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STATES: JAMMU & KASHMIR
Return To Militancy Or Face Death
The
strategy of pro-Pakistan militant organisations is quite clear. "The
ISI is luring ikhwanis with money and weapons," says a distraught
Kishtwari. A police officer says that avarice-and some strong persuasion
by Pakistan-get the better of the surrendered militants. They have contacted
nearly every turncoat with promises of amnesty and money if they return
to militancy. Above all, they assure protection to the militants and their
families. Those who resist face a brutal end. The beheadings were essentially
a signal to the ikhwanis to rejoin the militant ranks or face death.
Such threats and inducements have come at a
time when the militants have started distrusting the Government. "After
using the pro-government militants, the state has left them helpless and
vulnerable to attacks," accuses Kishtwari. "Every day there
is at least one casualty." He adds that promises made to them at
the time of surrender haven't been fulfilled. "Half of my boys who
had been assured a decent job, security and respectability have rejoined
militancy as I failed to provide them anything,'' he says. The Government's
reneging on the promises has particularly disillusioned the younger lot.
Says a young ikhwani who escaped during one
of the police raids in Srinagar: "I used to earn Rs 1,500 a month
and live in the police station to assist the Special Operations Group
of the police. I was promised a job in the force-that never happened.''
Even those who were inducted into the police
force are not happy with the way things have turned out. "My school
friends call me a renegade. I hardly visit my village now as small children
of the village tease me," says Ahmad. And there is the constant fear
gnawing at their hearts. Ahmad has already lost two friends who were killed
by militants for helping the Government. On the other hand, militants
who have received the promised benefits are quite content. "There
is not even a single case of reconversion among surrendered militants
who joined the BSF," points out BSF dig Brij Nath Kabu. "We
take care of them and they are proving to be good soldiers." Kabu
says that misguided youths need care and support. "If they are assimilated
in the mainstream, there is no question of their rejoining militancy,"
he says with confidence.
The situation in the state is particularly worrying
as the militants who have taken to the guns again know a lot about the
ikhwanis and their activities. More importantly, most of them have stayed
in security camps and are, therefore, in a position to provide militants
accurate information about security bases.
However, despite the obvious dangers of remaining
true to the government, the ikhwanis continues to harbour optimism. "If
the Government helps us financially and provides good weapons, I can control
the situation within two months," says Kishtwari. It may not be easy.
An ikhwani confesses to being fed up with the treatment meted out by the
police and the security forces. "Even the locals hate us ... One
has to die anyway. I might as well die respectably,'' he reasons.
This cynicim is what the security forces and
the state administration have to be wary of.
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