The remarkable women freedom fighters of Kashmir who combine grief with furious resistance & defense.
How Kashmiri Women Are Protesting
By Harshita Rathore / StoriesAsiaScenes of Kashmiri boys and men shouting slogans of azadi (freedom), at times also pelting stones at Indian security personnel, often feature in Indian and foreign media. But I wanted to find out how girls and women are responding now that Kashmir has been under security and communication lockdown since August 5, when the Indian government unilaterally ended the disputed region’s autonomy.As part of a StoriesAsia team, I travelled to Srinagar’s Soura area – known for a revered Muslim shrine and also for being the epicentre of protests – on August 30, which incidentally turned out to be the most violent day for local residents since New Delhi revoked Article 370 of the Constitution.I started rolling my camera during the Friday prayers at the mosque, which were followed by a peaceful protest. The raising of slogans soon turned into a violent clash after Indian security personnel arrived at the barricades installed by residents of Soura and started firing.I sought to capture the agony, the anger and the pain that girls and women went through. I was especially astonished to witness their efforts to “help" those facing armed personnel, as well as their loud prayers to God for their protection. They moaned over victims of pellet guns, chilli grenades and tear gas, a scene that remains unforgettable for me.___________________
Posted by StoriesAsia on Tuesday, 24 September 2019