LIFE OF KASHMIRI YOUTH OVER THE YEARS
Like other younger generations around the world, Kashmiri youth are influenced by the hyper- connectedness brought about by social media. And they have grown up in a society where civil and political life been hollowed out by conflict. They have less recourse to political processes that might address their grievances. There is much to ponder about the right combination of politics, economics, diplomacy, and good governance needed in Kashmir. Obviously these factors must accommodate a constant process of generational change. Inspite of these conflicts, like the ones in Kashmir, are growing up in the same hyper- connected, globalized environment.
An Ever- Changing Conflict.
The decline in violence during the years of the peace process brought real change to the Kashmir Valley, including a marked reduction in the visible Indian military presence. It was in this environment that youth protests began in the summer of 2008. Unlike the gunmen in the separatist insurgency, these youths were unarmed and instead used stones to target Indian security forces. As new teenagers joined the protests and others grew up and dropped out, the causes of their anger changed, though all were informed by a mix of similar underlying grievances. Among these were resentment at the on-going presence of security forces, distrust in police forces that they believed acted with impunity, corruption, the humiliation of regular security checks, and a lack of economic and social opportunities. Over the past few years, the stone- throwing protests have reduced as locals tried to support Indian security forces for chasing down militants.
Ambivalent Attitudes.
Youth attitudes remained ambivalent and nebulous, subject to trends and countertrends. According to a qualitative survey conducted in 2011, using questionnaires filled out anonymously in schools, colleges, and universities, the younger generation had no intent of going off track. Indeed, in this survey, a narrow majority actually disapproved of stone- pelting, though this attitude may have changed since. The desire for peace and economic opportunities was stronger among respondents from poorer families and from more rural areas, which bore the brunt of militancy in the 1990s. Lastly, as seen is that women were keener on peace than men.
The Legacy of the 2000-01.
It’s also worth noting that youth perspectives in Kashmir formed in a society hollowed out by years of militancy. As it is evident, the separatist insurgency that dominated Kashmir in the 2000s produced a huge black-market economy. This environment produced responses from the youth that were often contradictory. Some wanted not just a job, but the kind of employment that would give them the same access to patronage and money they had seen their elders exploit. Others sought refuge in the imagined purity of an Islamic caliphate. The years of militancy also eroded traditional social hierarchies and badly weakened educational standards. Policemen, often Kashmiris themselves, have been increasingly targeted by militants, and in the recent past even their families have come under threat. It is in this political vacuum that some teenagers have recently become fired up by the idea of a caliphate. Even as they actively form opinions of their own, the young are also easily manipulated. On top of genuine anger, instigators are often paid to begin a stone- throwing protest, disappearing once a mob has formed. Young men, many from poor families, are then left to bear the brunt of the reaction from security forces.
Challenges.
Within the Kashmir Valley, India faces multiple challenges in improving governance and economic opportunities, unwinding a conflict economy awash in corruption. This is a generation that has come of age disoriented by conflict. But these youth are also capable of articulating views that differ both across age groups and within them. Most importantly, by looking at the conflict from the inside out, by trying to examine how each new group of teenagers interacts with local, international, and historical influences in order to understand Kashmir from the perspective of those who live in it. It deserves to be followed up by hard work, nuanced research, and above all, engagement with younger generations who will determine what happens in Kashmir.
