Kashmiri Muslims have broken new ground by waging a non-violent separation struggle but the Indian authorities seem unsure how to respond
Muzamil Jaleel *
Flowing black beard, a headband with "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) and a fluttering green flag. This has been the trademark picture of the recent azadi (freedom) processions of Kashmir, where hundreds of thousands marched the streets of this disputed Himalayan region seeking a separation from India.
From a distance, it seems as if the past has returned to Kashmir. But the present contains an irrefutable truth: in place of guns, the people carry slogans. The politics of protest this time is not about the argument of power, but about the power of argument.
Kashmir is the first conflict-ridden Muslim region in the world where people have consciously made a transition from violence to non-violence, and this includes the staunch Islamists too. In fact, the wisdom behind the use of arms to fight a political struggle was being silently debated within Kashmir ever since 9/11 blurred the lines dividing terrorism and genuine political movements. The deteriorating situation inside Pakistan too had tilted the balance towards a peaceful struggle.
Read on: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/31/kashmir.india
* (Muzammil comes from humble Kashmiri roots, with a strong sense of family and tradition. He was born in a village in south Kashmir's Baramullah district. As a journalist, has has shed vital light on conflict in Kashmir for the last decade. He has broken more than 50 stories, including the infamous sex scandals. He is also an intrepid reporter of rare courage. On one fellowship, he was a visiting scholar at the University of California-Berkeley. On another, he worked in London for the Guardian, the Observer, and the Times. His honors include a coveted Sankrit Award for excellence in Indian journalism and literature. He also won a Kurt Shorck Award for International Journalism administered by Columbia University.He spent two months looking at America, starting in New Orleans and ending up on Capitol Hill. Somewhere in there, he found time to get married in Portland, Oregon)
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