Appoint Desmond Tutu A UN Arbiter To Resolve Kashmir, Says American Council

A landmark idea has been floated in Washington and New York to tackle one of the oldest items on the UNSC agenda

An elite group of Kashmiri Americans has proposed to UN secretary general Mr. Ban Ki-Moon to appoint rights activist Bishop Desmond Tutu as head of a UN effort to stabilize Kashmir, where 2,700 unmarked graves were discovered last month.

Warning that Indian occupation soldiers are responsible for a “semi-genocidal campaign” in the disputed territory, the Kashmiri American Council [KAC] used the occasion of the raising of Libya’s new flag at the UN to paint a dark picture behind India’s media blackout on Kashmir.

KAC’s statement is linked to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s remarks during The Otto L. Walter annual lecture at the New York Law School. In the lecture, Mr. Ki-Moon appeared to be reviving a key function of the UN: to support the will of the people.

KAC is an American group lobbying for peace by resolving one of the oldest international disputes on the agenda of UN Security Council. India first involved the UN in the dispute and its first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, pledged on 2 November 1948 to allow Kashmiris the right to decide their future but later reneged and forcibly annexed the region.

Mr. Ki-Moon said that support for the Libyan people has revived UN’s mission of standing by the people when their government cannot or will not protect them.

Kashmiris in the Indian-controlled territory and the large Kashmiri Diaspora worldwide “look to the Secretary General of the United Nations as the custodian of the moral responsibility of the United Nations,” KAC said in a statement.

Copies of KAC’s statement were received at powerful offices in the US capital, including the White House, the Department of State and the Capitol building.

The KAC board also referred to petitions submitted earlier to the office of the UN Secretary General:

“The people of Kashmir have tried to address to you various petitions and communications regarding the situation in Kashmir. The information establishes that a massive campaign of brutal oppression that was launched by India in 1990 continues unabated. Various estimates are given of the death toll of civilians so for. Making due allowance for unintended exaggerations, the figure runs into tens of thousands. Countless individuals have been maimed and countless women molested and assaulted. United States, Department of State’s country report on human rights says that 8,000 to 10,000 people have involuntarily disappeared.”

The group’s principals made sure to remind Washington and the international diplomatic presence at the UN of the unmarked graves in Kashmir, which is a scandal for India because the country is already home to 21^st century’s first and biggest genocide so far, where 2,000 Indians were butchered over three days in 2002 for being non-Hindus.

“The Board quoted Amnesty International which in its report on September 26, 2011, said that over 2700 unmarked graves have been identified by an 11-member police investigation team of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in four districts of north Kashmir. The state government must ensure that all past and current allegations of enforced disappearances are promptly, thoroughly, independently and impartially investigated and that, where there is sufficient evidence, anyone suspected of responsibility for such crimes is prosecuted in proceedings which meet international fair trial standards.”

In a proposal that could help nudge Kashmir on the UN Security Council’s agenda, KAC offered key suggestions:

“The Board warned that India has succeeded in erecting a smokescreen by claiming that the Kashmir issue is to be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan without the intervention of a third party. That wishful thinking has never allowed a meaningful dialogue for a durable and equitable settlement of Kashmir dispute. The human urgency of the situation in Kashmir demands that tripartite negotiations between Governments of India and Kashmir & the genuine leadership of the people of the State of Jammu and Kashmir be initiated under the leadership of the United Nations. The U.N. can appoint a person of an international standing, like Bishop Desmond Tutu to be the facilitator in this regard.”

Kashmiri-American sources in Washington DC tell PakNationalists.com that Kashmiri-Americans are already in contact with US lawmakers and diplomats from several countries, including Turkey, Belgium, Russia, China and Pakistan, in addition to senior UN officials, to push the idea of Mr. Tutu leading a UN-sponsored arbitration of the Kashmir dispute.

US officials and experts working to improve the chances of peace between Pakistan and India find the idea worth considering.

Syed Ali Geelani issues a statement against the ongoing religious aggression in Kashmir

Chairman Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Shah Geelani, tuesday alleged that Christian missionaries in Kashmir were luring “naïve” muslim boys and girls with money and other incentives to convert to Christianity.

In a statement issued here, Geelani appealed ulema to fulfill their “religious responsibility and defeat this heinous conspiracy.”

“Hurriyat would take ulema into confidence and devise a strategy to save the nation from this cancer. We hope the ulema would rise above differences and extend their full cooperation in fighting these conspiracies,” he said in a statement here to PBI.

“Even though we are not against any religion, we cannot allow anyone to lead astray our children or take undue advantage of their naivety,” Geelani said.
“Christian missionaries have been utilizing funds from America and Europe for converting naïve people of other religions to Christianity, and this has often led to conflicts in several parts of the world,” he said.
“When the entire subcontinent witnessed unprecedented bloodbath in 1947 , not a single incident of the sort took place in Jammu and Kashmir . However, the conspiratorial activities of Christian missionaries can lead to disturbances and lead to an unfavourable situation because no Muslim can see his child being lured with money to shun his religion,” he said. (PBI)

Kashmiri Muslims conversion to Christianity | Is an another unrest in making?

By Sheikh Saaliq
In a shocking revelation on the social networking sites few hours ago a video has surfaced all over showing Kashmiri Muslims converting to Christianism in an appearance before a rabbinical court. The video which was leaked a day ago is being shared all over the internet.

There are lots of speculations that this video doesn’t belong to Kashmir and is a video of some other place but The Vox Kashmir team has investigated and found out the video is of the city outskirts somewhere in the strong hold of Christian missionaries. The video clearly indicates a large number of Kashmir Young boys and Women converting to Christainism.

IS IT TRUE:

The Vox Kashmir proves that the video is from kashmir

The Attire Used:

Th attire used by the most number of youth shown in video are the typical Kashmiri dress. As the video has been shot just days back the people in video are also wrapped in warm clothes as winter is approaching in Kashmir.

Calling people by their names:

The cleric in the video is being shown calling the people by their names when they are ready to take a ritual bath as per christian religion. It is pertinent to mention that the cleric uses names such as Mohammad Yousuf, Ayoub, Riyaz Ahmad, Idrees and Shabir which are mostly used in kashmir. And above all names are Muslim names.

Using of some Kashmiri language during ritual:

The video itself shows apart from calling people by their names the cleric uses some of Kashmiri words while he is performing some chritain rituals. He uses some of these words “Thod wath” (get Up), “Near-sa” (Now go) and many words like these like which clearly show that the video if from Kashmir.

Singing some religous songs is Kashmir language:

The video also shows that many people are witnessing this event and most of them holding green and white flags in their hands. When cleric calls people one by one to convert people surrounding them including the cleric sing some kind of a song in Hindi “Yeshu ke peech mein chalne laga na lotoongaa, na lotoongaa” (I wil come following the Christ and i will not look back). After some time the song is again being repeated but this time in kashmir language. “Yesuas pat pat be ha paky, wapas na yimy” (I wil come following the Christ and i will not look back) which clearly now indictes that the people converted are Kashmiri Muslims.

Cleric telling to spread Christainism in Kashmir:

The biggest proof is itself the cleric in white attire. At the end the cleric thanks his God and thanks people for accepting christanism their new religion and coming to new life. After this the cleric promises to spread this religion to whole Kashmir while saying this:
“Aaj ke baad Khudawand teri badshaht prati din vadiye kashmir mein Badti jaye gi” (From now on the God’s religion will spread in Valley the of Kashmir too)

TAIL PIECE:

After seeing this video the reaction have been very sharp. TVK is not any how challenging the religion of Christainism and is neither opposite the people who converted but in a place like Kashmir where you only need mere things to make a unrest will this Video take over the emotions of Muslims of Kashmir and the main question is that is another unrest in making?
That remains and enigma…..

