Banning Kashmir

India’s brutal ongoing crackdown in Kashmir was accompanied by its usual censorship tactics as it enforced a three-day ban on the printing of newspapers, raided media offices, blocked mobile phone signals and curbed access to the internet. But it had an unlikely ally in the form of Mark Zuckerberg. The social media behemoth Facebook went on a censorship spree of its own, deleting posts related to slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, whose killing by Indian security forces had sparked the current state violence. Facebook deleted posts that were not only praising Wani but also mentioning him in any way. The latter posts were later restored but Facebook justified its actions by saying its terms of use do not allow the glorification of terrorists. This, once again, shows the double standards where the primary force for violence in Kashmir is the Indian state but a young Muslim driven to resist that violence with violence of his own is singled out as a terrorist. Facebook is obviously trying to appease the lucrative Indian market and, while as a private company it has a right to do so, as the largest social media entity in the world it has a responsibility to at least attempt fairness.

Facebook is just a reflection of the world at large, which has always adopted a see-no-evil posture towards Indian atrocities in Kashmir. It was left to Pakistan to try and bring some attention to the issue. A black day was observed in the country, as all government officials wore black armbands in an expression of solidarity. Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Maleeha Lodhi addressed the General Assembly on the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and, in meetings with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and other UN officials, particularly highlighted the use of air gun pellets by Indian forces. The Indian response has been predictable. Speaking at the Lok Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh accused Pakistan of fanning the protests in Kashmir. Blaming Pakistan for a wholly indigenous movement is India’s way of pulling the wool over the world’s – and indeed its own public’s – eyes. With an assist from multinational corporations afraid of angering a massive market, India may even be successful in this cynical ploy. The long-suffering Kashmiri people have been left to the mercy of a colonising force because the international community does not care enough to listen to their cries of help.