Z RUSTUM
For almost thirty-five long years, the paradise on earth Kashmir has been plagued by violence, death & terrorism. Too many innocent lives have been lost. Too many mothers have had their hearts broken by losing beloved sons and daughters. Too many children have been robbed of their parents & their futures. For more than three decades the people of Kashmir have suffered immense pain & trauma because of terrorists & their heinous acts. The latest events of terror have opened fresh wounds for all Kashmiris. Just recently, a ghastly attack targeted & killed innocent tourist from Jaipur who had come to see the beauty of our valley. This was followed by the brutal assassination of Aijaz Ahmed Sheikh, a popular BJP leader in Shopian district. Mr. Sheikh worked tirelessly for the people and dreamed of a peaceful & prosperous Kashmir. His death has left yet another void in many Kashmiri hearts.
These are just the latest of too many tragedies to count over 35 years of conflict & bloodshed in our home. We have lost teachers, police officers, political leaders, civilians, parents, youth - all killed cruelly by the bullets, grenades & bombs of terrorists, insurgents & outside militant groups with no value for human life. Too many times we have witnessed the mangled remains of loved ones attacked simply for going about their daily lives & jobs. As common Kashmiris, we hang our heads in sorrow at this latest monsoon of violence, even as we were beginning to see rays of hope & light returning to our valley after years of darkness. Just a few weeks ago, a great air of festivity & normalcy had taken hold across Kashmir. Markets were bustling with people out shopping, kids joyfully playing in parks, tourists arriving to experience our hospitality & see our natural splendor. A feeling of peace was finally settling in after being displaced for far too long.
But like a cruel reversal of fortunes, these recent acts of pure evil by terrorists have come like haunting storms to douse that very hope & tranquility we had all longed for. These terrorists, through their cowardice & brutality, have once again stained the name of Kashmir with blood & tears. They have tried to shake our resolve for peace. They have dealt more suffering on our people by killing & injuring more innocents. But we will not be intimidated or deterred. We, the people of Kashmir - the real voices and faces of this ancient land - reject these terrorists & their ways completely. We will have no truck with violence & those who deal in death. We want no part of their distorted cause & twisted credo.
After enduring decades of this wretched cycle, we have had enough. We want to move beyond the grave histories of the past & will no longer allow guns, grenades & terror mongers to define our present or dictate our future. We adamantly desire to now chase only peace, prosperity and dignity, not just for ourselves & children, but for the whole of Kashmir. For too long we have lived under looming clouds of suspicion from the rest of the world due to the acts of extremism routinely witnessed here. But the simple truth is this - we Kashmiris are not terrorists or militants or insurgents. We are families who want to live dignified lives in harmony. We are parents who want to raise our children in safety. We are young people with aspirations to focus on education, careers and enjoying our youth freely. We are businessmen & merchants who want to thrive & not live in fear. We are farmers who yearn to til the soil in peace. We are hoteliers, artisans & entrepreneurs wanting to showcase our famed hospitality & crafts to visitors without any threats.
Just like all other humans, we too wish above all for the universal yearnings of every person, the ability to live without violence, to work hard & benefit from that work, to be able to love & provide for our family members, to practice faith peacefully, to progress whilst upholding ethics, to speak freely, to celebrate & experience joyous occasions like weddings & festivals without any danger or oppression. Is that too much to ask for in this day & age? All we want is to live our lives like normal, dignified citizens of the modern world, without any threats of harm or bloodshed constantly looming over us. The cycle of pain has to stop with our generation. We cannot afford to let it continue & inflict the same traumas on our children & their children. The future of our society depends on summoning the courage to put down the guns & renouncing those few fringes, misguided elements seeking to derail the progress we have made towards restoring lasting peace.
We understand fully well the vital need to wholeheartedly participate in the democratic process that is slowly being rebuilt here. We must be part of the solution through democratic engagement, winning hearts & minds through non-violence, unity & individual/community efforts that spread hope & prosperity. Picking up weapons again will only lead us back to the dark abyss of uncertainty. Through rebuilding democratic institutions, holding free & fair elections, working on developmental projects, opening up economic opportunities, especially for the youth, improving social infrastructure & services - this is the path that will lead to job creation, better education & sustainable progress in the true sense. And we remain committed to that path no matter what adversities come our way.
To those misguided youth being lured into militancy, we make this earnest appeal from our hearts - do not succumb to violence & terror. Do not become part of the problem that has bled our society for far too long. We need to confront harsh realities, look ahead & shape our futures through courage, wisdom & democratic means, not senseless bloodshed. You are the hopes and dreams of your parents, of all of our families. Do not let your energies of youth be wasted on futile acts of carnage & cowardice. Join the movement to rebuild Kashmir together in peace with the principles of non-violence. To the rest of India & the world community watching us, we ask this - do not judge all Kashmiris by the actions of these terrorists who are a tiny fringe of misled, radicalized individuals. Judge us instead by our demonstrated desire for amity, harmony & normal, dignified living that every human being wishes for.
Support us in our efforts to restore democracy, peace and progress by shunning all forms of extremism. Work to open more economic & developmental pathways here that bring hope, jobs & prosperity to the people, especially the youth. Increase engagement and people-to-people exchanges that build greater understanding and unravel decades of mistrust. Ultimately, the primary want of all Kashmiris is to witness our children being able to live out their childhoods free from the haunting fears of terrorism & violence. We want them to grow up in a nurturing environment of schooling, play & opportunity just like any other child in the rest of the country or the world, That's the future we aspire.These are the sincere voices & heartfelt aspirations of the people of Kashmir who remain resolute in our desire for peace despite the decades of tragedy turmoil we have endured. We have had enough of the innocent killings, enough of the bloodshed & violence committed in our name by twisted terrorists.
It is time now to unite against those merchants of death & devastation. It is time now to leave behind the painful histories & look ahead with hope, courage & democratic determination to make a lasting peace a ground reality for all our citizens & our future generations. We want Naya Kashmir, a new peaceful & prosperous Kashmir. We want an era of normalcy, growth & joy. And with the steadfast resolve of a people who have persevered against all odds, we shall make it a reality. The cycle of violence ends now with our unified mandate for peace, progress & dignity.
Comments