Page 21 - magazine14_Neat

21 July 03 to July 09 2017 : Weekly News Magazine messenger

WAR & CONFLICT

make us stand up in the class and
then scornfully say that we were not
paying fees so there was no need to
attend the class. It was
humiliating,” says Abid Kareem
now a 22 year young son of
Shameema.

The ill-behaviour meted out by their
father’s family, the humiliation at
the school, the taunts of the
relatives and the apathy of the
society has taken their toll on the
children. They have turned up shy,
introvert and depressed.
“We were already facing many
problems due to the death of our
father and the teachers and
stay at their relatives’
relatives were adding salt to our
houses. I had to break
injuries. It was quite unfortunate of
the locks to enter my
the society”, complains Abid. His
room. Then I would
younger brother Adil Kareem does
search for my children
not talk to strangers at all and only
and bring them to the
blushes when addressed.
room. It was a torture of
worst sort when on one “I have tried my best to save my
side you became widow children from ill effects of the
at such a young age and traumatic conditions we were living
on the other your own in, but could not do anything to
Life was so good for Shameema
after her marriage to Abdul When Shameema became a widow family would throw you out of the keep the sense of inferiority from
Kareem Gujri of Pampore. Her she had two sons, one a three year home you had been living in happily getting them,” says Shameema.
Only her brothers would chip in with
husband would provide him old and another a seven month for five years,” says Shameema. some help. At times they would
everything he could afford. infant. She herself was only 24. Shameema fell into deep poverty provide rice and other things.
However, her world came tumbling She did not marry again. With the within days. It became hard to Shameema started spinning yarn
down when on January 31, 1991 loss of her husband started the manage bare minimum needs of to keep earn a living. “There were
as her husband would leave for his struggle for survival and eking out a her children. times when we had nothing to eat. I
routine work of vending livelihood.
started spinning yarn so that my
newspapers and magazines at his “When I was in dire need of money
“The loss of my husband was children get at least a modest dress
stall at Pampore Chowk, to return as my own relatives had discarded
followed by the belligerent attitude and food than getting nothing at all.
in a body bag. me, the newspaper owners did not
of my in-laws. My father-in-law I had left the idea of remarriage for
help me in any way. Even those
“At around 12.00 p.m. a would throw out our belongings and customers who owed my husband these children and was devoting all
neighbour informed me that ask me to leave his home along money did not pay up. Virtually I fell my time to their upbringing,” says
paramilitary forces have opened with my two children. I resisted all Shameema.
from heaven to earth in a matter of
fire on the civilians at Pampore this silently thinking that my
days,” says Shameema. Not only her relatives, but the
chowk where Kareem would erect children would face the worst if I
neighbours also proved
his stall. The news made me left,” says Shameema occasionally On one hand Shameema struggled
uncooperative. Their taunts and
nervous but I thought nothing looking at her two sons, sitting by for survival in the harsh domestic
even stopping drainage of the rain
untoward would happen to my her side. environment and on the other her
water from the compound of
husband who was a virtuous, good two children had to face
Her two sisters in law, Shameema Shameema’s house added to her
man,” says Shameema. “But discrimination in the school.“Some
says, also tried every cruelty to woes. “My life has been a struggle
when at 2.00 pm. his body good people arranged our free
throw me out of my husband’s all along and even today, due to
reached home, I realised what admission in a school but the
home. “At times when I would be meager income we face numerous
tragedy had befallen me,” says teachers did not like that. Many a
out on some errand, my sisters in problems,” says Shameema.
Shameema. times, the vengeful teachers would
law would lock all the rooms and