Kashmiri Women’s Resistance Day was being observed today (Sunday) on both sides of the Line of Control - the de facto border dividing the Azad Jammu and Kashmir and India-occupied part of the territory.

The day is observed each year in commemoration of the struggles of the mass rape and torture survivors of the twin villages of Kunan and Poshpora of the occupied valley.

Marked since 2014, the day has become not only an inspiration for the women facing barbarity of the Indian security forces but has become part of the larger ongoing freedom struggle.

It represents the unflinching resolve and spirit of the institutionalized and structural violence against women in particular and all the inhabitants of IOK in general.

The night of 23rd February 1991 was a nightmare for the residents of Kunan and Poshpora as were made to face the worst kind of state terrorism.

The security troops tortured the males and hunted down women and young girls of the two villages to rape and torture them.

The rape and torture of women have long been used by the occupational forces as an instrument of war. 

And, the mass rape and sexual torture at these villages is probably the only well-documented instance of the systematic, deliberate and pervasive targeting of women in Kashmir with the aim to punish the Kashmiris for demanding freedom. 

The world learned about it as the survivors chose to speak out and they have continued to speak for the last 27 years, in the face of all vilification, intimidation and silence on authorities' part.

Pakistan Information Ministery reported that Indian authorities have imposed strict restrictions in Kunan-Poshpora area of Kupwara district on Sunday to prevent people from expressing solidarity with the victims of mass rape by Indian troops.

In her message in connection with this day, a 17 years old Kashmiri girl said they will stand with their men in the freedom struggle and will not stop until they achieve their goal.

Minister for Human Rights Sheerin Mazari, retweeting a tweet from Prime Minister, called for not forgetting the mass rape of Kashmiri women. The prime minister in his message urged the world "to become voice of resilient Kashmiri women".

https://twitter.com/ShireenMazari1/status/1231570961574526976

The United Nations also shared a message on Twitter in connection with the day.

https://twitter.com/UnitedNation07/status/1231465903163871232

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan paid tribute to the Kashmiri women for their sacrifices.

In a twitter message, she said that it is the worst day depicting the inhumane attitude suffered by the women at the hands of Indian forces in the occupied Kashmir.

https://twitter.com/Dr_FirdousPTI/status/1231464317465264130

In a tribute to the brave women of Kashmir, the young poet and research scholar, Marriah Nayeem, came up with three poems that provided glimpses of life in Kashmir, covering aspects that traverse multiple generations of women.

Here's one composition of her beautiful words.

THIS SILENCE IS A LIE

When I was a kid
I disoriented a newspaper page once
that read in scarlet letters,
“SCHOOL GIRL MOLESTED BY ARMY PERSONNEL”
to hide it from my father
afraid he might just not bear such news.

When I was growing up
I fought for the remote with my brother
to dodge his mind from the TV channel
that flashed in brief, again and again
“ARMED FORCES OPEN FIRE ON PROTESTERS, 17 KILLED, DOZENS CRITICAL”
scared that he too might leave in rage
and never return.

When I fell in love at eighteen,
he was a rebel for a boy
who yearned to free his land
like a guerrilla warrior.
So I talked of leaving this vale
because I couldn’t envisage my future with him,
frightened to death
that he might be the next
to fall to the rain of bullets.

And screaming,
that is how I used to wake.

And then I was a mother
I’ll skip that part,
because tragedy speaks of tragedy itself
and only a cry comforts cry.

But when I place my hand
on my writhing chest,
calm, calm, calm it is,
filled with silence before the tempest.

This silence is a lie,
I swear,
THIS SILENCE IS A LIE!