Zubin Mehta Concert: Kashmir Civil Society Writes To German Embassy =>A civil society group in Kashmir has shot a protest letter to German Embassy in New Delhi regarding proposed Zubin Mehta concert in Srinagar on September 7. “On 22 August 2013, a press release was issued by the German Embassy that Zubin Mehta would be conducting an orchestra on September 7 at Shalimar Bagh, Srinagar. The press release quoted you as stating that the concert was for the people of Jammu and Kashmir by way of a cultural tribute. The press release also reads that the concert was intended to give a message of hope and encouragement to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The concert, said to be a part of a “broader engagement” is being organized by the German Embassy and supported by the ‘competent authorities both at Central as well as at Union State level.’ The costs of the concert are covered by ‘benevolent sponsors mainly from the business world in India and Germany, as well as ‘Incredible India’ and the German Foreign Office’,” the letter addressed to German Ambassador in New Delhi reads. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir take immense pride in our rich history of resisting oppression. We also have historically cultivated a sublime tradition in, and love for, music. Music – which appeals to the higher truths of love, justice, dignity, and peace; which genuinely acknowledges the long suffering, and yet bravely resisting, Kashmiris; and which is performed for the actual public – is wholeheartedly welcomed. However, legitimizing an occupation via a musical concert is completely unacceptable. Art as propaganda, as abundantly documented, was put to horrific use in Nazi Germany. We are sure you will understand that we cannot welcome anything even remotely analogous in Jammu and Kashmir. Sadly, the occupation will be amply reflected in the demographics of the audience of the proposed concert – the list of ‘invitees only’ is bound to be restricted to the members of the apparatuses of the Occupying State: from perpetrators of crimes, as heinous as murder, rape, and torture, to the local collaborators of the State and perhaps some powerless, vulnerable and compliant few,” it added. The civil society members said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir, ‘for whom this concert is purportedly meant, have been subject to an occupation by the Indian State for the last 66 years.’ “These 66 years have exposed the people to various shades and faces of the Indian occupation. But, two features have been consistent. First, State brutality and absolute impunity. The institutional culture of moral, political and juridical impunity has resulted in, by some estimates [as of 2013], enforced and involuntary disappearance of at least 8000 persons besides more than 70,000 killings, countless cases of torture, rape, molestation and disclosures of over 7000 unknown, unmarked, and mass graves. There have been no effective prosecutions of the perpetrators to date. Therefore, absolute impunity,” they said. “The second consistent feature of the Indian State has been its constant endeavour to forcibly control the public, regional and international narrative on Jammu and Kashmir. From criminalizing the popular dissent and resistance as “terrorism”, “anti-national”, or “unpopular”, to the more recent obsession with portraying “normalcy” and ‘peace’, the Indian State seeks to obfuscate the truth and forcibly control the destiny of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Since 1947, the Indian State has sought to use art, sports, cinema and culture to camouflage the real truth about Jammu and Kashmir. The scheduled Zubin Mehta concert is yet another attempt to control the narrative. It is an attempt to portray ‘normalcy’ and ‘peace’ to the international community and other stakeholders,” they added. The said that, it is most unfortunate that the German Embassy should seek to collaborate, perhaps unwittingly, with the Indian State in Kashmir, recognized as an international dispute by the United Nations and the international community, without any sensitivity to the aspirations of the pe
Posted on: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 03:31:33 +0000
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