Kashmir an Issue of International Concern
Posted on 08. Aug, 2010 by Raja Mujtaba in Kashmir
By Dr. Raja Muhammad Khan
On the eve of the 11th International Kashmir Peace Conference, held in Capital Hill, Washington, on July 29-30, 2010, the participants emphasized India and Pakistan to find out a political solution of the Kashmir dispute. The conference was attended by large number of delegates from India, Pakistan, both the sides of Jammu and Kashmir, Kashmiri Diaspora from all over the world, United State’s think tanks, Congressmen, diplomats from various countries stationed in Washington D.C., prominent US columnists and opinion makers. The participants felt that to end the “perennial suffering of the people of Jammu and Kashmir expeditious resolution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute on permanent basis has become urgent and essential.”
The conference was jointly organised by the American Kashmir Council and Association of Humanitarian Lawyer’s Forum. Dr. Ghlum Nabi Fai, the Executive Director of the American Kashmir Council said in his opening remarks that, “United Nations to lead the effort to achieve a fair and lasting settlement of the Kashmir dispute.” The participating US Congressmen expressed their deep anguish over the continued human rights violations in the IHK. They called upon India for ending the “persecution of people in the state and respecting human rights in the state.” The US think tanks and MPs were of the opinion that, “for bringing peace in South Asia, the resolution of Kashmir dispute has become imperative.” Participants of the conference were pinning a lot hopes on President Obama and UNO to play a part towards the resolution of the issues politically. While the proceedings of the conference were underway in Washington, the Indian security forces were busy in killing the innocent Kashmiri masses. The participants condemned the Indian acts and prayed for all those martyred in Kashmir at the hands of the Indian forces.
How Kashmiri feels about the Indian role throughout during the occupied history of the state, can be imagined from a statement of former Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdullah, who once said, that Indian authorities “Treated me like a chaprasi (peon).” This is despite concluding a formal agreement with India, through Kashmir Accord of November-1974, by Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah himself. Many a time he expressed that, he is totally a feeble and a hostage at the hands of the Indian intelligence agencies and the strong Indian bureaucracy. This was the most commonly used phrase of the Sheikh Abdullah, who was jailed many a times for demanding the Kashmiri rights from Indian leaders like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, once a close associate of Sheikh Abdullah. So was the authority of Farooq Abdullah, son of Sheikh Abdullah and father of the incumbent Chief Minister. Thirty-five years later, once his grandson, Omer Abdullah is the Chief Minister of IHK, the situation has rather worsened.
The question arises as to what is the underlying cause for all this happening. A realistic assessment would reveal that,
A helpless woman throws her head scarf in the feet of Police to beg for mercy!
the successive Kashmiri leadership has preferred their personnel gains to the collective national interests of the people of state. Following the Kashmir Accord-1974, the demand for the freedom from the Indian yoke by the overwhelming Kashmiris has been lacking the assent of the rulers of the state. This holds good from Sheikh Abdullah to Omar Abdullah. Indeed, the freedom is the people’s voice in defiance to their ruler’s wishes. The rulers have their own priorities. Their objectives are being fulfilled by being the loyal to the governments at New Delhi, rather their people.
The next question in the sequential order is; why Kashmiri masses vote for these self-seeking leaders and don’t they have choice of alternative leadership? The history of the state reveals that Indian Government has chosen a few families of the Kashmiris to be its faithful, and they have been the decision makers of the future of the people of this state as per the directives issued from New Delhi from time to time. In this regards, the Indian intelligence agencies and its bureaucracy has followed the golden principle of ‘divide and rule’ for the Kashmiris. This is exactly as the British Government did during its prolonged rule over the Subcontinent. The rule was practically implemented in a way that, once a political party promised acceptance of demands of the Indian Government, was brought into power through manipulation and allowed to rule indefinitely. Nevertheless, once it demanded the Kashmiris right, it was not only deprived of the rule, but its leaders were put behind the bar. Sheikh Abdullah remained imprisoned for years whenever he asked for the right of Kashmiris. Later he learnt that, rather fighting for the collective rights of the Kashmiris, look after his own interest. His son; Farooq Abdullah and grandson Omar Abdullah have been following the same policy.
The famous writer and former Indian ambassador to UK, Mr. Kuldip Nayar, has suggested a strategy for the masses and the ruler of Kashmiri. He suggested that the ruler class of Kashmir, otherwise traditionally loyal to New Delhi should keep bulldozing the Indian governments for the public consumption, but practically be loyal to the Tahat-e-Delhi. He envisioned that this would keep everyone at a state of satisfaction. Mr Kuldip Nayar has quoted the example from the Sheikh Abdullah, who in his opinion had understood the ploy and successfully used it for his rule and later same strategy was adopted by his son and now grandson. As per the Ambassador, Sheikh Abdullah “did not question Kashmir’s accession to India, but placated the Kashmiris by criticising New Delhi for eroding the state’s autonomy. For example, he would say that the Kashmiris would prefer to stay hungry if the atta from India was meant to trample upon their right to stay independent. It may have been a fiction but it worked.”
