Decisions taken should be result oriented...

O N Channa

President, Kashmiri Migrants Welfare Assn., Noida

The following write-up was actually a letter addressed to the AIKS President, Shri J.N. Kaul. While going through it I found that the letter contains a few very useful suggestions pertaining to our much harassed community, especially to its talented young generation. It seems, these suggestions were meant for the consideration of KP Global London Summit, long since over. We publish this letter in the shape of a write up for its serious content, and hope that the concerned quarters will take note of it. Editor

It was nice to have an in-house meeting of the representatives of AIKS officials in your office on 12th May, 1997. This meeting was basically called to discuss modalities of the London summit. As most of the members dwelt on matters not relevant to the main subject, therefore, I feel much time could not be devoted to the matters relating to community problems.

In the first instance I wonder as to why composition of the proposed delegation to the London summit was not available to the members. Does this delegation represent the cross section of migrants sponsored by All India Kashmiri Samaj or is it an ad hoc arrangement?

Although a slow and steady process of migration of Kashmiri Pandits has taken place right from 1947, owing to psychological repression, the mass exodus of the community in 1989-90, was both on account of psychological and physical reasons. It was due to large scale militancy, fear of gun, selective killings, rape and assault. Therefore, there is a difference between earlier migration and mass exodus that has taken place during 1989-90. These migrants physically and mentally know what losing of a home means, what it means to get a son shot in presence of his parents, what it means to a mother to see the daughter physically assaulted, what it means to live in most subhuman conditions in tattered tents in camps and see family members dying of snake and scorpion bites and other communicable diseases because of almost negligible hygienic conditions What it also means for a bright boy/girl living in camps denial of proper education for want of resources. This boy/girl who could otherwise be a doctor, an engineer, a technocrat or an IAS officer may end up as a peon or a clerk. These are the tragedies of 1989 90 mass exodus of our community and inspite of the lapse of about eight years now, we are still not recovering from the shock, thanks to the apathy of the Government of India.

We do recognize good gesture of Government of Maharashtra to accommodate some of our bright boys/girls for various academic disciplines last year, but we understand that they have reluctantly agreed to extend the said facility for this year also. This proves, beyond doubt, that this is only a temporary measure which cannot become a panacea for our perpetual ills.

We need to develop our own system and start a few institutions across the country in this regard. For this purpose our Biradari members living abroad (NRI's) could be of immense help (emphasis mine-od)

Representatives of this class of migrants should get a chance to speak in any summit or gathering These representatives could expose evil designs of Government of India and also of the J&K Government to keep these camps as 'show windows for foreign dignitaries and delegations and also human rights activists by keeping the poor and unfortunate inmates in perpetual misery.

Politically we have to tight for our right to go back to our homes with honour and dignity, and if it is not possible for the Government to organize our going back in foreseeable future, then the Government is to be forced to create a Security Zone where we could live in peace and harmony.

However, there are immediately more pressing problems - problems relating to socio-economic cultural and educational in nature Immediately more thrust is required to be given to these problems of the community and highlight these in any summits held in foreign countries

If Mr Fai, a Kashmiri Muslim based in USA can collect and send millions of dollars to Kashmiri militants for purchase of weapons, can't our NRIS collect and send money for proper rehabilitation of tent dwellers in Jammu, Delhi and else where? (emphasis mine-ed ) Can't they send money for higher educational pursuits of our bright boys and girls living in tents, can't they adopt some of these boys/girls to facilitate their higher or basic education? These issues are required to be raised.

Then there are social problems Many of our girls are now marrying outside the community. Why? Has anyone made an in depth study of their problems? If this process continues and is not arrested, we will not only get reduced in numbers but will also lose our cultural heritage Therefore, something is to be thought of this issue Our suggestion could be to impose a social moratorium on such marriages. These and other problems need to be highlighted in the proposed summit and decisions taken should be result oriented.

In the end, I would always appreciate some of the steps taken by you after taking over the Presidency of AIKS but much still remains to be done. It requires a collective effort, including positive help from Indo Kashmir Forum based in the USA.

I also would like to wish all success to the proposed summit in London, but I would reiterate that the Indian delegation should have been broad based and representation also given to the organisations who are working tirelessly for past seven years to see our Biradari members properly established socially, economically, educationally and also culturally Our Kashmiri Migrants Welfare Association in Noida is doing a pioneering work in this direction.

DISCLAIMER: 

The views expressed in the Article above are O N Channa’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."

Courtesy:- O N Channa and September 1997, Naad