all Eigendreh

Lower thirds:

00:02 Report by Adil Bhat & Richard Kujur
00:19 Thinles Dorje | Protestor
01:11 Thinles Dorje | Protestor
02:03 Chering Dorjay Lakrook | Co-Chairman of Apex body of Ladakh
02:57 Tashi Gyalson | BJP Representative in Ladakh
03:38 Thinles Dorje | Protestor

Script:

00:02 – 00:17   
Thinles Dorje is free - after nine days in prison. He was arrested  during last month’s protests calling for more autonomy for the Ladakh region.
He and other protesters report to the local court as part of their bail conditions.

00:18- 00:33 
+++SOT (Hindi) Thinles Dorje, Protestor+++
“For the last four, five years, no one was listening to our demands. The talks with the central government were being repeatedly delayed. People were very angry. These protests were bound to happen and unfortunately, that anger erupted in the 24th September protests.”+++

00:36-1:08
Dorje was part of the peaceful protests ((ATMO PEACEFUL PROTESTS))  but says accusations he later was part of the violence, are wrong. 
Some protesters threw rocks at police, who opened fire at the crowds, killing at least four people and injuring dozens more. They arrested more than 50 people. 

00:58- 1:08
Those accused of violence include local former army personnel.
Usually hailed as heroes of the national state, they’re now accused of colluding with foreign elements against India.

1:09-  1:24 
+++ SOT (Hindi)  Thinles Dorje, Protestor+++ 
“This is the most painful and worrisome thing. We, the people of Ladakh, are very patriotic. We are always ready to give our lives for India. We don’t even think twice before extending our support. +++

01:25 - 1:48
But friction between people in Ladakh and the central government has been building for years.  After the region was separated from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, it came under central rule from Delhi. Promises that this would lead to greater autonomy or even statehood have not materialised, prompting calls for local control over land, jobs, and natural resources.

1:50 - 2:02 
This is the Leh Apex Body, the main group campaigning for Ladakh’s autonomy.
Members here say the arrests last month deepen mistrust.
 
2:03- 2:26
+++ SOT ( Hindi) Chering Dorjay Lakrook,, Co-Chairman of Apex body of Ladakh+++
 “If the government wants to improve the situation, if they want to bring back normalcy, then people should stop being arrested, intimidated, and threatened. We strongly condemn this approach by authorities. This is wrong. They think that by silencing us they will suppress our movement. But the movement will not be suppressed with such tactics. It will only become stronger.” +++

2:27-2:40 
When filming in Ladakh’s capital city Leh, we found many people who said they feared retribution if they spoke on camera. 
And when we asked senior local police officials to talk to us, they declined to comment.

2;47- 2:55
The representative of India’s ruling BJP  in Ladakh told us  the central government has set up a judicial inquiry into last month’s violence.

2:56- 3:16
+++ Tashi Gyalson,  BJP Representative in Ladakh+++
“Yes, there was frustration, for sure. But such violence, such anger, we never anticipated. Everybody should take the responsibility. Somehow, everybody has done a mistake, you know, whether it is wilfully or, you know not wilfully.” +++
 
3:18- 3:28
Whoever made a mistake, the violence it triggered was rooted in a deep tension between demands for local autonomy and the central government’s determination to maintain tight control.
3:31- 3;35
After his appointment in court, Thinles Dorje returns home to his family.

3:37- 3:51 
+++ SOT (Hindi)  Thinles Dorje, Protester  +++
“All our demands are for the future generation to secure the future of my children and the generations that come after. This struggle will continue.” +++

3:51- 3:59
He knows his personal legal fight ahead will be long - and the campaign for more local autonomy will likely be even longer.

Info to cross over to Guest- 
PTC: Adil Bhat, DW Correspondent 
Ladakh, high in the greater Himalayas has long been known for its peace, spirituality, and stunning views. But the recent unrest and violence is causing concern - and not just in the tourism industry. Ladakh borders on China and Pakistan, making the region politically important. People here often play a crucial role in the surveillance of this disputed region. Their anger at the government in Delhi, many experts say, could weaken India's position on a sensitive and important frontier.