Sharafat Ali (Indira Gandhi National Open University)
“Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
''Who am I- Uncertain Identity'' is a photographic expression of an important aspect of the lives of Kashmiri people. Tens of thousands of people have died, thousands have been orphaned and about 8,000 people are missing. In this project I have been documenting the painful aspect of the Kashmiri society that has been full of the culture of violence, suffering and uncertainty. A deep identity crisis, a sense of insecurity and a yearning to live a life of peace and dignity can be seen on the face of every Kashmiri even in the times of relative calm. I shot these photographs in different parts of Kashmir over a couple of years. During this time, Kashmir witnessed some of the deadliest anti-India protests in the history of 28 years of the conflict. More than 100 children and teenagers died in the year 2016 alone.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I – Uncertain Identity
Amidst bone chilling cold Kashmiri mourners shout pro-freedom, anti-India slogans and wave Pakistani flag while carrying the dead body of Adil Sheikh, militant belonging to HizbulMujahideen outfit.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
XuhaibMaqboolHumza, Kahmir-based photojournalist ended up losing vision in his left eye while he was covering a protest in the oldcity of Srinagar during 2016 uprising. In the same year over 350 people lost their vision, totally or partially, by The profuse use of pellet guns by Indian soldiers.In June 2016 following the killing of top rebel commander BurhanMuzzafarWani of HizbulMujahideen, massive uprising ensued in Kashmir resulting in the death of over 100 youth mostly teenagers in police firing. More than 18,000 got injured of which a large number has pellet injuries.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
On the first day of Eid, Kashmiri kids pose with toy guns, stimulate the ongoing armed resistance in Kashmir. Children have been the worst sufferers in this ongoing violence.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
Empty liquor bottles hang on the concertina wire at the foothills of historical Hariparbat fort in Srinagar. On June 26 2014, authorities threw it open for tourists and public. The fort was opened after 24 years.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
Haleema, a mentally challenged Kashmiri woman stands near the window of a mosque in old city Srinagar.The two decades of Kashmir conflict has left almost a 100,000 people dead. Most of them bread-earning young men who left behind their mothers, wives, sisters, and children. Thousands of women live in extreme poverty and depression. There are around 800,000 people in Kashmir who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and most include women who witnessed someone dying in their immediate or extended families.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
Indian Army picked up Shabir Ahmad Gasi from Bemina on January 22, 2000. A fruit vendor by profession, Shabir became a victim of enforced disappearance at the age of 23. And since then his wife Shameema and his children Bisma and Waseem are waiting for his return. Around 8000 to 10,000 cases of enforced disappearances have been reported in Indian-administered part of Jammu and Kashmir since 1989.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
Old Kashmiri burqa clad woman enters the Jamia Mosque to offer noon prayers at the Srinagar’s Jamia Mosque.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
A Kashmiri boy and an elderly man stands near the window of Hazratbal shrine on the eve of Shab-Mehraj 'the night of ascent' when the Prophet Muhammad is believed to be spiritually transported to heaven. “People in Kashmir pay regular visit the shrines for peace of mind.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
Neighbors and relative mourn over the killing of NayeemQadir, an aspiring cricketer, of Handwara town in North Kashmir. He was killed by the Indian Army in the afternoon during a protest sparked by allegations of a molestation bid by a soldier.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
13-year-old boy NasirShafiQazi was killed by Indian Security forces during the 2016 summer protests in Srinagar. Nasir was killed when Indian police fired pellets at him and the body was then kept in an deserted location. The Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), a human rights group that documents cases of rights violations in J&K, published its annual report Human Rights Review that put the total number of killings in 2016 at 383; the list includes 145 civilians, 138 militants and 100 state and Central forces.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
The relic of Prophet Muhammad is displayed to thousands of devotees on the eve of Eid-i-Milad, the birth anniversary of the prophet, at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar.
Story: “Who am I – Uncertain Identityâ€
Who am I - Uncertain Identity
Indian Para-military forces chase the youth during clashes after Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid, Srinagar's largest mosque. The mosque has been a hub of resistance since decades, resulting in intermittent clashes between protesters and paramilitary soldiers.