Why don't I write about Kashmir?

Kashmir was and very much still is, the zenith of our political discourse on nationalism, relevance of history, multilateral perspectives on questions on integration and perceived injustice. I have had amazing people around me, who expressed their different opinions on Kashmir, its history, its people and of course the government.

I, however, wrote nothing about nor did I make my opinion known to a lot of people. Why? Have I, as a political science student, lost all interest in actual politics and clammed myself in theory and philosophy? Have I moved into the spiral of apathy and indifference? I searched for answers and this is what I came up with.

I haven’t written anything about Kashmir yet because I’m tired. I’m tired of explaining to people the meaning of democracy. I am tired of having to hide my sympathy (mind you, I mean sympathy because the scope of empathy doesn’t even arise) to all Kashmiris I know. I’m also tired of seeing my Kashmiri friends acting more brave and mature than I ever could. I’m tired of worrying about my mother’s stupid mobile network when I know many couldn’t even know if their parents were safe. 

  

I’m tired of people, safe in the comfort of their homes, having never once experienced terror surrounding from all sides, blaming Kashmiris for their perils. I’m tired of people judging others without understanding their context. I’m tired of people who have no clue about the political and diplomatic histories, putting up stories in social media that make no sense and are happy being finger tip activists. I’m tired of people labelling Kashmir, a 'strictly legal and constitutional' matter as if Kashmir is just a piece of land with no people and at best, even if there are people, they are devoid of emotions (demoting all of this to a land dispute). I'm tired of getting boxed into feminist/liberal/anti-national/flag bearer of a political party and what not , the moment I have an opinion.

And finally, I’m tired of the villanization of a community that has multiple reasons to believe its own mainland cheated them; I don’t support violence at any level, but to villanize a community because of their acts out of justifiable anger, most of them self-fulfilling  prophecies generating out of the vicious circle they’re trapped in, is terribly short-sighted and insensitive. I’m tired of dealing with such insensitivity. I’m tired of dealing with people who paint an act by a democratically elected government ( and I do not blame the ruling party for the creation of the problem nor is it a political agenda to discount any other party’s responsibility) which defied the basic norms of democracy and brought atrocious violation of human rights, as the only way for integration, however horrendous that way might be, in-turn making it justifiable.

I’m tired of all this and that’s why I wrote nothing. This crime of omission, I hope would be taken by some people at least as a neutral act. But I know better, I know that there’s no neutral side. For as Elie Wiesel said, “ Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” Knowing all this, I give my mental peace a greater priority and choose not to talk or write. Because you see, I have that luxury – the luxury to remain neutral. I haven’t lost that luxury, not just yet.