We are all humans...

Well everyday in your life you come across questions like who are you, what is your identity and how will you define yourself. Whether being a part of any nation, state, class or creed, or even identifying your own self, needs a lot of workout to actually answer these simple questions, believe me it does.

I still remember a conversation I once had with a British lady while I was traveling in a plane from Delhi to Srinagar. She was a sweet lady of about 35 to 40, pretty fair, slim figure and a lovely appearance as well. She was sitting besides me reading a newspaper. I too was busy reading out a sports magazine, as usual. Suddenly she said “hi” and I looked at her with a smile. She paused for a moment and then went on, “I am from Britain my name is Fabiana, just came to visit Kashmir, kind of a holiday.” I also introduced myself and we started chatting. She told me a lot about Britain and I told everything (very little I mean I know) about Kashmir.

As we were conversing, there was a question that suddenly grabbed my attention. I asked her that she introduced herself as a British first and then as Fabiana, why was it so? She kept mum for a second and then replied, “Because we have no more remained as ourselves. Even I say we haven’t been able to identify ourselves as humans. There is a very little portion of the whole populace who are known by what they are and the rest by their country, language, color, sex, etc. You might not like it at all but we consider all you as Asians and nothing more.”

Before I could say anything, we already had reached our destination. Though a very small conversation, but it does speak of an ill practice that all of us overlook. Even we feel proud to be called as Americans, Indians, Gujratis, Bengalis, and Kashmiris and so on. No doubt every nation or state has its importance in its own essence but that does not mean that we merely divide people on the basis of these demographic boundaries set by ‘we’ only. I still remember my first day in Hyderabad; I went to a Sify net café and the person there looked at me and said, “Sir, are you a Gujrati.” I laughed and said ,” I am a human being like you, born in the same way as you, live on the same earth, eat, breath and drink exactly like you, even I am going to die also like you, so where does Gujrati and other things come.”

Very little things like that might not matter much to people, but in the actual sense it makes all of us divided on the basis of nothing. Instead of trying to differentiate ourselves from others, cannot we look out for the similarities? After all we are nothing more or less than humans, isn’t it? Take every person as a human and believe me, you will see peace prevailing in the whole world.

Aasiya Jeelani – My lady icon

20^th April 2004 is a day I would never ever forget in my life. It still has those fresh memories of what made me remember this day for ever. I even now memorize as if all that had happened yesterday. Having qualified the entrance test for admission in mass communication department in University Of Kashmir, I was really feeling at the top of the world. It was Wednesday, 21^st of April 2004. I went to the university to complete the admission formalities. The rush of blood was fast and my pulses kept racing. It was really a dream come true.

As soon as I reached the office the atmosphere there was somehow repelling. I was just feeling like running away from there. But I had no option but to be there to complete the formalities. Every person is that office had a look of sadness on his face; all of them were appearing out of their senses. I could hardly figure out anything. A faculty member came inside the office; tears were rolling out on her cheeks. Wiping tears with one hand and trying to hold herself with the other, she was telling everyone to leave. I was not able to make anything out of it.

Then suddenly I could hear someone whisper the same “aasiya” which somehow clicked my mind. I paused for a minute, speechless and even motionless thinking where did I hear that name. Then I realized she is the girl, a social activist who was martyred in a mine blast on 20^th April. What I didn’t know that she was an alumni of this very department which I was going to join. I really did not knew how to react as I stood there watching all the faces.

The clerk told me to wait for an hour as all of the staff was leaving to attend the fateha at Aasiya’s place. So I went out and sat on a bench quietly. Suddenly the joy and happiness on my face turned into grief and gloom. My mind started questioning –Is this the first thing I expected to hear before joining the department? Am I going to be a part of this huge populace whose aasiya was a part? Am I going to line in a queue where aasiya stood first? Is that our destiny and fate? The whole surrounding appeared toxic to me, my eyes went totally blind and I could perceive nothing. The pace of mind asking questions became faster and faster. I was not able to understand what was happening.

