After the return of Kashmir Singh and deferment of death sentence for a month, the villagers of Bhikhwind hope of their good days coming, writes Ashwini Ahuja
A HOPE SUSTAINS LIFE
Bhikhwind, a town, just 8 km away from international Indo-Pak border and about 45 km far away in the north of Amritsar in Punjab is these days a popular name in both Indian and International media because of its connection with Sarabjit Singh whose life is at stake in Pakistan jail.
The allegation of the Pakistan government is that he is a spy and his name is Manjeet Singh, not Sarabjit Singh and sure enough, he is involved in bomb blasts in Pakistan cities that took fourteen lives, therefore, he has been sentenced to death in Pakistan.
Although the punishment has been deferred for a month thanks to the efforts of the family, media hype and Indian government pressure. The family heaved a sigh of respite. If Kashmir Singh can return from Pakistan after 35 years of captivity why not Sarabjit Singh? There is a glimmer of hope in every eye, either it the youngster or the oldie.
The media man who drops in the village, it is same question everybody in Bhikhwind village asks him when Sarabjit will come back to the village. Last week, when I visited the village, it was the same question they asked me.
On being talked, almost all the people around the Bhikhwind area say that Sarabjit Singh is innocent and has been falsely implicated by Pakistani spy agencies but foreign ministry says that it has a proof regarding his involvement in the bomb blast, moreover, according to foreign ministry spokesman, Singh too has confessed to carrying out bombings in Lahore, Kasur and Faisalabad but the villagers don’t believe in their bluff.
Days back, nearly five thousand people of the area held a rally demanding clemency for the Indian prisoner in Pakistan jail. Shops and business establishments were also shut down to build pressure on the government.
To prove the real identity of Sarabjit, his wife Sukhpreet Kaur has given to the Indian authority the voter list carrying her husband’s name and bank documents which prove Sarabjit identity as a farmer in Bhikhwind in Punjab.
Moreover, his two daughters Sapandeep Kaur and Poonam and Sister Dalbir Kaur are also trying their best efforts to save Sarabjit’s life and they robustly have put up their case before the Indian authority and Pakistan authority through media with a challenge if they did not get justice and Pakistan carried out execution they would hang themselves from a rope tied to the roof of their home.
Human right activist in Pakistan Asma Jahangir too had assured them of finding the justice. The government of India is quite hopeful of Sarabjit coming back after the new government in Pakistan sworn in.
If we look back the history of Bhikhwind village, in the year of 1971, at the time of Indo-Pak war, a large number of Patton tanks were captured here, so this village was named Patton Nagar and it was a popular name for some years. Like Gurdaspur and Ferozepur borders, too, in this boarder village straying into Pakistan was then commonplace.
Sarabjit accidentally crossed the border line because there was no wire fence separating the two sides but for the border was demarcated by a few equidistant stones. Some people of the village too accepted that the hiring of young men by intelligence agencies for spying service is also a commonplace thing in all border districts of Punjab. Due to lack of employment opportunities in the state, there are chances of youngmen being baited by intelligence services.
For years, both Pakistan and India always accused the border belt people of espionage who by mistake strayed across the border. As Pakistan government has bargained two captives in Indian jail in exchange of Sarabjit Singh but despite the denial of the Indian government, the Pakistan government might release Sarabjit Singh as a goodwill gesture. Both countries earlier have freed several prisoners as part of improvement in bilateral relations. It was the general opinion of the villagers.
One of the villagers told me the story of Sarabjit’s disappearance. He recalled it was the 28th August of 1990. Sarabjit had gone to his labour work. No doubt, he drank but was not such horrific type who could engage in bomb blast. He was poor daily wager then.
That day, he was working on a construction site which was close to the border. After dinner, he drank with his fellow labourers and went for sleep outside the room. Then in inebriation, he began to roam around the area and forgot he had crossed the line. He meandered into Pakistan side.
Next morning, when he did not return, a couple of his friends went looking for him but he was not found anywhere. Actually, he had strayed into Pakistan, one of the old villagers said confidently. After some days, they got information regarding his arrest in Pakistan on the charges of spying and engineering bomb blasts in Pakistan cities.
