Kashmiri’s Verdict against India

The POST, Sun, Aug,31, 2008.

Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema

Even after the passage of 61 years, one thing is becoming absolutely clear that the people of Indian Held Kashmir (IHK) are not reconciled with the Indian rule. They are as enthusiastic today to get rid of Indian yoke as they were in 1947. This is something which most nations of the world have gradually realized and have expressed their opinions in one form or the other.

Those who are yet to come out openly and continue to refuse to acknowledge the writings on the wall include most of those nations that are entrusted with the task of maintaining international; peace and security. Many of these nations are not only the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) but are also overtly partisan and are more interested to secure their own national interests rather than opting for a larger cause. There is no doubt that they are looking at the Kashmir dispute through the lenses of their national interests rather than being concerned with the plight of the people of IHK.

The current crisis in Kashmir has once again highlighted Indian forces’ oppressive measures that are being applied to curb the voice of the people of Kashmir. People are being arrested arbitrarily. Reports are clearly indicating that the Indian security forces open fire indiscriminately killing and injuring many. According to Kashmir Media Service, many injured individuals have reported that security forces have been firing upon innocent civilians without any provocations.

Unable to control the unrest unleashed by the recent crisis the security forces have now arrested the main leaders of APHC including Mir Waiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and Syed Ali Gilani. The arrests of these leaders are likely to infuriate more people rather than facilitating the security forces to control the rising tide of unrest. It has also been reported that almost all the leaders been denied the proper medical treatment especially Syed Ali Gilani who is the oldest leader.

It has always been a surprise for many independent observers that why the guardians of international peace and security hesitate to influence or check India from perpetrating unnecessary atrocities. Undoubtedly India has a relatively stable democracy but it is perhaps one of those democratic countries where human rights are violated at will especially if the spotlight is focused on the Muslim population.

It is understandable that the state authorities, at times, may have to indulge in undesired measures to avert a perceived situation at a particular time but to apply suppressive tactics for almost two decades could never find justifiable rationale. The recent massive gathering at Eidgah once again clearly proved that Kashmiris’ struggle is not only indigenous but the people of Kashmir would continue their fight for their right of self determination.

Since 61 years have passed and Kashmir is probably the oldest dispute on the records of the United Nations, it was expected by many that it would loose its intensity over the years. This indeed has been proven wrong. On the contrary the recent developments inside Kashmir once again reinforced the notions that the Kashmiri peoples’ devotion towards the realization of their right to self determination is as strong as it was in the beginning of the struggle. Indeed New Delhi has miserably failed to suppress the sentiments of the Kashmiri people.

Perhaps the most dangerous element of the current crisis appears to be emerging divide between the Hindus of India and the Muslims living both in Jammu and Kashmir. One used to hear about Kashmiryat based on Sufism and harmonious ways various religious communities used to live prior to the partition. Today three dominant districts are classified as Hindu areas of Jammu province whereas other districts have mixed population with slight Muslim majorities.

The way the situation is emerging in the IHK, it difficult to ignore the claims of those who think and promote the idea of partition of the state. It is somewhat ironic that while the Indian Prime Minister and other important leaders have been stressing that there will be no partition yet one finds the inaction of the incumbent Congress government facilitated the economic blockade inadvertently leading towards a major divide on religious grounds.

Admittedly there may not be large number of Hindus who support such an eventuality but giving the militants a free hand in imposing economic blockade against the Muslim dominated areas of IHK clearly point towards either incompetence or contrived policy of allowing what they tried to term as reaction. What the government inadvertently ignored or forgot to take into consideration is the fact that the intended victims are also those whom it considers as Indian citizens.

For any acute observer it is not a surprising that the half hearted policies often result in deterioration of the situation and the situation that is conflict prone would tend to acquire alarming proportion. Given the emerging divide, it appears that there exists hardly a gray area. Undoubtedly the longer this situation persists, the greater are the chances of hardened stances.

Almost all reports are indicating that India is totally perplexed how to resolve he situation on one hand and control or curb the sentiments for Azadi which are strengthen with the passing of every day on the other. The tendency which the Indian Congress led government has so far demonstrated revolves around the use of force only and perhaps that is why force has been unleashed to perpetrate more atrocities. Again it is a well known fact that the increase in atrocities is likely to strengthen the movement for Azadi.

What is somewhat surprising for many in the region is that neither the Americans have taken up the case of the Kashmiri people for fear of invoking India’s anger nor the unnecessarily over drummed liberal American media in US appears to have given the deserving coverage to the plight of the people of Kashmir. Judged by any yardstick it is not too far fetched to assume that Kashmir people have once again given their verdict against the oppressive Indian rule.

The writer works for Islamabad Policy research Institute.