad that this is happening and no one is the gainer.
Umair:
- Posted by rajeevHow is it possible that in India “Islam is spreading” if you say Indian govt is “anti-pakistani, anti kashmiri and anti muslim government”. Does not it tell that the govt is not anti-Muslim. It has nothing to with Pakistan. Pakistan is separate, so face it.
Umair: I am not much surprised that you do not know that orgin of Budhism is from Hinduism. The reason is you have been schooled in post Zia era when your education system was designed such that history has been distorted to suit the convenience of Pakistani establishment and create hatred against its neighbors. Read this MSUT READ report prepared by eminent Pakistani scholars about it.
http://www.sdpi.org/whats_new/reporton/S tate%20of%20Curr&TextBooks.pdf
- Posted by rajeevPlz tk cr of urself
- Posted by jiyaOur best wishes r alwayz wid u.
Umair, You are totally wrong and misguided.
- Posted by PpBuddhisim was borm from hinduism. And slaughtering is a culture from desert, not of Hinduism or Buddhism.
after reading few comments by sum extremisits, who was talking about if we go back in history, i would request u not to go back in history cause u will be embaraced. why because this whole reigon was buddhish area then hinduism was born, when hindus gained abit of ground they atarted slaughtering the buddhists, they gave them one option whether convert to hindus or run for life. which made buddhish people run up north for life and some gave up to hinduism. so dn’t go back in history cause it is a slap on your face. about Islam its still spreading fast in india, and no one is forced today as extreme anti-pakistani, anti kashmiri and anti muslim government is in control.shame on those who proud of indian brutality in kashmir
- Posted by umairUMS:
@It is very easy to say “lets not go back in history” but the reality is that you need to tackle this issue at the root problem, it will re surface every single time.
–Agreed it is easier said than done. Then where do we stop? Should I also look into the Mughal history and pull out the #s which will read like: Millions dead, Millions orphans, Millions missing, Million rapes, Millions jailed, Million widows and ALSO MILLIONS CONVERTED BY FORCE during ~1000yrs of Mughal rule. Babri Masjid issue was the fundamentalist Hindus way of tackling this issue. Then the exodus of Hindus from Kashmir is a black spot in your history. How do we tackle this? It is easy for you to pay lip service that K-Pundits should be included over the K-issue. Such a hue and cry over Yatra issue; Kashmiriyat if it ever was is gone if you know the details; “Muslim” centric victim mentality has to go or suffer for ever since past cannot be undone. Sane Muslims from Gujrat feel so if you care to read a bit more..
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn -content-library/dawn/news/world/the-mai nstreaming-of-india-s-muslim-population
- Posted by rajeevDear UMS:
@Kashmir when 230 of them died and the same (actually not the same as 2000 muslims were slaughtered in Gujarat) we only saw inaction from the local and central government, food for thought my freind.
-First for your own good, stop shedding Muslim-specific tears. Do not get stuck with India-vs Muslims attitude. India has one full Pakistan of Muslims who except Babri and Gujrat are doing as well as anyone else. Look for positives and you will see a lot. 3000 Sikhs who died in riots in India and Hindus in Gujrat—save some tears for them for Kashmiriyat sake. I am from Punjab. Sikh terrorists selectively killed Hindus, but Sikh populace supported Hindus. Hindus migrated from smaller towns to bigger towns and also to outside of Punjab, but no one put forward this stinking conspiracy theory that Indian govt planned all that.
Muslims are killing Muslims in Pakistan, so I guess they should be shifted to a safer place since they are not allowed in Sindh and Punjab. Give this idea to SWATIS and I bet many will migrate to India for this violence and the ethnic hatred they face. Stress on Muslim will not help you.
- Posted by rajeevDear Rajive,
It is very easy to say “lets not go back in history” but the reality is that you need to tackle this issue at the root problem, it will re surface every single time.
It has been 62 years and we are still discussing this issue, and I’m sure we will discuss this for decades to come if we do not resolve this issue as per the aspirations of the state subjects of J&K.
In regards to K-pandit being shifted, i merely mentioned the example of how they were moved,relocated for their safety out of Kashmir when 230 of them died and the same (actually not the same as 2000 muslims were slaughtered in Gujarat) we only saw inaction from the local and central government, food for thought my freind.
Every society has committed a crime which they regret and wish to reverse and hopefully when the K-pandits do come back to the valley they might be able to forgive us.
In regards to the human right violations that have been committed by the Indian institutions, that is unforgivable! The recent rape of two women as an example of this human cry has not justification.
Nonetheless, I do believe i should give you some facts, and the problem is that you cannot dispute these as All Human right agencies are not allowed in J&K by the Government of India:
80,000 dead
45,000 orphans
10,000 missing
7,000 rapes
14,000 jailed
23,000 widows
In regards to your point about leadership, do not worry our Mahatma will come!
India started its struggle for Independence in 1857, Mahatma Gandhi returned to India to be part of the struggle in full capacity in 1915.
The British Empire use to call India the Jewel in their crown.