Rethinking Kashmir

Guest Post By: Farhana Qazi

Defined by tourist cliches and brilliantly crafted one-liners, the disputed territory of Kashmir is a backpacker’s haven and “paradise on earth.” And while charmingly seductive, the idyllic landscape is beset by a sense-of-siege and is home to millions eager for change and consistency. Nearly two-decades of conflict and on-and-off talks between nuclear arch-rivals India and Pakistan have had few meaningful results. Deeply disappointed by Indian and Pakistani political ploys, people on both sides of the mountain passionately push for peace, either through active participation in much-talked-about-protests or political party meetings that are all-inclusive. Outside of government, residents of the conflict, many of whom are bewitched by deaths and disappearances of friends and foes, undertake risks to release information and record present grievances. Without the people of Kashmir, high-level talks will fail to alter the status-quo of aggressive policies, artificial politics, and animated street protests. The latest issue to haunt the valley is the discovery of mass graves and cyclical human rights abuses-neither issue is new to the residents of Kashmir, but a common narrative they have become achingly accustomed to. In Buried Evidence, a multiauthored publication by The International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Indian-administered Kashmir, the death toll between 1989 and 2009 is listed as well over 8,000-these include enforced or involuntary disappearances and an additional 70,000 or more were found dead. The authors contend that a history of “violence and violation” of human rights abuses result in anguish and anxiety among the population. In the summer of 2008, the international community offered a limited response to the mass graves discovery. For example, the European Parliament passed a resolution to denounce disappearances, detentions and deaths since the outbreak of conflict, calling for an impartial and independent investigation-similar to requests being made by international human rights organizations this year. Three years later, the same story repeats itself. This summer, Amnesty International and India’s Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission released reports with terrifying statistics of the dead and disappeared-a report that Indian authorities have repelled, despite outside pressure for transparency. The imbroglio over unmarked and unknown mass graves in Kashmir raises doubt and deepens distrust with the ruling elite. Amnesty’s report highlights a fundamental question of whether the Indian state is legitimate or lawful in its “occupation” of Kashmir-an instrumental issue that is debated. Discussion of the ongoing dispute has had a chilling effect and on the local population. The impact of unsettled policies has taken its toll on the youth. In a recent interview, a Srinagar-based doctor, who wished to be unnamed, expressed his concern that the youth of Kashmir are unable to cope in an unending and unresolved conflict. As a physician, he points to the youth’s increasing use of over-the-counter or inexpensive drugs. The doctor noted, “The trauma of war contributes to an ailing society. Most people suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. To live, Kashmiris are on drugs. We are all sick. Even children take cheap medicine to fall asleep. What will happen to our youth? They have no coping mechanism.” A temporary respite from rage, drugs masquerade the desperation and depression that local residents share. Countless stories of women as told by journalists, including my own collection of mourning, discredit India and Pakistan’s attempt at negotiation. Without taking into account the narrative of violence and a vicious cycle of neglect, the South Asian leaders’ initiative to engage one another is just that-a media blunder that masks the agony and affliction local Kashmiris have harbored for nearly six decades. The Kashmiri people are determined to seek a political solution. Aware of India and Pakistan’s recent overtures to resume dialogue, local communities on both sides of the border watch for signs of prosperity. High-level meetings between the two arch-rivals may be a significant step, though historical record of previous attempts at dialogue proves that neither India nor Pakistan is willing to make critical concessions. Interviews of local residents sport a business-as-usual attitude. A young lawyer in Srinagar admitted, “All the leaders are playing with the blood of martyrs. That is injustice.” A similar distrust expressed by other Kashmiris with their party leaders highlights the failure and fiasco of local officials to take seriously a collapsing society. A Kashmiri law student in exile indicated, “Every political party is vested in itself, with no regard for the people. Until they learn to serve the people, there is nothing India and Pakistan can do to settle the dispute.” A divided Kashmir may present opportunities for India and Pakistan in the short-term, but long-term inadequate policies will encourage strategic encirclement. To move forward on Kashmir, India and Pakistan may need an Arab ally to help South Asian rivals redesign their ambitions for Kashmir to ensure a longer time-table for progress. An outside negotiator has the potential to allow New Delhi and Islamabad to stitch together a political model that involves the people of the valley. Absent an outside collaborator, India and Pakistan risk reducing Kashmir to symbolic gestures, sensationalized by the international press as disingenuous and dishonest

. — Farhana Qazi is a senior lecturer on Pakistan and Islam for the US government. She can be reached at farhana331@gmail.com

TERRORIZING THE TERRORIZED

By: Koshur Mazloom

When crusaders started their crusade against Muslims, they obliterated everything which they encountered on their way. They massacred women, children and old without any mercy. Christian crusaders were blinded by religious fanaticism.

They laid the foundation stone of what in modern times is called, ‘Religious Fanaticism’ and which is strengthened by ‘terrorism’. But still no one talks about Christian crusaders today. When George. W. Bush announced his "War on Terrorism" he called it a ‘Crusade’. What a dilemma. ‘Crusade against Terrorism’. In other words “Terrorism against Terrorism”. Let us not forget, Western bigots have been preparing the ground for this ‘Crusade’ since long. World Trade Center attack by Osama (no one though proved through a trial that it was he who attacked WTC but then he has already been punished for his unproven guilt) was a watershed event. Western media left no stone unturned to blame Muslims for the act. Fox news of United States of America pasted the caption ‘War on US’ over the TV screen for months altogether. They used to write war in green letters and US in blood red. This implied war on US was declared by green army of Muslims. Slowly and steadily they were successful to change the perception of their people about Muslims and message was clear. Muslims are not any ordinary people but are all terrorists. This was further emphasized by G.W. Bush by his slogan, "Crusade against Terrorism". For him ‘Crusade’ meant holy war and ‘Terrorism’ meant Muslims. However for us ‘Crusade’ meant Terrorism and ‘Terrorists’ meant Muslims. And we tasted that crusade. G. W. Bush managed to slaughter one million 'terrorists' read Muslims in Iraq and still counting. His crusade which started from Afghanistan is going on with venom still today. Thousands of Afghans and Pakistanis have lost their lives and still counting there as well. So, modern day Crusade has achieved far better results for them than the old times crusade. In modern day crusade they did not find any Salah u Din Ayubi to confront them.

But still question remains, How can they justify to their future generations that whatever they did was not terrorism? How can they prove that Muslims were all terrorists or all terrorist were Muslims? Let us leave that to their future generations to question and judge. Let us observe with objectivity and with facts provided by them only, how much role Muslims played in terrorizing them.

Muslims are Terrorists

"All Muslims are terrorists" was the accusation. When the hypocrites who made this statement realized no one in their right mind would believe that all 1.6 billion Muslims in the world could be terrorists, they reversed the statement to sound more objective and fair: Thus they modified it and claimed, “All Muslims may not be terrorists, but almost all terrorists are Muslims.” Average American will continue to watch the mainstream media day in, day out and see pictures of “Muslim terrorists” flashed across the screen or spoken about for hours on the radio. Here are some hard facts to make it clear that every perception is not a reality.