One oldman in the village, who knows Sarabjit family since he was a twelve year child, says that Sarabjit is naïve. If the Pakistani authority says that Singh has confessed his disruptive activities in Pakistan, they must have put words into his mouth forcibly. In other country, with coercion, police can do even impossible things and Sarabjit might have been coerced to speak whatever they wanted.
There is a lot of different between India and Pakistan, he adds. On one hand, Pakistan government is much dogged to finish Sarabjit Singh just on the basis of coercive confession and on the other hand those who are directly involved in the attack on parliament house are getting the opportunity of proper trial from the Indian government. I feel pained to see the stark contrast between two countries.
I noticed Sarabjit’s younger daughter Poonam who was preparing for class 10th examinations a bit confused over the emergence of more and more people in the family. Sarabjit’s wife who was facilitated a class IV job by the former chief minister Amarinder Singh had soured relationship with the Sarabjit’s sister because of scanty financial help, about which 16 year Poonam, the younger daughter of the family seems to be unaware.
She was just one month old when his father had meandered to Pakistan. His elder daughter reportedly had been moved to Delhi taking up Sarabjit’s case with her bhua (Sarabjit’s sister). It was also murmuring that some prominent residents of the village to whom the family expected a lot did come out with a little help.
What will you after passing the examination? On being asked Poonam came out with smart reply- journalist, who works on television. People know my face now. It seemed that the electronic media had left an indelible impression on her. But she was worried about her mother about who she says that she had got a fresh lease of life after hearing the news of postponement of death sentence.
After Kashmir Singh’s return after 35 years in captivity, we still have a hope, Sarabjit too would come back. Moreover, Kashmir Singh was spy but Sarabjit is not. He is the victim of fate, one young man Jaswant Singh told this writer. He told that there are my youths like Sarabjit who are working hard on harvesting the crops of other landlords or constructing houses for a pittance.
There are chances any intelligence agency tempts them by offering lucrative jobs of spying or like that for neighboring countries but these agencies does not pay for always. When the situation turns ugly, they forget they had occupied the man for espionage services. Didn’t you hear Kashmir Singh’s version. In his absence, no pension and stipend was ever given to his family. It is nothing but for unethical cheating with our poor youngsters.
I was also told there are also some farmers whose land is separated between the Indo-Pak boundaries. If one wishes to go to other side of his field he has to depend on the mercy of the Pak Rangers and BSF soldiers accompanying with him. And the entry is allowed between 9 am to 5 pm. When relations are tense, the entry is restricted. If one strays into the boundary, it is not uncommon because the houses on both sides look alike. There were more and more talks but seeing hope in their eyes, I am sure they would succeed in their mission.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Defending Tibetans Rights
Ashwini Ahuja writes a column MONDAY MUSING for THE DAILY ITALAAT, SRINAGAR.
This article has been published under MONDAY MUSING column
Dalai Lama is an apostle of peace; the all world accepts he is no less important than Mahatma Gandhi but China says he is a wolf in monk’s robes. His philosophy resolutely focuses on humanitarianism and anti-violent activities but in China’s eyes he is the mastermind of biggest ever protects, chaos among Tibetan monks in China, Lhasa and elsewhere. The world knows his vision of politics has been significantly shaped by an admiration for Gandhi but China dislikes his vision. If we look back, in the year of 1989 when Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel for Peace, the chairman of the committee had said that the prize was ‘in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi’
But it is a stark irony despite being a world leader, Mahatma Gandhi doesn’t matter to China, so, the Dalai Lama despite being his recognition as Nobel laureate for Peace mission. None in the world like the haughty, brutal, capitalist authoritarian China who is readying to showcase its economic might by hosting the Olympics 2008, should accuse the leader of such esteem and glory, who had been awarded the world’s biggest accolade for his peace mission, for masterminding the agitation to sabotage the Olympic Games at Beijing.
