State repression failed to quell the rebellion
Indian occupied Kashmir is burning again as the youth rebellion against Indian occupation and state terrorism entered third day. Thousands of young people are coming out on the streets of Kashmir valley to protest the continued Indian occupation and state repression. So far 23 people have lost their lives and more than 300 injured in the crackdown of the Indian occupation forces against protesters. The occupying Indian army is using live ammunition, pellet guns and tear gas against stone pelting youth. The brutal state repression has failed to silence the angry voices and rising rebellion.
According to the local doctor’s association, the security forces are even targeting the injured protesters and fire tear gas shells in the emergency of one hospital. Another group, the India-held Kashmir Coalition for Civil Society, alleged that police had attacked ambulances taking the wounded to hospital. Indian occupant forces have unleashed a reign of terror against the unarmed protesting youth of Kashmir.
The present movement is the biggest since the months long movement in 2010. Indian forces have imposed curfew and internet and mobile phone services being suspended. Indian government has already sent 2000 extra soldiers to Valley to repress the protest movement.The Kashmiri youth once again raising slogans of Freedom and end to occupation. ‘India out of Kashmir’ and ‘india go back’ chanting youth are daily sacrificing their lives to tell the world that they are not ready to live under indian occupation.
Why the protests erupted?
The protests broke out when the Indian security forces killed the commander of a militant organisation in a alleged encounter. Burhan Wani was the commander of the militant group Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). Wani was using social media to attract new layers of youth to militancy. Wani was beaten up by security forces without any reason at the age of 15, after this beating, he became active in militancy. Wani belongs to highly educated upper middle class family.
He was very popular among the young people. His message on the social media was very clear and had an echo among the youth layers. Unlike other militant commanders, he never hide his identity and exposed himself on the social media. Indian officials alleged that he was playing key role to attract local young boys to take up arms and organise resistance against Indian forces. He became new image of militant struggle in Indian Occupied Kashmir through the social media.
His killing provoked the already brewing anger and hatred against the Indian occupation in the radicalised youth. There is strong resentment in the youth against the Indian army. The continued occupation and strong presence of the security forces in the valley fuelling the anger and frustration in the youth. Wani has become a rallying point for the radicalised youth.
Another insurgency
New radicalised young people are taking up arms against the Indian army. It is clear that Indian occupation forces are going to face a new generation of kashmiri militants. These home grown militants enjoy huge support from the local population. They are not alien to the local population as were the Pakistani based militants.
According to BBC, In recent months there have been several instances of protesters converging on the scene of gun battles, throwing stones and hurling abuse at security forces to provide a distraction and enable trapped rebels to escape. After a long time, the local population is coming behind the new militant rebels.
1989 insurgency
It seems that the situation was heading towards 1989 when Kashmiri youth took up arms against Indian occupation. This armed rebellion erupted after the hanging of great freedom fighter Maqbool Butt. Kashmiri youth under the leadership of JKLF and other pro-independence groups launched the arm struggle to liberate Jammu and Kashmir from Indian occupation. It was a national liberation struggle involving both Muslims and Hindu pundits of the valley. The leadership of that insurgency was secular and fighting for an independent Kashmir.
Pakistan started to intervene in that movement and send Jihadi militants to Kashmir. This intervention on the basis of religion divided the national liberation struggle and turned it into a religious movement. That intervention damaged the liberation struggle and weaken the movement. The armed intervention provided India an excuse to build up military in the valley. Indian military build up effectively turned Kashmir into a garrison. There is one soldier for every seven Kashmiris. Kashmir is the most militarised region in the world.
In last few years, the violence decreased significantly in kashmir and armed attacks on the security forces were also decreased. After the 9/11, Pakistan officially stopped intervention in Kashmir through the proxies. General Musharaf give many concessions to India to resolve the kashmir issue. But India rejected all the proposals including the demilitarisation of Kashmir. India took the decrease in violence as its success and continued the repressive and brutal policies. The Kashmiri youth rebelled in 2010 against the occupation and repression. India failed to learn the important lessons of that movement and continued the military occupation. The military presence, atrocities and economic, political and social injustice give rise to this rebellion.