So much disturbed by all this I decided to go back home. I thought even not to fill up any form for the admission. I feel like driven back by all this. As I started to leave, a voice suddenly came to me, “where are you going?” I looked around but saw no one. “Who you are, I asked.” After a small pause the voice replied, “I am the girl you were thinking about. I am Aasiya, the reason for you to quit this course.” I became conscious and somewhat confused as well. I never wanted to put blame on someone’s shoulder for any of my decision. Then the voice became louder and louder. All I could remember is:

“Hello boy, how are you. You are you running away from one of the cruel and the truest fact of life. Everybody does not have the same destiny and it is not always that you sail in the same boat. Have courage to be a part of the thing you are running away from. If I as a girl didn’t backed up why would you?”

Suddenly the voice disappeared and I woke up from a lull sleep. It contemplated it was nothing but my inner self talking to me. Without giving a second thought, I went to the office to complete all the formalities for the admission. Returning home I was thinking, and still I am, who was speaking to me? The question might be vague but all I could remember was ‘Aasiya’. I never met her nor have I ever seen her, but the example she set is for the generations to come.

There would hardly be a single day when I don’t remember her. The date of 20^th April is something I can never fail to remember and for bad as well as god reasons too. At least I will love to live a life of hers’.

Who is Aasiya Jeelani

“AASIA JEELANI” is not just a person's name worth remembering। She might be reminisced as a human right activist, a true Kashmiri revolutionary, brave and loyal journalist but she is the one to lead the way in teaching Kashmiris to “live for others and also die for them.” She worked for those thousands of young men who had disappeared in the dark realms of current trauma. She tried to become the voices of many voiceless victims of state terrorism.

She began her career as a trainee cum researcher with AFP Kashmir Bureau in 1998-2001 and then joined one of the leading dallies of India. “The times of India “as an internee at Delhi but she left her internship half a way. “I decided not to work in Delhi but in Kashmir for my people. I will try to make the world see what is truly taking place to Kashmir’s? Why they are treated awfully in other parts of India, just because they are Kashmiri which I myself underwent during an internship at Times of India,” said Aasia in an interview during her visit to Netherlands
Aasia’s will to do something for the Empowerment of Women and Social Discrimination made her come back to Valley। Joined ‘Jammu & Kashmir Coalition Civil Society (CCS)’ with a motive to empower Kashmiri women economically. It was then, she felt and observed the real pain and sufferings of the victims of violence and was deeply touched. She realized there is an incredible need for the empowered and impoverished sections of society and she tried to became soothing heal to many traumatized families. She completely got herself involved in the activities of the Association of Disappeared Persons [APDP] and reached to the persons and places where no one dared to access. She was desperate to provide help to such families.


She realized to develop work culture in women first and change their mind setup। Although a hard task but her dedication made her in some way successful in cursing the darkness of mentality and started Self Help Group. Initially only few girls from different parts of the valley got trained but later it evolved as the Aasia Memorial Foundation.

Her real contribution was the “voices unheard” the first ever magazine on women’s plight in Kashmir, a conflict zone। She heard the unheard voices of those whom the conflict has torn apart and who live on fringes of society. Through “voices unheard” these people caught the attention of whole world. Agha Shahid Foundation awarded Aasia Jeelani as “Heroine of Kashmir” for her meritorious services.

She hugged the women victims of violence who were ditched even by their own kith and kin. She proved a hope to many parents of disappeared persons who waited for their sons from years to come back. She tried to wake the unfortunate population of Kashmir who still remain underrepresented. It was with this background she stepped in as genius and intellectual.
Aasia had her last breath in an unkind way but became eternal. She is still present to inspire her collogues, friends and new aspirants to follow her footsteps.

“By writing about plight of Human Rights victims gives me satisfaction but a lot is needed for it. Kind Words Can Sooth Wounds, but they don’t heal them.” -Aasia Jeelani

“It is nearly impossible to admit that Aasia is no more. The loss is unbearable but she has made us & the whole Kashmir proud of her.”-Aasia’s Parents

“She remained loyal to journalism and in fact reinforced her work with engaging in social activities...aligning herself with a human right group” -S A.Zia Columnist and member of Kashmiri Women’s Initiative for Peace and Disarmament.

