Jammu & Kashmir - Articles

Suicide terrorism has increased manifold in the recent years, especially after the American occupation in Iraq. A particular group always managed to be in the limelight in a given period in terms of suicide attacks. There have been two exceptions; the LTTE has sustained its suicide attacks for more than a decade (with none of the other groups managing more than five years); the Palestinians are the only group of individuals to carryout attacks without any institutional or organizational structure. Where do the fidayeen attacks in Kashmir figure in this? Are there any similarities with other groups or attacks?

An analysis of the fidayeen attacks would reveal that there are more dis-similarities with other groups than any similarities. A post mortem of each attack reveals that these fidayeen attacks could not even be called as suicide attacks in the 'traditional' sense, rather as suicidal attacks, employing the traditional hit and run technique. The major difference between the fidayeen attacks and the other terrorist attacks relate to the risk involved. Fidayeen attacks are high risk attacks, where the possibilities of escape is less; nevertheless there exist an option. These attacks could be called suicidal, certainly not suicide attacks.

Whether suicide or suicidal, these attacks are deadly, hence need to be studied; compared and contrasted with other attacks to learn further. First, unlike other suicide attacks, the fidayeen attacks are not acts of individuals. Most of the suicide attacks all over the world are carried out by individuals or individuals wrapping himself/herself with lethal explosives. This has been the most preferred attack all over the world. Alternatively, the suicide attacks also include the person who is perpetrating the act, driving a vehicle, mostly a car or truck directly into the target, the most used technique in Iraq today. In J&K, neither of this method is employed by the fidayeens. In fact, of the total attacks, there were only two attacks which could be called as suicide attacks: the first one by Kashmiri boy and the second by a British national, in which both individuals carried the explosives along with them in a vehicle, hitting the Badamibagh cantonment gate in Srinagar. The fidayeen attacks, on the contrary, are group acts. Suicide, by nature is an individual phenomenon. Except for some cult groups, history has never witnessed group suicides.

The fidayeen attacks always have an escape route. If the target is overpowered or eliminated completely, the fidayeens escape the area. In most cases, the fidayeen attacks are primarily aimed at the security forces. The individuals, whether political leaders or dissidents were rarely targeted. It is surprising that the fidayeen attacks were hardly carried out against a political target. Also the fidayeen attacks do not take place in common places, such as a pub, or a bus or a local market. Perhaps, the targets are carefully chosen not to incur any local wrath and lose public opinion. The fidayeen attacks then clearly are security forces specific.

The fidayeen attacks are primarily carried out by the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad cadres. The Hizbul Mujahideen does not carry out such attacks; most of the attacks were carried out by Pakistanis, especially from Punjab and not by Kashmiris. Perhaps, J&K is the only area, where an alien population is carrying out suicide attacks for the cause of locals. There are reports stating that people who are carrying out in suicide attacks in Iraq are in fact non-Iraqis. In that case, it needs to be tested whether these attacks are carried out for a national or religious cause. In that case, is there a need for a new hypothesis - if the cause is religious, then the cadres of suicide terrorism need not necessarily from the same region? In most of other cases, the suicide terrorist belongs to the political nation for which he is fighting for. Unless, the fidayeen in J&K is fighting for the cause of Ummah, it would be the case of a Punjabi giving his life for a Kashmiri cause.

Another interesting aspect that differentiates the fidayeen attacks from the rest of suicide attacks is the non-involvement of women. J&K is yet to witness a woman fidayeen. The only other area, where woman have played a non-role in suicide attacks is Iraq. The LTTE, the PKK and amongst the Palestinan suicide bombers, the role played by women is phenomenal. In fact amongst the LTTE and the PKK, women cadres have carried out most of the suicide attacks. Can the previous hypothesis could then be extended further - that where the struggle is for the cause of Islam, it precludes the involvement of women as suicide cadres? Another interesting question need to be raised, if the attacks are for the cause of Islam - can there be suicide attacks in the name of religion, which condemns suicide? Are fidayeen attacks then Islamic? Aren't the fidayeens then un-Islamic?

These are crucial questions that need to be researched. The fidayeens are a different phenomenon in the suicide terrorism discourse and need to be addressed taking into account the various similarities and dis-similarities.