{"id":1067,"date":"2012-07-09T10:33:38","date_gmt":"2012-07-09T05:03:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/peacewatchkashmir.com\/blog\/?p=1067"},"modified":"2012-07-09T14:18:50","modified_gmt":"2012-07-09T08:48:50","slug":"edward-saids-writings-and-kashmir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peacewatchkashmir.com\/blog\/editors-take\/edward-saids-writings-and-kashmir\/","title":{"rendered":"Edward Said’s Writings and Kashmir"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/fb:like>

Some years back\u00a0 in my column Punchline published in Greater Kashmir on Monday’s , when I wrote there is no Edward Said on our side \"\"<\/a>to tell our tale\u00a0\u00a0 with all its objectivity to the world it hurt ego of some \u201cintellectual\u201d friends.\u00a0 Sitting on higher pedestals, floating on the crests of authority they believed that I was belittling their standing as \u201cintellectual Jupiter\u2019s\u201d. The intention was never to demolish the castles of\u00a0\u00a0 make-believe but to emphasize the need for telling our tale to the world more effectively and efficiently.<\/p>\n

Since then scenario has change a bit , to an extent a couple of Kashmiri writers have made their presence felt in important academic, literary and journalist circles in the world \u00a0and there is a promise in the air that few more are on their way to the world of books at the international level.\u00a0 The day does not seem to be far away when our writers, for the similarity of the two tales Palestine and Kashmir \u2013 one said and one yet to be told in its fullness, \u00a0will tell their tale \u00a0 to the world Said’s way.<\/p>\n

I think, it is for the similarity in the two tales that I often find Said\u2019s writings relevant to our situation. Few days back, a news item in Srinagar newspaper about Pakistan High Commission inviting some important Kashmir leaders from two factions of the\u00a0 Hurriyat Conference and JKLF to New Delhi for talks with the visiting Pakistan Foreign Secretary attracted public attention. Ostensibly, there was nothing new in the invitation; for almost two decades, the\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0ritual \u00a0\u00a0has been\u00a0\u00a0 religiously going on. In fact, history testifies that even Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and his lieutenants during their Plebiscite Front days have also been visiting the Pakistan Embassy in New Delhi. But, this time news emanating from the Hurriyat office\u00a0 talks that roused \u00a0 curiosity this meeting that\u00a0 reminded me \u00a0of \u00a0two essays, \u2018Waiting\u2019 and \u2018Where Do We go from Here?\u2019, from Edward Said\u2019s \u00a0collection of essays \u2018The End of Peace Process-Oslo and After. He had seen \u2018no point in being too enthusiastic about the narrow results of these talks, which he believed clearly mapped out.\u2019 For long, this also has been holding true about India-Pakistan talks on Kashmir.<\/p>\n

The word of mouth rife within \u00a0\u00a0the Hurriyat circles\u00a0\u00a0 suggested that the leadership was in know that the visiting envoy was going to inform them about his government\u2019s decision of putting the Kashmir on the back burner and \u2018seeking their cooperation for the same.\u2019 \u00a0Through statements issued to press\u00a0 before the meeting, the conglomerates had made their apprehensions about the talks with Pakistan envoy public. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Some opinion makers, columnists and social activists within Pakistan known for their predilections like former APHC Chairman Mr. Bhat have been de-legitimizing the \u00a0UN resolutions on Kashmir \u00a0\u00a0and building opinion against the \u2018dispute\u2019 through various mediums including print and electronic medias.To do so some Pakistan satellite channels hosted special programs.\u00a0 Who these opinion makers are is a big question\u00a0 and if they articulate, the views of the PPP led government or people of the country.<\/p>\n

If one looks at the list of nineteen journalists that have been \u201cbribed\u201d by businessman Malik Riaz and have received \u201crecord payments\u201d, luxury cars and property at least ten amongst them have been in forefront in \u2018delegitimizing\u2019 Kashmir problem. Senior journalists like Najam Sethi and Hassan Nisar have been vociferously asking the \u00a0\u00a0governments that Kashmir was no more “beleaguered” country\u2019s cup of tea and it should\u00a0 forget it \u00a0forever. \u00a0These journalists are critical of the founding fathers of Pakistan for their Kashmir policy. \"\"<\/a> Moreover, very subtly they have been opposing the very idea of their own country. Number of video clippings on you tube suggest this. True\u00a0 after the exposure of \u201csaleability\u201d of top ranking journalists with \u2018Geo taking prize with largest numbers\u2019 and list including what a website described as \u201cnationalists\u201d , \u201cliberals\u201d and \u201cfundos\u201d, people of Hassan Nisar\u2019s tribe have lost their estimation in the public eye. Some websites have been alleging that some \u00a0 top Pakistani journalists and social activists are on the payrolls of foreign governments. Who know how many more skeletons are going to tumble down from the cupboard of Pakistan media. Some time back in it\u2019s \u00a0\u2018the Alyona Show the Russian Television hosting \u00a0\u00a0Anushay Hossan, a Bangladesh author, commentator, writer and activist based in Washington came up with a story that President Obama had \u201cpledged\u201d fifty million US Dollars for Pakistan media to \u2018change mindset of people of the country and to further the interests of USA in Pakistan in particular and region in general.\u2019 .<\/p>\n

It may be questionable, if media barons and \u2018motivated\u2019 journalists would be able to mobilizing the public opinion their way but in the building scenario, I see talking about \u00a0Edward Said\u2019s two essays \u00a0relevant to our situation.<\/p>\n