Why does Kashmir remain unworthy of the world’s attention, the key reason for this is that the Indian state, long under the rule of a far-right, even fascist, Hindu nationalist regime, is aligned with the West. Indian occupation of Kashmir is as brutal as the Israeli occupation of Palestine and requires the same sort of international awareness and solidarity. Just as Palestinians have endured the brunt of Israeli brutality since 1948, the ongoing oppression of Kashmiris began a year earlier at the time of India’s partition in 1947. We have seen three wars over Kashmir, resulting in an UN-mediated ceasefire along a line that was eventually named the Line of Control. Multiple layers of persecution continue to exist, including the oppression being codified in section 370 of the Indian penal code which criminalizes speech that could “influence the course of public opinion” in Kashmir. A critique of India’s rule in Kashmir could land you in prison for six years. As Francis Fukuyama announced the ‘End of History’ at the end of the Cold War, the insurgency in Kashmir intensified. But the Kashmiri struggle has remained on the margins of world attention, Kashmiris have not been presented as, to borrow a famous phrase from Noam Chomsky, “worthy victims” in the worlds’ media. Most of the world does not know that the 12 million residents of Kashmir are subjected to between 200,000 to 250,000 soldiers, between 65,000 to 80,000 paramilitary central reserve police force personnel, between 20,000 to 30,000 border security forces and other paramilitary groups, 85000 local police and 36000 special police officers.
The Author
Discover more from News Network Plus
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
