Read Mujahid in place of Militant and Jehad e Kashmir in place of Militancy New-look militancy Militancy in Kashmir is acquiring a new face. It is attracting well-educated and qualified young boys. In early 90s when militancy erupted in Kashmir, India’s national newspaper the Pioneer, in one of its articles (perhaps written by Mohan Guruswami under the heading--Karl Marx still alive in Kashmir), described it as a battle between haves and have-nots. He qualified militants as a people of from downtrodden classes—Hamid Shaikh son of a cobbler, Yasin Malik son of driver, Ahsan Dar, a private school teacher, Mushtaq Zargar, an illiterate copper dealer, Javed Mir, a daily wage earner. The writer put all his efforts in convincing his readers that the uprising has roots more in economy than in politics. Though this was a flawed presentation of the whole case but the poor economic background of most the militant leaders had convinced a section of self-professed intellectuals that robust economic measures could win back the rebellion Kashmiri youth. The later days however demolished this myth with hundreds of well-educated young boys including doctors and engineers joining militant ranks. Tahir Mahmood, who formed Allah Tigers and later joined Hizbul Mujahideen was an engineer by profession. Firdous Kirmani and Mohammad Usman, two other senior commanders of the Hizb too were engineers. Nadeem Khateeb, son of a chief engineer, was a pilot, who had got training in Flight Training school in Georgia city of United States. There were hundreds other highly qualified young boys who chose the path of militancy. Despite the decline in militancy over the past 10 years, the slogan of ‘azadi’ is still like a holy verse with the young educated Kashmiri youth. There is a strong belief in them that it is unethical not to resist the injustice that is being done to the Kashmiris. One could see their anger and rage when they dared bullets of state forces in three consecutive summers—2008, 09 and 10. This is an undisputable fact that the discontent among Kashmir youth is ever-increasing. Keen observers have betimes warned that it could explode any time. The powers-that-be might be having a sense of complacency that with extreme pressure, bullying and bulldozing by the police and security forces, the street demonstration of this ire and anger has been stifled. But it should now serve them as warning that this anger is finding a new way to explode. They are again leaning towards the gun. What must be more disturbing is that highly qualified and educated youth are keen to take to arms. Hizbul Mujahideen Commander—Sajjad Mir—killed in an encounter at Wachi, last year, was a post graduate in Islamic Studies, and a student of computer science. Saifullah Ahanger killed in an encounter in Tral with days of Sajjad’s killing was an engineer. Before falling to the bullets of the soldiers, he killed as many as four army men. Javid Malik, HM militant from Pinjran Pulwama was an electrical engineer. Malik was from an affluent family who got killed in Noorpora encounter. Johar Ali, another HM militant was an engineer. Resident of Malangpora, Johar got killed in shoot out with army in 2008. Massiullah was an M.Tech who lost his life in Dudhkulan Lurgam encounter in 2010. He was an active HM militant. Another militant Nayeem Ahmed Mir from Dadsara Tral was killed during a gun fight with Army at Dudhkulan Lurgam in 2010. Nayeem was a B-Tech pass out. A computer engineer by profession Altaf Ahmed alias Gowhar from Tral was killed in Rothsuna encounter while another HM militant Mudasir was a doctor who lost his life in Khrew encounter in 2009. Jan Mohammad Ahangar alias Hamzah another HM militant was a mechanical engineer by profession. Jan was killed while fighting with Army in Pulwama in 2009. Three militants killed in an encounter with security forces in Tral, the other day, had good educational and family background. There are reports that six highly educated from north Kashmir have more recently joined militant ranks during past one month,
Posted on: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 17:15:50 +0000