Notes on Jammu Massacre of 1947: An Often Overlooked Story of Horror

Introduction

• Author: Mahwish Hafeez, Research Fellow at India Study Centre (ISC), ISSI
• Date: November 7, 2023
• The views are of the author and not representative of ISSI.

Background of Jammu Massacre

• Harrowing event in the history of the subcontinent.
• Characterized by violence, displacement, and mass killing of Kashmiri Muslims.
• Genocide started in 1947; Maharaja Hari Singh's forces, aided by right-wing Hindu groups and Sikhs, killed around 200,000 Muslims (estimates vary up to 237,000).
• The violence is one of the darkest episodes in Jammu and Kashmir's history.

Origin and Causes

• Poonch and Mirpur districts were traditional recruitment grounds for the British army.
• Post WWII, returning soldiers faced heavy taxation and military exclusion by the Maharaja.
• The Maharaja's loss of control led to a "no tax" campaign by Poonch residents.
• Strengthened his army with more Hindus and Sikhs.
• Ordered Muslims to surrender weapons, which were used by his army later.

Communal Violence Erupts

• As India and Pakistan were partitioned, communal violence surged.
• Non-communal Muslim revolt in Poonch gained communal tones due to Hindu and Sikh migrations from West Punjab.
• Mass killings, abductions, rapes, and forced conversions occurred.

Between October and November 1947

• Dogra army, RSS, and extremist Hindus and Sikhs attacked Muslims.
• Ved Bhasin and Ian Stephens documented these massacres.
• Systematic savagery led to disappearance/death of about 200,000 Muslims, displacement of about 500,000.

Theories and Motives

• Christopher Snedden suggests looting and pre-planned elimination of Muslims as motives.
• Maharaja's plan possibly aimed to eliminate Muslims for demographic changes, inviting Sikhs to settle.

Survivor Accounts

• Amanullah Khan Naqshbandi recounts the massacre of convoys headed to Pakistan.
• Muslims targeted even within Pakistan's territory.
• Pakistan managed 100,000 refugees in Sialkot.

Legacy and Historical Documentation

• Historical accounts by Alastair Lamb and Victoria Schofield.
• Mahatma Gandhi's reference to the violence in Jammu.

Demographic Changes

• Initiated efforts to change the demographic makeup of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Post-massacre, Muslims became a minority in Jammu.

Call for Recognition

• Historians and researchers urged to highlight this tragedy.
• Preservation of survivor accounts for posterity.
• World organizations, like the OIC and UN, should acknowledge and act on the massacre.

Current Relevance

• The situation is paralleled with the Middle East crisis.
• Pakistan urged to raise awareness, especially in Western countries.
• Suggested observance of "Youm-e-Shuada Jammu" to honor martyrs and highlight ongoing issues.

These notes encapsulate the main points and essential details regarding the Jammu Massacre of 1947 as highlighted in Mahwish Hafeez's brief. This summary can serve as a foundational reference for further study and discussion on this historical event.