Writes Shahzad Hussain Hamdani
An angelic man, I saw in my dream
Who at me; Did then scream,
He asked me, Don’t you Know Me?
I then told him, Dear who are you?
He said,”I am he Who died for you,
Oh, you forgot me! But, I remember you,
Where is my nation? He then to me cried,
That Godly Nation For which I died,
In Heaven I heard Of your Compromise,
If you did so then it is My peoples’ demise!
I Died for a cause, i died with a hope
Freedom is coming, Oh! People do not fear.
“Don’t die so soon my son….Oh my beloved son – won’t you miss me,’’
When the boys carry the stretcher through the narrow swampy street, there is rage even in their steps. Suddenly the slogans sound like rhythmic wails. A child watches from a window as an elderly woman holds him tight and then showers almonds and sweets. Few fall on the body, wrapped in a colourful blanket. It is already dark and the mourners try to find their way, guided by the light of their cell phone torches. Fida Nabi (17) is returning home one last time and his funeral procession is like a volcano of anger, a little confrontation with the security men can trigger a violent protest.
The government has already decided to re-impose curfew after a day of hiatus and now officials are waiting anxiously to know the family’s plan to bury this teenager. The local police officer sends a message too. The orders have come from the top and pleas were followed by threats – we won’t allow more than 15 people to accompany the body after the sun rise.
The elders don’t discuss the proposals of the police. They consult each other in whispers. The anger has spilled over the streets and with each passing moment more boys are arriving. There is something very common among Fida’s friends – their eyes are moist, wails hoarse and each one of them carries a large piece of green or black cloth mask covering their heads. For a moment, they act adult and shout political slogans. Then the pain of losing a dear friend reaches its threshold and they cry like little boys. Few are accompanied by mothers too.
This was the scene on 08 August 2010 when a Seventeen year old Fida Nabi who was injured when CRPF personnel opened fire during a funeral procession in HMT, in the outskirts of Srinagar, on August 3, who later died on 08 August 2010at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences.
On that day, during the funeral procession of one Suhail Ahmed, Nabi had stepped out of his home to see what was going on. The procession crowd Started chanting slogans and the CRPF personnel present opened fire. His mother Zahida said Fida was hit by a bullet in his cheek when CRPF personnel opened fire on a funeral procession. “He was playing carrom at home when the procession came near our house. It was a funeral procession of another boy who was killed that day. His name was Suhail,’’ Zahida Nabi said. “He heard the slogans and ran out to see what was happening. There was firing. I didn’t know he had been hit. When I saw him, there was blood everywhere on him.’’
The Year of 2010 Ended with pain and sufferings, which clouded the whole kashmir with it. There was no time to count the bodies, everyone was busy in digging graves. Eidgah was crowded, but this time it was not Eid, but a procession of Martyrs. More than 122 Youths died in 2010. Government gave assurance that all the Culprits will be strictly dealth by Law.
NOW two years have gone, and justice is still on Parole. Still there are eyes and heart waiting for the justice, A hope still somewhere in the air.
As said by Phillip Dalsing:
“what is life
what is love
what is dieing
what is crying
life is what we live even know we lose little kids
love is a word we use to show affection
dieing is going away from this horable world
crying is hurting deep down in side”
Time has come for a country which calls inself a Big democratic to take steps to provide justice to these open wounds, which are still in pain.