In a major turn of events, India’s self-proclaimed victory by killing Wani, a young rebel commander, has backfired and brought the disputed territory of Kashmir at a crossroads. Since his “extrajudicial” killing on July 8, the Indian-administred Kashmir has been in the news for curfews, strikes and intense clashes between protesters and the Indian military.
In particular, the Indian forces have faced severe criticism for use of “non-lethal” pellet guns that have maimed unarmed protesters. Yet, the Kashmiris continue to challenge writ of the Indian government and seem ready to sacrifice more lives for their right to self-determination. However, this time the nature of the uprising is remarkably different from the movement of the 1990s that was characterized by militant groups.
This is the beginning of a new Kashmiri youth-led struggle that is extremely vocal and defiant. This generation has grown up under the shadow of guns and is eager to express its fury against oppression by around 600,000 Indian troops. Educated and tech savvy, they drew inspiration from the slain leader Wani, who effectively used social media to highlight plight of Kashmiris. It is no wonder then that the Indian government swiftly blocked Internet and mobile services, and banned local publications, to cover its atrocities in recent weeks. But, these tactics have not entirely worked as the world has condemned Indian aggression and blatant disregard for human rights.
While the UN chief Ban Ki-moon has called for all parties to exercise “maximum restraint,” the United States and China have also urged for de-escalation of violence in Kashmir. It is time, though, that these global powers and human rights advocates moved beyond lip service to demand India to respect the aspirations of Kashmiris.
Meanwhile, the Indian government remains unperturbed by the ongoing unrest in the valley. It seems to be oblivious of the underlying causes that are fueling frustrations among millions of Kashmiris. In an absurd statement, the Indian government promised employment for the Kashmiri youth to calm the situation. As highlighted by the pro-freedom leadership, “the Kashmir issue is not about governance or economic packages or economic incentives. It is the issue of the people’s (fundamental) right — the right to self-determination.” Kashmir remains a political problem that cannot be resolved amicably without a mature dialogue between India, Pakistan and representatives of the people of Kashmir.
Unfortunately, both India and Pakistan have failed to conduct concrete discussions on the long-standing Kashmir issue, which according to Pakistan Army chief Raheel Sharif is an “unfinished agenda of the partition.” While India has shown hesitancy to reach a diplomatic solution, Pakistan has ruled out the possibility of any composite dialogue with India without a discussion on this topic. In recent days, India has also censured Pakistan for interfering in its internal matters, accusing it of inciting and instigating the current crisis.
It is highly unlikely that the two countries will go to a full-blown war over the dispute, but this thorny issue will continue to be a roadblock in their relations. This indigenous movement by young Kashmiris will not die down anytime soon and so it would be wise for both India and Pakistan to search for a political settlement to the Kashmir dispute.
In particular, the Indian forces have faced severe criticism for use of “non-lethal” pellet guns that have maimed unarmed protesters. Yet, the Kashmiris continue to challenge writ of the Indian government and seem ready to sacrifice more lives for their right to self-determination. However, this time the nature of the uprising is remarkably different from the movement of the 1990s that was characterized by militant groups.
This is the beginning of a new Kashmiri youth-led struggle that is extremely vocal and defiant. This generation has grown up under the shadow of guns and is eager to express its fury against oppression by around 600,000 Indian troops. Educated and tech savvy, they drew inspiration from the slain leader Wani, who effectively used social media to highlight plight of Kashmiris. It is no wonder then that the Indian government swiftly blocked Internet and mobile services, and banned local publications, to cover its atrocities in recent weeks. But, these tactics have not entirely worked as the world has condemned Indian aggression and blatant disregard for human rights.
While the UN chief Ban Ki-moon has called for all parties to exercise “maximum restraint,” the United States and China have also urged for de-escalation of violence in Kashmir. It is time, though, that these global powers and human rights advocates moved beyond lip service to demand India to respect the aspirations of Kashmiris.
Meanwhile, the Indian government remains unperturbed by the ongoing unrest in the valley. It seems to be oblivious of the underlying causes that are fueling frustrations among millions of Kashmiris. In an absurd statement, the Indian government promised employment for the Kashmiri youth to calm the situation. As highlighted by the pro-freedom leadership, “the Kashmir issue is not about governance or economic packages or economic incentives. It is the issue of the people’s (fundamental) right — the right to self-determination.” Kashmir remains a political problem that cannot be resolved amicably without a mature dialogue between India, Pakistan and representatives of the people of Kashmir.
Unfortunately, both India and Pakistan have failed to conduct concrete discussions on the long-standing Kashmir issue, which according to Pakistan Army chief Raheel Sharif is an “unfinished agenda of the partition.” While India has shown hesitancy to reach a diplomatic solution, Pakistan has ruled out the possibility of any composite dialogue with India without a discussion on this topic. In recent days, India has also censured Pakistan for interfering in its internal matters, accusing it of inciting and instigating the current crisis.
It is highly unlikely that the two countries will go to a full-blown war over the dispute, but this thorny issue will continue to be a roadblock in their relations. This indigenous movement by young Kashmiris will not die down anytime soon and so it would be wise for both India and Pakistan to search for a political settlement to the Kashmir dispute.
