AZADI | AZAD KASHMIR | APHC
BSF | BUNKER
CAMP | CAT | CHAPAH | CIVIL CURFEW | CONVOY
CRACKDOWN | CROSSFIRING | CRPF | CURFEW
DAFA 144 | DHEAL | DEPOT | DOGRAS
FIDAYEEN
GUJJARS
HIDE OUT | HM
IED | IKHWANI | INDIAN JAMMU & KASHMIR | INTERROGATION | INTERROGATION CENTRE
JAMMU & KASHMIR | JeM | JKLF
KASHMIRIYAT
LeT | LOC
MINE
PANDITS | PICKET | PTSD
RR
SOG
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AZADI
Freedom, the rallying cry of supporters of self determination in Kashmir
AZAD KASHMIR
Azad (Free) Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The more populous part of Pakistani-controlled J&K, with a population of approx. 2.5 million. Its capital is the town of Muzaffarabad. AJK’s political life is heavily controlled by Pakistani authorities, especially the military.
APHC
All Party Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference. Srinagar based coalition of political and religious groups, that stands for the Right to Self-determination in Kashmir. APHC is split into two factions-described as Moderate and Hardline
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BSF
Border Security Force. The largest component of the vast Indian paramilitary apparatus in Indian J&K, Until 2004, deployed extensively in urban policing and counter-insurgency operations. Now largely deployed on the borders of the state.
BUNKER
A sand bag formation with a peep hole, through which the nose of the sentry’s rifle stares at passers by. Bunkers are part of a huge surveillance structure put in place by Indian troops.
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CAMP
Big military area. Also medical camps set up by Indian troops in Kashmir.
CAT
A captured or surrendered militant who breaks down in an interrogation, and agrees to accompany troops to recover arms and ammunition, or to identify local sympathisers in a CRACKDOWN.
CHAPAH
CRACKDOWN on one house or a group of houses to capture militants; carried out on a specific tip off.
CIVIL CURFEW
When Militants give a call for total shutdown. No one in the streets.
CONVOY
Hundreds of military vehicles moving one after the other like a serpent. All other traffic comes to halt, till the convoy passes.
CRACKDOWN
Indian forces lay siege to an entire town or a village, and ask all men to come out into an open area. Announcements are generally made over microphones of local mosques. Women are allowed to stay home. While troops go home to home and search for hidden militants or arms, young men are paraded in front of a CAT. If the CAT nods towards anyone, he is taken away for interrogation. A crackdown can last from dawn to dusk; but sometimes goes on for a couple of days.
CROSS FIRING
When a militant is killed by the troops, he is said to have been ‘neutralised in an Operation’. If the militants kill a trooper, their press release reads ‘despatched to hell in a successful mujahideen action’. When a civilian is killed by the troopers, he is said to have ‘died in a cross fire’. If militants kill a civilian, he ‘was an informer’.
CRPF
Central Reserve Police Force. The second largest Indian Paramiliatry force deployed in Indian J&K. After 2004 have taken over the urban policing and counter-insurgency operations of the BSF in most parts of Kashmir.
CURFEW
Troops on the streets. No one is allowed out. Shoot at sight.
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DAFA 144
No four people can walk with or talk to each other in public. If seen it could lead to arrest under Public Safety Act. Origins: Indian Penal Code.
DHEAL
A small break in the CURFEW; when things seem to have improved.
DEPOT
Army’s ammunition dumps in Kashmir. Stretch for dozens of square miles (generally elaborate complexes built under low hills).
DOGRAS
A Hindu community found in plains and foothills of Jammu Region. A Dogra dynasty founded the princely state of J&K and ruled it from 1846-1947.
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FIDAYEEN
Literally, Life Daring. Not Suicide Attackers.
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GUJJARS
A non-Kashmiri speaking Muslim community of J&K whose traditional occupation is livestock rearing, and subsistence farming.
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HIDE OUT
Militant safe house.
HM
Hizb-ul Mujahideen. Formed in 1990, the largest guerilla organisation active in Indian J & K.
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IED
Improvised Explosive Device. A deadly weapon used by guerillas. These makeshift bombs and mines are usually placed on roadsides to target foot patrols, vehicles and convoys, and are often detonated by remote control.
