Click to play videoJammu: As the summers approach, the nomadic tribes in Jammu and Kashmir retreat to the hills. But over the years due to violence, many routes have been out of reach for them.
And now, after spending 18 years in fear, the nomads are back on track.
“We had over 16 routes, but due to militancy over 50 per cent of them had been closed down. Now the levels of violence have improved slightly and our people are getting back,” says member, Advisory board, Gujjar and Bakerwal community, Mohamamd Sadiq.
The state government has listed seven official routes for the nomads, with the paths stretching from the Punjab border to the Zanskar Valley of Ladakh.
But the Gujjar Board has now asked the government and the army to provide them security to return to the higher reaches once again.
The nomads say they are hard-hit by terrorism in the valley as 15 shepherds were massacred in Rajouri in 2001, and 12 in Poonch in 2004.
“They have been worse hit by terrorism. They are the only ones who travel in the forest. Militant outfits think they are army informers that is why they are targeted,” says Shah Mohammad Choudhary of Gujjar United Front.
The livelihood of the nomads has also been threatened.
“We have been able to return to our pastures many times or even the places where we used to live in the forests. Our livestocks have suffered due to this. The number has down from thousands to a few hundreds now,” says a Gujjar, Riyaz Ahmad.
And though fear still looms large, the opening of routes has come as a ray of hope for these wanderers.
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