aggression breeds patriotism,

and patriotism curbs dissent.”

Maureen Dowd, “The Iceman Cometh,” 2003
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF
KASHMIR CONFLICT AND PEACEMAKING
CONFLICT PEACE MAKING
MISFORTUNES OF HUMAN BEINGS
The misfortune of human beings may be divided into two
classes: First, those inflicted by the nonhuman
environment, and, second, those inflicted by other people.
As mankind have progressed in knowledge and technique,
the second class has become a continually increasing
percentage of the total. In old times, famine, for example,
was due to natural causes, and, although people did their
best to combat it, large numbers of them died of
starvation. At the present moment large parts of the world
are faced with the threat of famine, natural causes have
contributed to the situation, the principal causes are
human.
.
For six years the civilized nations of the world devoted all their
best energies to killing each other, and they find it difficult
suddenly to switch over to keeping each other alive. Having
destroyed harvests, dismantled agricultural machinery, and
disorganized shipping, they find it no easy matter to relieve the
shortage of crops in one place by means of a superabundance
in another, as would easily be done if the economic system were
in normal working order. As this illustration shows, it is now
man that is man’s worst enemy
Nature, it is true, still sees to it that we are mortal, but with no
progress in medicine it will become more and more common for
people to live until they have had their fill of life. We are supposed to
wish to live for ever and to look forward to the unending joys of
heaven, of which, by miracle, the monotony will never grow stale.
But in fact, if you question any candid person who is no longer
young, he is very likely to tell you that, having tasted life in this
world, he has no wish to begin again as a ‘new boy’ in another. For
the future, therefore, it may be taken that much the most important
evils that mankind have to consider are those which they inflict upon
each other through stupidity or malevolence or both.
I think that the evils that men inflict on each other, and by reflection
upon themselves, have their main source in evil passions rather than
in ideas and beliefs. But ideas and principles that do harm are, as a
rule, though not always, cloaks for evil passions.

Excerpt of ‘Ideas that have Harmed

Mankind’
Bertrand Russell ’ s Unpopular
Essays
CONFLICT PEACE MAKING
OUTLINE :
Conflict and Peacemaking
Kashmir - - - History and Geography
Birth of Kashmir Conflict
Pak-Indo claims and bases of conflict
Ever-prevailing violence in the valley
Psychological Impacts of Kashmir Conflict on
Kashmiris
Social identity theory and Kashmiris
Obstacles in peacemaking process
Conclusion
 There is a speech that has been spoken in many languages by the
CONFLICT leaders of many countries. It goes like this: “The intentions of our
country are entirely peaceful. Yet, we are also aware that other
nations, with their new weapons, threaten us. Thus we must
defend ourselves against attack. By so doing, we shall protect our
way of life and preserve the peace.” Almost every nation claims