The Facts

According to the FBI database, there have been 318 terrorist incidents in the US from 1980-2005. That includes 209 bombings and 43 arsons. Out of those incidents, 42% were committed by Latino groups, 24% by Extreme Left Wing groups, 7% by Jewish Extremists, 6% by Muslim Extremists, and 5% by Communists.

A RAND Corporation [funded by the U.S. government] report titled

“Would-be Warriors” reveals some very interesting facts:

Not a single U.S. civilian has been killed by Muslim extremists since Sept 11, 2001.

Only 3 out of 83 acts of terrorism between 9/11 and 2009 were done by Muslim extremists. Most were by animal rights and environmental activists.

There was more terrorism in the 1970s than the 21st century. There were over 60 terrorist incidents per year on U.S. soil, most of them being bombings. That’s 15 – 20 times more terrorism than post 9/11.

Europol’s report titled “EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report” showed that 0.4% of terrorist attacks from 2006-2008 were committed by Muslim extremists. That means 99.6% of terrorist attacks were by non-Muslims, most of which were separatists and leftists.

U.S. Terrorist Organizations

If you were asked to name five major terrorist organizations in the US, how many could you name besides al-Qaeda? Most people couldn’t name more than one. So here are some to help you balance the distorted view that the media feeds you with:

Animal Liberation Front: Is known for sabotaging animal testing facilities, etc. The FBI explicitly said that ALF is the “leading domestic terrorist threat.”

Alpha 66 and Omega 7: Cuban exiles opposed to anyone who takes a moderate approach to Castro. They are responsible for many bombings.

Army of God: Anti-abortion and anti-gay. Known for bombing at least two abortion clinics, a lesbian nightclub, and the Summer Olympics in 1996. They believe that Anglo-Saxons are the only true children of God.

Aryan Nations: A white nationalist, neo-Nazi, and Christian Identity group. The RAND Corporation described it as the “first truly nationwide terrorist network.”

Black Liberation Army: They carried out a series of bombings, robberies, and prison breaks.

The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord: Another Christian Identity organization.

Earth Liberation Front: Eco-terrorist group. The FBI in March 2001 said that it is the number one domestic terrorist threat.

Jewish Defense League: Founded by Rabbi Meir Kahane, they executed at least 15 terrorist attacks in the U.S. [more than al-Qaeda] and are responsible for at least 60 bombings.

Ku Klux Klan: A white supremacist, anti-Communist, anti-Semitic, and anti-Catholic group.

Militia Movement: An anti-government movement. One common tactic is to explode pipe bombs at government facilities. They have about 20,000-60,000 members in the U.S.

Phineas Priesthood: Another Christian Identity movement that is against interracial intercourse, homosexuality, abortion, and multiculturalism.

Symbionese Liberation Army: A far left organization.

United Freedom Front: A Marxist organization responsible for at least 20 bombings and 9 bank robberies.

The Weather Underground: A far left organization responsible for at least 45 bombings between 1970 – 1977.

Ejercito Popular Boricua [Boricua People’s Army]: They have been demanding independence of Puerto Rico from U.S. imperialism.

New World Liberation Front: A far-left organization responsible for at least 70 bombings in the Bay Area alone.

International Terrorist Organizations

Of course, terrorism is not only an American phenomenon, but exists worldwide. Here are some examples abroad:

Aum Shinrikyo: Japan. A new religious movement responsible for the 1995 Sarin Nerve Gas attacks in the Tokyo subway.

All Tripura Tiger Force: India. Their goal is to expel all immigrants of Tripura. 90% of members are Hindu and 10% are Christian.

Babbar Khalsa: India/Canada. A Sikh religious organization that blew up a 747 jet in 1985 killing 329 people [including 280 Canadian citizens].

Communist Party of India (Maoist): Prime Minister Singh said that they are “the single biggest security challenge ever faced by our country”. They have killed over a thousand people.

Provisional Irish Republican Army: Ireland. They have killed over 1800 people.

ETA (Basque Homeland and Freedom): Spain/France. They have killed almost a thousand people.

Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK): Turkey. A Socialist/Nationalist party demanding independence.

New Peoples Army: Philippines. A Communist organization.

National Liberation Front of Corsica: France. A separatist organization.

Justice Commandos Against Armenian Genocide: They have been trying to force Turkey to admit to the historical Armenian genocide. Responsible for at least 23 terrorist attacks.

Notable U.S. Terrorist Attacks

The following is a very brief list of terrorist attacks on U.S. soil to make it clear that American terrorism is as American as cherry pie.

1910: Bombing of the L.A. Times Building by James and John McNamara who wanted to unionize the paper.

1920: Wall Street bombing by followers of Luigi Galleani with 100 pounds of dynamite that killed 38 people and injured 400.

1927: Bath, Michigan Bombings by Andrew Kehoe who was angry over taxes. He set off three bombs killing 45 people [including 38 students].

1971: Bombing of the U.S. Capitol Building by the Weather Underground in protest against the U.S. invasion of Laos.

1972: Bombing of the Pentagon by the Weather Underground in retaliation for the U.S. bombing raid in Hanoi.

1975: Bombing of the Department of State Building by the Weather Underground in response to war escalation in Vietnam.

1976: Hijacking of Cubana Flight 455 by CIA-linked Cuban exiles who killed all 73 people on board.

1978-1995: Unabomber Attacks by Ted Kaczynski who sent letterbombs to academics and other influential people.

1995: Oklahoma City Bombing by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols who killed 168 people.

1996: Centennial Olympic Park Bombing by Eric Robert Rudolph for which President Clinton called “an evil act of terror”. This was the largest pipe bomb in U.S. history.

2001: Anthrax Attacks by Bruce Edwards Ivins.

2007: Virginia Tech Massacre by Seung-Hui Cho who killed 32 people. He likened himself to Jesus Christ and expressed his hatred of the rich.

2010: Austin IRS Attack by Andrew Joseph Stack who flew an airplane into the IRS building because he was mad at the government.

2011: Tucson Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords where Jared Lee Loughner shot nineteen people.

Image is Everything

It is obvious that media gives maximum coverage to ‘Muslim Terrorism’ and usually labels it so and in other cases little coverage is given and the nomenclature is usually confined to ‘terrorism’ only without any prefixes before the word terrorism.The only statistics that are missing is the amount of media coverage per terrorist incident or group. It shouldn’t surprise anyone now that Muslims usually receive the most coverage despite the fact that they are near the bottom of the list when it comes to terrorist activity.

Now that the facts are clear, do you think anyone would dare to rephrase the statement and end with “almost all terrorists are…” Latinos, leftists, environmentalists, Christians, Sikhs or Jews? I doubt it. This twisted logic is only applied for Muslims, not anyone else. No never. It will be considered a blashphemy and anti - semitism. But for Muslims no rules apply. Muslims are still the dreaded terrosits for them despite being slaughtered day in and day our in the name of 'Crusade against Terrorism'. Who wil turn the tables on them and call their criminal crusades, as acts of real terrorism. But then we Muslims do not posses Fox TV and CNN to do that job for us. We possess only collaborators in our ranks and puppets on thrones. Our media is an extension of their media. No one among us is ready to bust their myths. We have only been given a job of pleading not guilty and playing as victims which we actually are. But no one is ready to accept that. Hope our future generations will not take these things as a norm . Hope they will confront them. Hope !

