But who will balm the Kashmiri wounds?
By Momin Iftikhar
Thu, 27 Apr 2006, 10:54:00
The current Indo-Pak engagement, duly substantiated by a set of Confidence Building Measures (CBM) stands out as the longest sustained and most substantive of the endeavors made by the two countries in search for a solution of the Kashmir Issue. Both countries have agreed to initiate measures for creating conducive environment for tackling the thorny, yet central Issue of Kashmir by working around its periphery.
The portents have been encouraging. The ceasefire, in place and holding since November last, is the longest such pause since last 57 years. The April 7 inauguration of the Muzaffarabad to Sri Nagar Bus Service comes about as the first civilian movement across the Line of Control to take place since Indian Forces forcefully occupied the State of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. The talks to open up more arteries of communication facilitating travel between the two countries are under deliberation. We have just seen another round of talks between the Defence Secretaries of the two countries to find a solution to the Siachin Issue - a problem that emerged as a unilateral aggression by India in 1983. Hurriyat leadership has visited Pakistan and there is the rhetoric of turning Siachin into a "Mountain of Peace" by a person no less than the Prime Minister of India.
While this flurry is going about with considerable vigor for the last eighteen months, what remains conspicuously amiss is the lack of meaningful initiatives by India to provide relief to the brutalized Kashmiris, whose sustained sacrifices and struggle, in the first place, have provided the stimulus to bring Indians to the negotiating tables. Indian inaction is particularly disconcerting since Pakistan, at its end, has taken solid steps to tone down the heat of insurgency in the IHK. Indian politico-military leadership has admitted that infiltration from across the border has considerably scaled down and the freedom fighters too have toned down their operations against the Indian security forces.
As a quid pro quo, Indians were expected take tangible steps to rein in their forces in the IHK and firmly ensure the respect of human rights by their trigger happy troops. This keenly awaited CBM, so essential to win over the trust and support of Kashmiris, remains conspicuously lacking. In this context it is instructive to note that taking advantage of the ceasefire; Indians have quickly completed fencing along the LoC, a project that had remained unfulfilled due to resistance by the Pak Army. It is also unfortunate that despite announcement of withdrawal of forces from IHK by the Indian Prime Minister, no actual movement of troops has taken place out of the IHK.
Consequently a perception is taking hold that playing for time through the CBM game, Indians are pulling a fast one by turning their guns inward to smash the Kashmiri resistance - once and for all. This insidious approach has seen enhanced level of violence against the civilian population of Kashmir. According to figures release by the Kashmir Action Committee, ever since the ceasefire along the LoC came into effect in Nov 2003, over 2500 Kashmiris have been martyred, 329 women molested, 495 women widowed, 1410 children orphaned and over 600 houses and shops torched by the Indian occupational forces. Only the first fortnight of May 2005 in the IHK saw 72 Kashmiris martyred, 8 women molested, 17 women widowed and 29 children martyred. Incidents of rape have particularly increased; showing a pattern that this despicable crime was being employed as a psychological weapon to break the will and demoralize the Kashmiri resistance. The recent rape of a mother-daughter duo, by an Indian Army officer in Hindwara made headlines in Indian media; even though it is a willing partner in the conspiracy of silence involving cover up of such incidents. Custodial deaths and unexplained disappearances have become common occurrence in the IHK.
"In September [2003] the government fulfilled its election pledge to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) which it said had been "grossly misused" and which had led to widespread human rights violations. However, there were concerns over amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which included provisions similar to those in the POTA. There were also concerns that the definition of "terrorist acts" in the bill remained vague and open to broad interpretation. Several states indicated that they would introduce legislation containing provisions similar to those in the POTA", observed the AI report.
Empowered by these Draconian legislations Indian security forces continue to make a mockery of CBMs and the ongoing process of Indo Pak engagement There is a swell op opinion that if the process of engagement has to yield results, progress on CBMs has to be orchestrated in tandem with initiatives to cut through the Gordian knot of the Kashmir Issue. This calls for a visible and sincere endeavor by India to console and comfort the Kashmiri population which stands bruised and bloodied by the no holds barred, collateral damage intensive operations by the Indian security forces.
Winning over Kashmiris' confidence and ensuring their participation in the ongoing process is essential since by sacrificing over one hundred thousand of their kith and kin over a decade and a half, they have won an inalienable right as a party to the issue resolution process. This aspect appropriately driven home during the recent visit of APHC delegation to Pakistan. While speaking at the reception by Governor Sind in Karachi, Chairman of the APHC Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that CBMs could not contribute anything positive unless they addressed the miseries of Kashmiris. Here is the moot question: what is the point in pursing CBMs geared towards resolution of the Kashmir Issue if these don't ease the pain of Kashmiri population in the IHK? Kashmiris have shown their willingness to give peace a chance by toning down their resistance and the Indians have to respond in kind to move the process forward. Violence begets violence and if Indians persist with their ingrained practices, it will only provide fresh blood and fighting resolve to the indigenous freedom struggle in IHK. In such a scenario, the painstakingly assembled edifice of CBMs and the accrued goodwill shall evaporate in thin air in no time.