concern only for peace but, mistrusting other nations, arms itself
in self-defense. The result is a world that has been spending $2
billion per day on arms and armies while hundreds of millions die
of malnutrition and untreated disease.
The elements of such conflict, a perceived incompatibility of
actions or goals, are similar at all levels, from nations in an arms
race, to conflicted Middle Easterners. In the
last decade of the twentieth century, in country after country,
men, women, and children by the millions were tortured and
slaughtered, their homes burned, their lives totally disrupted.
 Millions of individuals today are refugees from
CONFLICT state terror and communal fighting ; they live in
camps and in flimsy shelters ; they trudge
through snowy hills carrying a few meager
possessions . Today ’ s civil wars and state
sponsored mass killings are “ dirty wars .” It has
been well said that they are deep rooted , highly
internationalized , fought ruthlessly with
enormous human suffering , and difficult to
resolve .
Social - psychological studies have identified
several ingredients of conflict . What ’ s striking
( and what simplifies our task ) is that these
ingredients are common to all levels of social
conflict : Social Dilemmas , Competition , Perceived
Injustice , Misperceptions . Let ’ s have a quick
review of the past events to illustrate how
comes this list of conflict ingredients :
Having a look on our own history, we come to know that our
ancestors believed that after the British would have gone, we’d
become the subjects of Hindus. As far our unique ideology, apart
from the Hindus, as Muslims was concerned, they believed to get a
separate homeland and struggled for it desperately, where they’d be
able to spend their lives according to their own beliefs. So inception
of Pakistan is associated with social dilemmas to which the Muslims
of Indian subcontinent came across.
Nations and groups are found often, competing for scarce resources
and gaining political power. The effects of such a ‘competition’
helped fuel the Northern Ireland conflict, where since 1969 hostilities
between the ruling Protestant majority and the Catholic minority
have claimed more than 3,200 lives. (A comparable population
proportion would number 515,000 in the United States, 107,000 in
Britain, 57,000 in Canada, and 36,000 in Australia.)
After 9 / 11 , war against terrorism is what generally is
associated with the ‘ perceived injustice .’ So , America
justifies demolition of Afghanistan as the consequences of
being victimized by the Muslims in general and in specific
terms , by Al - Qaeda .
In 2003 , the United States began the Iraq war presuming
( misperception ) the existence of “ a vast underground network
that would rise in support of coalition forces to assist
security and law enforcement .” Alas , the network didn ’ t
materialize , and the resulting postwar security vacuum
enabled looting , sabotage , and persistent attacks on
American forces .
Although toxic forces can breed destructive conflict , we can
harness other forces to bring conflict to a constructive
resolution . These forces of peace and harmony are listed as :

