Canvas means of expression for the traumatised Caught in their homes for more than two months now, the youth in Kashmir are taking to art to express internal frustration, rage, anguish and trauma of living in a conflict. Maria Shahmiri, 23, who studies bachelors in applied arts course at the University of Kashmir, said while growing up in Kashmir, she always expected an uncertain breakout of conflict. “Current literature emerging on this issue underscores that Kashmir remains a battlefield between militants and security forces with its people experiencing traumatic violence.…
Read MoreMonth: September 2016
Kashmir’s High Price for Demanding Independence
Tariq Mir At his home in Baramulla, in Indian-administered Kashmir, my father tuned his old Philips radio to Radio Pakistan. The people of Kashmir turn to the station in moments of despair or distress, of which there is no shortage. It was early July, and a gentle voice came on: the crescent moon had been seen and therefore the festival of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, would be celebrated in Pakistan on Wednesday, July 6. Across the eastern border in India, no one had caught sight of the…
Read MoreUnrest mars harvesting season; No truckers for Kashmir apple
Apple growers are grappling with lack of labour and transport this season. The Army says it is facilitating movement of 1,500 trucks out of the Valley every day. While people across rural Kashmir get busy collecting apple, this season, growers are facing problems never seen before. The apple industry is the mainstay of the rural economy. The state produces around 18 to 22 lakh metric tonnes of varieties of fruit, with 80% comprising apple. “The apple crop is ready. I am afraid to collect it as the unrest has hit…
Read MoreValley Shuts for 80th Day, Forces continue to foil Pro-Freedom Rallies
Protests, clashes at many places; 2 injured by pellets in Sopore Elderly Hurriyat activist detained in Hajin Protests in Sekidafar over Imam’s arrest Evening clashes throughout Srinagar 55 youth held in 24 hours Kashmir continued to observe complete shutdown for 80th consecutive day on Monday while forces foiled several pro-freedom rallies by firing teargas and pellets at various places. In the 80-day long unrest, at least 88 people including two cops have been killed while over 13000 people have been injured. Pertinently, Srinagar saw movement of private transport while public…
Read MoreGov’s rule chorus is just hot air, Mehbooba is here to stay; 102 more companies of CRPF sent to quell unrest
Contrary to the growing chorus in a section of the media that J&K is headed for governor’s rule, the reality is the exact opposite: Mehbooba Mufti government is here to stay. And it is not only because the PDP-BJP alliance’s leaders in Srinagar and Delhi say it, on and off the record, but also because of compelling political realities. One such overriding reality is that the PDP-BJP alliance is the most ideal ruling dispensation J&K could have under the circumstances. And far from being a bar to the hardening security…
Read MoreValley remains Shut for the 80th Consecutive Day; Kishtwar under Curfew on second day
Kashmir remained shut on Monday for the 80th consecutive day, although markets in Srinagar had opened and were booming with customers on Sunday afternoon following a relaxation in shutdown by the resistance groups. Markets in Lal Chowk and many other areas opened on Sunday evening and remained in business till late in the night. Customers had thronged these markets and several areas had witnessed traffic snarls that the police took hours to clear. Separatists had asked people to start normal activities after 2 p.m. on Sunday till 6 a.m. on…
Read MoreIf India can’t forget 18 soldiers, how can Kashmiris ignore 6 lakh sacrifices: Geelani
Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Sunday hit out at New Delhi accusing it of “giving bad name of cross border infiltration to the legitimate and just struggle of Kashmir for right to self-determination.” Commenting on PM Narendra Modi’s speech that “18 army jawans will not be forgotten and terrorism is a curse for humanity,” Geelani said in a statement, “We agree that terrorism is a curse. But but what concerns us is the dubious standards of these rulers who have gross contradiction in their words…
Read MoreIsolated, Cut off in Curfew Bound Valley
Caught in the unrest for the past more than two months, people in the Valley remained caged in their homes. Most have lost contact with their relatives in various parts of the region as travelling to other districts has become near impossible. Sama Sheikh, 35, along with her husband and two children was visiting Kashmir from the UAE after three years and was excited about meeting her family in Kashmir, but hadn’t thought she wouldn’t be able to go out and meet her close relatives. “When I reached Srinagar on…
Read MoreHitchhiking: The only way out for many in Valley
Desperate people waiting for a lift or walking on foot has become a common sight in the trouble-torn Kashmir valley where public transport has remained suspended for almost 80 days. As one passes through the otherwise busy highways and main roads in south and north Kashmir, long queues of people can be seen along the roadside trying to reach their destination with the help of strangers passing through. “We have been waiting here for the past two hours to reach Bijbehara,” says Ghulam Nabi, who was standing with his wife…
Read MoreFruit growers across Kashmir battle Closed Mandis, Storage due to unrest
As per the data of the Horticulture Department, there has been a three-fold rise in fruit consignments to various markets outside the state this month. Fruit growers in Kashmir have been forced to rush their produce to various markets across the country after the closure of local markets and cold storage facilities owing to the ongoing unrest. According to officials of the Department of Horticulture (Planning and Marketing), the closure of local mandis and cold storage facilities, coupled with non-availability of labour, have forced the fruit growers to harvest and…
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