Mr. Kuldip Nayer is right as this deceptive measure has worked well prior to 1990, but it is no more viable. The people of the state have awakened and cannot be befooled anymore. There have been three elections in the State even after 1990. In these elections the Indian Army and its paramilitary forces not at will forced people to vote. The renewed uprisings started in 2008, has taken a new momentum. The people of Kashmir are agreeing on nothing less than the freedom from India. Starting from Governor Rule to the Governments of various political parties of the state, the Indian Government have used all methods to control the masses, following the 1990 Kashmiri freedom movement. Even its heart and mind winning technique through Operation Sadbahwana (good will) could not meet a success.
Now India must understand that, Kashmiris would be agreeing on not less than the freedom from its illegitimate rule. India should be clear of this aspect, as she has used all methods to control the Kashmiri masses ever since 1947. India has indeed used the military option as the pre-dominant one. There have been over 150 reported deaths of innocent Kashmiris, mostly consisting of young school and college going boys in last two months by Indian Army and paramilitary forces. This is an act of genocide by India. It is being used after she realized that all strategies used by India to control the masses in Kashmir have failed. Indian Army has already killed over 93,000 Kashmiris since the start of uprising in 1990. It is the responsibility of UNO, major power especially U.S , and the international community to put diplomatic pressure on India for ending the genocide of Kashmiri masses.
Dr Raja M Khan did his PhD in International Relations from Karachi University. Now he is an Associate Professor with National Defence University, Islamabad, a prestigious institution of the country where mostly officers from Pakistan Military attend the classes.
His area of focus is South Asia, Central Asia, Middle East and rest of the Muslim World. He is closely following Kashmir, Afghanistan and Iraq. Dr Khan is also a regular contributor to Opinion Maker.
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12 Responses to “Kashmir an Issue of International Concern”
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09. Aug, 2010
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neel123
09. Aug, 2010
@ Dr Raja M Khan,
It is the ultimate shamelessness, Karachi is burning, Balochistan is falling apart, Taliban is tearing Pakistan apart and some Pakistanis in denial are hoping for some miracle in Kashmir …. !
As far as India is concerned, the most important issue is the rampant human rights violation of the Baloch people by the Pakistani Army, in contrast to the the democratic rights enjoyed by the majority Kashmiri people.
The International community has seen through Pakistani mischief in Kashmir, to avenge the loss of Bangladesh. They are not interested to interfere in Kashmir, which is clear in the repeated American snub at Pakistan to mediate in this bilateral issue.
Kashmir is as much a part of India as Tibet is of China, and Balochistan is of Pakistan ………. !
The Pakistani agents in Kashmir will be crushed with iron fist………Pakistan’s dreams on Kashmir will remain dream for ever ………. !
Dr.A.K.Tewari
09. Aug, 2010
@ R. M..Khan , you must be approaching to the retirement .Now your students in Pak army are being deployed in Baluchistan and Swat to kill citizens of Pakistan .I think It a greate defeat for a professor who preached his students to fight with India through out his life is now seeing just opposite .Now go in the grave to save yourself from humiliation becouse these students when will come back will be involved to eradicate people like you to save the Pakistan .
Sardar Khan
09. Aug, 2010
What a stupid remarks to a very good article.The trouble with indians is they have mind set,just to demanise Pakistan in anyway possible.They are so stupid to realise that you cann occupy a country but you can not kep people under army force(an army like indian terrorist-killing childern as young as 7 year old).It is futile to think they are capable of understanding the freedom fighters of Jamu & Kashmir.As for as Pakistan is concerned,you indians have never accepted its freedom from not only from Britiah Raj and also from Hindu Samraj(akhand baharat) and have always tried to destroy by hook and crook.But Pakistan will always remain an independent country.
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD,PAINDABAD[with the grace of ALLAH].
Azhar Ahmad
09. Aug, 2010
indian intransigence or west’s indifference- the solution to kashmir is on the horizon and no body can stop it.
abubaqar
09. Aug, 2010
when the ordinary people realise that the troublemakers are those in power between both countrys running a laissez-faire system to control and create mischief to divide and rule them , then perhaps the light of freedom will beckon clearly. Freedom does not come by being weak!!
might is right in peace and war and thats all that counts, i wish the kashmirir people all the best in seeking freedom from both pakistan and india. they must not expect any help from the west at all who are the master troublemakers in the world!