Koshur Mazloom © 2011

AFSPA has no legal sanction

Disturbed Area Act expired in 1998

Amidst the deafening noise of the heated debate that is going on the issue of the proposed partial withdrawal of the dreaded Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from some select parts of Jammu and Kashmir, the bare fact that the said law have no legal cover or sanction and that its provisions are being invoked deceitfully as the same have no legal sanction or cover. As per the statute book, provisions of AFSPA can be invoked by the Army and other paramilitary forces only in areas that fall within the purview of the Disturbed Area Act DDA). That is, AFSPA can come in operation only in those areas which have been declared as being ‘disturbed’ under the provisions of the DAA.

As per the official records, We could lay its hands on, Jammu and Kashmir was brought under the purview of the DAA in 1990 by the then Governor Jagmohan, when entire Kashmir valley was caught in unprecedented militant violence and there happened to be no trace of any governance worth its name. At that time, Jagmohan invoked the provisions of DAA to confer special powers to the police (not Army), special powers to conduct searches, arrest those suspected of being involved in militancy related activities and also the power to open fire on what could be called as ‘unlawful assemblies’. That time, Army was not formally called to deal with the militancy and instead this job remained entrusted to the otherwise non-operational police and paramilitary forces.

The promulgation of Governor Jagmohan was to remain in force till July, 1992, when the centre invoked the provisions of AFSPA, as the state continued to remain under the direct central rule.

Incidentally, AFSPA, during this period, remained in force only because the state, which was for all practical purposes under the direct central rule, had declared Jammu and Kashmir valley as “disturbed”. In July 1992, with the armed rebellion only spreading, the President — the state was by now under President's rule — re-enacted the law and since then it was extended by the parliament every year, till a civilian government was formed in Jammu and Kashmir in 1996, with National Conference ‘sweeping’ the polls and Farooq Abdullah taking over as the chief minister of the state.

In 1997, National Conference government brought an enactment before the state legislature, replacing the old disturbed Area Act that was promulgated in 1992, by the President. The enactment adopted by the two houses of the state legislature in 1997, lapsed only a year after, 1998 and was never extended after that by the legislature.

This means that in the eye of the law, Disturbed Area Act is no longer applicable in any part of Jammu and Kashmir and consequently the dreaded AFSPA has lost its validity as the latter can be operational only in the areas that stand declared as ‘disturbed’, under the DAA. If one goes strictly by the provisions of the law, then from 1998, AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir is being invoked in gross violations of the law and all the actions taken under the Act are illegal and unconstitutional.

Jammu and Kashmir’s Law secretary G H Tantray is on record to have confirmed that “The Act, enacted by the Assembly in 1997 to replace the old Disturbed Areas Act, 1992 lapsed only a year later in 1998”.

For quite some time it is being argued on behalf of the proponents of AFSPA that unless Disturbed Area Act is not withdrawn by the state government the law remains in force. They dare the state government to issue notification for the withdrawal of the DAA if it seriously and sincerely wanted to revoke AFSPA.

State government, on its part, might well decide to withdraw the Disturbed Areas Act, but doing that would be nearly impossible, because the law doesn't exist anymore on the statute book.

In fact, former Deputy Chief Minister, Muzafar Hussain Baig, who also held portfolio of Law in the previous government, pointing to this glaring illegality and impropriety had moved a resolution during the 2009 budget session of the Legislative Assembly calling upon the House to declare the existence of AFSPA in Jammu and Kashmir as ‘illegal and unconstitutional’ as the DAA no longer was operative in the state. Baig contended that when the very source from which the AFSPA derived its powers and authority was non-existent, how AFSPA could be in operation.

However, ironically, the Omar Abdullah government, which is now very vocal in calling for the revocation of AFSPA, vehemently opposed the resolution moved by Baig.

October 27, 1947: Dakota in my dell

Guest Post By: Sameer Bhat

Autumn wind rustled in the terrified vale. In the chimneys of Srinagar, nestling birds shuffled. A DC-3 Douglas Aircraft Company Transport Airplane (called Dakota in brief) was heard in the sky around 8.15 in the morning. The dull camouflage paint suggested that the propeller-driven plane belonged to the Royal Air Force (gifted to the newly formed Dominion of India). Commandeered by Biju Patniak (who later went on to become the CM of Orrisa), the DC-3 had 17 soldiers of 1-Sikh regiment on board. The bumpy flight had just crossed Pir Panchal and was going to significantly alter the course of history in the subcontinent. Its first attempt to land on the ramshackle Srinagar airstrip was not successful.

Lt Col Dewan Ranjit Rai, the commanding officer of the party was getting edgy.

He asked the pilot to fly low on the airstrip again, this time, to ensure that no raiders were around. Also since the first hasty attempt to land was abortive, Plan B was to turn back to Delhi. Instructions from PM Nehru’s office were clear: If the airport was taken over by the enemy, you are not to land. Taking a full circle the DC-3 flew ground level. Anxious eye-balls peered from inside the aircraft – only to find the airstrip empty. Nary a soul was in sight. The raider party – also called Tariq’s raiders (after Gen Mohammad Akbar Khan of Pakistan’s 13 Frontier Force Rifles, codenamed Gen Tariq) were busy distributing the war booty amongst them in Baramulla.

Four days ago the fiercely combative Afridi tribals with active help from the Pakistan army, galvanized by reports of the mass murder of Muslims in Jammu, attacked Kashmir. Codename: Operation Gulmarg. Everything went according to plan for the Pakistanis. A few hours after the daredevil blitzkrieg was launched on October 24, 1947, Muzaffarabad fell. On October 25 the tribal militia, backed by regular army troopers, reached Uri. By evening the tiny town was captured. Mirpur and Poonch looked vulnerable. The Maharaja’s troopers were absolutely no match. The Pakistani onslaught was ferocious, sudden and swift. By the morning of October 26, 1947 the advancing squad was knocking at the doors of Baramulla. By afternoon the most important township in north Kashmir was taken. The same evening a feeble Hari Singh fled Srinagar, anticipating savage raiders – any moment — to drag him out of his Hari Niwas palace to impale him.

Ofcourse the moment never came. The uncouth raiders in the words of Gen Mohammad Akbar Khan (Brigadier-in-Charge, Pakistan, in War for Kashmir in 1947) himself: ‘Delayed in Baramulla for two (whole) days for some unknown reason’. The loot and orgy in Baramulla continued well into the morning of October 27, 1947. Around that same time the DC-3 hovered over the airspace of the still independent Kashmir. Later Indian claims that its forces landed on the Srinagar airport — only after signatures on the Instrument of Accession by Maharaja and the Indian government were obtained — is riddled with some confusion and disputed. Be as it may the Dakota quietly touched down, almost unnoticed at 8.30am. For the first time — ever — India was in Kashmir to help. Sometimes in history friends can cook up a storm.

A total of 704 sorties right from the morning of October 27, 1947 till November 17, 1947 meant that the tribals were totally routed by the more professional Indian army. PM Nehru was ecstatic. On November 2, 1947, the PM spoke to the nation from All India Radio. Nehru was pointed: [Quote] We are anxious not to finalize anything in a moment of crisis and without the fullest opportunity to be given to the people of Kashmir to have their say. It is for them ultimately to decide — And let me make it clear that it has been our policy that where there is a dispute about the accession of a state to either Dominion, the accession must be made by the people of that state. It is in accordance with this policy that we have added a proviso to the Instrument of Accession of Kashmir. [Unquote]

The matter went to the UN which announced a ceasefire of hostilities, pending a plebiscite. Pakistan still holds onto a part of Kashmir. The Indian army continues to increase its footprint in Kashmir and at present constitutes the highest military-civilian ratio anywhere in the known world.

