egativity and tragedy sell.” This is what I was told by one of the members of JK Policy Institute (JKPI)—a budding grassroots organization in its third year of operations—who was speaking about international media coverage of Jammu and Kashmir.
Many in the West may not even know what Jammu and Kashmir is, let alone are able to point it out on a map. And perhaps the only times the world did care about the region, as mentioned above, were during the height of the insurgency in the 1990s, or the period surrounding the contentious removal of Article 370 regarding Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomous status.
Some people in Srinagar feel that such events have haunted the region, and paint a picture to the outside world that Jammu and Kashmir is somehow inherently a place of violence and unrest. I wanted to learn more from local youth groups and activists about their perspectives, so I sat down with some of JKPI’s leaders. They are working to change that reputation.
In their own words, JKPI’s goal is to link peace with development. This can include calling attention to local infrastructure projects, like the construction of roads, and tying them to economic growth for the region. They also point to climate issues, such as flooding in 2014—which is sadly all too relevant once again in neighboring Pakistan—saying these issues don’t receive enough attention through a conflict lens and citing their impact on political economy.
One of JKPI’s core objectives is to advance social impact initiatives. For example, they have a specific project devoted to fundraising for and helping to integrate the LGBTQ community into wider society. This includes providing training and skills workshops so members of the community can acquire work, as they face difficulty securing employment and are often only able to get jobs entertaining in weddings due to the severe marginalization they face. Mindful of the fact that the majority of the population does not accept them, JKPI makes it their mission to help bring awareness to these issues, and normalize the LGBTQ community as a part of the society in which they live and to which they contribute.
When asked why exactly the organization decided it wanted to prioritize the LGBTQ community, as one of the only entities to do so in the region, JKPI’s co-founder, without skipping a beat, responded plainly, “They’re part of us.”
The legality surrounding the removal of Article 370 is being challenged by some, while others argue its abrogation provides opportunities for social and economic development. One of JKPI’s members said he felt accountability and transparency were two positive effects that resulted from the decision to repeal Article 370. He added that he was not a supporter of Narendra Modi or the BJP, but that he favored the removal of Article 370, making a point to distinguish between “the party and the policy.”
JKPI told me the region has begun to see more investment, and therefore more employment. Tourism is also increasing and reaching all-time peaks. Stronger security has received public support because people are seeing development and reaping its benefits, while local business owners enjoy waves of tourists. After all, Jammu and Kashmir used to be a top tourist destination, and its picturesque landscapes do not belie its nickname of “paradise on Earth.” On a shikara ride at Dal Lake later that evening, I asked the boatman if it was always this busy on the water, where shops were still bustling into the night. He told me this was nothing compared to the crowds during the height of the season a few weeks prior.
But all is not so rosy. “Violence is a distraction, whether it’s there or not,” JKPI members told me. The city and the region cannot entirely escape its history. Nor are such threats solely relegated to the past. The insurgency, which Pakistan continues to fuel—albeit less as of late, due to its own domestic crisis—remains ongoing. JKPI also discussed the existence of “hit lists” against NGO workers, who face trolling originating from places including Jammu and Kashmir itself, Pakistan, Europe, and the United States. There was also mention of so-called “conflict entrepreneurs” who attacked JKPI and accused them of being American agents on social media, because they dared to create a space for locals that was not affiliated with India or Pakistan.
JKPI does their part when it comes to counter-messaging against calls for violence. They say such narratives may now gain less traction on local social media, simply because people are fed up with and fatigued by a constant state of conflict. However, there will always be attempts to stoke discord, further fan the flames of discontent, and capitalize upon disillusionment—frequently from across the border—since Jammu and Kashmir is, as one JKPI member put it, “key to Pakistani politics”—electorally and strategically.
One JKPI member relayed an anecdote about the reaction to a recent music event, which illustrated the divide within the local community. He said that some people were opposed to the event taking place because it indicated peace, and they feared that the region’s problems would be brushed under the rug or forgotten—in a word, normalized. Others supported the concert, seeing it as an encouraging sign of moving forward. This story perfectly embodies the universally difficult question of how a society should balance hope and progress with accountability and justice.
JKPI has managed to make headway in its work and has much to show for it, despite its young age. The organization is but one piece of the puzzle when it comes to giving a voice to Kashmiris and forging a path to eventually put Srinagar, and the region more broadly, back on the map—in a positive light this time.
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Meet the NGO Seeking Change in Kashmir
Image courtesy of Victoria Jones.
