Kashmir: What the media isn’t showing you

Opinion analysis by Farah Termos, Staff Writer

April 27th, 2020

Kashmir: A muslim-majority dense land shared by China, India and Pakistan is currently under the threat of complete eradication: and yet, with no international media covering the news, Kashmir is being blindsided by the rest of the world in battling two wars: one of oppression, and the other of historical imprint. 

A General Recap:

In 1947, a war between India and Pakistan erupted over sovereign rights to the land of Kashmir, which eventually led to the UN’s involvement and announcement of both “Jammu” and “Kashmir” to be under the Indian administration. However, the Kashmiri people have long demanded for an independent sovereign state. This led to the introduction of Article 370 in the Indian constitution, emphasizing a temporary autonomy granted to the region: they would have a separate land, flag, constitution and be allowed to live independently under the Indian administration.  

However, their battle was rekindled in 1965 and then again in 1999, two years that saw an increase in tensions between Pakistan and India over Jammu and Kashmir. 

2019: Freedom VS. Occupation

In Summer 2019, things took a turn to the worse  the Modi Government in India removed the autonomy previously enjoyed by Kashmir by abolishing Article 370. In the direct aftermath of this repeal:: military forces were sent to the region, communications were forcefully shut down, a curfew was introduced, public gatherings were banned. Protests erupted throughout the region demanding the independence of Kashmir from India. As a result, thousands of people were rounded up, and over 160 civilians were killed according to the July 2019 United Nations report.

India’s Point of view:

According to supporters of the Indian Government, the latter revoked article 370 with the intention of encouraging the development of Kashmir; and in an effort to rid Kashmir of “terrorism” and “separatist movements”. India accused Pakistan of supporting separatist regimes in Kashmir and encouraging acts of terrorism within the area. This escalated into an armed conflict between the two countries leading to many military as well as civilian deaths.

2020: COVID-19 and the suppression of local media: COVID-19, to this day the main global event of 2020, forced many families and individuals across the world into quarantine, and, a local spike in Covid-19 cases in Kashmir forced people to stay at home throughout the months of March and April 2020. Despite this, April saw the arrest of 2 journalists in Indian-administered Kashmir – which has been claimed to be an act of silencing and pure harassment. Stuck between its two much bigger neighbours fighting over its land and each claiming it as their own, Kashmiri voices demanding liberty and independence seem to be left ignored. And :

Where freedom is threatened, and oppression glorified by UNICEF ambassadors and awardees, Kashmir sees itself in the midst of a never-ending battle of suppression.