25 years ago, Swedish engineers were kidnapped...

Today, 25 years ago on 31^st March, 1991,  two Swedish engineers, Jan Olle Loman and Johann Jansson, working for the Uri Civil Hydro-Electric Power Project, in Kashmir, were kidnapped by members of the Muslim Janbaaz Force. Jansson’s wife and daughter, were part of the group, on their way to Gulmarg for skiing when they were stopped and kidnapped. Jansson’s wife and daughter were dropped in Beeru, unharmed.

Contrary to the official statement of their escape from captivity, they were released on ransom after 97 days.

This picture was taken on board the Indian Airlines flight out of Srinagar on their release on 6^th July, 1991.

I was working for Business India Magazine and was on a semi-official visit home. My connections in the Valley gave me a head start on the date of release and the flight they would take out of Srinagar.  Apparently, they were taken directly to the Srinagar airport from the point of their release. Local authorities were not allowed to interact with them by officials of the Swedish Embassy.

Despite a full flight, I was able to manage a ticket for myself, and also a seat in front of their row. I had to just get up and click, which I did. This for the first time pictures related to this incident are being put in the public domain.

Both of them look relieved, and under instructions from their embassy to not to speak to anyone, especially the press. However, one of them asked me how I managed to be on the same flight and in front of them.

The embassy officials, however, restricted the number of pictures taken. Fortunately, my camera was not ceased or the film roll taken.

The photograph is of less-than desirable quality as the light inside the aircraft was low. Also, over a period of time the negative were damaged to some extent.

Rajesh Prothi

JM Ray, Former Principal of Tyndale Biscoe School, Srinagar,Kashmir, India

The inner quest to be close to the mountains was one reason, besides the hand of God, which resulted in not just a long stay in Kashmir, but also in shaping the destiny of many young boys. Turning them into examples.  John Mead  Ray, the former Principal of Tyndale Biscoe School, Srinagar, Kashmir, is one person who can still bring out the spirit of the ‘Biscoe Boys’. This became very evident during his visit in late 2012.

Last year, during his visit to Kashmir, as usual, he did not disappoint us and remembered his journey to Kashmir. Some extracts from a long conversation of him with Rajesh Prothi (First published on 13th April, 2013 at www.thecherrytree.in).

You continue to be in the minds of all those who have been part of the Tyndale Biscoe School. How did your association with this school and Kashmir happen?
JM Ray: To answer your question, I will have to go much in the past and talk about my fascination with anything to do with mountains. I was in one of the well known schools of Scotland, where both mountaineering and seamanship were a part of the curriculum. I was fascinated by mountaineering and had hoped to experience the Himalayas. Destiny took me to the Lawrence College, Ghora Gali in Pakistan, where I worked as a Senior House Master. My tenure there did not take me to the mountains as I wanted.
During the late 1950s, I came across Dr.Phil Edmonds, a great educationist of his time, who was also Principal of Tyndale Biscoe School between 1945 and 1955, he asked me if this school would interest me. The school attracted me because of its outdoor activities, boating, swimming, social service, mountaineering, besides the challenge which was awaiting me. During the same time I met my wife. She was doctoring in a rural hospital, we got married in 1961 and by August 1962 I was here in Kashmir.

What initial challenges did you face when in Kashmir at School?
JM Ray: Oh! The first which I noticed was that the school was ready for a takeover by some developers, the fences particularly at Lal Chowk side were crumbling. One or two very slight intrusions were there, which we managed because of the reputation of the school and old Biscoe boys, who were in theright official positions. If my memory serves me well , about nine heads of government departments were Biscoe boys.

- See more at: http://thecherrytree.in/john-mead-ray/

Congress @ New Delhi in a FIX after 40 years

After 40 years the Indian Congress is in a tight spot once again. Last time the Congress party was in such a jam was when Shimla Agreement was being negotiated with Pakistan. Indra Gandhi was desperate to have the agreement in place for the Parliament. And Z.A. Bhutto was desperate to get his prisoners back. Indra turned out to be more desperate then Bhutto.

That time, Congress missed the opportunity to settle the kashmir issue, this time too with each passing hour, it is finding itself in a desperate situation. Much worse then in 1971.