History always repeats itself my friend. Our time will come.
In regards to the joke stated by you, I am definitely not smiling and I’m sure the 500,000 pandits and the millions who are living under the gun, will agree with me.
In regards to your comment about handing over a solution to us by our MASTERS, that mentality has not gotten us anywhere.
- Posted by UMSG Din and UMS:
I have posted on Myra’s thread also that why POK Kashmiris are not talked about when we talk about atrocities and injustice to Kashmiris. None of the kashmiris have commented about what their Muslim community is doing in AZAD KASHMIR. If this is the best they can produce in 60yrs, guess what Kashmiris will have if they choose to be with Pakistan. It is imp to talk about human rights status and independence in Azad Kashmir if a Kashmiri wants to make an inteligent decision.
All that media has been feeding repetitively is Indian Kashmir, and completely ignoring POK Kahmiris.
Talking about POK is important since that Kashmir is POK after tribals invaded India. It is funny that the Kashmiris want to stick to UN decisions taken 60yrs ago despite the fact that they have been proven wrong with time, as is evident from the state of Pakistan today.
- Posted by rajeevUMS:
- Posted by G.DinYou write: “When the Indian troops arrived at Srinagar air field, that State was still independent. Any agreements favourable to India signed after such intervention cannot escape the charge of having been produced under duress.”
Let us assume, hypothetically, that you are correct that “Any agreements favourable to India signed after such intervention cannot escape the charge of having been produced under duress.” Tell us, under the duress of which party was the Maharaja of Kashmir after he had fled from Srinagar? Was he put under duress by India? Evidently not. The forces that caused his departure from Srinagar were the forces sent in by Pakistan. So the duress was generated by Pakistan. And, if that turned counterproductive for it, tough luck!
Let us examine it from another angle. Maharaja had signed Stand-Still agreements with both India and Pakistan while he was mulling over what to do. When Pakistan sent in its forces, regular and irregular, wouldn’t India have been duty-bound to send in its forces, with or without the Maharaja’s consent, to protect its interests in that state? It would have been, similar to Turkey landing its forces on the island of Cyprus where they still stand. There are other instances also of legitimacy of such remedial actions. India did not send in its forces until after Maharaja had conveyed his request to Government of India -verbal or written, even though it was aware that his state was being overrun by those aggressors. What importance does the date of actual signing the Instrument of Accession have? When you are in dire straits, as the Maharaja had been put in and the state was in the danger of total capitulation, do you think you wait for the couriers with documents, duly signed and attested and notarised before you take remedial action? In such cases, verbal assurances of intent are enough. Raising such flimsy arguments shows utter lack of the appreciation of the real world.
Even when the Instrument of Accession, duly signed by the Maharaja had arrived in Delhi, Nehru refused to accept it unless and until it was supported by Sheikh Abdullah, as the leader of the only insurgency in the state. Only when this was complied with, were the forces dispatched. By that time, the enemy had reached the gates of its capital, Srinagar.
You , I am sure are aware, that Pakistan’s case was made out at the UN by the only eminent jurist Pakistan has produced, Sir Zafrullah Khan. I am sure you would consider him to be astute enough to have noticed this “anomaly” which you have discovered now after 60 odd years. If he did not, was it because he did not attach any weight to it, as only a competent lawyer would? If he did and yet could not convince the UN of its legitimacy, what happens to your argument?
In the end, let me put a question to you. Why hasn’t Pakistan ever taken its case to the International Court where it could convince the world that it had a legitimate claim to Kashmir? By doing so, it could expose the “fraud” that India had perpetrated. That should be enough of an incentive, don’t you think?
Of course, now you can’t do so because Pakistan signed the Simla Agreement. Again, you could take it to the International Court and plead that Pakistan was under duress when signing that agreement and so it should be declared null and void.
If above words are quoted from Alistair Lamb’s book, no one attaches much importance to those. But, if you think we ought to, take the case to International Court and have a nice day!
Indians must wonder why kashmiris dont want to be a part well look at the two women who were raped a few days earlier by brave indian troops who infest kashmir with 700,000 these troops have become a plague which is the root cause of suffering in kashmir and south asia India needs to stop its obsession of being a regional power and end its brutal occupation of kashmir the difference between azad kashmir and jammu is simply that azad is azad no 700,000 pakistani troops to occupy just a few to stop the 700,000 indians crossing in azad and making it into occupied just look the state of IOK and wake up india and then you indians wonder why you get bombed in buses and trains its becuase of your crimes in kashmir look at the news another day of anti hindustani protests when will the indians learn i hope not when all the kashmiris get tempted to avenge there brothers and mothers then india will learn what the oppressed kashmiris can really do p.s my cousin died becuase of Indias “anti terror2 actions oh he was 5 years old dangerous i bet to these hijras in indian army
- Posted by Kashmiri in occupied valleyFayaz i am proud of u through out ur career u have done a very good job .May Allah protect u n bless u with his blessings
- Posted by Farzana mumtaz