December 5, 2022
Most of the world doesn't know what's going on in Jammu and Kashmir or even where it is--while those who have heard of it see Jammu and Kashmir as a place of inherent unrest and violence. Victoria Jones writes about a grassroots, youth-led NGO that is working to change that reputation.
N
egativity and tragedy sell.” This is what I was told by one of the members of JK Policy Institute (JKPI)—a budding grassroots organization in its third year of operations—who was speaking about international media coverage of Jammu and Kashmir.
Many in the West may not even know what Jammu and Kashmir is, let alone are able to point it out on a map. And perhaps the only times the world did care about the region, as mentioned above, were during the height of the insurgency in the 1990s, or the period surrounding the contentious removal of Article 370 regarding Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomous status.
Some people in Srinagar feel that such events have haunted the region, and paint a picture to the outside world that Jammu and Kashmir is somehow inherently a place of violence and unrest. I wanted to learn more from local youth groups and activists about their perspectives, so I sat down with some of JKPI’s leaders. They are working to change that reputation.
In their own words, JKPI’s goal is to link peace with development. This can include calling attention to local infrastructure projects, like the construction of roads, and tying them to economic growth for the region. They also point to climate issues, such as flooding in 2014—which is sadly all too relevant once again in neighboring Pakistan—saying these issues don’t receive enough attention through a conflict lens and citing their impact on political economy.
One of JKPI’s core objectives is to advance social impact initiatives. For example, they have a specific project devoted to fundraising for and helping to integrate the LGBTQ community into wider society. This includes providing training and skills workshops so members of the community can acquire work, as they face difficulty securing employment and are often only able to get jobs entertaining in weddings due to the severe marginalization they face. Mindful of the fact that the majority of the population does not accept them, JKPI makes it their mission to help bring awareness to these issues, and normalize the LGBTQ community as a part of the society in which they live and to which they contribute.
When asked why exactly the organization decided it wanted to prioritize the LGBTQ community, as one of the only entities to do so in the region, JKPI’s co-founder, without skipping a beat, responded plainly, “They’re part of us.”
The legality surrounding the removal of Article 370 is being challenged by some, while others argue its abrogation provides opportunities for social and economic development. One of JKPI’s members said he felt accountability and transparency were two positive effects that resulted from the decision to repeal Article 370. He added that he was not a supporter of Narendra Modi or the BJP, but that he favored the removal of Article 370, making a point to distinguish between “the party and the policy.”
JKPI told me the region has begun to see more investment, and therefore more employment. Tourism is also increasing and reaching all-time peaks. Stronger security has received public support because people are seeing development and reaping its benefits, while local business owners enjoy waves of tourists. After all, Jammu and Kashmir used to be a top tourist destination, and its picturesque landscapes do not belie its nickname of “paradise on Earth.” On a shikara ride at Dal Lake later that evening, I asked the boatman if it was always this busy on the water, where shops were still bustling into the night. He told me this was nothing compared to the crowds during the height of the season a few weeks prior.
But all is not so rosy. “Violence is a distraction, whether it’s there or not,” JKPI members told me. The city and the region cannot entirely escape its history. Nor are such threats solely relegated to the past. The insurgency, which Pakistan continues to fuel—albeit less as of late, due to its own domestic crisis—remains ongoing. JKPI also discussed the existence of “hit lists” against NGO workers, who face trolling originating from places including Jammu and Kashmir itself, Pakistan, Europe, and the United States. There was also mention of so-called “conflict entrepreneurs” who attacked JKPI and accused them of being American agents on social media, because they dared to create a space for locals that was not affiliated with India or Pakistan.
JKPI does their part when it comes to counter-messaging against calls for violence. They say such narratives may now gain less traction on local social media, simply because people are fed up with and fatigued by a constant state of conflict. However, there will always be attempts to stoke discord, further fan the flames of discontent, and capitalize upon disillusionment—frequently from across the border—since Jammu and Kashmir is, as one JKPI member put it, “key to Pakistani politics”—electorally and strategically.
One JKPI member relayed an anecdote about the reaction to a recent music event, which illustrated the divide within the local community. He said that some people were opposed to the event taking place because it indicated peace, and they feared that the region’s problems would be brushed under the rug or forgotten—in a word, normalized. Others supported the concert, seeing it as an encouraging sign of moving forward. This story perfectly embodies the universally difficult question of how a society should balance hope and progress with accountability and justice.
JKPI has managed to make headway in its work and has much to show for it, despite its young age. The organization is but one piece of the puzzle when it comes to giving a voice to Kashmiris and forging a path to eventually put Srinagar, and the region more broadly, back on the map—in a positive light this time.