§Contact
§Cooperation
§Communication
§Conciliation PEACEMAKING
Now the question arises :

How to bring these forces in action to resolve issues

between nations both armed with nuclear weapons and extreme
rivalry since their birth?
Since 1947 , Pakistan and India are in
invariable state of war on Kashmir Conflict
and went for three deadly wars to claim UNFINISHED BUSIN
Kashmir . The tremendous drain of resources
incurred by the two countries on military
buildup and arms - race including the PARTIT
acquisition of nuclear bombs is a result of
their confrontation over Kashmir . The official
propaganda each government has directed
against the other created enmity , distrust and
hatred in the respective populations of these
countries against their “ mortal enemy ”. This
has gone on for over six decades and there is
no end in sight . This has poisoned the minds
of Indian and Pakistani people . As a result we
see political polarization and perennial
tensions amongst the people that stand in the
way of settling the issues like Kashmir and
the normalization of relations between the
two neighbors . In addition , another ghastly
development has been the rise of political
and religious extremism in India and Pakistan .
Disputed ownership of Kashmir has resulted in a community
socially , economically and more over the fact is to be
considered , psychologically paralyzed . People in Kashmir are
resilient to a great extent , but they are challenged by a
lot of psychological and emotional difficulties . Most of
these difficulties are very rarely talked about . Often they
are only expressed through physical complaints . The
objective of our today ’ s discussion is to have a look on
‘ Psychological Impacts of Kashmir Conflict on Kashmiris ’ and
‘ History of Peacemaking in Kashmir and its Impacts on
Kashmiris .’
 The State of Jammu and Kashmir is situated between
KASHMIR 32.17 degree and 36.58-degree north latitude and
37.26 degree and 80.30-degree east longitude; the
--- total area of the State of Jammu and Kashmir is
HISTORY 22,22,236 square kilometers. The geography of the
Kashmir valley, stretches for about 84 miles from
AND the northeast to the southwest and is
GEOGRAPHY approximately 20 to 25 miles broad. Its height
above the sea level is over 5,000 feet. The
topography of the state is such that, low-lying
valleys surrounded by mountain ranges characterize
it; the most important of them all is the Kashmir
valley that lies 1700 metres above the sea level,
encompassed by the mighty Himalayas. Some of these
valleys are the Tawi valley, Chenab valley, Poonch
valley and Sind Valley.
The mountain chains that adorn the region include the Karakoram range,
Nun Kun range, the Zanskar range and Nanga Parbat. The State of Jammu
and Kashmir has many Himalayan rivers flowing through it; the most
significant among these are the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. Due to the
geography, location, climate, soil, rainfall and altitude, the
vegetation in the area ranges from tropical deciduous forests to
temperate and coniferous forests. The Jammu and Kashmir region has
loamy soil rich in magnesia, in most parts. The other varieties of
soils found in the region are clay, sandy and peats. As far as the
regional flora is concerned, the area is rich in pines, conifers and
medicinal herbs. Fauna in the Jammu and Kashmir region ranges from a
variety of mountain birds to animals. The climate in this part of
India, as any other depends upon the time of the year and location, the
area in naturally cool and extremely cold depending upon the altitude
and mountainous geography. [1]

