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Daughters of Ladakh Kashmir and Jammu (DoLKJ)

DLKJ is an initiative to create a public forum of women from Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu, to mobilize women’s capacity to build peace with dignity and democratic value. It grew out of the interactive dynamics of  SAFHR’s workshop on “J&K Women Making Peace” in Patni Top, April 26-29, 2002. The workshop was part of SAFHR’s multi-faceted  programme on Women and Peace. DLKJ was founded by the 22 participants who came to Patni Top from the various parts of J&K state (plus 3 solidarity members). Membership is open to all women from J&K who accept the common agenda of mobilising women to build peace with dignity and justice. DLKJ’s vision is to foster the mobilization of women on a human rights and social justice platform to struggle for a just peace. As Gulshan a member of DLKJ described it –‘it will be like the roots of a chinar linking us all'.

DLKJ is favourably positioned to claim an 'impartial space' for mobilizing women in J&K where insurgency and counterinsurgency has deeply divided the peoples and destroyed the social fabric of trust and confidence in being able to do something. DoLKJ will draw upon SAFHR's programme to establish a 'Resource Centre' in Srinagar - a neutral space- especially focused on two constituencies, young people and women. The interface of the two constituencies, women and young people, is inherent in the design of the activities of the centre that involve understanding, documenting and transforming the impact of violence. Also an important constituent of DLKJ membership is expected to be the student community- rural and urban. A mutually beneficial intertwining of activities is planned.

Objectives:Seeding Civil Society Organisational Activism to develop capacity to claim the space to assert the right to do democratic politics. Moving away from seeing women as victims to seeing women's activism in conflict situations as a crucial resource. Validating women's perspectives in conflict and peace building. Strengthening women's peace building capacity in the informal space of politics. Mainstreaming gender in peace processes.

Strategy is to build a network of local coalitions or networks that move backwards and forwards from strategic gender - social justice-welfare interests to human rights and peace building. At a time when civil society is saying that the guns are quieter, and the elections have given an impetus to the impulse that the peoples' will can make some difference, it is critical to strengthen the capacity of civil society (particularly women's groups) to assert itself in negotiating the conflict and realizing a peace with dignity justice and democratic value.

Activities 2002 DLKJ - Kashmir Coordinator did try and mobilise women to come together in Srinagar soon after its founding in 2002. The efforts proved controversial highlighting the importance of an outside catalyst in a situation where 'sister distrusts sister'. There is also a wariness about working with groups like MKM that were once close to militant groups and these misgivings need to be mediated by an outside element. But at the same time there is a recognition that coalitions are necessary if anything is to be achieved. The APDP's initiative to put up a memorial to the disappeared in 2001 failed because it was isolated.

Solidarity for Women in Gujarat: The Kashmir unit of the DoLKJ issued a statement of support for the women of Gujarat. It was an important first step in building solidarities with women and women's groups in various parts of India. It is based on a realization that we women (and civil society) have a common stake in the strengthening of democratic freedoms and rights everywhere, and the need to struggle together to fight the authoritarian forces of oppression and injustice in Gujarat and in Jammu & Kashmir. The instrumental exploitation of the Kashmiri women as victim, especially sexual victim, has been a part of the history of the movement. Women's in India have been reluctant to get involved in J &K for fear of compromising their 'nationalist' credentials. However, with NGOs and INGOs now working with Kashmiri women on the humanitarian front, there could be the possibility of mobilizing women across India. The Indian solidarity group for the Daughters of Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu (DoLKJ) could foster that mobilization. It includes Rita Manchanda, Sushobha Barve and Sahba Hussain.