For Chinese government and its people, Dalai Lama might be a ‘wolf in monk’s robes’ but his strategy is neither anti China government nor its people. Nor he asks for Independent Tibet and it’s worsening that he is compelled to attract the ire of Tibetan people due to shifting his base from Independence to autonomy. Tibetans are not agreeing to accept a bit less than Tibet independence
Asking for autonomy within the framework of China should not be treated as an invalid demand of one of the greatest spiritual leaders if the Tibetan Buddhists are wishing to protect its culture, heritage and artifacts. But the crisis is, now, with the lighting of the Olympic flame, despite Dalai Lama’s assurance to China government that the Tibetans are not against the Beijing Olympics- the world's biggest sporting spectacle ever, Pro-Tibet protesters disrupted the Olympic flame-lighting ceremony at Athens and their intentions are no hidden agenda to the world. And China recently has asked India also regarding the protection of mashaal when it passes through India after sighting Tibetan opposition both in Paris and London.
China is quite aware that Tibetan clique would show off their plight to the world to embarrass China and protect China’s human rights record. The French President Nicolas Sarkozy too has showed his concern regarding the boycott of pro-Tibet protesters in the coming opening ceremony of Olympics games on August 8, 2008.
Days back, on the anniversary of Tibetans’ national uprising against Chinese which culminated in the running away of Dalai Lama to India through Tawang, Dalai Lama, feeling the bubbling outburst of Tibetans, had said that he is unable to control Tibetan explosion of anger, he then understood well the commonsensical rhythm of Tibetan exiles who had been frustrated with their failure achieving ‘middle way’ solution of their problem.
Dalai Lama knows understandably if he forces his disciples, he might slack his genuine authority over them because they are going berserk day after day over the unsolved question of their long-aspired independence of Tibet, not accepting the autonomy. Dalai Lama says that he is ready to quit if both the monks and Chinese authority fail to stop the violence.
Pragmatically, like Mahatma Gandhi, Dalai Lama not only talks of moral conscience but he is much anxious about violence unleashed by his own Tibetan people. Reports say that the present protects by Buddhist monks in Tibet and elsewhere in China are the largest in nearly two decades.
Traditionally, India is liberal in providing political asylum to those who wishes to come to the country. Fifty years back, when Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal head of Tibetans had fled to India with scores of Buddhist monks, it was the China which sharply reacted over providing refuge to the fugitive. Then our first Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru had asked over Dalai Lama to act restraint. The government of India has then no objection providing shelter to them if they promise their government in exile would not indulge in political activities in India. The Dalai Lama and other Tibetans living in India honoured the commitment except for some passionate Tibetans.
Despite criticism from China many times, India did not renege on its stand of offering refuge and shortly thereafter, following a collapse of negotiations between two countries over the disputed border, China attacked China on October 1962 and defeated India.
The memory of that mountain war-fare for which India was not all prepared that time, still haunts our leaders and military officers. Now, India is silent over the situation as though it is worsening day by day. Some political analysts are of the opinion that maintaining silence is in our interest keep on friendly relations with our mighty neighbour.
After the China- India war in 1962, India did neither advocate nor support any movement for an Independent Tibet but it’s not against Tibetans’ concept of peaceful solution of Tibet dispute. India sees similarities in Mahatma Gandhi and Dalai Lama. In the year of 1922, on the eruption of violence at Chauri Chaura, Mahatma Gandhi insisted on the end of non-cooperation movement. Recently, Dalai Lama’s anxieties about violence and insistence not to hate Chinese people but to their atrocities bring back us to the memories of Gandhian dogmas.
But in the present scenario, India’s response to the harsh Chinese crackdown on legitimate Tibetan protests in Lhasa and elsewhere has been disappointing only because of the panic of spoiling relationship between two countries. In Parliament the veteran politician and foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee could only express anguish at the plight of the ill fated Tibetans, not promise to give moral support. Moreover, Indian security forces swooped down on peaceful Tibetan protestors at Dharamsala just to convince China which had sternly rebuked India to see Tibetans’ political activities. India is by all means stuck to its stand not to allowing Tibetans to run political activities in India.