IKHWANI
Brother in Arabic. In Kashmir, Ikhwani became a word for renegade, another word for collaborator. It’s origins lay in the mid 90s, in Indian Security Forces buying up fringe militant groups, arming and protecting them, then unleashing them upon their own people.
INDIAN JAMMU and KASHMIR (IJK)
Indian-controlled J & K. The larger and more populous part of the former princely state. It has a population of slightly more than 10 million, and comprises three regions: Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh.
INTERROGATION
Includes putting hot potatoes up the anus, passing electric shocks to the penis, and roasting the backside on a hot stove. All this is done in an interrogation centre to extract information about militants.
INTERROGATION CENTRE
Papa 1, Papa 2, JIC, Air Cargo, SICOP.
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JAMMU & KASHMIR (J&K)
The former princely state that is the area of the Kashmir Dispute. Besides Indian controlled J & K (IJK) and Pakistan controlled AZAD KASHMIR (AJK), it includes Gilgit and Baltistan and some uninhabitable high altitude tracts under Chinese control (Aksai Chin).
JeM
Jaish-e-Mohammad. A radical Islamic group centred in Pakistan and active in J&K. Formed in early 2000 by Maulana Masood Azhar, who was captured in Kashmir and later released in exchange for passengers in the 1999 Kandahar hijacking.
JKLF
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front. A movement founded in the mid sixties in AJK with the aim of reuniting the entire territory of the J&K as an independent state. It acquired support in IJK’s Kashmir valley in the late 1980s, and spearheaded the insurrection in 1990. it ceased guerilla activity in IJK in 1994, but it continues to be the voice of independentist ideology in both IJK and AJK.
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KASHMIRIYAT
A notional concept referring to an inclusive syncretic identity of Kashmiris with sources both in Hinduism and Islam. A term which has been widely debated, both by Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims.
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LeT
Lashkar-eTaiba. An insurgent group active in IJK since the mid 1990s, spawned by a Pakistan-based movement professing an orthodox Sunni Islam. LeT cadres have been responsible for the deadliest fidayeen attacks in IJK since 1999. Along with JeM, LeT was formally banned in Pakistan in January 2002.
LOC
Line of Control. The 740 km dividing line between IJK and AJK. It originated in January 1949 as a ceasefire line between India and Pakistan and is now de-facto border. At its northern end, the LOC terminates at a point called NJ 9842 in the Himalayas, beyond which lies a glacial region, Siachen.
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MINE
Landmine.
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PANDITS
The Kashmir valley’s small (4%) Brahmin Hindu minority. In the 1990 uprising, Kashmir’s Pandit minority became extremely vulnerable to a sharp religious polarization. That year almost 200 Hindus were brutally killed by extremists. The Government of the day let it be known it was unable to guarantee their safety, and even encouraged them to leave. Over the next year, nearly 160,000 Pandits fled the valley. Today less than 10,000 continue to live in their Valley homeland.
PICKET
A small military or paramilitary complex in civilian areas.
PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
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RR
Rashtriya (National) Rifles. Regular Indian Army troops deployed since the early 1990s on full-time counterinsurgency operations in IJK. Four RR formations of over 10000 soldiers each operate in IJK, two in the Kashmir valley and two in the Jammu region.Romeo-RR force based in North Kashmir; Victor-RR force based in South Kashmir AND Kilo-RR force based in Central Kashmir.
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SOG
Special Operations Group. A counter-terrorism police force, consisting of IJK residents including former guerillas(Ikhwanis), and a group much feared for its criminality and brutality.
Majority of the KEYWORDS elaborated as in
KASHMIR – Roots of Conflict, Paths to peace by SUMANTRA BOSE
2003, Vistaar Publications, New Delhi
Thanks to J who has contributed to this growing list.
My contribution to keywords…
Bunker
A sand bag formation with a peep hole, through which the nose of the sentry’s rifle stares at passers by. Bunkers are part of a huge surveillance structure put in place by Indian troops.
Camp
Big military area. Also medical camps set up by Indian troops in Kashmir.
Cat
A captured or surrendered militant who breaks down in an interrogation, and agrees to accompany troops to recover arms and ammunition, or to identify local sympathisers in a crack down.
Convoy
Hundreds of military vehicles moving one after the other like a serpent. All other traffic comes to halt, till the convoy passes.
