Open Category: Photojournalism / Story (AMATEUR) - HONORABLE MENTION
The endless winter of Kashmir
Photo © Camillo Pasquarelli
Support this photographer - share this work on Facebook.
Friday afternoon. The prayer is just ended and the devotees turn away from Jamia Masjiid, the main mosque in Srinagar, the summer capital of the state Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian army troops are deployed at the entrances and observe from afar the young people covering their faces among the crowd. The kanijung - local name of the stone-throwing - is about to begin. Within a few minutes the air becomes unbreathable. Numerous stun grenades explodes. From the shadows amid the clouds of tear gas raises a voice: "hum kya chate?". Hundreds of other shadows answer vehemently: "azadi! azadi! azadi! "-" What do we want? Freedom! Freedom! ": the main slogan of Kashmiri separatism. The message is delivered to the Indian invaders along with a shower of stones every Friday afternoon.
After growing up during the hell of the '90s, when the kashmiri guerrilla was crushed by the Indian army, and having been the subject of two anti-government uprisings in 2008 and 2010, in the heart of this generation there is no doubt: India is carrying out an unlawful occupation, only possible thanks to the 600.000 troops that make Kashmir one of the most militarized zone in the world.
A new summer of clashes, curfew, martyrs and repression arrived after the killing of Burhan Wani, the commander of a kashmiri armed group, by the security forces on july 2016. Hundreds of boys have lost their eyesight because of the pellet guns, a shotgun wich can project hundreds of shrapnel-like pellets that can cause serious injuries and even death if improperly used.
Despite this fresh anger, sixty-eight years ago in Kashmir began an endless winter of suffering for the people who now lives in the hope of seeing one day flourishing the spring of azadi.
He inherits the passion for photography from his father, but only after completing his studies in Political Science and Anthropology decides to devote himself entirely to the reportage.
He deals with documentary photography through the combination of the anthropological approach and the photographic medium.
In 2015 he spend five months in the valley of Kashmir for an anthropological research about the indo-pakistan conflict and separatist kashmiri political sentiments. In 2016 he covered the anti-indian uprising.
BACK TO GALLERY
Friday afternoon. The prayer is just ended and the devotees turn away from Jamia Masjiid, the main mosque in Srinagar, the summer capital of the state Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian army troops are deployed at the entrances and observe from afar the young people covering their faces among the crowd. The kanijung - local name of the stone-throwing - is about to begin. Within a few minutes the air becomes unbreathable. Numerous stun grenades explodes. From the shadows amid the clouds of tear gas raises a voice: "hum kya chate?". Hundreds of other shadows answer vehemently: "azadi! azadi! azadi! "-" What do we want? Freedom! Freedom! ": the main slogan of Kashmiri separatism. The message is delivered to the Indian invaders along with a shower of stones every Friday afternoon.
After growing up during the hell of the '90s, when the kashmiri guerrilla was crushed by the Indian army, and having been the subject of two anti-government uprisings in 2008 and 2010, in the heart of this generation there is no doubt: India is carrying out an unlawful occupation, only possible thanks to the 600.000 troops that make Kashmir one of the most militarized zone in the world.
A new summer of clashes, curfew, martyrs and repression arrived after the killing of Burhan Wani, the commander of a kashmiri armed group, by the security forces on july 2016. Hundreds of boys have lost their eyesight because of the pellet guns, a shotgun wich can project hundreds of shrapnel-like pellets that can cause serious injuries and even death if improperly used.
Despite this fresh anger, sixty-eight years ago in Kashmir began an endless winter of suffering for the people who now lives in the hope of seeing one day flourishing the spring of azadi.
About author:
Camillo Pasquarelli was born in Rome in 1988.He inherits the passion for photography from his father, but only after completing his studies in Political Science and Anthropology decides to devote himself entirely to the reportage.
He deals with documentary photography through the combination of the anthropological approach and the photographic medium.
In 2015 he spend five months in the valley of Kashmir for an anthropological research about the indo-pakistan conflict and separatist kashmiri political sentiments. In 2016 he covered the anti-indian uprising.
BACK TO GALLERY