The current crisis with India now is, one way; it wishes to be considered a great power, the other way it kowtows to Beijing. Its policy of appeasement to make China happy has failed.
In the year of 1962, India had been a week country with not much better economic growth. Now the scenario is absolutely changed. Now India has grown strong economically along with substantial military establishment, it should not now behave in a submissive fashion. India’s position, sure enough would be sturdier if it stands up defending undeniable rights of the Tibetan minority. India should never cow down if it claims to great power status in Asia.
It is too disappointing that some important policy decisions are ignored only because of the fear of China. For example, on the issue of China’s quest for military based in Burma, India remained silent. Second, it has also exercised caution in pursuing commercial ties with Taiwan only to save from China’s wrath. If India takes action against law-abiding Tibetans and harasses them, it is fundamentally contrary to the principles of a liberal democracy as in India.
It is no doubt that China’s hands are heavy and it is able to crush the demonstrations that have swept across the Tibet despite knowing the world powers will issue some predictable communiqués demanding to end the repression and pressurized China for negotiations. Maybe the world powers menace China for the boycott of Chinese goods or impose of sanctions due to its repression on Tibetans.
It is a crucial time that India should live up to the world’s aspirations of showing off self-confidence condemning China’s oppression on Tibetan minority. If Tibetans wishes to march peacefully, the government of India at a minimum should grants them their democratic right. Either India genuflect China by not allowing Tibetans to show off protects or obey to the global leaders’ aspirations, Dalai Lama’s moral leadership will always be immaculate.
This article has been published under MONDAY MUSING column
Dalai Lama is an apostle of peace; the all world accepts he is no less important than Mahatma Gandhi but China says he is a wolf in monk’s robes. His philosophy resolutely focuses on humanitarianism and anti-violent activities but in China’s eyes he is the mastermind of biggest ever protects, chaos among Tibetan monks in China, Lhasa and elsewhere. The world knows his vision of politics has been significantly shaped by an admiration for Gandhi but China dislikes his vision. If we look back, in the year of 1989 when Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel for Peace, the chairman of the committee had said that the prize was ‘in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi’
But it is a stark irony despite being a world leader, Mahatma Gandhi doesn’t matter to China, so, the Dalai Lama despite being his recognition as Nobel laureate for Peace mission. None in the world like the haughty, brutal, capitalist authoritarian China who is readying to showcase its economic might by hosting the Olympics 2008, should accuse the leader of such esteem and glory, who had been awarded the world’s biggest accolade for his peace mission, for masterminding the agitation to sabotage the Olympic Games at Beijing.
For Chinese government and its people, Dalai Lama might be a ‘wolf in monk’s robes’ but his strategy is neither anti China government nor its people. Nor he asks for Independent Tibet and it’s worsening that he is compelled to attract the ire of Tibetan people due to shifting his base from Independence to autonomy. Tibetans are not agreeing to accept a bit less than Tibet independence
Asking for autonomy within the framework of China should not be treated as an invalid demand of one of the greatest spiritual leaders if the Tibetan Buddhists are wishing to protect its culture, heritage and artifacts. But the crisis is, now, with the lighting of the Olympic flame, despite Dalai Lama’s assurance to China government that the Tibetans are not against the Beijing Olympics- the world's biggest sporting spectacle ever, Pro-Tibet protesters disrupted the Olympic flame-lighting ceremony at Athens and their intentions are no hidden agenda to the world. And China recently has asked India also regarding the protection of mashaal when it passes through India after sighting Tibetan opposition both in Paris and London.
China is quite aware that Tibetan clique would show off their plight to the world to embarrass China and protect China’s human rights record. The French President Nicolas Sarkozy too has showed his concern regarding the boycott of pro-Tibet protesters in the coming opening ceremony of Olympics games on August 8, 2008.
Days back, on the anniversary of Tibetans’ national uprising against Chinese which culminated in the running away of Dalai Lama to India through Tawang, Dalai Lama, feeling the bubbling outburst of Tibetans, had said that he is unable to control Tibetan explosion of anger, he then understood well the commonsensical rhythm of Tibetan exiles who had been frustrated with their failure achieving ‘middle way’ solution of their problem.
