Violence in Kashmir
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The violence in Kashmir greatly changed the lives for the worse for the inhabitants of the region. They were forced to change the way they dressed, the way they acted, and some were even pushed to the extent of leaving Kashmir altogether. The original clothing of Kashmir, the pheran, which was a lose fitting garment of clothing worn by men and women to keep them warm in the harsh winters of the Northern climate, became outlawed by the Indian government due to the fear of hiding weapons in its folds. (Hardy, 12) Kashmiri Pandits, the Hindus of Kashmir, became the targets of extreme cases of terrible human rights violations and atrocities. There were rumors that military men were forcing Pandit girls into marriage and then forcing them to convert under a gun. Many of these girls were unable to raise their voices against the attacks on them, and were viciously exploited. There were other stories of the murdering of hundreds of Pandits; they were strangled by steel wires, hung, impaled, branded, and had their organs gouged out of them while they were still alive. While many of the stories that spread throughout the village may not have been entirely true, it was evident that extreme violence was indeed taking place, and fear was spreading throughout the region. Due to the violence they were facing, many Kahmiri Pandits chose to migrate out of the valley to protect their safety, with an estimated total of one-fifth of all Pandits being removed from Kashmir. The area of Kashmir had always been an area where different religions had lived together in harmony. However, with the newfound conflict in place, hostilities and distinctions began to emerge between religions. Hindus and Muslims, who had for so long lived together in harmony, began turning against each other, neighbor against neighbor, blaming each other for the conflict. (Hardy, 69) The peace and tranquility that these people had enjoyed for so long was crushed under the stress of war and violence that was permeating itself into the everyday lives of the residents of Kashmir.