“People who are sober, intelligent and dynamic like Aasia cannot be enslaved for long”-A Serbian Professor remarked in a conference on Peace Management at The Hague October 2003

“She was the real spirit behind the victim –donor relation program, a program started by ADPD in which families of disappeared are adopted”-President CCS, Pervez Imroz।

“‘Voices Unheard’ became a credible information source due to Aasia’s dedication. She broke the stories of huge importance from the lengths and breadths of the state which otherwise skipped the scanty eyes of rest of the media” -A freelance Journalist Akbar Masood in his article “Diva of Desert”.

A DREAM.....

GET SET

OH! NO

THE RIGHT TIME IS YET TO COME

One fine morning I woke up to hear the biggest news story of the century. The news hit all the newspapers, local, national or international (so called global), everywhere in the electronic media, radio, Television and Internet. Wherever my eyes possibly went, I could only see that news only appeared. I could not believe that that it was true. The first words I could hear from a TV news channel said, “Kashmir is an independent state now. The struggle freedom has finally born the fruits of self-determination. Both the big giants had decided to withdraw from this game, and, people were given right to choose what they want.” I could read and hear a flurry of mind provoking sentences – There will be no nation that would rule the Valley. The people of Kashmir will have their own government, own nation, their own set of laws, rights and duties and very soon their own currency. No more fighting, agitations and bloodshed for the struggle of freedom. Every Kashmiri will be a citizen of his own land. No other nation of the world would possess any right over Kashmir Valley. A complete independent nation just has born – Kashmir.

I just started thinking over the entire matter. Hardly before I could start imagining, those news items kept coming on. I kept on swapping all the news channels but there was nothing more than news about the freedom of Kashmir. Speculations started creeping over minds, “who will get what” was the core issue. Every media had its own version, though the story was altogether the same. The credentials will go to whom – this was another question that hit the stands. The consequences of this freedom struggle were put forward and the future was predicted. Each and every party involved in the struggle had his own tale to tell. Nobody would afford to be the second in this rat race. I could see the so-called “leaders” of these parties giving interviews and statements regarding the uphill struggle they did to bring out this result. The claim for superiority was from all sides. In a way none seemed wrong but neither did they sound altogether right. But the ‘right to choose’ was actually left to the people – a common man.

I decided carry out my routine work. Somehow things seemed quiet different. Though my breakfast tasted the same (same tea, same bread and the usual omelet), I could hardly have it. I could not get even the slightest feel of happiness regarding this news. It haunted me more than anything else. It was more of a shock and trauma to me. I was feeling too heavy for no reasons. The air that I breathed seemed more poisonous than ever .I was not able to take whatever was there. Not because that I don’t want freedom, may be I am not ready for it. May be, none of us is ready for it. The time of acceptance of any proposal for solving this dispute is not now, and may be never, till minds change. We might have polygonal conferences going on with people from all chairs but it is I –a common man who has bear their so-called developments. We are no more puppets. We might not be clear about as to what we call for and how, but it is we who can and will change the tide.

So many minds, such diverse opinions and different methods to achieve, we seem a lost crowd. Lost among various democratic, extremist, mainstreams, etc etc parties and leaders. Lost among the different definitions of freedom, autonomy, self-rule, mutual governance, and so on. Lost in our own personnel lives. The basic necessities of a life bound all of us and we hardly get any time to think for our nation. A peculiar phrase ‘third party involvement” is something that made me laugh. The future of Kashmiris’ is decided and the same are a third party, can only be possible with the people here. We have become prisoners to our own work and the minds seem to have stopped thinking about Kashmir Problem. Things are taken for granted that nothing will change and one has too live with the same. Such has become the inherent character of a Kashmiri. Though he is not happy with the system but being a part of it, doesn’t matter. He listens to every leader but follows none, says nothing but knows everything.

There might be certain other reasons also. History has proven that for any uprising to succeed, we need revolutionized leaders. Leaders that stand for people and hold out in the toughest of the circumstances. They have the will power to carry all the people of nation with them. The do what they speak of and they are also humans. One has lost faith in freedom struggle because of this also. There are such a huge number of leaders that one even doesn’t remember the exact figure. Each one of them has its own formula for solving the problem and claims to be the common man’s leader. Well if all of them cannot come under a single roof or arrive at any conclusion, how do they expect the entire nation to be with them? Things are very simple to be understood than they appear to be.

The question to be asked is whether we are clear about what we want and do we really means the same? Just an honest answer can do it for us.