Crack Down
Indian forces lay siege to an entire town or a village, and ask all men to come out into an open area. Announcements are generally made over microphones of local mosques. Women are allowed to stay home. While troops go home to home and search for hidden militants or arms, young men are paraded in front of a Cat. If the Cat nods toward anyone, he is taken away for interrogation. A crackdown can last from dawn to dusk; but sometimes goes on for a couple of days.
Chapah
Crackdown on one house or a group of houses to capture militants; carried out on a specific tip off.
Cross firing
When a militant is killed by the troops, he is said to have been ‘neutralised in an Operation’. If the militants kill a trooper, their press release reads ‘despatched to hell in a successful mujahideen action’. When a civilian is killed by the troopers, he is said to have ‘died in a cross fire’. If militants kill a civilian, he ‘was an informer’.
Curfew
Troops on the streets. No one is allowed out. Shoot at sight.
Civil Curfew
Militants give a call for total shutdown. No one in the streets.
Deal
A small break in the curfew; when things seem to have improved.
Dafa 144
No four people can walk with or talk to each other in public. If seen it could lead to arrest under Public Safety Act. Origins: Indian Penal Code.
Depot
Army’s ammunition dumps in Kashmir. Stretch for dozens of square miles (generally elaborate complexes built under low hills).
Farooq Abdullah
Former CM of J&K. Signed accord with Rajiv Gandhi, former PM of India. Also son of Sheikh Abdullah former PM (and later CM) of J&K, who signed accord with Indira Gandhi, former PM of India, and also mother of Rajiv Gandhi.
Hide out
Militant safe house.
Interrogation
Includes putting hot potatoes up the anus, passing electric shocks to the penis, and roasting the backside on a hot stove. All this is done in an interrogation centre to extract information about militants.
Interrogation Centre
Papa 1, Papa 2, JIC, Air Cargo, SICOP.
Mine
Landmine.
Mufti Syed
Ex-CM J&K. Former Union Home Minister of India. Father of Rubiya Syed, who was abducted by JKLF in 1990, and was only released after government released five JKLF men.
Picket
A small military or paramilitary complex in civilian areas.
Romeo
RR force based in North Kashmir
Victor
RR force based in South Kashmir
Kilo
RR force based in Central Kashmir.
Action
When Mujehideens laid an ambush, it was called action.
Soith
An upperground militant.
Mukbir
A Spy.
Baktherband
An armored vehicle of security forces used for introgation and raids.
Blackout
Means protest in the form of putting off all the lights indoors as well as outdoors by masses.
How do Kashmiris refer to the struggle, the movement?
And is there an equivalent word for the time of conflict – something like “the troubles” in Northern Ireland?
Kashmiris call their movement “Tehreek”. Tehreek is closely connected to ‘Harkat’ which means ‘to move.’ Muslims believe that: “In Harkat only is there any Barkat.” Barkat means fruit; but it is more than that. If you make a move, your fruits will grow exponentially.
In early Muslim times, trade was considered a better occupation than settled farming. Caravans of Muslims carrying products would travel to different parts of the world. They carried the message of Islam with them. The Prophet himself travelled a lot with the caravans of his future wife Khadija. He also exhorted Muslims to try to acquire knowledge even if it meant a ‘travel’ to China. China was considered the other end of the world then.
In Kashmiri political context, the fruit is Azaadi–the independence.
The Kashmiri equivalent of Irish “troubles” is “kharab halaat” which translates as “bad conditions”.
best
Kashmiris refer to the struggle as “Tehreek” — the movement. Tehreek is essentially an Arabic word borrowed into Urdu and Kashmiri. The etymological root of the word comes from “Harkah”, which signifies a movement, an agitation.
In Kashmir, the equivalent word for the time of conflict is also referred to as “Tehreek”.
The word has become as signifier that encompasses the total idea of a continuing struggle for the right to self-determination, much like the “Intifada” is for Palestinians.
Cheers
Jawad
U kashmiris at least have the right to live in kashmir and profess your religion… Us hindu sindhis were just told to convert or die and had to leave our motherland forever… No UN resolutions, no appeals by the bastard Nehru nor sympathy by bastard Jinnah…
kashmir is a heaven on earth and i dont know why they just want to make it hell … humanity is dying man