63 years later, the battle for Kashmir wages on.

Postscript: Col Rai was killed in Kashmir a day after he landed. Gen Tariq was jailed under the Rawalpindi conspiracy case but was later released and went on to become the chief of national security under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

The day Maharaja went for Kashmir Accession

Guest Post By: ZAHOOR HUSSAIN BHAT

On October 26, 1947, the State of Jammu and Kashmir acceded to the Dominion of India when its ruler Maharaja Hari Singh signed an Instrument of Accession and the Governor General of India, Lord Mountbatten accepted the instrument. With this Maharaja handed-over the Valley to India. This was the time when thousands of tribal groups had raided the State. By the Instrument of Accession, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir accepted three subjects as ones on which the Dominion Legislature may make laws for the State. They were: Defence, External Affairs and Communication. While accepting the Instrument of Accession Mountbatten put forth the condition that as soon as peace is restored in Kashmir the people of Kashmir should confirm the Accession of the State.

On October 27, 1947 Indian troops were airlifted to Srinagar. The landing of troops in Srinagar was justified by Government of India by stating that troops were sent as was requested by the ruler of the state; and only after he had decided to accede to the Indian Union. However M J Akbar, the author of Nehru’s biography, has expressed doubts about Hari Singh’s formal request for assistance. He writes, “Nehru and Patel were both determined to send the army into Kashmir whether Hari Singh asked for them or not”.

Historians are of the view that the strongly nationalistic Kashmiris were fearful of joining India given the communal holocaust raging elsewhere in India during the Partition. This is clearly articulated in a famous speech by Sheikh Abdullah on October 22, 1947 where he explains the apprehension of the Kashmiri Muslims in joining India, given the massacre of Muslims in Kapurthala and elsewhere in India. However, Abdullah would consent to provisional accession to India on October 27 clearly stating that it was a provisional accession ultimately to be decided by a plebiscite.

The Maharaja made an order on October 30, 1947 appointing Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah as “the Head of the Administration with power to deal with the emergency” and appointed a twenty three member Emergency Council “pending the formation of the Interim Government”. By a proclamation issued on March 5, 1948 the Maharaja decided “to replace the Emergency Administration by a popular interim Government and to provide for its powers, duties and functions, pending the formation of a fully democratic Constitution”.

The State of Jammu and Kashmir was then governed by the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution Act, 1939. Justice Dr. A.S Anand, an eminent judge, opined in his book, ‘The Development of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir’: “The Government of Jammu and Kashmir did not accept the Constitution of India as a Constitution for the State.

Despite the accession, the State was still to be governed by the old Constitution Act, 1939. This was because the Government of India had given an undertaking that the people of Kashmir could frame their own Constitution. The Government of India could not force the State to accept the constitution (of India), for that would violate the agreed terms of the association of Kashmir with India. The State had voluntarily surrendered three matters only (Defence, External Affairs and Communication) and the Government of India could not enlarge the sphere of its jurisdiction at its own discretion”.

On November 2, 1947 speaking on all India Radio Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru said, “Destiny of Kashmir is ultimately to be decided by the people who live in it. We have given this promise not only to people of Kashmir, but to the world. We will not and cannot back out of it”.

On November 25, 1947 Nehru informed the Indian Parliament that we have suggested, “When people of Kashmir are given a chance to decide their future, this should be done under the supervision of an impartial court such as United Nations Organization”.

Nehru in a famous speech at Lal Chowk made it clear that the wishes of Kashmiri’s regarding the State of Jammu and Kashmir would be consulted in a plebiscite or referendum. He would repeat this promise time and again in various speeches from 1947-1951 and the 1948 Indian White Paper clearly records that the accession of Kashmir to India is provisional until such time as the will of the people of the State could be ascertained by a plebiscite.

On November 1, 1947 Mountbatten held a meeting at Lahore with Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah & Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. Nehru on the justification of illness failed to attend meeting.

Pakistani leaders made it clear that accession was based on fraud and violence and was not genuine.

Nehru approached the UN Security Council to seek its help to settle the issue. On January 1, 1948 the Security Council of United Nations was called upon by India under article 34 and 35 of Chapter VI of the United Nations. In Indian complaint it has been pledged that once the soil of the State had been cleared of the invaders and normal conditions restored its people could be free to decide their future by the democratic method of plebiscite or referendum which in order to ensure complete impartiality might be held under international auspices.

The Security Council met on January 15, 1948. The Indian delegation also included Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, head of Interim Government under Indian occupied Kashmir. The Indian representative referred to note of Mountbatten on instrument of accession that question of State’s final accession should be settled by reference to the people of Kashmir. Pakistan’s representative protested against Indian forces in Kashmir. He said that in the presence of Indian forces people of Kashmir could not express free will. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister made a forceful speech for five hours and made a history in records of United Nations. On January 20, 1948 Security Council by resolution No.39, established the United Nations Commission on India & Pakistan (UNCIP). On February 8, 1948 discussions in the UNO broke down on the question of free administration, as India wanted Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to continue as head of the administration during plebiscite or referendum.

Negotiations again resumed in March 1948 in UNO and on April 21, 1948 a resolution was passed according to which Government of Pakistan was asked to withdraw from Jammu & Kashmir all its forces, tribal & Government of India was asked to reduce her forces to minimum strength after which plebiscite be held on the question of accession of State to India or Pakistan. The resolution asked for U.N delegation to proceed to sub-continent at-once. It did not condemn Pakistan as aggressor as desired by India nor it touched upon the legal aspect of Kashmir’s accession to India. The UN Security Council resolution of April 21, 1948, clearly states that the final status of Jammu & Kashmir should be decided through an impartial plebiscite held under the auspices of the world body.

The United Nations resolutions of August 13, 1948 and January 5, 1949, proposed the plebiscite option for resolving the Kashmir dispute. These resolutions laid down the principles and procedures for a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices. Both India and Pakistan accepted the United Nations Resolutions. However, later, differences arose over the interpretation of various clauses of the resolutions, especially on the issues of demilitarization and disbandment/ disarming of the “Azad Kashmir” forces. India gave its own interpretation to the agreement and suggested that the Azad Kashmir forces be disbanded and the defence and administrative responsibility of the region be given to India and Indian Kashmiri authorities.

Pakistan, on the other hand, was in favour of a complete and simultaneous withdrawal of forces by both countries. By early 1948 Nehru had developed second thoughts about the plebiscite. The Indian leadership from the very beginning was aware that the majority of Kashmir was against accession with India and after dismissal of Sheikh Abdullah in August 1953 the alienation among Kashmiri people became increased.

Indian Constituent Assembly in 1949 adopted Article 370 of the Constitution, ensuring a special status and internal autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir with Indian jurisdiction in Kashmir limited to the three areas: defence, foreign affairs and communications. This was confirmed by Abdullah in 1952 Delhi Agreement and the State was allowed to have its own flag. In reality, Article 370 which was envisioned as a temporary measure till self-determination has been seriously eroded over years with the collusion of local ministers installed in rigged elections, by extending various articles like 356 and 357 to the State, by virtue of which the Centre can assume the government of the State and exercise its legislative powers.

Today, Kashmiri’s are worse off than people in other States in many respects: having been denied rights, Article 370 eroded and repressive acts such as Armed Forces Special Powers Act which lead to arbitrary arrests, torture and killing of thousands of innocent civilians.

What AFSPA & PSA Actually Is?