1.http://www.kashmirhub.com/geography-of-kashmir/index.html
Kashmir, if literally translated, means land desiccated from water: "ka" (the
water) and shimeera (to desiccate). Tradition says that Kashmir was originally
a lake that was drained by the great saint of ancient India Kashyap. It was
included in the empire of Ashoka Maurya who is credited with the foundation of
the city of Srinagar around the year 250 BC.
During this period Buddhism spread in Kashmir and flourished under the
Kushans. During the reign of Kanishka, the third Buddhist council took place in
Kashmir which has been attested by the 7th century Chinese traveler Hien
Tsang. But Hinduism held its sway in the region. The 7th Century AD witnessed
the establishment of a dynasty called the Karkota whose foundation stone was
laid by Durlabhavarrdhana. The most famous ruler of this dynasty was
Lalitaditya Muktapid who built the world famous sun temple (Martand) in
Kashmir. The Karkotas were supplanted by the Utpalas in 855 AD. The most
important ruler of this dynasty was Avanti-verman. He recovered Kashmir from
utter political and economic disorder into which Kashmir had fallen during the
rule of his predecessors. Didda, a Gupta widowed queen, ruled Kashmir until
1003 AD when the Lohara dynasty took over. Didda was a very unscrupulous and
willful lady and led a very immoral life. But in spite of these drawbacks, she
ruled the valley with firm hands.
The last Hindu ruler of Kashmir was Udyan Dev. His chief Queen Kota Rani was
the de facto ruler of the kingdom. She was a very brave lady, shrewd and an
able ruler. With her death in 1339 the Hindu rule in Kashmir came to an end
and thus was established the Muslim rule in Kashmir under Sultan Shamas-ud-din
whose dynasty ruled the valley for 222 years. The greatest ruler of this
dynasty was undoubtedly Sultan Zain-ul-Abdin. Under his rule Kashmir was
culturally and politically at its zenith. The kingdom was annexed into the
Mughal Empire in 1586 and thus was extinguished the freedom of Kashmir.
In 1757 Kashmir came under the control of Ahmed Shah Durrani, the Afghan who
invaded India many times. In 1819 Kashmir was annexed by Ranjit Singh and made
a part of his Sikh empire. The two Anglo-Sikh wars fought between the Sikhs and
Ranjit Singh resulted in the complete extinction of the Sikh sovereignty in
Kashmir. The British gave away Kashmir to Ghulab Singh for the sum of 75 lakhs
of rupees under the Treaty of Amritsar. This entitled Ghulab Singh to have his
complete sway over the dominion. He extended his territory by annexing Ladakh.
Ghulab Singh died in 1857 and was replaced by Rambir Singh (1857-1885). Two
other Marajahs, Partab Singh (1885-1925) and Hari Singh ruled in succession.
Maharaja Sir Hari Singh ascended the throne in 1925. He continued to govern
the state till 1950. In 1932 Kashmir's first political party - All Jammu &
Kashmir Muslim Conference was formed by Sheik Abdullah The party was later
renamed the National Conference in 1939 and continues to be a major political
party in Kashmir today.
The last Hindu ruler of Kashmir was Udyan Dev. His chief Queen Kota Rani was
the de facto ruler of the kingdom. She was a very brave lady, shrewd and an
able ruler. With her death in 1339 the Hindu rule in Kashmir came to an end
and thus was established the Muslim rule in Kashmir under Sultan Shamas-ud-din
whose dynasty ruled the valley for 222 years. The greatest ruler of this
dynasty was undoubtedly Sultan Zain-ul-Abdin. Under his rule Kashmir was
culturally and politically at its zenith. The kingdom was annexed into the
Mughal Empire in 1586 and thus was extinguished the freedom of Kashmir. The
last Hindu ruler of Kashmir was Udyan Dev. His chief Queen Kota Rani was the
de facto ruler of the kingdom. She was a very brave lady, shrewd and an able
ruler. With her death in 1339 the Hindu rule in Kashmir came to an end and
thus was established the Muslim rule in Kashmir under Sultan Shamas-ud-din
whose dynasty ruled the valley for 222 years.
The greatest ruler of this dynasty was undoubtedly Sultan Zain-ul-Abdin. Under
his rule Kashmir was culturally and politically at its zenith. The kingdom was
annexed into the Mughal Empire in 1586 and thus was extinguished the freedom
of Kashmir. The British gave away Kashmir to Ghulab Singh for the sum of 75
lakhs of rupees under the Treaty of Amritsar. This entitled Ghulab Singh to
have his complete sway over the dominion. He extended his territory by
annexing Ladakh. Ghulab Singh died in 1857 and was replaced by Rambir Singh
(1857-1885). Two other Marajahs, Partab Singh (1885-1925) and Hari Singh ruled in
succession. Maharaja Sir Hari Singh ascended the throne in 1925. He continued
to govern the state till 1950. In 1932 Kashmir's first political party - All
Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference was formed by Sheik Abdullah The party was
later renamed the National Conference in 1939 and continues to be a major
political party in Kashmir today. [2]

