Go, my dear sisters!

[mehulkamdar]

Now, why doesn't the government use these lessons in the rest of the country? After all, law and order is a problem everywhere...

http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/23/stories ... 701100.htm

Gun-toting women take on militants

Luv Puri

Many are enrolling in the Village Defence Committees for weapons training






? Photo: Luv Puri

SELF DEFENCE: Women being imparted training to use weapons for self-defence in Jammu and Kashmir.

Bafliaz: Women in this terrain of the Pir Panjal mountains have found a way to combat militancy ? they have taken to the gun. Giving a different dimension to anti-militancy operations women are increasingly enlisting themselves in Village Defence Committees (VDCs) and getting trained in the use of weapons.

This is also being seen as a revolt against the societal curbs imposed by religious extremists and militants in the last few years.

And, each household has a tale to tell as to why they have resorted to this.

Gulzar Bi's son went missing five years ago. Thirteen-year-old Mohammed Yasin was recruited by a militant commander. Her pleas to get him back went in vain. "Tell me what is the alternative before me. I have lost my son but I would never allow them to harm the rest of my family," she says.

Interference in the socio-economic life of the people too has had a bearing on their sudden aggressiveness. Some time ago, militants launched a massive campaign to enforce the wearing of veil. And this in part contributed to the lowering of the education standard of girls.

Feeling empowered


Taslima (24) says that "by learning to handle weapons we feel empowered and our sense of insecurity has definitely lessened. We have realised that silence only breeds fear."

It has not taken much time for them to master the use of weapons.

The archaic .303 rifle, much heavier than automatic weapons, is handled with ease. Some are adept at using the AK-47 and the SLR as well.

Mohammad Aslam, a VDC member, who trained them, says: "Women of our hilly belt have been equal partners with men in every sphere. Militants have often tried to enforce the veil campaign in this belt, but it has been fiercely resisted by them."

More VDCs coming up


Women VDCs were formed first in the Marrah area but now the idea is fast catching up in other areas.

The gun-toting women have often repulsed many a militant attack.

Two years ago, militants attacked a family in the Teli Katha area of Surankote after men had gone out for work.

Surprise


To their surprise, three women stood their ground for over an hour forcing the militants to flee. Though 13 civilians were killed, the women saved the lives of many children and elderly.

[Vikram]

More power to the brave ladies.May all their shots find the mark unfailingly.

And to the fundamentalists of all faiths, this is a lesson. There is no monopoly over patriotism for any one. Viva!


Best- Vikram

[penpusher]

Mehul,

Women and children are ones who suffer the worst in any natural disaster or a in a war like situation.Just look at the figures for people killed in natural calamities like floods or fires.Max are women and children. It's high time women also learn to defend themselves and their families. Though Kipling was talking about the Himalyan bear,but the ferocity of a female defending its brood is almost a universal phenomenon.

Best and the easiest way to double the no. of shooters is to get women involved.Wife has finally shown interest in going to the firing range But now she wants me to buy "those beatifull guns with all that engraving" and finds the ones that I have,excluding the handguns, un-interesting

Take care,
penpusher

[Sakobav]

On a lighter note

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/arti ... 629241.cms


Meet Punjab's gun-toting girls
CHANDIGARH: For long it was the burly Punjabi - flowing beard, kirpan et al - who was the symbol of macho aggression. Not anymore.

Now, it seems, it is the turn of the women. And they are turning the concept of emancipation on its head. In what has rattled the Ludhiana police, four girls - all in their teens and early 20s - recently drove a Skoda to an upmarket shopping centre, at Sarabha Nagar, and after sticking their heads out of the sunroof fired three shots from a .9 mm pistol into the air.

[horribleharshad]

Sir, it is actually more people like those girls than anti gunners who make impressions on those people sitting on the fence. Some shooters - state level shooters can act like lumpheads. At a recent state level meet, few shooters from aurangabad were practicing their shooting - outside the range, pointing their pistols (air) towards the range building. Pathetic, unfortunaly, the range officer was a little late getting there to debar them.