THE ARMED FORCES (JAMMU & KASHMIR) SPECIAL POWERS ACT, 1990:

The Armed Forces (Jammu & Kashmir) Special Powers Ordinance, introduced in July, 1990,was later enacted by the Parliament of India and enforced on 10th September, 1990. When certain areas are declared to be “disturbed”, the army and paramilitary forces are granted sweeping powers under Section 4 (C) of this Act. The armed forces can be used in aid of civil authorities and even a non commissioned officer can search any place, stop/seize any vehicle, fire at any person (and kill), or arrest him even on the basis of suspicion with no obligation to inform him of the grounds thereof. It gives the Indian security forces sweeping powers that facilitate arbitrary arrests and detention and extra judicial executions as well as destruction of property. The provisions of the black law are further violated in the occupied Kashmir by the security forces. Under the law, an arrested person is to be handed over to the nearest police station. But it is seldom done. Besides, the armed forces personnel are supposed to act as and when requested by the civilian authorities. In other words, the former should work under the direction of the latter. However, factually the security forces are inflicting atrocities on the Kashmiris without informing the civil administration. The State government has proved ineffective in controlling the Indian security forces, who have unleashed a reign of terror in occupied territory. The Act legitimizes barbarism in the State, as under Section 7, the security forces are given an immunity from prosecution for any act committed by them.

JAMMU & KASHMIR PUBLIC SAFETY ACT,1978

The Act promulgated in 1978 (amended in 1987 and1990) empowers the State government to detain a person without trial for two years under the pretext of maintenance of public order. The Act fell short of the recognized norms of justice, such as equality before law, the right of the accused of appearance before a Magistrate within 24 hours of arrest, fair trial in public, access to counsel, cross examination of the witnesses, appeal against conviction, protection from being tried under retrospective application of law, etc. Even the provisions of the Act, though already unsatisfactory, have been consistently violated. The detainees are not informed of the reasons of their arrest and they are kept in custody for a much longer period of time than stipulated in the Act. They are not allowed to meet their relatives and counsels. The amendment of 1990 extended its operation beyond the State, enabling the State machinery to keep the detainees in the jails of India, outside the State. Under Section 22 of the Act, any legal proceeding against officials for acts “done in good faith” are also disallowed.The law has been widely used against the innocent Kashmiris as well as political opponents. Thousands of people have over the years been detained under the Act.

Journalism in Occupied Kashmir

By: Muhammad Daheem

To report human misery without any pressure from any quarter is the basic right of journalists. No body can deny the freedom of expression in the modern age. Nonetheless, journalism is an uphill task in Indian occupied Kashmir. Kashmiris took arms against Indian occupied forces in 1989. Since then several journalists have been harassed, threatened, tortured and severely wounded by the Indian forces and state machinery. Several have survived fatal attacks. Many have lost their lives for the cause of freedom of expression. Even then the Kashmir press does not have the liberty to report facts and realities related to Kashmir issue. Nonetheless, several journalists are struggling to bring into light the realities related to freedom movement in Kashmir.The puppet regime of Indian held Kashmir is actively engaged in the state sponsored terrorism. The curfew passes of journalists are torn or declined or declared faked. The journalists, in such circumstances, find it difficult to reach their offices. Many news and text messages are blocked or banned to curb the rights of journalists in Kashmir.The Valley journalists are not allowed to express their genuine opinion about grim situation in Kashmir. Despite obstacles the scribes, writers and editors are exposing the atrocities of the Indian forces. The voice of the conscientious journalists is the voice of the freedom of expression.Kashmir is a valley of tears, death and cemetery of known and unknown martyrs. It is because of the atrocities of the Indian forces. In such circu
mstances conscientious media plays vital role. It closely watches the grim situation and struggles to portray a true picture of the events.Civilized societies do not tolerate attacks on journalists or arrest of editors and writers serving for the noble cause. The sincere journalists are part and voice of the society and they portray the true picture of the society. Unfortunately Kashmiri journalists have been deprived of presenting true political picture of events in Kashmir. It is one of the most unreported regions of the global world.The number of Indian forces present in the Kashmir region is more than half a million. These forces, a symbol of hatred for the Muslim all over Kashmir, erode media freedom and rights of journalists. The Indian forces try to hush up the damaging details of events from the community of journalists.On Jun. 11, 2010 Indian security forces killed a youth in Srinagar. The schoolboy was returning home from a tuition center. This resulted a series of protests across Kashmir. In consequence 14 more people got killed including several teenagers. A number of Kashmiris were i

njured as a result of police action.It was against this background that press associations met and decided to express their protest by suspending the publication of all local English and Urdu language newspapers in the Indian occupied Kashmir.The newspapers suspended publication from July 8 to 11 in 2010—— a rare example in the history of journalism.They did it as a protest “against the government’s policy on the movement restriction of reporters and technical staff”. Bashir Ahmad Bashir, an editor of an Urdu language daily mourns:“We had to suspend publication of our newspapers for four consecutive days given the restrictions imposed on media personnel. Our curfew passes were cancelled. Reporters and photojournalists were ruthlessly beaten up, while cases were filed against some media persons in an effort to stop them from publishing the reality.”Riyaz Masroor, a senior journalist, was “beaten up ruthlessly by policemen” after he identified himself as a journalist to authorities who stopped him outside his home.Journalists complain of restrictions on scribes, writers, editors and photojournalists by the state-controlled agencies. The media does not have the liberty to report independently.Journalists, in the light of professional journalistic code of ethics, have the right to express their views that come from the core of their heart. But the freedom of expression is still not acknowledged in the occupied Kashmir.Iftikhar Geelani, a journalist, was charged and arrested under the notorious Indian Official Secrets Act, a product of the British Colonial rule. He was accused of “storing information about India ‘s military presence in Kashmir and possessing classified documents prejudicial to the safety and security of the country,” in his laptop computer. Asiya Jeelani, an editor of a human rights group magazine, died of a mine blast while her colleague Khurram Parvez, an activist, lost his leg. The history of Kashmir is replete with atrocities of Indian forces in Kashmir.The Kashmir Press is under pressure. Journalists in Kashmir are struggling to stop violation of basic Human Rights of journalists — the right to express their viewpoint and report the bitter truth without pressure from any quarter.There are no private satellite television channels or private radio stations in Kashmir.Local cable television channels have been forced to cut their evening news bulletins to just 15 minutes. They are not permitted to rebroadcast the news. State-controlled radio and television are the voice of the puppet regime in Kashmir.

