On way to mother’s grave

Rainawari’s soccer star fell to CRPF bullets
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Going to offer Fateh at his mother’s grave, Shahid never knew few hours later he would be resting besides her, says Shahid’s father Khalil Muhammad Ahangar.Ahangar’s 23-year-old son was killed in CRPF firing Friday afternoon.

Leaning against a mud wall in a state of shock and unable to speak properly, Khalil recalls: “I loved him for his attitude and behavior. He was more like a friend. His mother passed away in 2001 but he acted as a great support for me.”

A retired government official, Ahangar, after the death of his wife Shafiqa looked after his three sons.Shahid left studies after his mother passed away, his family members said. “Later he developed interest in soccer. He played soccer for district Srinagar and was an agile player. We have many a time taken his prepared tea in the mornings as he would wake up early in the morning to hone his soccer skills,” recalls Muhammad Imran, Shahid’s elder brother.

Imran himself works as a salesman.During the daytime, Shahid worked as a motorcycle mechanic and excelled in the job while working at different workshops in the city.“He learnt new things quickly,” says Muhammad Irfan, Shahid’s second brother.

“He was now planning to set up his workshop and we were looking to hire some place.”Imran said: “Human life has no value here. Killings are a usual phenomenon. Nobody takes cognizance of the situation.”

“He (Shahid) was not pelting stones. He never used to do so. He was just walking at the time of the incident. He was shot by the CRPF personnel at Nowhatta chowk unprovoked,” said Irfan, who referred to the Bomai incident and the futility of government probes.

TADA court moves fast to convict former militants

We came over ground after promises in jail: Javed Mir

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Jammu and Kashmir’s TADA court has of late quickened the disposal of cases pertaining to various militancy related incidents especially murder of VIPs during 1990s. The court has recently convicted two former Kashmiri militants, one getting the lifer and the other jail for nineteen years. The quick disposal, hitherto very unusual, has worried former Kashmiri militants who had eschewed the path of violence and came over ground in the middle of 1990s.

Javed Ahmad Mir who was the founder leader of militancy and retired from gun life in 1995 claims that a huge gamut of Indian civil society as also UK MPs and leaders from US state department made a beeline to Kashmir during early days of militancy and started persuading the militant leadership to switch from insurgency to the mode of peaceful agitation.

“When we were active on militant front in early 1990s, civil society members from India, Parliamentarians from European Union, a delegation of MPs from UK led by Dan Buston and US Secretary of state Ms Robin Raphael persuaded us to follow the non-violent path acknowledging our stand on the Kashmir issue,” Mir told Rising Kashmir on Friday.According to Mir noted personalities from India including Justice Sachar, Kuldip Nayyar, Tapan Bose, Ram Jethmalani, Rasgotra, R K Mishra, Nirmala Deshpande and International Red Cross met him and other militant leaders from 1991 to 1993 to persuade them to ‘shun violence.’

“They even met us in the torture centres and jails after our arrests to influence us to change the mode of struggle. Civil society of India, EU and UK parliamentarians assured us of the secured life if we adopt the peaceful way to fight for our rights,” said the former JKLF chief commander, adding, “The civil society members and EU and UK parliamentarians assured to support us in case we fight peacefully for resolution of Kashmir issue.”The said court had recently re-opened the TADA cases of Mohammad Maqbool Tantray and Ayoub Dar and sentenced Tantray for 19 years and awarded lifer to Dar. Mir too fears conviction as he is under trial in connection with the firing on Air Force officials in early 1990s.

“There are some 15000 to 20000 former militants, who have shunned path of violence. They have become the easy target of the state and this cannot help in restoring peace in the State”, he said.Stating that they laid the foundation of the non violent movement, Mir said, “After JKLF announced cease-fire he went ahead with a peaceful campaign. He staged sit-ins and went fasting for days together. Many influential people approached him during these programs. Indian Prime Minister only last year appealed Yaseen Malik to end the hunger strike. But now for mere vote bank politics, we all are being targeted,” he said adding that the government had put behind bars Bita Karate and Bilal Sidiqui, who were released after 17 and 16 years of detention respectively, for playing active role to organise anti-India demonstrations last year.Most of the former militants are facing trial in TADA courts.

“When Government of India has abolished TADA law, I fail to understand how come people in Kashmir are still punished under this law,” said Mir.Supporting Mir’s argument, legal expert and senior counsel Zafar Shah said, “Government cannot reopen the case if it has earlier been closed because TADA law has already lapsed”.He, however, said, “If the offence was committed before the lapse of TADA and challan was not produced till date then the government can reopen the cases.”

When contacted, Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq said he would soon convene the meeting of the conglomerate’s legal cell on Monday. “We will be chalking out the strategy to ensure the safety and trouble free life of the former militants. We will come out with a definite plan,” he added.

