Indian Forces Arrest Five Kashmiri Youth in Srinagar and Punjab for Past Militancy

The arrest of five young men in Jammu and Kashmir shows the ongoing use of state power to control the local population. According to reports the individuals are Abdullah and Usman and Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat and Adil Rashid Butt and Ghulam Mohammad Mir. They were taken during operations in Srinagar and Punjab. The authorities claim these men were former militants who were hiding for sixteen years. For local people these arrests are seen as a way to spread fear and silence those who want their rights.

The History of Sudden Arrests

This event is part of a long history of detentions targeting the youth. Since 1989 the military has used security laws to pick up thousands of people. Records show that over ninety six thousand Kashmiris have been killed by occupational forces. More than seven thousand of these deaths happened while people were in custody. These numbers show that being arrested is the start of a very dangerous journey for many young men in the region.

Harsh Laws Used for Control

The government uses very strict laws to keep control over the valley. The Public Safety Act allows police to keep someone in jail for a long time without a trial. Since the special status of the region was removed in August 2019 the number of arrests has increased. Thousands of people including students were sent to jails far from their homes. This is done to prevent any protests against the decisions made by the government.

The Human Cost of Conflict

The human cost of this struggle is visible in the facts. Over one hundred and ten thousand buildings have been destroyed during military operations. This leaves families without homes and ruins their lives. The violence has left over twenty two thousand women as widows and more than one hundred and seven thousand children as orphans. These figures represent the pain of almost every household. The arrest of these five youth is just one more part of this sad record.

Force Cannot Change Minds

Even with nearly one million soldiers the state has not been able to end the demand for freedom. Using force and arresting people for things from sixteen years ago only makes people more angry. Most experts believe the government is trying to show that no one can escape them. However this policy has failed to stop the desire for self determination. Instead it has created more distance between the people and the authorities.

The Need for Justice

The arrest of Abdullah and his friends is an example of using power to crush the spirit of the youth. The forces are following a policy that ignores basic human rights and international law. As long as these arrests continue the region will stay unstable. The world needs to look at the real data to understand the suffering of the Kashmiri people. Peace can only happen when the youth are no longer targeted and their voices are finally respected.