Headlines
Kashmir killings trigger panic among ex-militants (News Analysis)
Srinagar, June 15
Panic stricken former
militants and sympathizers of separatists have started migrating out of
Kashmir's Sopore town following the killings of former militants and
active supporters of separatists by unidentified gunmen.
So far,
four former militants or active supporters of the separatist movement
have been killed in Sopore town during the last six days.
The
latest was Aijaz Ahmad Reshi, a former militant belonging to
Harkat-ul-Mujahideen group, who was killed on Monday in Mundji locality
of Sopore.
What has triggered the panic among the former
militants and active supporters of separatists especially those close to
hardline senior separatist leader, Syed Ali Geelani, is that these
killings are reminiscent of the 'Ikhwani period' in the Valley during
which dozens of separatist supporters and militants were killed.
Those
'pro-India' militant commanders included Kuka Parray, Javaid Shah,
Yusuf Gadru, Azad Nabi, all of whom were later killed under mysterious
circumstances.
The 'pro-government' militants were called
'Ikhwanis' because the first such group that came to light in mid 1990s
was the 'Ikhwan-ul-Muslimoon' headed by Kuka Parray.
Parray had
later formed a political party, Awami League and fought and won the
state assembly elections from north Kashmir's Sonawari seat.
On September 14, 2003, Parray was killed in Hajin area of Bandipora district by unknown gunmen.
These
'pro-government' militants were also called 'renegades' because at one
or the other point in time, they had been part of separatist guerrilla
groups in Kashmir.
Although Srinagar city did not have a major
presence of the 'pro-government' gunmen during the late 1990s, rural
areas especially in the north and the south had predominant presence of
such gunmen who moved openly with weapons.
These gunmen worked in
close tandem with the security forces to become the eyes and ears of
the army and the special operations group (SOG) of the state police.
Intelligence
officers believe they 'pro-government' gunmen had played a significant
role in breaking the backbone of separatist violence in Kashmir although
over a period of time, these gunmen had become uncontrolled militias
involved in timber smuggling, extortion, intimidation and rape.
Fear
and consternation has started haunting the common man and the
separatist rank and file in Sopore town since the mysterious killings
took place.
A senior intelligence officer said at least three
dozen former political activists of separatist groups and former
militants have migrated out of Sopore town and adjacent areas during the
last four days, fearing reprisal attacks from unidentified gunmen.
Senior separatist leaders including Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and others have blamed 'Indian agents' for these killings.
Separatist
leaders here see Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's statement that
terrorists would be used to neutralize terrorists in future as the
precursor of the present attacks against former militants in Sopore.
It
all started last month when a lesser known guerrilla group calling
itself 'Lashkar-e-Islam' claimed responsibility for attacks on people
owning cell phone tower land and those associated directly with the
mobile phone operations in Sopore town.
Three people were killed
and four others were injured in the attacks against people connected
with mobile phone operations in north Kashmir last month.
Lashkar-e-Islami
had threatened people and companies of dire consequences if they did
not stop cell phone operations in the Valley.
After people
connected with the business met Geelani, he had called Lashkar-e-Islam a
group of 'Indian agents' and asked the affected people to resume their
normal business activities connected with mobile phone operations.
Whether
the present selective killings of former militants and active
supporters of separatism indicate is a revival of the 'IKhwani era' or
not would have to be watched, but the fact remains that panic and fear
is running high in Sopore and other areas in north Kashmir.
(Sheikh Qayoom can be contacted at [email protected])