Burhan Wani’s martyrdom breathed new life in struggle
July 8 marks a year since the killing of the charismatic youthful commander of Hizbul Mujahideen by Indian security forces, a sudden and unforeseen event that shocked people but also spurred them to greater resistance. Burhan’s mystique captured the imagination of the Kashmiris. However, the intense protests following his death came with a steep price tag, with hundreds of Kashmiris killed and wounded, many with permanent blindness caused by malicious use of shotguns. For nearly two months curfew was imposed in major towns, separatist leaders were arrested, education and normal life disrupted, but Hurriyat calls for shutter- down strikes still met with widespread support despite the shortages of foodstuffs and blocking of internet and social media sites. But then, ‘Liberty, brightest in dungeons thou art, for there thy habitation is the heart…’ and the Kashmiris proved it. The recent revolting image of a stone thrower tied in front of an Indian army jeep, reveals the oppressor’s desperation.
But the plucky Kashmiris, are still giving the over 600,000 troops a tough time. They face not only lethal weapons, but also draconian laws like POTA, which give troops wide scope for detention, torture, extra-judicial killings and forced disappearances. The ‘paradise on earth’ is a killing field with mass graves reportedly dotted across the valley, one of the reasons New Delhi is loath to permit access to international human right groups.
The enormity of the struggle requires thousands of Burhan and Khalid (his elder brother also martyred by Indian troops) Wanis. Apart from the Indian stubbornness against talks, other obstacles are, Islamabad’s disjointed policies and domestic problems, the Trump-Modi nexus, which equates the Kashmir struggle with radical Islamic terrorism, and Maulana Fazl ur Rehman being head of Kashmir Parliamentary Committee. Although Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s remarks on Kashmir are heartening, western defenders of human rights are silent. With Burhan Wani gone, the torch has been passed to a new generation, including schoolgirls boldly protesting Indian atrocities. Kashmiris will conquer with his martyrdom. Their endless night and fight against fetters will eventually triumph.