writes Rameez Makhdoomi
Sopore is in deep pain over the past several years owing to the decades old unresolved Kashmir conflict. Dead bodies, massacres, wailing mothers and sisters have defined the life in pain hit Sopore over this time span. Suffering has it seems entered into a constant and unending marriage with bruised and battered Sopore town. Miseries seem to have become identification of Sopore once known as chota London of Kashmir.
One cannot understand the pain of Sopore in isolation. Unresolved Kashmir conflict, Police excess, Battleground of ideologies have all contributed in literally forcing the youth of Sopore in large ratios to go towards “Gun Movement” of Kashmir.
On macroscopic level, thousands of Kashmiri budding youth have died as militants which many in populace embrace as freedom fighters. Thousands too have been gunned down by militants on allegations of being police informers, thousands have allegedly been shot dead in fake encounters by men in uniform.
Suffocation has tormented life of Kashmiris and towns like Sopore have completely been embraced by unending gloom and darkness. Many saner elements have also started to express that India& Pakistan have made Kashmir a turf for their respective battles and answer to ending the pain lies in forging a strong unity among the people of Kashmir so as to reach to common goal.
The voice from bloodied Sopore is that it is high time for every waring party in the conflict ridden Kashmir to end the pain of people of Kashmir and give up their respective egos .The situation also lays an onus to India & Pakistan to agree to a democratic solution such as referendum to solve this issue once for all.If both countries want to be remembered in right context in the annals of human history they will have to show humane heart will solving the political issues of Kashmir and recognize that Kashmiris are masters of their own destiny.
Sopore suffering seems to convey just all the above realities to all the concerned humane voices.