Over past many years, Muhammad Ayoub, Farooq Qasid, Nazir Qasid, Mehmood Topiwala of Kangan, Muhamamd Akbar Bhat of Doda, Ghulam Mohiuddin of Sopore, Engineer Muhammad Afzal Kumhar of Pattan, Hilal Ahmed of Islamabad, Mehraj ud din of Budgam, Adil Ahmed of Islamabad, Mukhtar Ahmed and Gulzar Ahmed of Pattan and from Pakistani side of Kashmir Ishfaq Ahmed, Qari Nasir, Nazir Ahmed Khan and Khalid Mahmood Pahalwaan have been awarded rigorous imprisonment.

Kashmir nursing NANO dream

Valley dealers expect 50000 bookings in post-launch week
• Bad roads to spur demand for small car
• JK launch in first week of April• Price: Rs 1.23 lakh (Basic Model)
• Rs 1.30 lakh to Rs 1.60 lakh (Deluxe models)
• 24% more space than other basic car models
• Fuel efficiency: 22 km to 25 km per litre
• Environment friendly: Complies to Euro 3 emission norms
• Booking amount: Rs 70,000

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As the world’s cheapest car Nano made its commercial debut in India’s financial capital – Mumbai on Monday, dealer of Tata Motors in Kashmir, Fairdeal Motors is expecting 50,000 immediate bookings, 10,000 from Srinagar and 4000 each from 10 districts for the car that would hit Kashmir roads in April.

Described as people’s car by Ratan Tata, customers can expect to get the car at a price between Rs. 1.23 lakh to Rs. 1.30 lakh, depending on the version of Nano.

“We are expecting 10,000 bookings in April and also more than 4000 bookings from each district. Nano has 24 per cent more space than other basic models. Besides, its size which is its Unique Selling Point will make it more sought after in Kashmir where the road network is poorest and parking spaces are rare,” said G N Baba, General Manager Fairdeal Motors.The Nano would come in three variants – standard and two deluxe models with air conditioning. The deluxe model can go up to Rs 1.60 lakh.

“With more than 22 km per litre fuel efficiency Nano will comply to the Euro 3 emission norms thus making it environment friendly,” said Baba pointing at the renovation of the showroom for the launch of Nano here in the Valley. After the launch in Mumbai, Nano would be displayed at the company's dealerships from the first week of April while the bookings would start the following week. The booking amount is fixed at Rs 70,000.

“Adding a small car to the car market instead of a big car will be a service to the society as we are encountering frequent traffic jams. Tata has also tied up with the State Bank of India for financial assistance of the customers,” said Baba.Enquiring at the showroom about Nano, a prospective customer Malik Akhter of Bemina said: “We are anxiously waiting for the car. Small is wonderful and that too when you have roads, lanes, by lanes like those in Kashmir.”According to reports from Mumbai, the auto major will take 60 days to decide on the first batch of the few lucky customers who will be selected through a computerized random allotment.The anticipated 5 lakh bookings for Nano seem realistic as every month more than 6 lakh two-wheelers and 1.2 lakh passenger vehicles are sold in the domestic market.According to reports, Tata will not be able to produce more than 60,000-70,000 units in the first year.Tata Motors moved in its ultra low-cost Nano car production unit to Sanand in Gujarat following violent protests at Singur in West Bengal.

Surgical thread manufacturing can emerge as multicrore industry in Kashmir

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With more than sixty lakh sheep consumed annually in the Valley, surgical threads made out of the sheep intestine promises to be a multi crore industry. The present surgical thread market is dominated by multi national companies with Johnson and Johnson (J&J) enjoying a virtual monopoly.
“Annual six million sheep consumption and over a crore animal consumption is a wonderful base for the multi crore surgical thread industry in the Valley. Sheep Intestine is available here in abundance. Industrialists and government here should seriously think over it,” said Dr Ravindra Karanjekar Chairman of National Board of Quality Promotion, Associate Vice President, Head - Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai, and member International Society for Quality Assurance in Health Care (ISQA) while talking to the Rising Kashmir.Dr. Karanjekar said Johnson and Johnson is a virtual monopoly in the field of manufacturing surgical threads in India but if the industry starts in Kashmir it can prove a good competition for J&J.Many a time there is shortage of such threads in the market because of the limited number of manufacturers which suggests that the area is still unexplored and can be utilised in a better way according to Dr. Karanjekar.

However Manzoor Ahmed Kanoon, President All Kashmir Wholesale Mutton Dealers Association said that the people here do collect the intestine locally called ‘Chap’ meaning casing but it is used for the musical instrument ‘Sitar’, ‘Tennis Racket’ or a local ‘Shup’ meaning winnower. “People here get Rs 2 to 3 per intestine and they sell it to somebody who exports it to New Delhi and from there it goes to various places,” said Kanoon.Also there are no slaughter houses in Kashmir said Kanoon where they could systematically collect all intestines and other by products for proper utilization.

