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| Mother-Child: Militancy’s worst victims | | | DAYA SAGAR
World over studies are being made on the affect of armed conflicts on the children and mother . In Jammu & Kashmir State the affect of Armed Conflicts on children and women need be seen in reference to the insurgency and militancy. Need has become more acute particularly after 1989-1990. The child and the youth segment of J&K has seen comparatively more agony and damage. It has also affected the future of the social ,political and economic health of Jammu & Kashmir. And it surely has ultimate affect on the socio political health status of India internationally.
Children and women from economically poor families are the one who suffer the most physically and educationally. The resourceful parents in many cases move their children and women folk away from disturbed areas (even out side J&K) . The elite can still secure ( may be with some difficulty ) quality education to their children. But those from poor parents had and have no alternative than to stay back in militancy affected areas where schools remained closed or the school if opened had no proper teaching staff and materials.Such children do not get peaceful environment at home for the studies as required in competitive world.
Children whose parents are forced to stayl back in the areas that remain under regular armed attacks by the insurgents / militants and operations of the security forces are adversely affected. There is need to observe and seriously handle the Child Groups in areas like J&K from the Psychological, Physical , Economic and Social angles. They suffer from :- (a) Heavy stress (b) Depressions (c) Poor Health (d) Increased infant deaths (e) Their Mothers remain under heavy fear psychosis there by retarding the growth of babies both physically and mentally.
(f) the education and employment prospects are jeopardized (g ) and to add they could rear hatred against other social/ religious / regional groups.
In J&K the children and the youth that needs particular attention could be from those who are migrants like majority of Kashmiri Pandits of Kashmir Valley, and those poor families who are staying back in the Valley, Hindus who have left their homes in Districts of Doda, Udhampur, Rajouri and upper reaches. And ofcourse those from Gujjar and Bakerwal families who are in economic, social religious stresses. As well those Muslims of Kashmir Valley and upper reaches of Jammu Division who have left remote villages and come to the towns hoping for some security and honour there. Children and youth there regularly see their poor parents and women folk struggling to earn their two square meals under regular threat of the militants and looking at skies for some one to save their life and honour of their women folk. One has to live under their circumstances to have a real feel and estimate of the miserable plight of the poor parents of such children.
The children of this category in J&K stay under severe terror. They suffer of poor health. The environment they have been living and memories of the times of their dislocation/ displacement have has been distressing. They could rear communal controversies and conflicts in their minds. Such pollution of the mindset of the new generation of any nation is detrimental to the life and security of any country. The material damage could be reconstructed with some hard work but social damage requires difficult inputs for restoration of the structure.
Children who get injured or hit due on going armed conflicts and belong to remote area are worst sufferers. Medical aid is remotely available to them . Hence the physical handicaps and health hazards cause more posses.Their education too suffers. They will have to bear the brunt for decades ahead unless special attention is paid to them. Ofcourse Government of India can not afford to let the militancy go on in J&K simply hoping that one day foreign agencies would get tired .Such families are worst victim of Political gamesmanship in J&K Often the sick mother and child fail to get immediate medical attention due to movement restrictions imposed due to insurgency and combat operations. Even simple high fever could make child lose his life or may he / she may become physically or mentally disabled for life. There have been many cases in J&K.
Psychologically the worst affected are children of (a )poor parents, (b) Children from distant Backward areas , (c) Children from Rural areas, (e) Orphans, and (f) those living as microscopic minority in an area
Children in J&K have from 1989 to 1995 seen more of their nears and dears being discriminated, beaten, abused, raped , butchered and questioned simply on the basis of their community or religion. Such treatments have created divisions and confusions in their minds .This is surely going to affect their behavior towards other members of the society.The stress has continued even after that, Far flung areas of DODA, Udhampur, Rajouri and Kathua districts have seen more of the burnt for being economically, educationally and communication wise most backward. Children have been further pushed deep into bad health, lost education and distorted facts campaigns ..
The worst damage to Innocent Minds (Children) lies in life long hatred in their mind against those who made them to leave their home, or killed their parents, or subjected them to physical stress . Such hatred if remains only against those individual militants / elements who inflicted such damages, may not be that damaging . But such hatred and revengeful thinking normally gets cultivated against the religious or social community to which the killers/ militants may belong. When hatred turns towards a innocent Hindu or Muslim or Christian who incidentally belongs to the community of the killer militants it seriously damages the social matrix. Innocent children who have grown to their youth during last 20 years have surely suffered of some damage. The minds of the children of other community too get polluted when there is no one near them to protect them from wrong information campaigns of the insurgents who are against the State. Even the goodwill of the State / security forces could fall .
J&K does have internal arms conflicts going on . These armed conflicts are between the foreign aided insurgents / mercenaries and the state security forces engaged in protection of the life and civic activities of the common man. .
In J&K the children have been made handicapped physically, educationally, and economically . Their future has become insecure. Some have been socially pushed back. Those who have lived for over 20 years under of armed conflicts (acts) have very less capacity to take to good economic means of living . Chances for socio / religious exploitation of such youth by the militants, criminals and religious fundamentalists could increase.
Governments in the militancy affected areas , may it be J&K or any other part of the World, must look at the special needs & compulsions of such like children and parents. The affect of regular armed attacks by the militants and curative actions by the security forces on the mind , health , education and psychology of children can not be taken lightly . Programmes need be designed to retrieve and save the children , youth, adolescent would be mothers and the women from heavy stress , depressions , poor Health, increased infant mortality. Children from Mothers under heavy fear psychosis have retarded and poor growth. And we do suffer of it areas like J&K. Adverse affect of armed conflicts on the children is hence seen more in the backward, rural, poor, illiterate and innocent people . They could still be exploited by those who have no regard for Human Values. |
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