Curse of violence: J&K the net loser

Azhar Qadri in Srinagar & Amit Khajuria in Jammu

It is a Thursday afternoon and shop owners at Hari Singh High Street, usually a busy commercial lane in the heart of Srinagar, line up along a pavement, waiting for a relaxation in curbs imposed on people’s movement in the ongoing unrest.

Separatists announced a post-afternoon relaxation in the 13-day-long, apparently unending, shutdown. The government, fearing violence, made it clear: no relaxation. “The curfew and restrictions will remain strictly in place throughout the day till further orders,” the police said in a statement, mailed 19 minutes before the post 2 pm relaxation announced by separatists was to begin.

At Hari Singh High Street, the shutters of two shops selling electric appliances were opened by owners, for the first time in last 13 days, as the relaxation hours began. Others waited anxiously. Ten minutes later, rocks flew from an alley and hit the shutters of nearby shops, sending a message that the relaxation announced by separatists was rejected by anonymous protesters.

“The situation today is different, there is more anger,” said a shopkeeper, as a group of angry youth walked around the street. “Don’t you understand so many boys have died,” one of the protester said to a cart owner selling bananas.

The unrest in Kashmir valley began on July 8 when militant ‘commander’ Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight. His killing sparked protests across the valley. At least 45 civilians have died in the police crackdown.

Apart from the human cost, the unrest also has an economic cost as region’s trading sectors – transport, banks, shops, small industries and hotels – are shut with no end in sight. Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, Commissioner Secretary Finance, said the most visible sector to suffer losses in the ongoing unrest is tourism. “Those associated with tourism on a day-to-day basis are the worst sufferers. The manufacturing sector may also be as bad because there is no manpower available,” he said.

The economic loss is not just the Valley’s. The unrest has crippled business, causing a Rs 10,000-crore loss to the entire state where the peak season of tourism and pilgrimage has been badly hit by violence. The chamber of commerce and industries and other stakeholders of tourism were expecting more than five lakh pilgrims during Amarnath Yatra and lakhs more were expected in the Jammu region during July. Thousands of tourists and pilgrims have cancelled their trip.

“It is not possible to assess the actual loss, but business worth about Rs. 10,000 crore has been lost in the last few days. It will also affect the trade for the coming months,” said Rakesh Gupta, president Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI) Jammu.

The Shri Amarnath Yatra was suspended twice in the last 13 days following reports of attacks on pilgrims. 

Mushtaq Chaya, a leading hotelier and also the chairman of JK Hoteliers Club, said the hotel industry has hit a zero in the ongoing unrest. “All hotels are empty and all future bookings have been cancelled,” he said. Yet for many, this is simply not the time to count one’s financial losses. Says Yasin Khan, chairman of Kashmir Economic Alliance: “Our dear ones have died; many have lost their sight. I don’t think it is time to talk about economic losses,” he said.

Now, they can’t see, can the Govt?

Srinagar: Unaware that pellets have blinded her, a 14-year-old student, Insha Mushtaq Lone, wants her bandages removed from her both eyes so that she could see her mother. “It has been more than a week now,” Insha pleads with the doctor. “We need more time before the wounds heal up,” says the doctor. 

Insha’s right eye got ruptured and the left was severely lacerated on July 12, after a pellet cartridge fired by security forces fell in front of her inside her two-storey house at Sedow village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district. Like Insha, six other youth have been rendered blind while over 100 have lost or got smeared vision in one eye after being hit by pellets.

The scene at the SMHS ophthalmology ward is pathetic as Feroz Ahmad (27) of Sopore arrives. He is the sole bread-earner of his family. “I don’t want to live as a blind,” he cries in pain, infuriating the people in the ward.

Adjacent to Ahmad’s bed is a 5th standard girl student, Tamanna Ashiq, who wanted to become a pilot but a pellet cartridge fired by security forces shattered her dream. “In the past 12 days we have received over 180 eye-injury cases,” said Dr. Sajjad Khanday of the SMHS. “At least 137 were operated upon and 30 of them won’t regain their vision,” said Dr. Khanday.  Senior PDP leader and Lok Sabha MP from North Kashmir, Muzuffar Hussain Beg, says using pellet guns was the worst crime. — Samaan Lateef

Their tomorrow slips off a tense present

Srinagar: Education institutions were closed for the annual summer break on July 1 across the valley. The break, due to end on July 17, is extended to July 25 following the unrest. No one really knows when the schools will reopen. It’s a blind alley for around 15 lakh students. 

“The continuing uncertainty doesn’t allow us to concentrate…we see no future for us,” says Mahiba, a class XI student from Srinagar’s Chanapora. According to the figures by Directorate of Education School Kashmir (DSEK), there are 11,766 government and 2,610 private schools in Kashmir. The total enrollment in all these schools is over about 15 lakh. Private Schools Association’s head GN War says the present unrest has occured at a time when the students were preparing for national-level competitive exams, which cannot be postponed. “Even if the schools reopen, who would ensure the safety of students?” asks War.

“Says Baseema Aijaz, the Vice-Chairperson of SRM Welkin School, Sopore: “We are equally sad about the students being hit with pellets. All this needs to stop” she says. — Rifat Mohidin