Lost Rebellion — Manoj Joshi

The inside story of the insurgency in Kashmir. The militant rebellion that began in Kashmir in the winter of 1989 has left about 20,000 dead, many injured and countless traumatized. In this first book-length study of the rebellion, Manoj Joshi narrates how a simple call for azadi by bands of disgruntled youth was transformed within a year into a full-scale jehad against India. Joshi's chronicle dwells at length on Pakistan's proxy war against India and the atrocities perpetrated by the Afghan mercenaries. It also exposes hitherto unknown facets of the US position on Kashmir and investigates sensitive issues like the alleged mass rape at Kunan Poshpora, the infamous alley deaths and the abduction of four foreigners by the mysterious Al Faran militant outfit. Examining the official attempts to curb the rebellion, Joshi is unsparing in his criticism of the political bungling and bureaucratic ineptitude which have hamstrung the fight against insurgency. Giving a raw, compelling edge to the book are the accounts of the many hapless victims of the rebellion. Meticulously researched, The Lost Rebellion is a riveting account of the human drama that lies at the heart of the crisis that is Kashmir. With over twenty photographs.