2.http://www.kashmirhub.com/history-of-kashmir/history-of-kashmir-before-1947.html
 HISTORY
KASHMIR CONFLICT
 After Indian Independence in 1947, the ruler of the princely
state of Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, refused to accede to
TH either India or Pakistan. When Pakistan invaded Kashmir in the
following year, the ruler of Kashmir sought help from the
Indian government and agreed to place Kashmir under the
HMIR CONFLICT
dominion of India. As a result India sent its troops to Kashmir
to help the Maharaja. A UN cease-fire in 1949 saw the end of
fighting and created the first Line-of-Control.
In 1956 Kashmir was, in effect, integrated into the Indian Union
under a new Constitution. However, Azad Kashmir, the area which
Pakistan gained during its campaign in 1948, continues to
remain with Pakistan. The volatile situation was aggravated by
the Chinese occupation of the Aksai Chin region, in Ladakh, in
1959. The situation came to head in 1963 when a Sino-Pak
agreement defined the Chinese border with Pakistani Kashmir and
ceded Indian-claimed territory to China.
India and Pakistan fought over Kashmir again in 1965. A UN
cease-fire took effect in September, 1965. Prime Minister Lal
Bhadur Shastri of India and President Ayub Khan of Pakistan
signed the Tashkent agreement on 1st January 1966. They
resolved to try to end the dispute by peaceful means.
Fighting erupted between India and Pakistan once again in the month of
December 1971, after the leaders of the independence movement in East Pakistan
sought India's help. Its leaders were aided by India in their struggle for
independence. After the war, the province of East Pakistan emerged as an
independent country called Bangladesh. A new cease-fire took effect and the
Shimla Agreement was signed between the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
and the Pakistani President Z. A. Bhutto. Both the countries agreed to sort out
all issues bilaterally.
Kashmir was a tourist's paradise during the 1970's and early 1980's. However
tourism in Kashmir declined during the late 1980's and 1990's, due to the
terror perpetrated by separatist militants and self-styled freedom fighters.
Victimized by Islamic fundamentalists and mercenaries, and Indian troops,
thousands of innocent Kashmiri lives have been lost due to terrorism. Today
the situation has somewhat improved with both countries agreeing to come to
the negotiating table and discuss all outstanding issues with an open mind.
All this augurs well for the state of Jammu and Kashmir and hopefully, peace
will return to Kashmir - followed by tourists, who remember its beautiful
parks, rolling meadows, spectacular mountains and scenic destinations with
nostalgia. [3]
3.
4.http://www.kashmirhub.com/history-of-kashmir/history-of-kashmir-after-1947.html
Ravaged by conflict ,
traumatized by lack of
accountability and strangled by
social taboos , people in
Jammu and Kashmir have been both
witness to and victims
of violence which has had a
significant effect on their
mental health . While a ISSUE
sustainable political solution to
Kashmir problem seems far away , KASHMIR CONFLICT
psychological
wounds inflicted by violence
and impunity on the Kashmiri
society continue to increase and go
well beyond socio -
 Psychological and emotional injuries may
be the most enduring effects of major
PSYCHOLOGICAL conflicts between nations in the present
era , yet historically , they may be the
IMPACTS least addressed in terms of rebuilding a
OF society and preventing violence . In recent
KASHMIR CONFLICTworld conflicts , terrorism has
purposely utilized against civilians as a
been
ON means of attacking the self - esteem and
KASHMIRIS morale of “ the enemy ,” as well as simple
retribution . In fact , this is what has been
happening in Kashmir valley since 1989
( beginning of insurgency as called by
India , and interpreted as ‘ freedom
movement ’ by Pakistan ). Kashmiriites are
the victims of violence . They are being :
brutally murdered , displaced , and
expropriated ( direct violence ); assaulted
economically and socially ( structural
violence ); and victimized on religious and
racial grounds ( Cultural violence ).
Insurgency in Kashmir has existed in various forms , mainly on the
Indian administrated side of the disputed territory of Jammu and
Kashmir . Kashmir has been the target of a campaign of militancy by
all sides in the conflict . Thousands of lives have been lost since
1989 due to the intensified insurgency . Casualties include Muslim
and Hindu civilians ( men , women , and children ), Indian Armed Forces ,
and Kashmiri and foreign militants .
The Inter - Services Intelligence of Pakistan has been accused by
India of supporting and training mujahideen [1][2] to fight in Jammu
and Kashmir . [3][4] While , International Human Right Groups have
accused Indian army of committing grave Human rights violations in
Indian - administered Jammu and Kashmir . [5]