By Momin Iftikhar
Thu, 27 Apr 2006, 10:54:00
The current Indo-Pak engagement, duly substantiated by a set of Confidence Building Measures (CBM) stands out as the longest sustained and most substantive of the endeavors made by the two countries in search for a solution of the Kashmir Issue. Both countries have agreed to initiate measures for creating conducive environment for tackling the thorny, yet central Issue of Kashmir by working around its periphery.
The portents have been encouraging. The ceasefire, in place and holding since November last, is the longest such pause since last 57 years. The April 7 inauguration of the Muzaffarabad to Sri Nagar Bus Service comes about as the first civilian movement across the Line of Control to take place since Indian Forces forcefully occupied the State of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. The talks to open up more arteries of communication facilitating travel between the two countries are under deliberation. We have just seen another round of talks between the Defence Secretaries of the two countries to find a solution to the Siachin Issue - a problem that emerged as a unilateral aggression by India in 1983. Hurriyat leadership has visited Pakistan and there is the rhetoric of turning Siachin into a "Mountain of Peace" by a person no less than the Prime Minister of India.
While this flurry is going about with considerable vigor for the last eighteen months, what remains conspicuously amiss is the lack of meaningful initiatives by India to provide relief to the brutalized Kashmiris, whose sustained sacrifices and struggle, in the first place, have provided the stimulus to bring Indians to the negotiating tables. Indian inaction is particularly disconcerting since Pakistan, at its end, has taken solid steps to tone down the heat of insurgency in the IHK. Indian politico-military leadership has admitted that infiltration from across the border has considerably scaled down and the freedom fighters too have toned down their operations against the Indian security forces.
As a quid pro quo, Indians were expected take tangible steps to rein in their forces in the IHK and firmly ensure the respect of human rights by their trigger happy troops. This keenly awaited CBM, so essential to win over the trust and support of Kashmiris, remains conspicuously lacking. In this context it is instructive to note that taking advantage of the ceasefire; Indians have quickly completed fencing along the LoC, a project that had remained unfulfilled due to resistance by the Pak Army. It is also unfortunate that despite announcement of withdrawal of forces from IHK by the Indian Prime Minister, no actual movement of troops has taken place out of the IHK.
Consequently a perception is taking hold that playing for time through the CBM game, Indians are pulling a fast one by turning their guns inward to smash the Kashmiri resistance - once and for all. This insidious approach has seen enhanced level of violence against the civilian population of Kashmir. According to figures release by the Kashmir Action Committee, ever since the ceasefire along the LoC came into effect in Nov 2003, over 2500 Kashmiris have been martyred, 329 women molested, 495 women widowed, 1410 children orphaned and over 600 houses and shops torched by the Indian occupational forces. Only the first fortnight of May 2005 in the IHK saw 72 Kashmiris martyred, 8 women molested, 17 women widowed and 29 children martyred. Incidents of rape have particularly increased; showing a pattern that this despicable crime was being employed as a psychological weapon to break the will and demoralize the Kashmiri resistance. The recent rape of a mother-daughter duo, by an Indian Army officer in Hindwara made headlines in Indian media; even though it is a willing partner in the conspiracy of silence involving cover up of such incidents. Custodial deaths and unexplained disappearances have become common occurrence in the IHK.
"In September [2003] the government fulfilled its election pledge to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) which it said had been "grossly misused" and which had led to widespread human rights violations. However, there were concerns over amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which included provisions similar to those in the POTA. There were also concerns that the definition of "terrorist acts" in the bill remained vague and open to broad interpretation. Several states indicated that they would introduce legislation containing provisions similar to those in the POTA", observed the AI report.
Empowered by these Draconian legislations Indian security forces continue to make a mockery of CBMs and the ongoing process of Indo Pak engagement There is a swell op opinion that if the process of engagement has to yield results, progress on CBMs has to be orchestrated in tandem with initiatives to cut through the Gordian knot of the Kashmir Issue. This calls for a visible and sincere endeavor by India to console and comfort the Kashmiri population which stands bruised and bloodied by the no holds barred, collateral damage intensive operations by the Indian security forces.
Winning over Kashmiris' confidence and ensuring their participation in the ongoing process is essential since by sacrificing over one hundred thousand of their kith and kin over a decade and a half, they have won an inalienable right as a party to the issue resolution process. This aspect appropriately driven home during the recent visit of APHC delegation to Pakistan. While speaking at the reception by Governor Sind in Karachi, Chairman of the APHC Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that CBMs could not contribute anything positive unless they addressed the miseries of Kashmiris. Here is the moot question: what is the point in pursing CBMs geared towards resolution of the Kashmir Issue if these don't ease the pain of Kashmiri population in the IHK? Kashmiris have shown their willingness to give peace a chance by toning down their resistance and the Indians have to respond in kind to move the process forward. Violence begets violence and if Indians persist with their ingrained practices, it will only provide fresh blood and fighting resolve to the indigenous freedom struggle in IHK. In such a scenario, the painstakingly assembled edifice of CBMs and the accrued goodwill shall evaporate in thin air in no time.