Gul Khan
09. Aug, 2010
The law and order problem created by the Enemies of Pakistan in Pakistan should not be used as an Excuse or license for India to commit barbaric attrocities on Kashmiris…The need of the Hour is to expose India and Drag it to International Court of Justice for its war crimes in Kashmir.
Dr.A.K.Tewari
09. Aug, 2010
Yes ,The people of kashmir deseve freedom .But freedom from what ? They have to get freedom from poverty ,freedom from illeteracy ,freedom from underdevelopment and above all freedom from religious fundamentalists .They are free to elect the govt. of their choice .The state enjoy special status under article 370 .What they will get after merging with Pakistan .They will be treated as MUZAHIR .Now India can not allow this to happen at any cost .
abubaqar
09. Aug, 2010
dr tewari, your answers are shrewd to say the least. presently, the kashmiris want freedom from you thats india!
why do you not give them they democratic right to do so as you claim to be a democratic country?
as you brought religion into this comment, the worst religious bigots are the hindu,s.christians and jews in the world!!!
your leader pandit nehru promised the kashmiris a plebiscite to choose which country they wish to belong to, you indians have never fulfilled this promise even under U.N resolutions!
whether you indians like it or not, kashmir will one day be free as foretold by the muslim saint nematallah shah wali 900 years ago, we have no doubt about that inshallah!
as you claim to be such nice people, the indians, can you tell the readers here how your country invaded the nizam of hyderabads lands and murdered over 200,000 people in 1948 mostly muslims?
can you tell readers here why the muslims are the lowiest of the low under your education system and in life opportunitys in india?
can you tell why since independence more then 5 million muslims have been murdered by hindus in india due to their religion and why we muslims do not do that to your kind in our lands?
why is indian fundamentalist terrorism directed against muslims in wanton killing, murder,and mayhem as evidenced by your police under kerkare and others who were subsequently murdered by your hindu terrorists for getting to the truth in finding links to your army and intelligence doing ALL the terrorism in india for political gains and killing innocents?
it is a natural thing for people of any religion or class to better themselves, india does not offer that mr tewari to the kashmiris, you are subjugating,oppressing,tyrannising and keeping them in ignorance so that you can rule over them unjustly.
we muslims promise you that you will regret this one day and all your crimes against humanity done by your army and people will have to answer for in a just court. the prophet mohammed has foretold this and other saintly figures———– wait and see inshallah!
abdul
09. Aug, 2010
Two points:
1.Pakistan attacked J&K.
2.It is smarting under the loss of the erstwhile East Pakistan.
3.It has an eye on Afghanistan,for “strategic retreat”,and the mineral resources.
The International Community has seen through the machinations of the Machiavelis in Pakistan.
abubaqar
10. Aug, 2010
mr abdul, perhaps you have recently come from the moon as a vacation hole, but in the meantime on earth, the ex- chief of r.a.w under indira gandhi published his memoirs recently after his death clearly outlining how and in what way the democratic and friendly indians built up terrorists called mukthi bahini who went on to kill millions in bangladesh and subsequently went on to partition east pakistan!
the terrorists were hindu financed,trained and armed by india and yet you have the audaicty to say that you warmongers are fighting terrorism when you actually promote it in league with the jewish zionists and christian zionists!
we need to call a spade a spade as honest people of the world, you killers and murderers ruling over innocent men and women in the world whether hindu,muslim,christian,or jew and others need to recognise who you are and reject you as rulers so that we can have the peace and freedom we seek between nations.
inshallah, my faith tells me it will happen,but not before we fight you for justice and liberty to prevail for the kashmiris,s, the palestinians etc, etc, etc.
if you indians are so good to the kashmiris why not give them a choice to decide what they want?
lastly, the international community are a bunch of war criminals as is evidenced by their false wars on iraq and afghanistan and other places. they had a agenda to follow by false flag operations blamed on muslims like 911 , which recently a dutch scientist proved was carried out with explosives called thermite (military grade) available only to the C.I.A and military and nearly 100 tons was used to blow up the twin towers. can you explain to us how osama bin laden carried 100 tons of thermite into the two towers in new york?
love to hear from you, also hemant kerkare in bombay also found in his investigation that military grade exploseves were being used by hindu terrorists like major purohit and others of his gang who went on to blame innocent muslims for the atrocitys.
the world needs to see the machiavellian machinations of the christian,jewish and hindu zionists not pakistani patsys or muslims for that matter!
Cherlin
29. Aug, 2011
Thank you so much for this atcrile, it saved me time!