If it has to bounce back, then Rahul Gandhi is the one card they have. He will have to step forward, stand with Anna, and talk about the Lokpal Bill and of course remove the people in the government, PM included.

The Anna Factor

It took the “Emergency” kind of a situation which has brought one of world’s largest democracies on the verge of a revolution. Across many Indian cites very reformed & civilized demonstrations and candle light marches are being witnessed, unlike the one which the world witness across the Muslim World in the recent past.

The ruling Party (Congress) after taking very tough stance against Anna Hazara has withdrawn all the conditions which were put forth by the them. But this does not mean that the Congress has bowed down. It one party which has survived many rough weathers since 1947 and each time it has managed to bounce back in power.

Where the things stand on ground today, one is compelled to ask “ will this time also Congress party (read Gandhi family) be able to find a way out of this chaos?

The scandals which over the past few years had become part of all discussion and occupied much news space have diminished to a large extent. Corruption in India over the past few years has become synonymous with the Congress Party. The Anna movement has for one taken over media space, debates & discussions vis-à-vis the various scams & scandals directly connecting the Congress Party representatives.

Playing Devils Advocate: Yes they will be able too, if they act like dignified & seasoned politicians. By putting a gag on its current spokespersons from making statements against Anna Hazare. By letting the youngest of the Gandhi “Rahul Gandhi” agreeing to Anna’s format of Lokpal Bill with some reasonable modification with Anna’s blessing & sideling the exiting members of the Congress who had decided to go an extra mile on Anna. If required, librating the country of the current Prime Minister.

If done, Rahul with the blessing of Anna will get back his youth vote bank which at the moment has drifted towards Anna creating a huge opportunity for BJP. And also this could be the time to realize the dream of Sonia Gandhi to see her son on the Prime Minsiter’s seat.

It all can be done. What is required is sane thought process, a little bit of Statesmanship by the Congress in next few days.

The Kashmiri China Spin

Virtually all the Indian political parties are showing concern over the American President Barack Obama;s staetment during his trip to China on Indo-Pak relations and the role of China in South East Asia. Seems like a shocker for the India politicans, at least this is how it appears.

Ask any Kashmiri, who in any way is connected with the local politics, actually any Kashmiri Muslims, one will get to know that the American statement has come about two months late. around April this year, the Chairman of All Party Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's American connection had sounded his about the possible American Statement from the highest authority on Kashmir. The statement has come late and on the face of it - a little twigged, but the agenda remains the same - Indo-Pak relations, which rides only on Kashmir.

Two important facts merge out of this, either the resouces put on the Kashmir by the Centre Government are unintelligent and cannot decipher or analyse the information that has been floating around in Kashmir since April this year. Or the information has been sitting in New Delhi and there is lack of understanding about the gravity of the whole issue, or the American's have been holding the Indian all high and mighty to ransom.

To the best of my knowledge and assessment, the statement was to be direct on Kashmir and was to catapult Mirwaiz as the only important figure opposing India moderately in Kashmir. Mirwaiz was supposed to be positioned for the talks with the Indian Government.

Things which possibly delayed the statement from the American side was the recent stance taken by Syed Ali Geelani, which pushed Mirwaiz on the back foot for a while.

Now with the new angle of China and the so called Mirwaiz's China card, the politics of the region are expected to go in for a controlled spin.

While India has always been vocal about the Pakistan, only in the recent times did the Indian ministers spoke about the actual challenge to India - China.

The issue before India at the moment is not kashmir, but the nuclear proliferation and easing of business norms for the Western World.

For India the road to redemption is just the Dalai Lama.

Omar Resignation Due to Sex ? Wrong Move

OMAR RESIGNATION DUE TO SEX ? WRONG MOVE

PDP making an allegation again the young CM of J&K Omar Abdullah in Sex scandal escapade is political news as usual. The shocking news to my mind is Omar quitting, highlighting that fact that he has yet to learn to live in politics beyond a week. The basic rule of politics is not to make a hasty decision or survive one crises to another- one has to learn to think much ahead of time and opponents.
If Omar wants to play an ethical political game, then he needs to learn to have patience and not on a drop of the hat run towards to Raj Bhawan with his resignation. He needs to understand that he would be letting down the populace of Kashmir who voted his party to power.
The writing was on the wall yesterday, with PDP President creating a havoc in the State Assembly. That the ball has been set rolling
In my earlier blog (March 2009), I mentioned that there were some rumbling in the valley about an attempt to dislodge him.
His resignation if accepted would, one vindicate the concerns mentioned in blog and two would strengthen the political hawks waiting for their chance to manipulate the fate of Kashmiris.
Poor kashmiri – as usual.