Dalai Lama knows understandably if he forces his disciples, he might slack his genuine authority over them because they are going berserk day after day over the unsolved question of their long-aspired independence of Tibet, not accepting the autonomy. Dalai Lama says that he is ready to quit if both the monks and Chinese authority fail to stop the violence.
Pragmatically, like Mahatma Gandhi, Dalai Lama not only talks of moral conscience but he is much anxious about violence unleashed by his own Tibetan people. Reports say that the present protects by Buddhist monks in Tibet and elsewhere in China are the largest in nearly two decades.
Traditionally, India is liberal in providing political asylum to those who wishes to come to the country. Fifty years back, when Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal head of Tibetans had fled to India with scores of Buddhist monks, it was the China which sharply reacted over providing refuge to the fugitive. Then our first Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru had asked over Dalai Lama to act restraint. The government of India has then no objection providing shelter to them if they promise their government in exile would not indulge in political activities in India. The Dalai Lama and other Tibetans living in India honoured the commitment except for some passionate Tibetans.
Despite criticism from China many times, India did not renege on its stand of offering refuge and shortly thereafter, following a collapse of negotiations between two countries over the disputed border, China attacked China on October 1962 and defeated India.
The memory of that mountain war-fare for which India was not all prepared that time, still haunts our leaders and military officers. Now, India is silent over the situation as though it is worsening day by day. Some political analysts are of the opinion that maintaining silence is in our interest keep on friendly relations with our mighty neighbour.
After the China- India war in 1962, India did neither advocate nor support any movement for an Independent Tibet but it’s not against Tibetans’ concept of peaceful solution of Tibet dispute. India sees similarities in Mahatma Gandhi and Dalai Lama. In the year of 1922, on the eruption of violence at Chauri Chaura, Mahatma Gandhi insisted on the end of non-cooperation movement. Recently, Dalai Lama’s anxieties about violence and insistence not to hate Chinese people but to their atrocities bring back us to the memories of Gandhian dogmas.
But in the present scenario, India’s response to the harsh Chinese crackdown on legitimate Tibetan protests in Lhasa and elsewhere has been disappointing only because of the panic of spoiling relationship between two countries. In Parliament the veteran politician and foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee could only express anguish at the plight of the ill fated Tibetans, not promise to give moral support. Moreover, Indian security forces swooped down on peaceful Tibetan protestors at Dharamsala just to convince China which had sternly rebuked India to see Tibetans’ political activities. India is by all means stuck to its stand not to allowing Tibetans to run political activities in India.
The current crisis with India now is, one way; it wishes to be considered a great power, the other way it kowtows to Beijing. Its policy of appeasement to make China happy has failed.
In the year of 1962, India had been a week country with not much better economic growth. Now the scenario is absolutely changed. Now India has grown strong economically along with substantial military establishment, it should not now behave in a submissive fashion. India’s position, sure enough would be sturdier if it stands up defending undeniable rights of the Tibetan minority. India should never cow down if it claims to great power status in Asia.
It is too disappointing that some important policy decisions are ignored only because of the fear of China. For example, on the issue of China’s quest for military based in Burma, India remained silent. Second, it has also exercised caution in pursuing commercial ties with Taiwan only to save from China’s wrath. If India takes action against law-abiding Tibetans and harasses them, it is fundamentally contrary to the principles of a liberal democracy as in India.
It is no doubt that China’s hands are heavy and it is able to crush the demonstrations that have swept across the Tibet despite knowing the world powers will issue some predictable communiqués demanding to end the repression and pressurized China for negotiations. Maybe the world powers menace China for the boycott of Chinese goods or impose of sanctions due to its repression on Tibetans.
It is a crucial time that India should live up to the world’s aspirations of showing off self-confidence condemning China’s oppression on Tibetan minority. If Tibetans wishes to march peacefully, the government of India at a minimum should grants them their democratic right. Either India genuflect China by not allowing Tibetans to show off protects or obey to the global leaders’ aspirations, Dalai Lama’s moral leadership will always be immaculate.
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