Another young entrepreneur Syed Shuja’at Madani who was earlier exporting the casings to Germany, Turkey, Russia and other countries said, “Casings are used as an eatable as well in foreign countries. Meat is stuffed in it and eaten. We used to get good money from its export although the market in India was not that good. But due to defaults I discontinued the business.”Detailing about the casings Madani said that the upper end of the casings in very thin which is perfect for manufacturing the surgical threads but the cost of setting up the unit is very high besides we need skilled people for the industry here.“One casing of a sheep can be about 25 to 30mts and it is sold according to the length as well,” said Madani.

Surprisingly the apex business bodies have not thought about this industry and are citing reasons for not preparing a report about the prospective industry.President Federation of Commerce and Industries Kashmir (FCIK) Shakeel Qalander while talking to Rising Kashmir said, “We are still unable to organize the leather industry properly. It is in a making process. But if the utilization of the sheep gut has such huge prospects we will form a report about it and I will ask my prospective industry section to be in touch with the experts in Mumbai and other areas of India.”

While talking to Rising Kashmir, President Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), Dr. Mubeen Shah said that there is no centralized slaughter house in the Valley from where a proper utilization of the by products can be done.However, Mubeen accepted that the chamber has never thought about this industry. “If there is an infrastructure we can use the sheep gut and other by products like blood and bones as well. We too will be seriously thinking on the proposal,” said Mubeen.

Media: The third side

In a conflict media should stay neutral, but it doesn’t

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Conflict is a human interaction, which involves parties with incompatible interests. What renders such incongruity into an overt and explicit strife is the awareness of the unsuitability and the ensuing choice of confrontation. Awareness is raised by communication, either with the environment or with the rivaling party.

Communication produces information, which affects each side’s decision whether to hash out or shun them. Thus communication becomes a crucial determinant in conflict: it creates consciousness of, and attentiveness to, the other. Destructive and debilitating communication which promotes noises, distortions, interruptions, deceptions, ploys and false clues, promotes and expedites conflict. In contrast constructive and beneficial communication relies on honesty, open channels and the effort to align the sent message with the received one. Such a pattern of interaction strives for accommodation and the relaxation of tensions and hostilities.

Protracted conflicts or apparently irresolvable disputes usually require a third party to mediate between the rivaling parties, or at least facilitate their interaction. Ongoing conflicts generate hostility, animosity and consequently mistrust to the extent that no direct communication is feasible. This predicament is further exacerbated when the issues in the contention are intangible and cannot be compromised. The idea of third party ameliorating dialogue between intransigent parties was enthusiastically pursued in various approaches and methods. Third party consultations emphasized the facilitations of productive confrontations, in which rivals openly discuss their incompatibilities. The third party’s role is to stimulate mutual positive motivation. The third party endeavors are balancing the situational power of parties, synchronizing confrontation efforts, pacing the phases of the dialogue, promoting openness and enhancing communication.

The third part role in a conflict is something that the media needs to play. Here media need to be more responsible and more aware of its role to give voice to those who need the solution of the conflicts, i.e. the masses.

The role of media in creating an environment in which political discourses and identities are shaped and conflicts perceived is well acknowledged. The media not merely reports but mediates between individuals, communities and nation states.

However, the situation in the present day world has changed completely. When we analyze a conflict in the present globalised world with all the available technical advancements media is being used as a tool by all the parties in the conflict. The way key actors in conflict seek to manipulate public perceptions of the disagreement is noteworthy. That is, actors in any conflict will seek to either minimize or exaggerate the conflict, depending upon their relative position of power. Weak actors will want to "socialize" the conflict—that is, to enlist allies in their cause against a greater power and to increase the perception of suffering. Actors in positions of dominance seek to "privatize" the conflict and limit attention to or awareness of the conflict. Those who are weak will seek to draw media coverage to the conflict while those who are in power seek to minimize the extent of the problems. However, the stronger player in the conflict has more advantage as the people in the media world somehow develop stakes with the stronger party of the conflict. This results in a symbiotic but partisan relation of the media and a particular player in the conflict.
Other aspect of the story is that the proliferation of high-speed communications has led to widespread concern and consideration regarding the media's influence in humanitarian crises. On one hand, the media are instrumental in drawing attention to humanitarian crises and mobilizing assistance. On the other hand, the media can exacerbate the crises through sensationalist coverage. Media's role in publicizing crises and influencing public opinion is nothing new. But the increasing complexity of humanitarian crises necessitates the conveyance of an accurate, balanced and accessible view of the issue.
“Proper guidance, ethics and valued platform to make a responsible base of the profession is necessary. This is all true for the dynamic profession of media with so much of social value attached to it. Aspiring media men need proper training and guidance from institutes which provide quality education. Free opinion should also come with ethical values. This has necessitated a radical reorientation in media strategies on global scale,” says Nalin Ranjan, Director NRAI.

These days media try to tamper with the existing realities; from being a participant to conflict resolution it has at many places become party to the conflict. Media tries to create a situation that suffices all the quarters of the conflict which can never be possible. It draws the designs of the conflict as per its own predilections and ideological affiliations. Many issues in a conflict start mutating and their meanings and processes get corrupted with such form of the presentation.