1.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6033383.stm
2.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/06/wafghan06.xml
3.http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/world/asia/21quetta.html
4.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE7D81F3EF936A15751C0A9649C8B63
5.http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,HRW,,PAK,,3ae6a8558,0.html
A 1996 Human Rights Watch report accuses the Indian military
and Indian - government backed paramilitaries of " committ [ ing ]
serious and widespread human rights violations in Kashmir ." [6]
One such alleged massacre occurred on January 6 , 1993 in the
town of Sopore . TIME Magazine described the incident as
such : " In retaliation for the killing of one soldier ,
paramilitary forces rampaged through Sopore's market setting
buildings ablaze and shooting bystanders . The Indian
government pronounced the event 'unfortunate' and claimed
that an ammunition dump had been hit by gunfire , setting off
fires that killed most of the victims ." [7] In addition to
this , there have been claims of disappearances by the police
or the army in Kashmir by several human rights
organizations . [8][9]

6.http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/kashmir/1996/India-07.htm
7.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,977469,00.html
8.http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78871.htm
9.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6367917.stm
Besides CCS , the Department of Sociology from the University
of Kashmir has written reports regarding the effect of
violence on Kashmiri society . Thousands of people have been
the victims of enforced disappearances by the government .
Another CCS member , the Association of Parents of
Disappeared Persons ( APDP ), has brought together hundreds of
Kashmiri families whose members have been the victims of
Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances ( EID ) by the Indian
government . The APDP is a collective campaigning
organization that seeks truth and justice on this severe
human rights issue in Kashmir . Recently , in April 2003 , APDP
organized a worldwide hunger strike , coordinated in
different cities across the world , pressing for an end to
disappearances , prosecution of perpetrators , and appointment
of a commission to probe into all enforced disappearances .
The APDP , along with other CCS member organizations , has
helped families pursue legal cases as well as highlight this
issue through reports , videos , and seminars .
If we talk about the psychological impact of terror - related
violence on Kashmir ’ s social environment . Historically , both
state and non - state actors have resorted to the same
approaches in terrorizing civilian populations , while using
different weapons and techniques . For both , the goals of
terror are political . However , the challenges of social and
economic order cannot be adequately undertaken unless we
clearly understand the psychology of political violence .
These concepts in many ways guide domestic and foreign
policy , but have clear distinctions . On the one hand , a
distinction can be made between violence undertaken because
persons have a right to defend their home , and actions
undertaken supposedly to “ alter the behaviors and attitudes
of multiple audiences ,” [18] whether they are ‘ conspiratorial ’
or not .
Kashmir ’ s experience could prove important in analyzing the
psychological impact of political violence . Together with
its atmosphere of fear , the Kashmiri militants have created
an atmosphere of widespread discontent . In this regard , “ the
secrecy of planning and the visibility of results ” may be
illustrative of a more general phenomenon in which
individual and population vulnerability to violence is
linked to terror . At least this has been the position of
researchers who have been active in the field , and the
particular case of Kashmir .
On the one hand, powerful ideological forces are creating a complex
movement, “especially under the banner of Islam”[10] thus diminishing
the traditional significance of the nation-state. On the other hand,
political organizations command “moral inhibitions”[11] as a reasonable
alternative “to alter the attitudes and behavior of multiple
audiences.”[12] As one writer has put the issue however , “terrorism and
our conceptions of it depend on…context…and on how groups and
individuals who participate in or respond to the actions we call
terrorism relate to the world in which they act.”[13] Kashmir’s
experience could prove important in contextualizing political
terrorism. Terror-related violence has left a death toll running into
tens of thousands and a population brutalized by fighting and fear.
Together with its atmosphere of fear, the Kashmiri militants have
created an atmosphere of widespread discontent.