Just wondering how could PDP forget that the most prominent name which figured during 2006 was the High level Secretary of the State during PDP Government and a very close aid of Mufti Syed.

Hurriyat : The Possible 3rd Front

Hurriyat : The Possible 3rd Front
25th March,2009
The recent interesting news merging out of the Valley was not that All Parties Hurriyat Conference is developing a strategy to counter the upcoming Parliamentary election, but the organization is in the process of laying off people and shutting down district offices across the Valley.

A sudden change in their strategy? One may think.

The reason for such a radical shift in it’s policy could be because it’s office bearer’s have realized that it is futile to go against the might of India – economic, military or political. The information flowing in is indicative that the support Hurriyat has been enjoying from across the border and various Muslim nations is waning. The fact that it’s inability to develop a clear cut strategy and a message for the people of Kashmir and for its members - is the reason for such an impasse.
Formation of Hurriyat on March 10, 1993 was an opportunity for the disgruntled and few other emerging / wanting to emerge politicians to create a niche for themselves in the State politics. However, the Hurriyat leaders seemed to have failed in their inability to create a consensus to develop a single leader during the turmoil in the Valley - a leader with a mass appeal.
Eventually, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was given the opportunity to head the loosely knit organization. The members and some prominent leader of Hurriyat and Kashmir did not allow his brand (read name) to supersede their geographic influence. Despite his efforts to resolve the internal issues, he remained a poster boy for Hurriyat and his image to a large extent can be credited with keeping the Organization alive, beside the support of interested parties in New Delhi and across the border.

In the last two elections, there have been reports about the active members of Hurriyat, not supporting the elections boycott at the ground level at their home base. With such an-half hearted approach, it is but obvious that for one eyebrows will be raised and questions will be asked, and two over a period of time the Orginasation would lose control over the people of Kashmir Valley.

By nature – the people of Kashmir are secular, the escapade of Amarnath, which was led vigorously by both the factions of Hurriyat Party further created a fake sense of victory within the party to an extent where Umar Farooq ended up with a statement suggesting the division of the State on religious grounds. Only if the secular foundations of Kashmir would have been weal, today we would not have 64% of turnover, or voters speaking out openly about their desire for change and of economic amenities.

The objectives on which Hurriyat Party was created are in itself questionable. Peaceful struggle to secure the right to self determination of the people of Kashmir (and not that of the State). How peaceful was it ? How many lives have been lost?

Find an alternative solution to the Kashmir problem by involving India, Pakistan & Kashmir (and not the rest of the State), under the aegis of United Nations or any other friendly country. The fact is that Hurriyat is no where near this objective either.

And promoting a society based on Islamic values keeping in mind the Muslim majority character of the State. While safeguarding the right and interests of the non-Muslims of the State. The facts have been glaring at us for some timenow.

The Hurriyat Party on all the above three counts have failed.

One of the most important task in which Hurriyat failed is that it did not expand beyond the Valley or the religion. While according to sources within the Organisation, the suggestions regarding these issues were raised by some senior members. Nothing happened.
Despite the fact that Hurriyat has intellectual capital, it could not learn from history. Ironically, the leaders associated with the Party take pointers out of the history of Kashmir to further the cause of Kashmir. They could not take lessons from the history. Due to this reason today, the Party is at such a juncture. But as it is “it is never too late to reposition its stand in the politics of the State”. There is still scope to be the 3rd Front in the State, provided it is willing to reinvent itself.

This could start with developing some key acceptable messages for the population of Kashmir under the new political scenario. Utilizing the reach of each member who decides to stay with it, learn lessons from the National Conference – which at one point of time in history was a Muslim Party: but with due to circumstances in the State in 1947, NC changed to a large extent.
Foremost, the members of the Hurriyat Conference should release that the Party, initially an alliance of 26 political parties formed to materlise the right to self-determination according to the UN Resolution, stands null and void due to the political ambitions of Pakistan.

It is time to wake to the reality.