Childhood in Chains: A Tale of IIOJK Children
By: Aleena Zafar
Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, a region enduring the brutalities of Indian Occupational forces is shrouded in the silenced cries of its most vulnerable citizens – children.
In IIOJK where the quest for freedom collides with lethal Indian bullets, innocent children also bear the brunt of the violence. These pellet guns have inflicted irreparable damage on hundreds, robbing them of their aspirations and hopes amidst the swirling fumes of tear gas and smoke. The arbitrary arrests and imprisonments by the Indian Occupational forces cast a dark pall over their formative years, snatching away the warmth of classrooms and replacing it with icy detention cells. The haunting specter of enforced disappearances hangs over families like a persistent ghost, leaving an insatiable void and countless lingering uncertainties.
Their homes, once warm and inviting, now stand empty and remind them of the loved ones they have lost. Education, a source of hope for their future, struggles to exist amidst the restrictions imposed by curfews and checkpoints. Instead of joyous laughter on playgrounds, there are only hushed whispers of fear that weigh heavily on their hearts. Violence, an unwelcome intruder, leaves a lasting mark on their childhood experiences even after the guns have been silenced, becoming an inseparable part of their very existence.
However, the numbers of statistics are insufficient to capture the true horror. Each one of the 919 innocent children, cruelly sacrificed by Indian forces over the course of thirty-five years, symbolizes a lost universe, a silenced melody. The presence of 1,07,959 orphaned souls serves as a haunting testimony to a conflict that not only claims lives but also robs futures. And let us not forget about the survivors, bearing the scars left by pellet guns, robbed of their vision and silenced in their laughter. Hiba Jan, Zuhra Majeed, Asif Rashid and many others, aged between 1 to 14 years – each name burns with the painful reminder of a shattered childhood.
This is more than just a story of pain; it is a plea for action. the global community must not ignore the terrible acts happening in IIOJK. The innocent children, who are the most fragile fibers in the fabric of humanity, deserve safety and support, not mistreatment. We cannot stay silent any longer; we must speak out against these atrocities and increase the pressure to bring about change. Only then can we create a future where the children of Kashmir can pursue their dreams without the burden of conflict weighing them down.
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