1 0 . Reich , Walter ( editor ). Origins of Terrorism : Psychologies , Ideologies , Theologies , States of Mind .
Washington : Woodrow Wilson Center Press , 1998 . pp . 10 .
1 1 . Crenshaw , Martha . ( Ed .) Terrorism in Context . Pennsylvania : The Pennsylvania State University Press ,
1995 . pp . 4 .
1 2 . Crenshaw , Martha . ( Ed .) Terrorism in Context . Pennsylvania : The Pennsylvania State University Press ,
1995 . pp . 3 .
Since 1947 the conflict between India and Pakistan over the
territorial rule of Kashmir has shaped attitudes towards terrorism .
What started as essentially an indigenous popular uprising against
external rule has created a social environment “ beleaguered by
terrorism , repression , misery and destitution .” [13]
Political terrorism has been largely characterized as a “ movement
of political violence …. fueled by ethnic , religious and linguistic
factors .” [14] The inconsistencies and failures of government policies
in Kashmir have allowed “ social elements to encourage votaries of
political violence through passive as well as active support .” [15]
Further , “ peasants in villages formerly under the militants ’ sway
have been disillusioned with killings , rapes , and criminal
activities .” [16] It is in this context that the concept of political
terrorism can be best understood . In Kashmir , political terrorism
is largely characterized by “ movements of political violence
1directed against
3 . Fai , Ghulam Nabi the
. “ Free , fair state
elections and Commentary
in ,Kashmir” in turn involves
. The, Washington repressive
Times : Sunday
September 15 , 2002 , B5 . 17
measures that
1 4 . Wallace , Paul are often
. “ Political Violence seen as a instate
and Terrorism of Crisis
India : The terrorism [
of Identity”
]
.” in Terrorism in
Context . Pennsylvania : The Pennsylvania State University Press , 1995 , 352
1 5 . Wallace , Paul . “ Political Violence and Terrorism in India : The Crisis of Identity” in Terrorism in
Context . Pennsylvania : The Pennsylvania State University Press , 1995 , 352
1 6 . Wallace , Paul . “ Political Violence and Terrorism in India : The Crisis of Identity” in Terrorism in
Context . Pennsylvania : The Pennsylvania State University Press , 1995 , 404
1 7 . Wallace , Paul . “ Political Violence and Terrorism in India : The Crisis of Identity” in Terrorism in
Context . Pennsylvania : The Pennsylvania State University Press , 1995 , 352
Exposure to violence has potentially important implications
for mental health [18] . This paper presents the findings of
the community assessment survey done by Médecins Sans
Frontières in 2005 . The study , which was done to inform
program planning , assessed the mental health and socio -
economic impact of the ongoing violence , and the sources of
support . Following excerpts from the Médecins Sans
Frontières survey revealed that :
Psychological distress was mostly expressed through symptoms
such as nervousness , tiredness , being easily frightened and
headache ( Table 1 ). The prevalence of suicidal ideation is
striking : one - third of those surveyed had had thoughts of
ending their life in the past 30 days . Over a third of
respondents were categorized as suffering from psychological
distress ( SRQ ≥ 12 ) using the Indian validated SRQ ( 33 . 3 %,
170 ; CI : 28 . 3 – 38 . 4 ). The design effect for the SRQ was 1 . 4 .
Females scored significantly higher ( 43 . 8 % vs . 24 . 1 %, OR 2 . 5 ;
CI : 1 . 7 – 3 . 6 ; p < 0 . 001 ).
1 8 . de Jong J , Komproe IH , van Ommeren M , El Masri M , Araya M , Khaled N , Put W van der , Somasundram D :
Lifetime events and posttraumatic stress disorder in 4 post conflicts settings . JAMA 2001 , 86 : 555 -
562 .
Feelings of personal insecurity were significantly
associated with psychological distress ( SRQ ≥ 12 ) for both
males and females ( Table 2 ). Psychological distress among
males was significantly ( p < 0 . 01 ) associated with all self -
experiences ( defined as 'ever happened to you' ) and most
consequences of violence . Psychological distress among
females was significantly ( p < 0 . 01 ) associated with
witnessing events ( except hearing about / witnessing rape ), as
well as the self - experience of some events ( maltreatment ,
arrested / kidnapped ) and feelings of lack of safety and
independence .
For both genders , not
feeling safe is
associated with at
least twice the odds
of suffering from
psychological distress
( Table 3 ). For males ,
violation of modesty ,
forced displacement ,
and disability were
all associated with a
significantly
increased likelihood
( three times the odds )
of suffering from
psychological distress .
For women , the
witnessing of people
being killed or
tortured or dependency
on outside assistance
doubled the odds of
suffering
The majority of respondents ( 63 . 9 %, 326 ) had recently
visited a health postor clinic : nearly half had visited a