These are not considered to be authentic or reliable sources by the public.The Kashmir Press Association, Press Guild of Kashmir, Kashmir journalists’ Corporation, Kashmir Press Photographers Associations and Kashmir Video Journalists Associations are the voices of journalists.These voices are protesting against the government’s stern policy towards journalists and journalism. Daily Kashmir Express, the most circulated newspaper of the state, advocates the right of self- determination of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. This newspaper also highlights their respective problems that people of Kashmir are facing all over the world. Journalists are trying their best to support the voice of the people of Kashmir.A London-based think-tank survey shows that 75 to 95 percent Kashmiris want independence from the yoke of Indian slavery. The people are in favour of freedom of press. Unfortunately the photojournalists and video journalists opt for self-censorship in case of protest demonstration. This is because they are under pressure and working in difficult times. They are the daily victims of injustice and cruelty of Indian imperialism. From time to time they express their anger against Indian forces. The international community and Human Rights organizations should focus on the fate of journalism in Indian held Kashmir.Violation of Human Rights is common as unidentified gunmen abduct, humiliate and beat up journalists for performing their duty honestly. The reporters, photojournalists and their family members are arrested under the emergency public security law. The police refuses to release them despite logical protests made by the public. The conflict is escalating and even going to be out of control.Violation of basic rights of journalists is the root cause of many problems. When journalists are denied to reveal the truth to the public it becomes the cause of social unrest in the society. Journalists demand that their basic needs to be met without any foul play. Newspapers are largely dependent on politically controlled advertisements. These newspapers are blackmailed as their payments are withheld for publishing “objectionable material”.It is very difficult for genuine journalists to perform their duty in Held Kashmir. To ensure safety and security of journalists to perform their duties freely seems to be impossible in present circumstances. Moreover, threats to human rights defenders are common. Even the organizations seeking justice for journalists are considered dangerous and hushed up to talk of human rights in Kashmir.The journalists seek life saving methods while reaching the place of accident or clash between the Indian forces and the freedom fighters. The fear of death haunts them while covering the important events. In the unpredictable scenario, the future of journalism seems to be bleak in Kashmir unless occupied forces leave this beautiful valley.The journalists are the torchbearers for press freedom. They know peace cannot be achieved by brutal use of force. It can be achieved through justice and fair play for all.

27th October to be observed as "YOUM-E-SIYAH"(Black Day) : Syed Ali Geelani

India’s 'strong-arm tactics' had failed to subdue the 'freedom struggle' of Kashmiris, Hurriyat Conference chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, Monday said policy makers in New Delhi should do 'a post-mortem of their country’s failed Kashmir policy'.

Geelani said for the past over six decades, Kashmiris have continued their "struggle against Indian occupation despite all odds even as Indian forces have killed lakhs of Kashmiris during this time.”

“India has failed to subdue Kashmiris through force, and the time has come for policy makers in New Delhi to do a post-mortem of their Kashmir policy to see whether they have achieved anything in Kashmir,” he said.

“Have they succeeded in changing the hearts of Kashmiris, or strengthening their constituency here? The truth is that nothing of this sort has happened and, in fact, the freedom sentiment of the new generation has only gotten stronger by Delhi’s iron-fist policy,” Geelani said in a statement.

“Actually, the freedom sentiment is a natural sentiment, which cannot be suppressed, and the sooner India realizes this reality the better it is for the crores of people living in the sub-continent,” he added.

Geelani said Jammu and Kashmir is the world’s most militarized zone and the presence of armed forces in civil areas is a cause of huge inconvenience for locals.

Terming October 27, 1947, as the “blackest day” in history of Kashmir, Geelani reiterated his appeal to Kashmiris living in Pakistan administered Kashmir, Pakistan, Britain, and other countries to stage peaceful rallies and protests against “Indian occupation” of Kashmir and draw world attention towards the “threats to lives and properties of Kashmiris posed by the ten-lakh presence of Indian armed forces.”

He said Jammu and Kashmir was an independent and sovereign state until 1947 , and was bound to become a part of Pakistan as per the conditions of partition of the sub-continent. “ But India in a brazen display of aggressiveness landed its troops on October 27,1947, and occupied the region against the wishes of people,” he said.

Geelani said Kashmiris had been continuously “fighting against this illegal occupation but India has held on due to its military power.”

He said the Indian leaders had backtracked from the promises made to Kashmiris and also refused to implement the UN resolution granting Kashmiris their right to self determination.

He said human rights violations would continue to take place as long as Indian forces are present in Kashmir. “Therefore, people should observe a complete shutdown on October 27 in favour of complete demilitrisation of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

PROPAGANDA DICTATORS AND VIOLENT MUSLIMS

“Muslims are violent”. “Islam is a barbaric religion”. “Muslims are Terrorists”. These are most commonly heard sentences on social networking sites, blogs and TV debates. Muslims do little to counter these allegations as Muslim voice is muzzled in the ‘Free world’. Who will give platform to a Muslims in this ‘Free world’ where all the platforms are owned by those who are interested in portraying Muslims as killers? Anyone trying to do that finds himself shouted down and silenced. Muslims have been made to believe that whatever the Western and Pro – Western media tells, is true. When non – Muslims commentators claim that “All Muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are Muslims”, a gloomy silence is observed by those who know that whatever is being claimed is not true. This is unfortunate that world is experiencing the worst kinds of dictatorships at present. This dictatorship is a manifestation of propaganda unleashed the world over against the followers of Islam. Western media outfits and its puppets in the non – Western world have become demons of falsehood. When Hitler claimed that if a lie is spoken quite often, it becomes the truth, he gave a biggest key for the successful propaganda to the world. This false notion, “Muslims are killers” has been converted into the truth by using the same Hitler method by those who play as the worst victims of Nazi Holocaust. So who is following Hitler and his doctrines? It is a paradox that the method of Hitler’s propaganda war is still relevant today and has been adopted by the victims of Hitler’s holocaust in letter and spirit.

It is painful to flip through the pages of history and find that whatever is being said about Muslims and Islam does not hold any ground. It is equally painful that Muslims themselves do not come up with figures of worst genocides with names of architects of those genocides in front of the ‘Free Media’. It may be history but whatever is happening today is all because of the past. Why should these lies against Muslims and Islam be allowed to be replicated endlessly?

It will not help Muslims to stay silent. Remaining silent makes one think that ‘silence is acceptance of the guilt’. But silence here is not the acceptance of guilt but suppression of voice. Will Fox TV or CNN ever allow a Muslim to come out with right figures? It is not any secret that most of the media sells today because of lies which they have been telling the world. Who will follow them if they start showing the true picture to their gullible audience now? Media which created all the hype against Islam and Muslims can’t tell the world that, “ Hold on ! We have been wrong, please hear the truth now”. This will dent their interests and intrigues. Dictatorships of Falsehood through Media is such a potent tool that lot of Muslims have started to accept their imaginary guilt. I being a Muslims, a peaceful one throughout my life am being told that, I am the follower of a violent ‘cult’. I am unable to find my guilt but still I am forced to accept my undone sin. Is not this the worst kinds of tyrannies? When I want to ask them few questions or want to question their claim, I am being told to stay quiet. This is hurting my soul and killing the prospects of peaceful co existence. I then think, “Since I am being considered as a radicalized follower of a violent ‘cult’ without any reason whatsoever, what is the fun of staying peaceful then. ?”

This is what ‘Propaganda Dictators” cash in on, thus get their stories developed and manufactured . It is a continuing manufacturing process. More the propaganda, more stories they get. And Media sells, intrigues become successful, occupations become ‘peace keeping interventions’, and atrocities on innocents become ‘War on Terrorism’. Civilian deaths become ‘inevitable co lateral damage’ and superpowers remain as superpowers at the expense of Innocents and their natural resources.

I believe that these ‘Propaganda Dictators’ are tools of hegemonic powers. But letting them carry on with their propaganda is equally deplorable. We should do our best to counter their offensive with whatever tools available with us. Let us fight them with their own weapons. Let us bust their myths without being hysterical. I want to put some figures before ‘propaganda dictators’ and want them to identify my guilt in these figures. I have compiled an account of some notable genocide which happened in this world since 1900 till 2011. Let us see how many people Muslims have killed in these 111 years and how many humans have been slaughtered by non – Muslims. I hope these figures shall enlighten you. Let us see how barbaric Muslims are and how peaceful non – Muslims are.

