By Aqsa Zahra
Behind every veil of the valley lies a wound unseen
A mother’s waiting, a father’s silence, a child’s lost dream
Yet still the meadows bloom, stubborn and kind
As if hope refuses to leave Kashmir behind
Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir, where the beauty was burned and pain chose to stay, is observing the veils of sorrows and wounds from decades. The skies of IoK have forgotten how to smile since the partition. Kashmir bleeds every day, but the darkest them of all, the day that wounded the heart of Hamaliya and marked the years of suffering and trauma, is commemorated every year on the 27th of October. The black day of 1947, when Indian troops entered the valley, invaded Jammu and Kashmir against the will of the local population and positioned themselves in Srinagar by totally violating the Indian Independence Act and the partition plan. This day followed the beginning of the occupation of the beautiful land of Indian occupied Kashmir. Interestingly, the Muslim majority region of Jammu and Kashmir considered this day a black day, but India celebrated it as an Accession Day in remembrance of the Instrument of Accession, which India signed with Dogra monarch Maharaja Hari Singh on 26 October 1947. Although the questions about the authenticity of this Accession agreement remained unanswered, as India has never shown this fake and so-called document publicly and the Indian Archeological Department declared that the document of Accession has been lost. But the illegal and unconstitutional occupation, along with enduring sufferings and wounds, continues in Kashmir to this day.
October 27 is remembered by the people of Jammu and Kashmir as the darkest day in their history. For many, it marks the beginning of the forcible occupation of their homeland against their will, leading to decades of repression. They believe this day symbolizes the onset of a reign of terror in the occupied territory, which continues in severe forms under India’s oppressive forces and draconian laws. These views echo the decades of oppression and the unwavering struggle for freedom that still lives in the mountains of Hamaliya.
This military occupation turned Jammu and Kashmir into a highly militarized zone in the world, severely impacting the lives of its inhabitants. On the morning of October 27, 1947, 300 troops of the First Sikh Battalion entered Srinagar and today this number has escalated to 3.43 lakh, highlighting the sustained military occupation. It has profound impacts on the lives of people in Jammu and Kashmir who are struggling for basic rights and freedom. Military presence starts to reshape and impact the daily existence so badly that life in Indian occupied Kashmir is not normal. In response to military occupation, acts of sabotage increased with high frequency and intensity in the valley. Military and occupation forces reacted violently and reports of human rights violations began to hit the headlines worldwide. An extreme fight has been ongoing in the region between freedom fighters and the occupation army that continues to this day. Psychologically, the lasting presence of occupation forces in the valley leads to chronic fear, anxiety, depression and the problems of mental health. People of Kashmir are in constant fear of arbitrary detentions and arrests. Because of the cordon, curfews and surveillance the life in Kashmir became uncertain and insecure.
Military occupation restricted the movements and disrupted the normal life. Sudden military operations in the valley forced people to stay indoors for days, weeks and even months. For instance, the revocation of the special status of Kashmir in August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir observed the worst and longest curfew in its history. It creates a barrier to the freedom of movement. It became problematic for people to go to schools, offices, work or even visit relatives. Military occupation creates a significant obstacle for educational activities, like during military crackdowns, educational institutions remain closed.
The Indian government disrupts academic activities by shutting down the internet and limiting access to digital learning. Communication blockage affects businesses, emergency services, and access to information for the people of Kashmir. Human rights violations and denial of civil rights are the most disturbing aspects of life in Jammu and Kashmir. The issues of extrajudicial killing, torture, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detentions and the use of pellet guns are alarming about the situation of Kashmir. High military deployment in Jammu and Kashmir is a symbol of political control and occupation and particularly after the abrogation of 370 and 35A in 2019, military occupation silenced the freedom voices, detained journalists and worked to develop a powerless Kashmir to show dissent.
Every year, this day is observed in memory, but the world has forgotten the crying echoes of the valley and turned a blind eye to the deep wound of Kashmir, a wound in the heart of the Himalayas that remains open and bleeding. It is the need of the time to heal the wounds of the Kashmiri people; the world should place the balm of peace and justice, humanity and freedom on the blood flowing from Kashmir. This can fade pain and can aid mountains once again to echo with the sounds of life, not silence.
–The writer is the student of international relations at Lahore College for Women University and an intern at Kashmir Institute of International Relations.