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peace movements
Daughters of Ladakh Kashmir and Jammu ( DLKJ )
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 Building Peace” in
Patni Top, April 26-29, 2002. DLKJ was founded by the 22 participants
who came to Patni Top from the various parts of J&K state (plus 3
solidarity members from various parts of India). 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.
Objectives:
- To see women’s activism in conflict situations
as a crucial resource.
- To validate women’s perspectives in conflict
and peace building.
- To strengthen women’s peace building capacity
in the informal and formal space of politics.
- To build solidarities with other civil society
initiatives
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.
DLKJ’s strategy is to build a network of local coalitions or
networks that move backwards and forwards from social justice and
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. However, mobilization strategies need to recognise the
importance of strengthening the economic independence of women through
self help groups etc, to enable them to effectively participate.
Activities 2002
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 gendered history of the
movement.
Setbacks – SAFHR
was unable to follow through its catalysing role as Rita Manchanda who
was the initiator of the idea broke her leg and was out of circulation
for several months. It exposed the dependence of initiatives like
DLKJ on an outside catalyst at the initial stage to mediate distrust.
Also a political
activist, a founder member of DLKJ was arrested under the terrorist law
POTA.
August 2003 Reassessment: The
visit to Jammu and Srinagar and the meeting with members of the DLKJ and
other coalition partners like APDP revealed the continuing relevance of
such a forum and the willingness of the women to work together. In
mapping out areas of future work emphasis was laid on setting up self
help ‘economic’ empowerment groups involving organisations like APDP.
However, DLKJ needs to mobilize financial support to pursue these
activities.
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