HUMAN FATALITIES EXCLUDING CASUALITIES IN WARS

Mao Ze-Dong, Non - Muslim (1958-61 and 1966-69, Tibet 1949-50): 78 Million

Jozef Stalin, Non - Muslim (USSR, 1932-39): 23 Million

Adolf Hitler, Non - Muslim (Germany, 1939-1945): 12 Million (concentration camps and civilians WWII)

Leopold II of Belgium, Non - Muslim (Congo, 1886-1908): 8 Million

Hideki Tojo, Non - Muslim (Japan, 1941-44): 5 Million (civilians in WWII)

Ismail Enver, Muslim (Turkey, 1915-20): 1.6 Million Armenians and others (1915)

Pol Pot, Non - Muslim (Cambodia, 1975-79): 1.7 Million

India, Non - Muslim ( Jammu and Kashmir 1947 - 2011): 0.7 Million

Israel, Non - Muslim (Palestine, 1947 - 2011): 0.4 Million

Palestine, Muslim ( Israel, 1947 – 2011): 12 Thousand

George W Bush, Non - Muslim ( Iraq 2003 - 2008): 1.1 Million

George W Bush, Non - Muslim (Afganistan 2002 – 2008): 1 Million

Kim Il Sung, Non - Muslim (North Korea, 1948-94): 1.6 Million (purges and concentration camps)

Menghistu, Non - Muslim (Ethiopia, 1975-78): 1.5 Million

Yakubu Gowon, Non - Muslim (Biafra, 1967-1970): 1 Million

Leonid Brezhnev, Non - Muslims (Afghanistan, 1979-1982): 1 Million

Jean Kambanda, Non - Muslim (Rwanda, 1994):0.80 Million

Saddam Hussein, Muslim Communist (Iran 1980-1990 and Kurdistan 1987-88): 0.5 Million

Tito, Non - Muslim (Yugoslavia, 1945-1987): 0.6 Million

Sukarno (Communists 1965-66): 0.5 Million

Fumimaro Konoe, Non - Muslim (Japan, 1937-39): 0.5 Million (Chinese civilians)

Jonas Savimbi, Non - Muslim (Angola, 1975-2002): 0.4 Million

Idi Amin, Muslim (Uganda, 1969-1979): 0.3 Million

Yahya Khan, Muslim (Pakistan, 1970-71): 0.1 Million (Bangladesh)

Mukti Bahini, Muslims supported by India (East – Pakistan 1970 – 71): 35 Thousand ( Urdu speaking Pakistanis)

Benito Mussolini, Non - Muslim (Ethiopia, 1936; Libya, 1934-45; Yugoslavia, WWII): 0.4 Million

Mobutu Sese Seko, Non - Muslim (Zaire, 1965-97): 0.3 Million

Charles Taylor, Non - Muslim (Liberia, 1989-1996): 0.22 Million

Foday Sankoh, Non - Muslim (Sierra Leone, 1991-2000): 0.2 Million

Suharto, Muslim (Aceh, East Timor, New Guinea, 1975-98): 50 Thousand

Ho Chi Min, Non - Muslim (Vietnam, 1953-56): 0.2 Million

Michel Micombero, Non - Muslim (Burundi, 1972): 0.2 Million

Slobodan Milosevic, Non - Muslim (Yugoslavia, 1992-99): 0.1 Million

Richard Nixon, Non - Muslim (Vietnam, 1969-1974): 0.1 Million (Vietnamese and Cambodian civilians)

Efrain Rios Montt, Non - Muslims (Guatemala, 1982-83): 70 Thousand

Papa Doc Duvalier, Non - Muslim (Haiti, 1957-71): 60 Thousand

Rafael Trujillo, Non - Muslim (Dominican Republic, 1930-61): 50 Thousand

Hissene Habre, Muslim (Chad, 1982-1990): 40 Thousand

Chiang Kai-shek, Non - Muslim (Taiwan, 1947): 30 Thousand (popular uprising)

Vladimir Ilich Lenin, Non - Muslim (USSR, 1917-20): 30 Thousand (dissidents executed)

Francisco Franco, Non - Muslim (Spain) : 30 Thousand (dissidents executed after the civil war)

Anti Sikh Riots, Non – Muslim ( India, 1984 - 1986): 10 Thousand

Fidel Castro, Non - Muslim (Cuba, 1959-1999): 30 Thousand

Lyndon Johnson, Non - Muslim (Vietnam, 1963-1968): 30 Thousand

Hafez Al-Assad and Bashar Al - Assad, Muslim (Syria, 1980-2011): 26 Thousand

Reza Shah, Muslim (Iran, 1979): 20 Thousand

Robert Mugabe, Non - Muslim (Zimbabwe, 1982-87, Ndebele minority): 25 Thousand

Rafael Videla, Non - Muslim (Argentina, 1976-83): 13 Thousand

Guy Mollet, Non - Muslim (France, 1956-1957): 10 Thousand (aggression on Algeria)

Harold McMillans, Non - Muslim (Britain, 1952-56, Kenya's Mau-Mau rebellion): 10 Thousand

Paul Koroma, Non - Muslim (Sierra Leone, 1997): 6 Thousand

Osama Bin Laden, Muslim (worldwide, 1993-2001): 4 Thousand

Augusto Pinochet, Non - Muslim (Chile, 1973): 3 Thousand

Al Zarqawi, Muslim (Iraq, 2004-06): 2 Thousand

TTP and other Groups, Muslim ( Pakistan, 2003 – 2011): 15 Thousand

Note: (I have not included the figures of people killed in different communal riots in India since 1947 as I could not find reliable figures for it on the net or other sources. But still as per the vague estimates nearly 1.1 million people have died in communal riots in India since 1947. Most of the casualties (85 %) happened during the partition of 1947. About 80 % people killed in these communal riots were Muslims.)

• Killed by Non - Muslims: Nearly 141 Million i.e., more than 14 Crore people.
• Killed by Muslims: Nearly 2.7 Million i.e., 27.5 Lac people.

Non – Muslims have killed 53 times more people than Muslims without wars.

These people were not killed in Wars but were killings during peace. These killings happened as a result of aggression; crack down on uprisings, silencing of political and ideological opponents, crushing of freedom struggles, regional hegemony and ethnic as well as religious cleansing.

Now let me give you figures of Two World Wars fought by Non Muslims with each other:

World War I ( 1914 - 1918) : 37.5 Million people (Three Crore and Seventy Lac)

World War II ( 1939 – 1945) : 55. 5 Million (Five Crore and Fifty Five Lac) including Nuclear Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Japan) by President Truman of United States of America. (President Trueman, sounds funny as well as silly).

Total Casualities in Two World Wars : 93 Million i.e., 9 Crore 30 Lac people + unspecified number of people who died due to Hunger, Illness, Poverty and Radiation after these gruesome wars fought by the civilized and peaceful Non Muslims with each other.

Let us forget other wars. Just sum up with this only.

Total people killed by Non Muslims in 111 Years : 141 Million + 93 Million = 234 Million

Total people killed by Muslims in 111 Years: 2.7 Million

Killings by Non Muslims every year : 21,00,000 (Twenty One Lac) people.

Killings by Muslims every year: 24,000 (Twenty Four Thousand) people.

Non – Muslims have killed nearly Hundred times more people than Muslims in the last 111 years and still Muslims are Barbaric.

Open up your eyes and minds and hurl the truth on their faces.

“Waqul jaa alhaqqu wazahaqa albatiluinna albatila kana zahooqa”

And say: "Truth has (now) arrived, and Falsehood perished, for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish."

Koshur Mazloom © 2011