The child soldiers of Kashmir

Kashmir has witnessed violence since 1948. The atrocities that started with wooden sticks and tear gas has now reached at peak. Pallet Guns have replaced wooden sticks and tear gas has been replaced by bullets. The children who were born after 1948 are now old men. They have witnessed the increased atrocities and AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Act). Under AFSPA Indian army has rights to do whatever they can to suppress freedom movement. Children of Kashmir have been used and abused by armed forces of India. These children have anti-India sentiments in their hearts. They have become a part of Kashmir’s freedom movement to save their races from the same atrocities. Some children have also joined resistant movements.

A paper by Khalid Shah (Observer research foundation) published in Jan 2019. It was reported that at the forefront of the newmovement in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir are children. Another report described that children recruited as soldiers, abducted sexually abused and exported to what they have sometimes no idea. Thorning Schmidt said was “an alarming increase in the use of aid (denial) as a weapon of war.”

In Feb 2018, Aljazeera reported, “Fighting between Indian forces and separatist’s rebels has been left thousands of children bereaved and traumatized. The Kashmir conflict is responsible for 37% more than 200,000 orphans. Hence, these orphans live a miserable life. They have seen their forefathers fighting for freedom and the Indian army at the peak of their atrocities.”

In an Indiannewspaper “The print” reported that “Kashmir conflict making of child soldiers like BurhanWani in the time of social media”. (25 jan2018). According to the report, the social media-driven militancy brought children into especially after the martyrdom of BurhanWani. Today is the era of social media which has been used for the creation of public opinion.

BurhanWani was also a minor when he joined Hizb-ul-Mujahedeen. In the absence of juvenile justice mechanism land and order issued failed is differentiate among adults and children. Hence children are broadly entered into freedom movement.The said reported also shows on the ground situation of children in Jammu& Kashmir. The member of children soldiers raised to children who participated in civil protests are tortured and locked up by police. This behavior has given rise to the children rebels in a research paper of Khalid Shah named children as combatants and failure of state and society. The case of the Kashmir conflict mentioned due to uninterrupted shutdown the schools remained closed facilities children’s remains closed facilitates children involvement in violent activities children are usually active and they are the lifeblood of the nation.

A report issued by independent permanent human rights commission stated that 105,000 children were orphans. This creates mistrust and rage in their hearts against India. Those who are orphaned find less opportunity to attend schools education institutions ultimately join. Resistant organization workings have also increasedalong with the rise in atrocities by the Indian army. The freedom fighters that are below 18 years of age have also been increased. India used to disconnect social media allows fewer journaliststo visit Indian Occupied Kashmir valley.

 Indian army used open fire on the journalist who wants the truth to reveal. Most of the times Internet services remained banned along with other utility services in Indian occupied Kashmir.

Concluding more, Children are also victims of the atrocities of the Indian Army. Indian Army has never differentiated among adult or minor when it comes to atrocities or war crimes. 200 children have lost their vision (5-6 years) whereas 32 schools were burnt. An anti-Indian sense has been developed in Children of IOK. They have started joining freedom movement to save their future generations from the atrocities which past generations have suffered for.