health facility more than once ( 46 . 3 %, 235 ) in the past 30
days . Overall , nearly half ( 49 . 6 %, 253 ) of respondents rated
the health facilities as poor . Women more frequently rated
their physical health as bad or very bad ( male : 24 . 1 % vs .
female : 36 . 3 %, OR 1 . 8 ; CI : 1 . 2 – 2 . 6 ; p < 0 . 005 ), and visited the
health facilities more than men ( male : 40 . 0 % vs . female :
54 . 7 %, OR 1 . 8 ; CI : 1 . 3 – 2 . 6 ; p = 0 . 005 ). The number of women who
had been on medication for six or more days was
significantly higher than men ( male : 30 . 7 % vs . female : 46 . 0 %,
OR 1 . 9 ; CI : 1 . 3 – 2 . 8 ; p < 0 . 001 ). A high level of psychological
distress ( SRQ ≥ 12 ) was significantly ( p < 0 . 01 ) associated
with poor or very poor self - rated health for both males ( OR
4 . 4 ) and females ( OR 3 . 4 ). For males this was also associated
with a higher likelihood of visiting the clinic two times or
more ( Table 4 ). For both males and females , high
psychological distress was also associated with a higher
likelihood of being unable to or having to cut back on work
or performance of daily activities .
The most common ways of coping were withdrawal ( isolation ,
not talking to people ) and aggression ( Table 5 ). Religion was
also reported as a helpful source of support .
It is also concluded that the high levels of violence
confronted by the Kashmiri population have resulted in high
prevalence ( 33 %) of mental health problems . Poor self - rated
health and likelihood of poor socio - economic functioning
were associated with high levels of psychological distress .
Mental health problems in this context of chronic violence
should receive full attention through the provision of
appropriate community - based services that would improve
access to care and reduce the burden on the health system .
With killings , torture , rapes , molestations , disappearances
and detentions becoming the order of the day in Kashmir ,
psychiatric disorders have seen a sharp increase post - 1989 .
In 1989 , about 1 , 700 patients visited the valley's lone
psychiatric hospital and by the year 2003 , the number had
gone up to 48 , 000 . Before the onset of the armed struggle ,
certain disorders that were not known to Kashmiris started
showing a significant presence amongst the civilian
population . The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PSTD ), one of
the psychiatric diseases , which was completely unrecognised
before 1990 has witnessed a major upsurge . Major Depressive
Disorder ( MDO ) follows this . There are other mental diseases
like bipolar disorder , panic , phobia ; general anxiety and
sleep disorders that have also shown four - fold increase .
Substance Use Disorder or drug addiction and suicidal
tendencies has been another repercussion of the ongoing
conflict in Kashmir . women form a major part of the patients
who are suffering from PSTD ( almost 50 per cent ). For women
whose husbands have died , psychotherapy has failed to
produce desired results .
Women have become increasingly suicidal and are resorting to
sleeping pills , injections and inhalations [19] .
Nearly every person , particularly women , suffer from general
anxiety and the uncertainty pertaining to the security of their
family members . This always keep them in a state of unrest and
anxiety . Even in their houses people are harassed , beaten up or
taken into custody by the troops . The fact that the situation
doesn't seem to get any better , doesn't promise a better mental
state of the civilian population , especially women , in Kashmir .

1 9 . Jaswal SKP : Gynaecological and mental health of low - income urban women in India . In PhD thesis
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine ; 1995 .
HOW CAN THIS BE?
John Connon and W . Harrison
Childers
Mothers moaning soft and low
Sad to see their children go
Off to fight the latest foe
How can this be?
A father bows his head and cries
As he begins to realize
Sons will fight and sons will
die
How can this be?
We can talk about hatred
We can talk aboput war
We can talk about killing
While we all keep score
We can count all the bodies
And count them once more
How can this be?
Madly plunging into war
Marching to the lies once
more
Who knows what they ’ re dying
for?
How
It ’ s can
the this
same be?
old trajedy
What a hollow legacy
No one learns from history
How can this be?
We can talk about hatred
We can talk about war
We can talk about killing
While we all keep score
We count them once more
How can this be?
Children have to pay the price
For debts they do not owe
Time and time again they pay
The children can ’ t say no
Grieve for every wounded child
Sharpenel , mines , and bombs gone
wild
Innocence and love defiled
How can this be?

Now this madness all must

cease
The entire world cries out
for peace
Sing along and share the
dream
When will this be?
It ’ s up to you and me .