Kashmiri Voices: A Testament of Resistance Against Oppression

This Kashmir Black Day, we honour Kashmiri voices that defied silence, voices that shattered India’s ‘new normal,’ resisting illegal occupation, undiminished through decades.

A Historical Overview

For over seventy years, Kashmir has been at the heart of a contentious dispute between India & Pakistan, with the people of Jammu integral to the issue.

To resolve the conflict, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 47 in 1948. This was followed by more than a dozen subsequent resolutions. These resolutions stipulate that Jammu and Kashmir’s final status must be determined through a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices.

Both India & Pakistan accepted these terms &, as per Article 25 of the UN Charter, are obligated to implement them. Yet, India has disregarded the Kashmiri voices and will, violating agreements it once pledged to uphold.

Agha Shahid Ali: The Poet’s Voice Amidst Silence and Surveillance

Cut off from the world, surveilled & guarded, their mail intercepted, & phones monitored—Kashmiri poet Agha Shahid Ali’s work encapsulates this stifling reality. Though “Kashmir” did not appear in his early poetry, his letters reveal its persistent presence.

In 1984, he wrote to his father, “I hope the mail is not much disrupted because of the problems in the country and that this letter reaches you.”

In The Country Without a Post Office (1997), he finally reclaims the word “Kashmir” in a fervent rush, its repeated presence layered with emotion & defiance, mirroring the cries of a silenced land.

The Kunan and Poshpora Atrocities

Indian forces guard the streets, aiming to crush any resistance. They have inflicted widespread suffering on Kashmiris, even using mass rape as a tool of terror.

On a cold February night in 1991, Indian soldiers stormed Kunan & Poshpora, claiming to search for militants—an excuse that often masks state violence.

The women were seized by 5–6 soldiers each, separated from their families, threatened at gunpoint, & violated in a night of horror. Drunken soldiers soaked in liquor rampaged through homes; it wasn’t just rape—it was war.

Not sparing anyone, soldiers brutalized minors, the elderly, pregnant women, & those with disabilities. Grandmothers & granddaughters were victimized together.

This atrocity in Kunan Poshpora stands as one among many. From the massacres in 1947 to more than 11,144 documented cases of rape by Indian forces since 1989, these crimes remain a dark and unbroken chapter in the history of Kashmir. This continues despite remote locations and limited reporting, as cited by Human Rights Watch/HLP/IED.

Also See: Kashmir Black Day: 77 Years of Resistance

The Unyielding Strength of Kashmiri Voices

Despite efforts to silence them, Kashmiri voices only grow stronger.

Poets and writers capture chilling realities. Kashmiri poet Uzma Falak reflects both grief and resilience. She wields her poetry as a weapon against a repressive regime that has tried to erase their existence for too long.

Syed Ali Geelani: The Voice of the Voiceless and Champion of Kashmir’s Cause

From these blood-soaked pages, leaders like Syed Ali Geelani rise, embodying the voice of the voiceless. Moreover, through his speeches, he inspired a generation, challenging India’s vision of liberty & equality—ideals set forth in the Indian Constitution yet denied to Kashmiris.

Until his death, Geelani championed Kashmir’s cause. True to his wishes, his body was wrapped in a Pakistani flag. This act left a lasting impression on the occupying forces.

Impact of Revocation of Articles 370 and 35A on Kashmir

As resistance swelled, India’s response intensified. On August 5, 2019, the Indian government unilaterally revoked Articles 370 & 35A, consolidating its hold on IIOJK, aiming to implement a “final solution.”

Through illegal measures, gross human rights violations, & demographic shifts, India justified its actions as essential for quelling rebellion & fostering economic growth—claims met with increased resistance.

Demographic Shift in IIOJK

Under the guise of economic reform, India has granted over 400,000 non-Kashmiris domicile status in IIOJK since 2019, altering the region’s demographic fabric—a tactic inspired by Israel for settler colonialism.

Navin Choudhary, a senior IAS officer from Bihar, became the first non-Kashmiri domicile holder, representing a new phase of occupation.

Escalation of Military Operations

On the ground, military operations against Kashmiri Muslims escalated, with over 900,000 Indian troops stationed in IIOJK by August 2019.

Leaders like Ashraf Sehrai, defiant & unbowed, paid the price; his extra-judicial death in detention serves as a legacy to the unbreakable spirit of Kashmir’s people.

Emergence of New Leaders

This occupation has fueled the rise of new leaders embodying an unwavering will to resist. Figures like Masarat Alam Bhatt continue Syed Ali Geelani’s legacy.

Known for his unfiltered rhetoric, Bhatt’s return to Srinagar in 2015, following years of imprisonment in New Delhi—his last sighting in the valley—was met with chants of freedom & pro-Pakistan slogans. He remains a potent voice in Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination.

The Reality of Occupation

With one soldier for every ten Kashmiris, this occupation stands as one of the densest in recent history. Attempts to frame a ‘new normal‘ through staged elections fail to mask the atrocities.

The massive military presence has unleashed brutal actions. These include extrajudicial killings, custodial torture, pellet gun injuries, enforced disappearances, and the collective punishment of entire villages.

Exposed to police brutality and constant surveillance, many Kashmiri youth feel a deep anger. Consequently, they were born in the early 1990s and raised on tales of military crackdowns, detentions, mass rape of women, and custodial killings of men from the serene valley. As a result, these youth have begun to raise their voices for their rights against India.

This environment has given rise to hardline leaders, who have stepped into the spotlight, rallying support among the region’s youth & organizing dissenting crowds.

Kashmir Black Day: Remembering the Infamy of October 27, 1947

Marking October 27, 1947, as a day of infamy, India deployed at least 500,000 troops to Jammu and Kashmir. This action violated the spirit of the subcontinent’s partition. It involved seizing the territory against the will of its people.

Today, we reflect on Kashmir Black Day. The words of Nighat Sahiba capture the haunting loss and separation that define the occupation. They preserve the Kashmiri identity against a backdrop of relentless struggle.

SAT Commentaries’ are social media threads by various authors, reproduced here for website use. Views are their own.

SAT Commentary

SAT Commentaries, a collection of insightful social media threads on current events and social issues, featuring diverse perspectives from various authors.

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